Aconcagua 2020.01 Archives

Aconcagua 2020.01

Rest day at Aconcagua base camp

The team had a rest day at Aconcagua base camp and is preparing to make their first carry up to Camp 1. Here’s expedition leader, Garrett Madison, with today’s dispatch:

Hello! This is Garrett checking-in for the Aconcagua expedition. Today is January 29th and we had a nice rest day here at Plaza de Mulas base camp. We organized gear today, did our medical checkups with the doctor, and strolled around camp.

We are looking forward to another great day tomorrow. Our plan is to get up and go for carry to Camp 1 and return to base camp.

Everyone’s doing great and we’re enjoying ourselves here at Aconcagua base camp.

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on other expeditions in the 2020 season! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 30, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Aconcagua 2020.01

Plaza de Mules Base Camp

Climbers camping on a mountain in Argentina

Aconcagua 1/10 (C) Kurt Hunter 2010

Today the team reached Plaza de Mules base camp and got settled in. The sat phone dispatch is a bit garbled but you can certainly make out that they like the comforts of the base camp:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Aconcagua expedition. Today is January 28th and today we trekked from Confluencia camp up …[garbled]… great today and we are looking forward to taking a rest day tomorrow …[garbled]… clouded up a little …[garbled]… sun this afternoon …[garbled]… when we were in camp, but GREAT basecamp setup here — hot showers, excellent food, very relaxing and comfortable dinning tent, and great personal tents. So, we’re really comfortable here and everyone’s doing really well. Looking forward to a fun day tomorrow.

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archive)

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on other expeditions in the 2020 season! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 29, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Aconcagua 2020.01

South Face of Aconcagua Up Close

Aconcagua 1/10 (C) Kurt Hunter 2010

The Aconcagua team took an active rest day near Confluencia camp getting a look at the south face of Aconcagua up close. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides today’s expedition dispatch via sat phone:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua expedition with View from the Top, Ltd., a TV production company. Today’s January 27th and today’s our second day on the trek into base camp.

We had a great day here at Confluencia camp on the normal route up the Horcones Valley. Today we trekked out to Plaza Francia for an acclimatization hike to the base of the south face. Beautiful day for trekking — clear, sunny, warm and stunning views of the south face of Aconcagua.

Then we made our way back down to Confluencia camp and had a nice afternoon and a great dinner. We are just getting ready for bed now.

Tomorrow the plan is to wake up early and start the long trek up to Plaza de Mules base camp. Everyone’s doing great! All’s well here on Aconcagua. We’ll check-in soon!

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archive)

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on other expeditions in the 2020 season! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 28, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Aconcagua 2020.01

Aconcagua team treks to Confluencia

The Aconcagua team began their trek to base camp today and expedition leader, Garrett Madison, checks in with today’s dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua climb. We had a great first day heading from Penitentes up to our first camp on the trek to base camp at Confluencia.

We left the Ayleen Hotel this morning at about 9:00 AM and then travelled to the cemetery to pay our respects to the Aconcagua climbers and then up to the Los Horcones trailhead and started trekking. We had lunch along the way and arrived Confluencia camp in the afternoon.

We had a great barbeque dinner here at Confluencia camp – wonderful meat, vegetables, and fresh bread. Tomorrow our plan is to take a rest day here and do an acclimatization hike up to Plaza Francia and back.

The weather is great here in Argentina — sunny skies and calm weather. So, we’re having a great time. All’s well on Aconcagua. We’ll check in soon. Thanks!

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on other expeditions in the 2020 season! Contact our office for details.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates

– Instagram:

January 27, 2020/0 Comments/by Garrett

Aconcagua 2020.01

Aconcagua kicks-off

Team in Mendoza preparing to head to the mountain!

Our next adventure kicked-off today with the team assembled and heading out to the trailhead of South America’s highest peak, Aconcagua. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides this recap of the start:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua expedition with View from the Top, Ltd., a TV program about climbing mountains all over the world.

Today we drove from Mendoza up to Penitentes, which is near the start of the trek to base camp. We got organized with all of our gear, had a nice team dinner, and getting ready to head off to bed here.

Tomorrow we’ll start our trek tomorrow morning around 9:00 AM and make our way up to Confluencia camp where we will spend two nights on the way to Plaza de Mules base camp. Everyone’s doing well here, it’s been great weather – sunny, warm, beautiful, and we’re really excited to get the trek and the climb underway.

All’s well here in Argentina. We’ll check in soon!