No, I did not take this photo. Isn't it nice, though? I'm going there.
After three weeks of probably the worst cold I've had in a long time, I am leaving for Chile to climb Nevado Juncal, a 20,163 foot mountain, 50 miles south of Aconcagua. We will ascend the heavily glaciated north side.
It seems every time I leave for a mountain in the winter (in CA), I catch a cold either before leaving or as I am arriving. Argh!! So far it has not kept me from the summit. My fingers are crossed.
But I am anxious to snap on my croutons, as my sister calls them, and head to the mountains. It's been a long time. I had high hopes of spending the summer rock climbing and then going to either Ecuador to climb Antisana or Nepal to climb Manaslu in the fall, until all that was thwarted by an annoying health issue. Rather than enjoy the great outdoors, I sat on my tush for four months.
After three weeks of probably the worst cold I've had in a long time, I am leaving for Chile to climb Nevado Juncal, a 20,163 foot mountain, 50 miles south of Aconcagua. We will ascend the heavily glaciated north side.
It seems every time I leave for a mountain in the winter (in CA), I catch a cold either before leaving or as I am arriving. Argh!! So far it has not kept me from the summit. My fingers are crossed.
But I am anxious to snap on my croutons, as my sister calls them, and head to the mountains. It's been a long time. I had high hopes of spending the summer rock climbing and then going to either Ecuador to climb Antisana or Nepal to climb Manaslu in the fall, until all that was thwarted by an annoying health issue. Rather than enjoy the great outdoors, I sat on my tush for four months.
2008 was a bad bad year (I know - it's not over yet) for me, anyway, and I will be happy to ring in the New Year on a beautiful mountain in a remote area of Chile, even if I'm left at base camp with my camera and a good book.
Little sidenote - The highest peak in Chile is Ojos Del Salado (22,572'), the second highest peak in the western hemisphere (Aconcagua in Argentina is the highest) and the world's largest volcano.
These photos were pilfered from my friend, Rodrigo Mujica. I'm climbing the mountain with his company, Aventuras Patagonicas.
I will have my own images in January, so come back then!
Rodrigo told me the summit is behind the peak in this photo, about 1,000 feet higher.
