Aconcagua Team On Their Summit Push
The team had a good solid push up to Camp 3 (nearly 6000m!) where, they had a summit briefing and dinner and turned in for an early night.
There's a fair bit of snow on the peak at the moment so it's challenging up high, however the forecast has stayed true and weather has cleared as predicted for what should be a nice day with low-moderate wind.
An alpine start and they are underway with a 2:30am wake up and a 4am move out of camp. The summit climb usually takes about 8hours and has an elevation gain of around 980m - Wish them luck, it's a big day ahead!
Cheers
CTSS Team
Aconcagua Rest Day, Vinson Team Fly Out
The team on Aconcagua enjoyed a well deserved rest day today at Camp 2 at 18,000ft. On lazy days it's good to have a big breakfast so hashbrowns, bacon and pancakes were on the menu! After that they only needed a light lunch! Now they are making pizza for dinner!
It was cloudy with some snow throughout the days with light winds. A perfect day to stay in the tents.
With some good rest the team is in good spirits with energy and big appetites (always a good sign at altitude).
Tomorrow they will move to Camp 3 (there's some wind and snow in the forecast) aiming for a Jan 12th summit day with downtrending winds the whole day starting at only 20kph which is great!
Some photos from Guide Sasha and Lauren below.
Meanwhile, after a short weather delay, our Vinson team flew from Vinson Base Camp back to Union Glacier this morning for a few short hours and will boarding the 757 to fly back to Chile imminently.
Cheers
CTSS Team
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Aconcagua Carry to C3. Vinson Team Still at Vinson Base Camp
Our team on Aconcagua have been busy today with a successful and strong carry to Camp 3 before dropping back down to Camp 2 to sleep. Plan is to take a well earned full rest day tomorrow at Camp 2, move up to C3 on the 11th and look toward the summit on the 12th. Of course the best laid plans are always subject to change in mountaineering as we adapt to the weather and conditions at the time. The team are doing well and are in high spirits.
Meanwhile on Vinson, the team are still looking to the weather to play ball, it looked like they may have got out today but the window snapped shut. Forecast is for improving conditions so we hope it will only be a 24hour delay with them flying back to Union Glacier and onwards to Chile tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Cheers
CTSS Team
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More Vinson Summits
A hearty congratulations to both Meghan Buchanan & Lucy Rivers Bulkeley who summited Vinson in style today! They dug deep and pushed the accelerator a bit to beat some weather and topped out before dropping all the way back to Base in one push. An incredible job and the icing on the cake of their Antarctic expedition with both achieving a successful ski to the South Pole & summitting Vinson!
The whole team is together chilling at Base Camp and while the weather looked like it was going to give them the opportunity to fly back to Union Glacier today, it wasn't meant to be with the window closing quickly. They are hopeful for tomorrow or the 9th (which is their scheduled return in any case) Fingers crossed for clear skies down on Vinson so they can wave goodbye and head home to you!
Cheers
CTSS Team
Camp 2 on Aconcagua
Over on Aconcagua, the teams are progressing really well.
Sasha and Lauren did a stellar job carrying up to Camp 3 yesterday and took a well deserved rest day today at Camp 2 to wait out a bit of wind up high. They will look to move up to Camp 3 tomorrow.
The broader team also tagged Camp 2, with a successful carry and cache before a planned retreat back down to Camp 1 to sleep low and give their bodies the opportunity to play catch up and acclimate to their new high point. Tomorrow they will move up to Camp 2.
Some wind in the forecast, but everyone is in good spirits and enjoying the challenge.
Cheers
CTSS Team
Aconcagua moving up
The teams on Aconcagua are doing great.
Starting up high at Camp 2 (Nido de Condores) at 5,585m we have our Private climber Lauren and Guide Sasha moving strongly. They had their work cut out for them today with lots of fresh snow to cut through making the going tough. They are tired but in good spirits. They'll take their rest/acclimatization day tomorrow.
Back to Base Camp, our Team did a successful carry to Camp 1 today, dropping off group gear and food for the climb before dropping back to Base Camp for their final night down low with wifi and the ability to send you real time photos. They plan to move up to Camp 1 tomorrow and will be checking in regularly on the satellite phone.
Private Team Noor & Guide Nani also carried to 16,400ft and will move to Camp 1 tomorrow and are doing well.
Calm winds and mostly clear skies today. Let's hope for more of the same in coming days!
Here's some photos from Guide Robert:
Back to Base
The Vinson team are all safely back down to Base Camp and settled in after their successful summit. They will now await a flight back to Union Glacier in coming days and onward to Chile.
Celebrations all around as they have also been reunited with our successful Last Degree Skiers who will begin their back to back Vinson climb tomorrow with Guide Tendi.
Looking forward to sharing some photos with you as soon.
Cheers
CTSS Team
Aconcagua Team Acclimatizing at Base Camp
Today the team are taking a well deserved rest and acclimatization day in the relative luxury of Plaza De Mulas Base camp.
Yesterday they made a huge 12mile push and made great time and arrived tired into camp. Today they had a team meeting over lunch to go over the route ahead and the details of the climb ahead and started repacking and preparing.
Group loads have been distributed and packed up and the team will do a carry climb tomorrow up to Camp 1 (Camp Canada at 16,400ft) and cache their gear before dropping back down to sleep at Base Camp for one more night in a 'climb high, sleep low' strategy.
There are some pre climb jitters but everyone is in great spirits and looking forward to a wonderful climb ahead.
Meanwhile our Speed Ascender Lauren is back at Camp 1 after a big, steady day doing a carry to Camp 2 (Nido de Condores) with Guide Sasha. Tomorrow they are planning to move up to Camp 2.
Cheers
CTSS Team
Team on Top
UPDATE: The team is now safely back at Vinson High Camp and snuggled in. They'll drop back down tomorrow morning.
Our Vinson team is on top of the bottom of the world!
Congratulations to:
Ms Julie McKelvey
Mr Steve Stevens
MrJesper Nybo Anderson
Mr Porter Draper
Mr Jared McFaddin
Mr Arnaud de Wilde
Ms Grace Lee
Mr Roberto Terzini
Mr Rob Gowler
Ms Kirstie Ennis
with Guides Mike Hamill, Tomi Ceppi & Tendi Sherpa
Vinson Team Positioned for the Summit
The team are currently safe and sound at High Camp on Vinson today having made their way up yesterday. It was a long day and they were tired so they took the day off to rest and prepare ahead of their summit bid tomorrow.
If all goes to plan they'll be back to Base Camp the next day. Weather looking good too!
All is well on Vinson
Cheers
CTSS Team
