The team photo

From left to right. Eben, lead guide, Me, Nicky, Chris,Dale, Andrew, Brandon,Dan, Nick, Kelly (guide), Stephanie, Laura.  We are all at dinner in town before our last meal.  Dan, a guide on another trip took the photo and Martinez is the last guide who was not able to make it tonight

Nicky and Argentinian Meat, last meal

Our last meal. Tomorrow we buy our permits and head to Penitentes to separate our gear for the mules. We will arrange our gear for base camp and the lower camps. Things like my parka and high altitude boots will go in one duffel and leave behind like street clothes in another.  The bags will meet us at the two camps, then base camp. We will have two lower camps before base camp.  At both of those camps we will get out our sleeping bags and mats along with a change of clothes where necessary every night.  Once we get to base camp our clothes that hiked in with will go into our duffelbags and make their way over to the other side of the mountain.

We did a gear check before dinner to make sure everyone had what they need. I loaned an extra pair of gloves to Andrew. Brandon and Nick did not get one of their bags. We shall see if it comes tomorrow, if not, they will have to buy some gear.

Tomorrow morning we will buy the permits for $800 dollars US then head out on a 4 hour drive to Penitentes.

A view of the Mountain from the Plane by Nicky

Nicky took this shot on the way in from the plane

Out Transportation

It will be a few trips but we will all make it to the mountain

Meat with a side of meat

Dan Talbert eating meat with a side of meat. Typical Argentina meal. We will eat as much as we can before the nuts and berries start up high. We go Tuesday to the mountain.

Putting food together

3 of the 4 guides putting together meals for 10 days and 13 people. Hugh work, all day long work

Made it to Argentina

All is well in Argentina.  It is going to 100 degrees down here today so that is a switch.  Night time it will be about 70 degrees.  I had to take a nap due to the travel hours and being shoehorned into an airplane seat for 13 hours total, now I am ready to hit town.  A few things I will pick up, deoderant, and toilet paper, those items did not make the trip. You can check out the gear list that is on the links to the side within full trip information.

Tonight we will start to congregate and get to know whoever is already here so we can begin to bond as a team.  It is always very interesting to see who gravitates to whom.  The worst thing to do is end up with a tent mate that is not like you, that is just another stress rock added to the pile.  Luckily I have Nikki so I am totally fine.

Off to the streets of Mendoza.

LAN Airlines

This is it, on my plane 15 hour flight.

My last meal

When you leave for a few weeks and live on a mountain you always talk about what you will eat first when you get in the states. For me it is usually Pizza.  My choice's are limited at an airport but my last meal was a good old fashion US style hamburger. In argentina the beef is grass fed and in every restuarant so the flavor will put it to shame but happy about my last meal choice.  On the mountain it will be oat meal, power bars and noodles for weeks. The higher up you go the less of an appetite you get, hence the discussion about food familiar to you. 

Bags are packed

I might become a Mountaineer some day. My bags weigh in at 99.6 pounds, right underneath the 50 pound Max at the airport, as long as I did not forget anything.