Tag Archive for: Copiapó

Cumbre on Doña Ines!

On the summit of Volcano Doña Ines, our first acclimatization ascent at 5,070m.

The first acclimatization hike is done and the team is preparing to ring in the New Year! On New Year’s Eve, the Madison Mountaineering team set off on their first acclimatization hike to prepare for climbs of Ojos del Salado and Aconcagua. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester called in from a windy summit before their descent, filled with excitement after a successful climb up to over 5,070 meters and for a fun evening celebrating the New Year ahead:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ojos del Salado (6893m/22,615ft) and Aconcagua (6961m/22,837ft) combo – today is December 31st, New Year’s Eve!

We are on top of Volcano Doña Ines (5075m/16,650ft) right now. We just had a fantastic ascent and made good time up here. It’s our first acclimatization ascent of this trip. This summit is about 5,070 meters. We didn’t expect to have any cell service until we get back to Copiapó, but it turns out there’s a little bit of reception up here so I’m sending in a dispatch from here.

In just a minute we will take an hour and a half or two hours to descend back to our pickup truck, and then we’ll drive back to our camp on the outskirts of the Pedernales Salt Flat where we’ll relax and then have a nice New Year’s Eve dinner with some champagne to ring in 2024!

All is well here in Chile and we’ll be in touch!

Blue skies over the Atacama Desert on New Years Eve!

Blue skies over the Atacama Desert on New Years Eve!

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 our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Ojos del Salado & Aconcagua expedition

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

We’ve kicked off an exciting combo expedition to Ojos del Salado and Aconcagua! Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano on the planet and Aconcagua is the tallest peak outside of Asia, together combining for a challenging duo for a few intrepid climbers! The Madison Mountaineering team has arrived in Chile where they’ll first attempt Ojos del Salado, before turning their sights towards Aconcagua. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from El Salvador:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ojos del Salado (6893m/22,615ft) and Aconcagua (6961m/22,837ft) expedition – today is December 30th.

Yesterday, everyone arrived in the Copiapó (390m/1,280ft) airport in the Atacama region in northern Chile, and then we drove to the little mining town of El Salvador at about 8,000 feet or just over 2,000 meters. We spent the night here and just had a nice breakfast. This afternoon, we’ll have lunch here and then we will continue to our first campsite on the Pedernales Salt Flat to the east of us. We’ll be there for a night and then will do our first acclimatization ascent on Doña Ines volcano (5075m/16,650ft).

All is going well! The team is in great spirits and good health. It’s beautiful weather here in the Atacama, really pleasant summer temperatures, and clear skies – but the skies are almost always clear because it’s one of the driest deserts on the planet.

So, we’ll be in touch via inReach over the next few days. We won’t have much cell service or WiFi, but we’ll be able to communicate by satellite text. That’s all for now!

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 our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Ojos Expedition Wraps Up!

Our climbers John, Joe and Kris on the summit of Cerro Doña Inez! Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our Ojos del Salado expedition is nearing its conclusion, complete with multiple summits, amazing food, incredible views and many memories to take away! The team is all safely off of Ojos del Salado and will return to Copiapó shortly. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with one final dispatch before the team departs back home in the coming days:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Ojos del Salado expedition – it’s December 19th.

Yesterday was our summit attempt on Ojos! The day started windy and pretty cold actually, but conditions improved quite a bit as we climbed higher and we had just spectacular views of the surrounding Atacama and all the volcanoes near us here. We made it to the summit crater at about 6,700 meters, and at that point we made the difficult, but I think correct decision to turn around to ensure our climbers safety on the descent. It was a tough decision, but the wise one.

Now we’re back in base camp! Our team is all happy and healthy, and we’re packing up and preparing to drive back to Copiapó. That will wrap up our itinerary! Right now, our climbers are deciding whether they’ll fly directly home, or whether they’ll head over to the coast nearby and spend a few days relaxing on the beach.

All in all, it was a great expedition! Beautiful scenery, great food and we got to soak in hot springs as well. We summited two other volcanoes: Cerro Doña Inés at about 5,000 meters and Cerro San Francisco at over 6,000 meters. And, all over our climbers set new personal altitude records which was gratifying too.

So, that’s a wrap and can’t wait for the next one!

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 our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Acclimatizing in the Atacama Desert

Our Ojos del Salado climbers in the town of El Salvador!

The team continued on to El Salvador today, after the expedition got underway in Copiapó! El Salvador serves as a great place to continue the acclimatization process as the team prepares for their ascent of the tallest volcano on the planet, Ojos del Salado. Here’s expedition leader, Terray Sylvester with todays dispatch from the Atacama Desert:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ojos del Salado (6893m/22,615ft) expedition! It’s December 9th.

Today we packed up our vehicles and drove from Copiapó (390m/1,280ft) to the little mining town of El Salvador, out here in the Atacama Desert. El Salvador is at about 2,200 meters, so we’ll spend the night here before we drive up to our first campsite on the Pedernales Salt Flats tomorrow. This is a good spot to start the acclimatization process for Ojos del Salado which is almost 7,000 meters tall.

