Aconcagua

If you think Aconcagua is a walk up then you're among the 70 percent. At 22,841 feet Aconcagua is the highest mountain outside of Asia. It is located in the Andes of Argentina, between the Malbec wine capital of Mendoza and Santiago, Chile. Aconcagua is one of the high points on the seven continents that includes Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Everest, Elbrus, Carstensz Pyramid and Vinson. 

I guided Aconcagua three times for Alpine Ascents International in 2005 and 2006. This winter Garrett at AAI offered me a private with JP Bailey, a Canadian living in  Manhattan. From previous trips I'd grown to appreciate the quality AAI offers when guiding the Seven Summits. On Aconcagua, AAI's recipe for success was developed by mountain legend Willie Prittie (imagine a high altitude version of Willie Nelson). Following Willie's recipe, and if the clients are healthy and strong, clients will get to Aconcagua's summit. Without Willie's recipe you'll probably join the 70 percent who don't summit. For comparison, Denali has a 46 percent no-summit rate.

I tore myself from the Alaska Wonderland and spent three sweaty and sleepless days in Mendoza preparing food for our 21-day trip. I packed the food and gear into mule loads, each able to withstand three days of mule treatment, which is equal to a turbo-charged paint shaker.

JP and I got to know each other over steak and Malbec at Francis Mallmann in Mendoza. The next morning we drove two hours to Penitentes, a 70's-era ski resort at 8,500-feet between Mendoza and Santiago, and unloaded our stuff at Grajales, our outfitter for the trip. Here's Pollo of Grajales weighing our loads. 

Then JP and I started the three-day trek into base camp. JP retired several years ago and spends his time travelling the world. Brazil is his favorite. 

We hiked with light backpacks in the sun. Easy walking through a Tibeten landscape. The movie Seven Years in Tibet was filmed near here. 

 

While we strolled, the mules and arrieros worked. 

It's a tough life for beasts of burden. The trail was lined with bones. It appears that Andean Condors don't like mule muzzle. 

The most unique part of the journey is hanging with the arrieros (mule drivers). These guys are real cowboys, with spurs and knives crammed into the back of their pants. Here we're sharing Argentina's legendary asado (barbecue) with arrieros at Casa de Piedra.  

Vegetation on the approach is covered with spikes. These pretty flowers have glass needles instead of spikes. 

After the approach JP and I spent three days at Plaza Argentina, the base camp at 13,800 feet. JP is explaining to Annita, the Grajales manager at Plaza Argentina, that she is beautiful, doing an incredible job, and that we'd like to further our five-day steak-eating streak. 

  

Bring your shoes! Base camp has bouldering.  

 

The Buff is Aconcagua's ubiquitous gear. By recycling breath moisture through the fabric it is possible to avoid turning your throat into 80-grit sandpaper from pressure breathing the dry, dusty air.  

 

Camp II at 17,700 feet at Ameghino Col. Success on Aconcagua is achieved by going slow, balls slow. We used the basic altitude recipe of climb high, sleep low and ascending 1,000 feet per day with a rest every three days. This means using the daily progression of carry a load, move camp, carry, rest, repeat. AAI uses two extra camps to achieve this progression. 

Acclimatizing is about patience. Movies and books help. JP educated me on essential guy movies. On his Ipad we watched The Lord of War, Seven, Troy, Connair, Black Hawk Down and Blow. I also read The Lost City of Z, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell and No Angle. 

Camp III at 19,200 feet with Cerro Ameghino and Aconcagua's shadow beyond. Each guyline is rocked down to withstand over 100 pounds of wind force. Due to logistics and weather we made this our high camp instead of the traditional AAI Camp IV at 20,600-feet. Summiting from Camp III made summit day long. 

To the summit! Behind JP is the Polish Traverse that we just spent four hours climbing. Above this point we climbed at the rate of three breaths per step for 2,500 feet. 

 

Summit! Yeah! Party like you're running with a sock in your mouth!

Descending at 21,500 feet at 7:30 pm. The route follows this trail to the Canteleta (couloir) that ascends 1,000 feet to the summit. 

Looks more Fried than Chili out there.  

The morning after summiting we packed up and crossed to the Plaza de Mulas base camp on the Normal Route, passing a mule that had a bad day at 19,000 feet. 

 

JP descending to the city of Plaza de Mulas. 

We could have stayed at Grajales in Plaza de Mulas and walked 16 miles out to the highway the next day. But we needed a shower and a bed ASAP.

Thanks for an awesome trip JP! I really enjoyed hanging with you. Good luck on your Seven Summits bid! 

Cheers!

Haute Route Grand Lui

The most famous ski tour in the world is the Haute Route. This six-day trip travels between Chamonix and Zermatt, through the heart of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps. The Haute Route has three common variations. The Classic route takes a taxi between Champex and Bourg Saint Pierre. The Verbier start requires a taxi from Champex to Verbier. And then there's the Grand Lui variation. Ben Williams, a friend in Anchorage, clued us into the Grand Lui. Cathy and I had never heard of the Grand Lui, but the name was cool, and probably less populated and therefore more romantic for our ten-year wedding anniversary.

