Wrap-up with Photos and Videos

Summit Photo

Our amazing team on the summit of Aconcagua on January 24th 2010 at 345pm. From left to right: Peter (guide), Michael, Kent, Marty, Martin (guide), Adair, Ben (lead guide), Gordie, Ann, Evan and Rick.

Below are some select photos and videos of the way up above Base Camp. We encountered some nasty weather at both Camp 1 and High Camp, with Camp 2 being relatively calm.

Storm at Camp 1

Our carry to Camp 1 was unremarkable, but when we returned the following day to setup camp, a bustery storm greeted us just as we tried to setup our tents. The video below captures some of this weather.

View of Summit from Camp 2

Camp 2 was relatively calm compared to the two other camps below and above it. We had beautiful views of the summit to the south and the Andes to the north. We even had a glacial stream gurgling at night (until it refroze) which was nice to listen to as we lay awake each night.

Cold High Camp at Nearly 20,000 ft

At 19,600 feet, our High Camp was higher than many high mountain peaks including Kilimanjaro. The wind was fierce at times up here, and it was here that we experienced the thunderstorm that brought large hail and thunder that seemed to come from all around us. In general though, we were glad to be here because we knew we were "in a position" to summit when the time was right.

Final Push to Summit

Near Summit with South Face in Background


Summit day was very long, requiring 8.5 hours to reach the top, and another 3 hours to return to High Camp. We were smiling here but the march up the final face (called the Canaleta) seemed to go on forever.

Roommates at the Top

Our team of roommates from college had been planning this trip for many years. It was wonderful to be able to reach the summit together.

Our Guides Got Us Up!


On a mountain like Aconcagua, the guides are the only reason a team of climbers stays sane over such a long endeavor. Our team of IMG guides (Ben Kurdt, Peter Anderson and Martin Lucero) were incredibly patient and thoughtful throughout the climb. They monitored our physical and mental health in various ways to make sure the whole team was moving up to each new camp in a positive manner. Their decision to use a very tight weather window to reach the summit and then return safely to Camp was critical to our success, Others that did not use that window had to either abandon their summit bid or wait out the snow for another day or two. At that altitude, the waiting can be as debilitating as the rigors of climbing. We were very lucky to have such a capable team of guides to lead us all to the summit!

A final thank you to my wonderful family from the top of the (non-Himalayan) world! -gr