So, all is well here and we’ll be in touch tomorrow!

Our Ojos del Salado climbers in the town of El Salvador!

Our Ojos del Salado climbers in the town of El Salvador!

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 our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Arrival in the Atacama Desert!

The team enjoying a welcome meal in Copiapó!

The Madison Mountaineering Ojos del Salado expedition is underway! The team arrived in Copiapó today and is prepared for the journey ahead after doing one final gear check, orientation and enjoying a nice meal to kickoff the expedition. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in from Copiapó with the inaugural dispatch of our Ojos del Salado expedition:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Ojos del Salado (6893m/22,615ft) expedition – it’s December 8th.

Today our entire team arrived in the city of Copiapó (390m/1,280ft) here in Chile’s Atacama Desert. We did our gear checks, an orientation and then we went out for a nice welcome meal of steak, and ceviche, and some really tasty Chilean wine. The weather is fantastic here – it’s warm and sunny with pleasant breeze, the flowers are blooming… It’s just a really wonderful place to be during the Northern Hemisphere winter!

So, tomorrow we will drive out of Copiapó and head for the tiny town of El Salvador. With that, we will begin our journey to the summit of the highest volcano on the planet, Ojos del Salado.

We’ll be in touch!

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 our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Summit — Top of Ojos del Salado!

Ojos del Salado

The team reached the summit of Ojos del Salado this morning, the highest volcano in the world (#1 in the Volcanic Seven Summits), the second-highest mountain in South America (#2 in the Second Seven Summits), and Chile’s country high point (6893m/22,614ft)!  Congratulations team!  Great work.

Here’s expedition leader, Garrett Madison with the happy news direct from the summit via satellite phone:

Hello!  This is Garrett Madison calling in for the Ojos del Salado expedition team.  Today’s December 16th and we have summitted Ojos del Salado, about 22,600 ft. and change or, I think, 6,893 meters.

Team members that made it up here today would be Jenn, Ted, Ryan, Jean Marie – our local guide, myself, and Chase!  We had a great climb, nice weather – it was cold starting out and cold during most of the day, but sunny, not many clouds, not much wind.  Could ask for a better day up here.  Great views all around.

We’re up here at the top of the mountain and Chase and I are the last ones up here, about to head down – back towards Acacama Camp [base camp] where we are going to sleep tonight.

It was a beautiful climb.  Glad that we came here to Chile.  A wonderful experience all around.  We’re looking forward to checking-in soon.  Thanks!

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 on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Atacama Refugio – Ojos del Salado Base Camp (5256m/17,244ft)

Atacama Refugio

Readying for Ojos del Salado, today the team drove from their camp at Laguna Verde up about 3,000 ft. higher to the Atacama Refugio at 17,250 ft. (5256m) which serves as the Ojos’ base camp.  Being the only team there, they enjoyed the peaceful serenity of an amazing sunset after a great dinner.

Tomorrow the plan is to move to Refugio Tejos at 5825m/19,110ft. aka high camp.  Wind conditions are favoring a summit attempt on Wednesday.  Climb on!

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 on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Nevado San Francisco (6018m/19,744ft)

Today the Ojos del Salado team made one last acclimatization hike.  Leaving camp along the shores of the Laguna Verde, they drove by 4×4 up to 16,234 ft. to start their hike climbing along the Chile/Argentina border to the summit of Nevado San Francisco – 19,744 ft.  Whew!

After descending to the trailhead and driving back to camp, they were rewarded with a soak in the natural hot springs next to the lake.  Tomorrow will be a rest day at Laguna Verde and Monday, they will move to Ojos del Salado base camp with the 4×4’s.  The summit bid is planned for Thursday.  Stay tuned!

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 on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Moving Day!

Ojos del Salado Moving Day

Today the Ojos del Salado team made the 105 mile (170km) drive along Maricunga salt flat then continuing across the high plateaus to reach Laguna Verde where they will camp for three days near a hot spring.  Next up is an acclimatization climb of Nevado San Francisco (6016m/19,738 ft)!

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 on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Acclimatizing on Cerro Doña Inés

Today the team acclimatized by hiking Cerro Doña Inés.  Garrett Madison provides the details via satellite phone:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Ojos del Salado team in Chile – in the Atacama region.  We had a great day today!  We arrived yesterday, all together, in the Copiapó airport and drove out to our first camp here at the [Pedernales] Salt Flats.

Today we went for an acclimatization hike.  We climbed the nearby peak, Doña Inés – about 16,700 ft. (5095m) at the summit.  About a 2,000 ft. elevation gain, amazing that we could drive up to over 14,500 ft. to start our hike which is higher than Mt. Rainier, the highest peak in Washington state (USA).

Everyone’s doing great!  It’s sunny here, a little windy in the afternoon, and we’re looking forward to nice dinner tonight.  Then tomorrow we’re going to drive all the way to Laguna Verde, the green lake, and hopefully get to check out the hot springs, as well.  We’ll be there for a few nights.

So, all’s well here in Chile.  We’re having a great time and looking forward to getting closer to Ojos!

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 on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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