Christine Chan interviews a friend who braved 120 m.p.h. winds to brave Mt. Aconcangua.

RE: http://www.bootsnall.com/adventures/articles/06-01/climbing-mt-aconcangua.html

Thanks for the link D! I'm definitly climbing that beautiful mountain (with her permission of course).

That brings back memories. Ha-ha. We did not have that much wind, although it was strond enough to destroy some tents. The gloves thing almost happened to me on Elbrus, but someone caught it. So on Aconcagua I tied them on a string that was routed through the coat, like for little kids.

The summit of Aconcagua is pretty neat- it is not as large as, say, Kili; but it is not the very narrow ridge of Huayna Potosi.

Who doesn't bring extra gloves? And why would you attempt to summit if a storm is forming? Seems like those guys weren't too experienced. BTW Bear, been reading some of your stories, you've got crazy spirit brotha.

quote:

BTW Bear, been reading some of your stories, you've got crazy spirit brotha.

Thanks man!

When you went to K2, was it in the climbing season?

Yeah, it was in July. There were a bunch of expeditions there and National Geographic had a team there as well. They were checking to see how deep Baltero glacier was (and how clean the water is), since no one know's. Really interesting conversations. I would have liked to stay at Concordia (a couple of hours from Base Camp) for a few more days, since I'm used to travelling slowly and not used to being in a group, but then again, if we had stayed another day we would never have been able to cross the pass...

Thinking of going??

Not right away, but sometime yeah. I was just curious to hear if there were a bunch of climbers there when you were, and what kind of people they were. It was 2004 when you were there right? What was the mentality like there, knowing that the mountain is probably the most dangerous in the world (I think 7 died in 2004).

2005...

There were lots of climbers from all over, but mostly Czeck, American/Canadian, Swiss and Italian. Interesting people without huge ego's and they seemed pretty calm and mellow. They had killer set up's too. Everyone had lap tops and they gave us good food and chai, they even had good coffee up there wich is hard to find anywhere in Pakistan!

stephen, when are you planning on going to K2? im thinking of going around the indian subcontinent and some of the ´stans in two or three years..

quote:

Originally posted by Stephen Mattison:
Who doesn't bring extra gloves?

sometimes the airlines sabotage your luggage...

quote:

Originally posted by Marisa:

quote:

Originally posted by Stephen Mattison:
Who doesn't bring extra gloves?

sometimes the airlines sabotage your luggage...

Yeah I know what you mean, but extra gloves, come on. Or at least tie them to your jacket. But yeah, the airlines took away my brother's backpacking stove, and it didn't even have any fuel! The guy was just being a asshole and wouldn't listen to reason.

I'm not sure exactly when I'd like to go, all I know is sometime, maybe in a couple of years. I'd probably start out in the winter in India and then move towards the Stans in the summer. I'd like to get some more mountaineering under my belt, especially alpine, in that time though, so that I could do some climbing of my own.

lol..unfortunately, the airlines sabotaged all my luggage for 3 weeks...so all i had was whatever was in my carry on! but then again, i was not doing aconcagua i think i'd be blown off that mountain..literally...

Anyone have any other stories about climbing Aconcagua? Good guides? Equipment? Advice? Which route? etc etc etc?

I've read a post here with part of the story, the bloger says that he searched for info on expeditions and found one company HimalayanExpeditions just thought of asking maybe I can get more recommendations or suggestions