I just received word from Chris that the team is safely nestled in at the Plaza Argentina Basecamp!
They mad VERY good time today, moving more quickly than all the other teams and made it to camp in about 5 hours (once again!). Chris said he was not pushing the climbers at all, rather they were hustling along at their own comfortable paces, which really bodes well for them as they get higher on the mountain.
As they hiked up the Relinchos Valley this morning, they saw a guanaco. These are more plentiful in the upper stretches of the Vacas Valley, but as that area is now off limits to climbers, it was a real treat for the team to get to see one of these small camelids.
The weather is good at BC, although it is windy and there are thunderheads forming up high. Chris does not think it is a summit day for climbers on the upper mountain, as there is a thick cloud covering extending down to the 19,000 foot level. The team will enjoy full basecamp support for the next few days. This means they will be eating in a dining tent while sitting at chairs at a table! Ahhh, basecamp...
The plan is to take a rest/acclimatization day tomorrow, to help ease the transition that today's 1000 meters of elevation gain is subjecting their bodies to. They will then "make a carry" to Camp 1 at just over 16,000 feet. this means they will pack up their extra food, fuel and supplies and carry it all up to camp where they will cache it . The following day they will move up to Camp 1 and dig into their cache. This will be the manner in which they will climb from here on upwards. This enables them to climb high and sleep low, which allows their bodies to acclimatize more easily to each higher elevation.
Hazel was thrilled to get the good word from her friend Blanche!
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2 comments:
Hallo there team.
Its great to get your news.
You sound like you are going really well.
Richard and family are incredibly impressed with your project.
I hope the weather will be good higher up when you get there.
Hi there team! Hope that the rest day is good and that the weather holds out!
I also trust that Karin has all the necessary gear, considering that half her stuff didn't arrive in Argentina.
I really look forward to see the posts every day.
A big hug for Karin from her family in sunny South Africa.
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