Aconcagua Trip Report, Videos and Pictures
I have been back home for about a week now after our successful summit of Aconcagua on January 29th. We had a faster than normal climb with the trip being only 19 days and only 10 actually on the mountain itself. First, discount I want to thank everyone who made a donation to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund and especially to those who completed their pledge of a penny a foot. Remember that every donation helps and is sincerely appreciated. I am very excited with the momentum the 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything campaign has gained. We are receiving interest from worldwide media after our successful summits on Vinson and now Aconcagua. Of course, with Everest around the corner, things are really heating up! Please tell your friends and family what we are doing. Remember you can subscribe to receive email notifications everyone a new dispatch is posted from a climb. Use the form on the right side of this page. You can unsubscribe at any time and your email will never be used for any other purpose. I have competed my normal follow-up for these expeditions. You can read all these on my main site through these links. * Aconcagua Trip Report : a narrative of the compete climb with videos and pictures * Aconcagua Photo Gallery: Pictures with descriptive captions of the entire expedition. Use the slideshow feature for easy viewing * Aconcagua FAQ: some Frequently Asked Questions about climbing Aconcagua Let’s talk Everest for a moment. I leave around the end of March once again climbing with International Mountain Guides (IMG). I will be climbing from the Nepal side via the South Col. I continue to train hard for this climb. Obviously Everest is in a different league than any of the other 7 Summits. I am very optimistic that the publicity around this climb will bring in new and larger donations plus increased awareness of Alzheimer’s globally. As always, I want to acknowledge the support of The Alzheimer’s Immunotherapy Program (AIP) of Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy and Pfizer. Without you guys this would not be happening – all to raise research funds to improve ment and find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Finally, l want once again welcome a new benefactor to our program – the National Family Caregivers Association . Caregivers are an important part of highlighting the issues around Alzheimer’s and the NFCA will allow us to reach those individuals and organizations who can help make a difference in family caregivers’ lives. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
Back in Mendoza plus Aconcagua Summit Photos
I always say I am surprised how quickly we get off a big climb and Aconcagua was no exception. It is Tuesday morning and I am writing this from my hotel room in Mendoza after standing on the summit on Saturday night. I will write a full trip report and update my Aconcagua FAQs and picture gallery but here a quick synopsis of our summit day. We planned on leaving camp between 2:00 and 5:00 AM on January 29th but the winds were just howling all night long. So our team of 11 stayed in the tents while IMG Senior Guide, Peter Anderson checked the conditions hourly. I heard a stove fire up to melt water around 4:00AM thus the sign that we were going that day. The weather had been deteriorating over the past few days as we made carries and moves higher up Aconcagua’s slopes. The forecasts were a bit disparate but we knew if we made our summit bid, it needed to be sooner rather than later. The schedule had an acclimatization day factored in at the 19,500′ High Camp; but everyone was feeling well enough and if the mountain gives you a window – you take it. So Peter made the call based on his experience on previous Aconcagua climbs, multiple Denali summits and years on Rainer. We left camp as a team at 5:30AM. He set a deliberate pace factoring in weather, schedule and overall team performance. It was cold, very cold – near 0F as we started. As we moved up towards the Canaleta, a semicircle of high rock walls leading to the summit, clouds began to form and soon the entire area was enclosed with near zero visibility. But pace, patience and perseverance paid off and soon we stood on the summit. A note here on Aconcagua summits. It is estimated it is a 30% success rate due to difficult weather and climbers underestimating the altitude effect on their bodies. So having our entire team of 11 or 100% success rate is rare for this huge Massif. A tribute to each individual, the leadership and the dynamics of the team itself. We stayed on the summit for about 45 minutes and returned to High Camp in a swift 2.5 hours. OK, that’s about all for now as I have to pack to get to the airport to return home to celebrate my wife’s birthday, albeit a day late. Here are a few images from summit day. Thank you everyone for all your support on this second of the 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
Audio Dispatch from Aconcagua: Off the Mountain
This is the latest audio dispatch live from South America's Aconcagua; the second of Alan's 7 Summits climbs. These climbs are to raise Alzheimer's awareness and $1M for research. Please donate today to the Cure Alzheimer's Fund at http://www.curealzfund.org/ where 100% of your donation goes to Alzheimer's research. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
Summit: Audio Dispatch from Aconcagua
I summited Aconcagua on January 29th, salve 2011 with IMG. It was a great climb. Read the full trip report for all the details. This is the audio dispatch I posted live from the summit; the second of my 7 Summits climbs. Click to listen: [audio:http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/audio/Aconcagua 2011_ SUmmit Call.mp3|titles=Aconcagua Summit Audio Dispatch|artists=Alan Arnette] These climbs are to raise Alzheimer’s awareness and $1M for research. I lost my mom and two aunts to Alzheimer’s. Please join me to end Alzheimer’s by making a donation today. Read the details. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
Listen: Mountains and Hope
Listen. “Listen”, I tell myself. As I close my eyes, I can almost hear the mountain speak.
Sounds in the mountains are more than just sounds. The ice pick swinging securely into hard ice saying you have a sold hold. Crampons against the hard snow in t…
Climbers and Caregivers
As we arrived at our Camp 2 yesterday, a young lady with a large pack approached us. She had been following us closely since the turnoff at the Col. Now she looked confused.
It seems she was climbing with an independent team and her two teammates had …
A Windy Aconcagua
Just a quick update from our Camp 2 at 18,000′.
We made good time after a difficult night of high winds with gusts over 40 mph. But everyone did well on our move to the higher camp.
Tomorrow we do a carry to our High Camp which is the launching point…
Tell a Friend, Ask a Friend
We have had a busy few days. A carry and move to Camp 1 at 16,500′. Then a carry to our Camp 2, also known as Guanacos Camp 3, at 18,000′.
We have been dodging lightening, thunder, high winds and snow squalls along the way.
We are now entering very s…
Audio Dispatch from Aconcagua
This is the latest audio dispatch live from South America's Aconcagua; the second of Alan's 7 Summits climbs. These climbs are to raise Alzheimer's awareness and $1M for research. Please donate today to the Cure Alzheimer's Fund at http://www.curealzfund.org/ where 100% of your donation goes to Alzheimer's research. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
Aconcagua Memories
As we made the three day trek to the 14,000 Base Camp, my mind has been flooded with memories.
On my first trip here in 2005, I was still working and both my parents were alive. But my mom was showing the signs of moderate Alzheimer’s.
In 2008, my se…