Aconcagua. Start
Aconcagua. Puento del Lenas
Aconcagua. Casa de Piedra
Aconcagua. Base camp. Plaza Argentina
Aconcagua. Camp One. Cargo drop
Aconcagua. Camp One
Aconcagua. Camp Guanaco
December 27
Today we do the cargo drop to camp Colera (“Colera” means “pass”, the camp locates exactly on the pass).
The night was very moony and very cold. (Do you know what is the worst thing of nights in the tent at freezing temperature? The necessity to leave the tent and walk somewhere far from it. For men it usually easy.) It is only half-moon, but the brightness likes full-moon. Last evening, just right after the dawn, the temperature was -7C. I didn’t check it during the night, but it was definitely colder. The water of our breath fell on the sleeping bag as a frost. In the morning, after sunrise, the temperature increased up to -3C. Very refreshing weather.
We were slow in the morning and started only in midday. Colera locates on 6000 metres, so we need to gain 500 metres. On this altitude and under the heavy backpack, it is a quite slow process. It is not enough oxygen in the air, and mussels, heart and lungs compete for every drop of life-giving gas. The brain is behind the eight-ball as usual. Of course, if spend longer time on this altitude, the organism would produce more erythrocytes, and life becomes better and brighter. However, for now, we have what we have.
Our Gps-track:
Ascent
The mountain slope here is very funny. It is warm, has huge yellow spots of the sulphur, refreshing smell of hydrogen disulphide and plenty of big nice crystals os selenite.
Very soon the fog and light snow with the wind came and visibility disappeared. It was a heavy fog in Colera Camp. We left out cargo and hurried down to camp Guanaco for our tea, supper and night sleep.
December 28
Today we are moving to Camp Colera.
We are even slower than yesterday, so started only at 1 pm. However, the weather is nice, sunny and calm.
Camp Guanaco:
The trail to the pass:
Guanaco below:
Slowly moving up.
Black alpinist
Last meters
It is not too crowdy in Colera as was promised. A lot of people, of course, but still plenty of space.
Ranger’s shed.
We set tend, making supper and preparing to the night.
At the end of the day, the camp was visited by a guest, who compelled me to run with the camera around the camp. I better talk about him in a separate post.
