Aconcagua Day 5: Carry to Camp 1

Today we carried a load and cached it at Camp 1. Despite the continuous strong wind, we climbed up to 4700 m (15,500 ft) to a makeshift Camp 1 located behind an old moraine.

Penitentes on the way to Camp 1.

We hid our supplies under some rocks and headed back down to Base Camp. The team is feeling strong and it only took us three hours round trip to Camp 1 and back.

Caching our load at Camp 1.

Descending back to Plaza Argentina.

Shortly after our return, the second team from Alpine Ascents rolled into Base Camp and we were joined together for dinner. On that team I ran into Alan Keller, an old friend from our Mountain Czars team on the Elbrus expedition last July.

Hanging out with Lakpa Rita Sherpa at Base Camp.

Tomorrow, we leave the friendly confines of Base Camp and move to Camp 1.