Tag Archive for: Mendoza

Trek to Base Camp has Begun!

Approaching Confluencia Camp. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Today, our Aconcagua team hit the trail and has begun their journey towards the summit of South America’s tallest peak! Fueled by several good meals throughout the day, the team has arrived in Confluencia Camp where they’ll spend the remainder of the day. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with todays dispatch:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua (6961m/22,837ft) expedition, it’s December 29th.

Today we had a nice breakfast in Mendoza (746m/2,449ft) and drove up to our trailhead in Horcones, then we had a nice three hour walk here to Confluencia Camp (3436m/11,273ft). It’s a beautiful day, there’s fresh snow high on the mountains, so that’s a scenic change! We got here to Confluencia and had a nice lunch – pizza, and fresh juice, and some nice apple bread and other items. Now we’re just resting until dinner!

So, tomorrow we’ll take an acclimatization hike up toward a nice viewpoint for the south face of Aconcagua.

All is well here, really pleasant, and we’ll be in touch!

Our climber, TJ, at the Horcones Valley Trailhead with guide, Laucha. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our climber, TJ, at the Horcones Valley Trailhead with guide, Laucha. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our team in the Horcones Valley. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our team in the Horcones Valley. Photo: Terray Sylvester

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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Aconcagua Season is Underway!

Our climber, TJ, enjoying dinner in Mendoza with our guides, Terray and Laucha.

The Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua season is underway in Argentina! Our team has arrived in Mendoza and is primed to kickoff the expedition tomorrow after a gear check, orientation and welcome dinner today. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with the expeditions first dispatch from Mendoza:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua (6961m/22,837ft) expedition – it’s Wednesday, December 28th. This is the first climb of our season; we’ll have a couple of more expeditions up Aconcagua after this one.

But, yeah today was the first day of this climb. Our climber, TJ, arrived here in Mendoza (746m/2,449ft) this afternoon, then we had a gear check and orientation at our hotel, and we just wrapped up dinner at one of Mendoza’s many sidewalk restaurants. It’s just a beautiful evening here in Mendoza – perfect temperature, people are out listening to music and having dinner. It’s really pleasant!

Tomorrow the plan is to wake up, not too early, and then drive up to the Andes – drive into the mountains. We’ll hike up to our camp at Confluencia (3436m/11,273ft). So, tomorrow will be our first night in this famous mountain range. I’m really looking forward to it! I think we’re going to have a great trip as we make our way to the highest peak outside of Asia, and the highest peak in the Americas.

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

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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Plaza de Mules Base Camp

Climbers camping on a mountain in ArgentinaAconcagua 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:

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South Face of Aconcagua Up Close

Aconcagua mountains in ArgentinaAconcagua 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:

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Aconcagua team treks to Confluencia

Aconcagua ready to trek

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:

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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!

The team at lunch today in Uspallata, on the way to Penitentes!

The team at lunch today in Uspallata, on the way to Penitentes!

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:

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Greetings from Mendoza, Argentina

Team loaded up and heading to Los Penitentes

Our December expedition to climb South America’s highest peak, Aconcagua has kicked off with the team arriving Mendoza, Argentina.  After enjoying the comforts of the beautiful Diplomatic Hotel and the excellent food of Mendoza, they loaded all their gear into the truck for the ride out of the base of the mountain located in Los Penitentes.  Los Penitentes is a ski area in the Southern Hemisphere winter, but a staging area in the summer to begin the three day trek into base camp.

Everyone is doing great and looking forward to doing some hiking tomorrow!

Enjoying the fine food of Mendoza

Team loaded up and heading to Los Penitentes

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Aconcagua climbers complete carry to Camp 1

Today our Aconcagua climbers finished their first carry up to Camp 1 at an elevation of 16,100′, spending 5 hours on the way up and 3 back down towards base camp. The conditions have been beautiful with blue skies as our team moved gear and food up the mountain.

The plan is to climb to Camp 1 and sleep there tonight and then carry a load tomorrow to Camp 2. The following day we plan to move to Camp 2 and then evaluate the weather forecast. If all looks good we will carry a load to camp 3, then climb to camp 3 and sleep, going for the summit the following day.

To see our teams detailed itinerary for getting to the top visit our page here!

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Aconcagua climbers

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Aconcagua climbers

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Aconcagua climbers

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Nice trek up the Vacas Valley

After a nice trek up the Vacas Valley, our climbers have arrived at Plaza Argentina base camp. The weather has been perfect on our trek toward Aconcagua. Last night our team enjoyed a traditional open fire barbecue with chicken, steak, fresh salad and vegetables along the riverside. After a relaxing nights rest at Pampa de Lena camp (9,200′) our team woke up early to cross the river (with river shoes or by mule) through the Relinchos Valley to Plaza Argentina base camp (13,900′).

This will be our team’s third day of trekking and they will be greeted shortly with a warm dinner celebrating their arrival to Aconcagua. Tomorrow our team will rest at base camp and begin to organize the loads of gear to be moved to higher camps on Aconcagua.

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Vacas Valley

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Vacas Valley

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Vacas Valley

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Vacas Valley

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Aconcagua 2017 expedition team arrives in Mendoza!

The Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua 2017 team has arrived in Mendoza, Argentina and is now heading off to begin our expedition and ascent of the highest mountain in the western and southern hemispheres. Aconcagua (the stone sentinel) stands at an impressive 6962m (22,834 ft.) above sea level and is great training for high altitude peaks in the Himalaya. Please follow our dispatches as we journey from the lush wine region of Mendoza (known for grass fed beef and Malbec wine) to the arid slopes of the Vacas Valley and up to the base of the Polish Glacier, before making our way to the highest point in the Andes. Aconcagua is known at times for high winds (100mph) and sub zero temps, as well as the high altitude extreme environment. This mountain is never an easy feat and over half the climbers who attempt are turned back. We are sure to encounter challenges along the way and with those come potential rewards for hard work and a job well done in the end. On a clear day we might even see the surreal blue of the Pacific ocean from the summit. To the summit!

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Aconcagua 2017

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Aconcagua 2017

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Aconcagua 2017

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2017 Aconcagua

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