Cathy and I met in Chamonix where the Haute Route starts. I arrived via bus and train after guiding two Ortler ski trips in Italy. Cathy came via Reykjavik after a two-day layover at the Blue Lagoon. 

On our first day we in toured in whiteout and clouds from the Grand Montets telepherique, over the Col du Chardonnet and the Col du Saleina to the Trient Hut. See that coulee in the mist? 

The Trient Hut below the Aguilles Dorees. The obvious coulee is the 55-degree Copt Coloir. Anselme Baud writes, "...a good place to consolidate a taste for steep skiing." I wanted to do some consolidating.

On day two we spurred onto the Grand Lui--a three day variation adding an extra day to the Haute-Route. On the Grand Lui we broke trail and saw almost nobody. Here is Cathy dropping past the Aguilles Dorees onto the untracked Salenia Glacier. 

And the skiing was so good she almost forgot to hang a right to the Col de la Grande Lui, visible 45-degrees up and left of her. 

Below the Col de la Grande Lui we swapped skis for crampons, crossed the bergshrund, and climbed steep snow and black ice to the Col. After taking this photo I learned that front pointing black ice in flexible boots with flexible spikes is not so good. The guidebook didn't mention black ice.

Cathy using Whippet technique #468: dry tooling the summit block from five feet away.

After a night at the empty town of La Fouly, we toured to the Great Saint Bernard Monastery (the doggies were in Martigny for the winter). Beyond Cathy is Mont Blanc and the rock behemoth of the Grand Jorasses. 

The Saint Bernard Monastery was comfy despite not serving horses--I was super hungry. We then toured for five hours to see this: the Grand Combin (4,314m) with our destination--the Valsorey Hut--dangling somewhere on that face. We joined the classic route in the valley below and followed 50 people up to the hut.

Beers and rosti at the Valsorey Hut with my WOMAN!! The funny thing about Swiss rosti is that it's the all-American hash-browns and eggs breakfast, just served at the wrong time. They serve white bread and jam with no plate for breakfast in Switzerland. 

The Valsorey Hut at 3,030 meters on the Grand Combin on our fourth night.

Full moon setting over Mont Blanc and the Grand Jorasses as we left the Valsorey Hut at 6am.  

Booting the steep wall above the Valsorey to the Plateau du Couloir.

Cathy and I selected the Bivacco Biagio Musso as our retirement home. We'll sit all day in our rocking chairs. Sip martinis. Reminisce about the sweet lines we skied on Mont Velan. 

 

Joe and Mrs. Right after after deeming the Bivacco Biagio Musso suitable for retirement. 

Past the Plateau du Couloir is the Col du Sonadon and a mega descent to the Chanrion Hut. 

On several days our schedule matched a fun North Cascades Alpine Guides group. Cathy hangs with guides Larry Goldie and Jeff Ward, friends that I run into once a year, but rarely get to hang with.

 

Climbing above the Chanrion Hut past the Grand Combin on day six. 

Skiing down to the Otemma Glacier.  

Hoping more ice blocks don't plop off while climbing up the Otemma Glacier to the...

...Nacamuli Hut in Italy. Yummy Barbera at the Nacamuli.  

Day seven. We skied from the Nacamuli, over several passes, through some icefall and got terribly dehydrated. 

So we had to stop at the first place in Zermatt for bevies before catching the lift over to Cervinia in Italy for several days of anniversary.

Above Cervinia, after a long lift ride and an hour of skinning, is the Brighthorn with the Matterhorn beyond. The Brighthorn is perhaps the easiest 4,000-meter summit in the Alps. And it's a quick run back to Cervinia for more Barbera. 

And then the trip was over. Back to Chamonix and Geneva and Anchorage. At least we have about 55 more anniversaries coming up.

Our overall impression of the Haute Rotue was amazement. This rugged route and dramatic tour is only possible with a small pack because of the huts and well-established route. Our trip, with seven consecutive days of 7-9 hours of touring each day, made a dreamy journey. But then we had great weather and solid stability.

Ortler Ski Mountaineering

In April 2010 Dad and I skied in the Ortler Mountains in the Tyrol region of northern Italy. Despite zero visibility, Dad was hooked. He recruited six friends for an eight-day trip. Dylan Taylor was keen to co-guide with me.

On our late March 2012 trip we had perfect weather, stable and powdery snow and great company. Thank you so much for an incredible trip everyone!

The 2011 Ortler crew from the left: Jim Boland runs Hog Heaven Sausage in Moscow, Idaho; Dave Stock stays busy being retired in El Chalten, Patagonia and Albion, Washington; Don Seiss does AIDS vaccine research in Portland, Oregon; Joe in yellow, Dylan Taylor guides in the Alps, Alaska and Antarctica; Melissa Pearson is a vinter at her winery Coulter's Creek along the Clearwater River in Idaho; Diane and Scotty Cornelius are retired analytical geochemists from Pullman, Washington; and Mike Pearson is married to Melissa and makes wine. 

