LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1133887
Summer 2019 LOCALadk Magazine 63 LOCALadk Conversation flowed seamlessly as we boarded our first flight and there was a strong team chemistr y, which only strengthened when our plane touched down in Santiago, Chile —when Spence realized he hadn't booked a connect- ing flight to Mendoza, Argentina. Chaos ensued, and Jus- tin helped him to purchase a ticket. The rest of us grabbed carts, stacked our duffel bags, and began the long process of shuffling through customs. Three hours later, we all stood at our boarding gate and snapped a group picture. When Spen- ce settled into his window seat he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Twenty minutes into our flight, I glanced up from my book and saw a jagged sea of snow-capped moun- tains on the other side of the plane. We were flying over the Andes. I unbuckled and jumped over a sleeping woman to sit in the empty seat next to Spence. We searched for the high- est mountain. "Is that it? " he asked. His finger pointed to a tall rug- ged-looking mound of snow and rock. "Maybe," I shrugged. These mountains were massive, and I bounced my knee up and down processing my excitement and ner ves. Looking at what could be Aconcagua reminded me of playing high school and college sports, and what it felt like to see the opposing team's star player for the first time. "All I know is when you're having a tough moment on the mountain, just think of what it took to get on this plane," I joked and patted Spence on the shoulder. We landed in Mendoza and were greeted by Carlos, a friendly driver with Grajales Expeditions. Mid-afternoon heat blasted our faces when we stepped out of the airport and onto the blacktop. Transitioning from an Adirondack winter to an Argentina summer is not an easy process. In- stantly, I longed for the frigid mountaintops. In the next 24 hours, we secured permits and last-minute supplies, ate lots of meat, spent one night in a hotel, and were transported from Mendoza to the trailhead. Vineyards lined the highway. Argentina is a dr y and sunny countr y well-known for its wine and beef production. At the park entrance a blue and white flag flapped in the wind and we began the twenty-five-mile trek to base camp. In lots of ways, climbing Aconcagua is a perfect combina- tion of trekking and high mountain skills. The first few days we trekked through canyons and camped along rivers with light daypacks. The bulk of our gear was carried on the backs of mules that would accompany us to base camp. The nights dropped to a comfortable temperature, while the afternoons easily reached 90 degrees. Our outfits were composed of lightweight pants and tops, sneakers, hats, and sunglasses. Jason was brave and wore a pair of shorts. Even with layers of sunscreen, his legs were pink by the end of the day. Our second day on trail, we caught our first confirmed view the mountain. Tim pointed out the Standard and Polish Glacier routes. We stood in awe and took numerous photos. Now it felt real. We were here and trekking toward this huge moun- tain with the intention to climb it.