After a day of skiing Sulden resort and reviewing avalanche companion rescue we toured to the Marteller Hut. Duvets, showers, beer on tap... 

Skinning toward Mount Cevedale on day four.

Dad likes icefall skiing! From Mount Cevedale we skied the Vedretta de la Mare glacier to cappuccinos at the Pizzini Hut before continuing onto the Branca Hut.  

Apres ski at the Branca Hut.

Ravenous for another huge meal at the Branca Hut: Melissa, Mike, Scotty, Diane, Jim, Don, Dave, Dylan and Joe.

 

We spent a full day touring around on the Forni Glacier from the Branca Hut. First we skinned up to the Bivouac Meneghello. Dylan found some bulging potted meats for lunch.

Diane skiing yummy untracked. Although over 100 people are touring in the area, they all ski the same line from mountain tops. If you don't want moguls from mountain tops then you'll find great skiing.  

Don skiing steep untracked on the Forni Glacier. 

Yeah Melissa!
  

On day six we moved to the Pizzini Hut and spent the next day skiing the Castelli Glacier. Here Jim is pole whacking for GNAR points.  

You think your Dynafits are old? 

Dad leading over Suldenspitz to our final run to the resort. Last year Dad and I traversed this mountain but all we saw was our GPS, map and altimeter.

Specs on an untracked face for the last run to the resort. Dylan and Erica (joined our group on the last day) are in the shadow below the rock wall as Jim skis the steep, sunlit face. 

See more photos and stories from our trip on Dylan's Blog. 

I stayed for a second Ortler trip with Elisabeth Depuis. In 2009 Elisabeth and I skied for eight days in the Talkeetna and Kenai Mountains, culminating with a Bomber Traverse day tour. This year, knowing that Elisabeth doesn't get tired, I was prepared for lots of touring. 

After a day of touring around Sulden we headed to the Marteller Hut. Based at the Marteller Hut for two nights we spent a long day exploring nearby glaciers, finishing through a corridor in the cliffs above the Zufallhutte.

On day four we moved to the Branca Hut via the Mare Glacier and Palon de la Mare (3,703m). Elisabeth and I like the same type of skiing: long adventurous days away from the crowds.

Temperatures were high, reaching 39 degrees C in nearby Milan. We'd start touring at 6am, right after breakfast and return at noon, before the afternoon avalanches started rolling.

Our ski day from the Branca Hut included Monte Vioz (3,645m) and an exciting icefall descent.

For our ski day at the Pizzini Hut we toured over Cime Del Forni and up the Miniera icefall.

On our last day we climbed Monte Cevedale (3,769m) before dropping down to Sulden. From the summit we looked back and saw a local guide counter balance belaying five clients across an icy patch.

Thanks for another awesome trip Elisabeth! I look forward to adventuring with you again! Elisabeth is now off for a Northern Selkirks traverse and a skiing on Spitzbergen. Lucky!

Suesca!

During our travels we've found Colombians to consistently be the most friendly. After years of talking we finally got there. I finished work in Ecuador and met Cathy in Bogota. Erika Tovar, a friend of a friend of Meaghan Laughlin, met us at the airport and took care of us. We had a blast with Erika. She's an exceptionally friendly and fun person from the friendliest country in the world. 

Colombia's reputation for drugs and drug thugs like the FARC keeps most tourists away. The reality is most areas are safe and Colombians don't like drugs or drug thugs. Travel smart and the Colombians love showing you their country.

Victor Correa who runs the El Cocuy guide service Guaicani, Cathy, Erika Tovar and the local security guard at Erika's house in Bogota. Bogota is a city of seven million at 8,612 feet.

Downtown Suesca.

Suesca is the main crag in Colombia and has over 300 routes. The guidebook, Guia de Escalada Suesca, is available at Monodedo in Suesca on weekends and Climbing.com has an article by Carole Lunny. Other popular places to climb are the bolted routes at La Mojarra and alpine rock of El Cocuy National Park.

Cathy leading El Bong (5.9).

Erika after leading the overhanging finger hand crack of Mandahuevex, a four-star 5.10c.

Cathy on Azul Turbio, 5.10a. 

The route LP is the longest route at Suesca and has four pitches of clean and steep rock. 

Cathy on the last pitch of LP.

Cathy and Anna Pfaff nearing Valle de los Halcones, a sunny sport crag above the main Suesca crag.

Anna Pfaff leading El Imperio de Los Sentidos (5.11a).

Cathy on La Vida es Real 5.10b. 

"Hey everyone! Christmas is tomorrow and I'm only five dollars!"

For Christmas we went to Erika's hotel in Tobia, 90 minutes from Bogota. At 2,500 feet below Bogota, Tobia had jungle heat, huge tropical bugs and beautiful birds. 

Vacation quality can be measured by the number of books read. The Heart of the World is now my favorite adventure book.

I was a vegetarian for 11 years. Then in 1996 I discovered rotisserie pollo in Peru. I'll never go back to rabbit food.

"Oh my god! Shoes!" Cathy souvenir shopping in Bogota.