Aconcagua, January 2010
Thanks to QFD Inc. for sponsoring photographic materials.  All text and photos © 2010 Peter Newbury.

6,962 metres.  22,841 feet.  Up.  The air gets a little thin up there.  But the view...  This is a photo-story of our climb on Mount Aconcagua.  I didn't make it to the very tippy top, but it was an awesome adventure and taught me a few things about myself and the world.  We met in Mendoza, Argentina, and began with a day of winery tours...

Magic boxes Vines, glorious vines! Stunning scenery to sip in In focus yet? Water, dirt, and sunshine = magic
Awe inspiring caves Grand entrances… And grand exits! Luc in the sniffing room The business of a grape sorter
Old hallways Bottled up and waiting to go! Inspecting the vintages Dusty days ahead Two people, two wheels, too much fun
The park comes alive after sunset Gear prep: (L-R) Luc, Vico, Rox, Chris Puerto del Inca from above Mule train? Mule avalanche! Strap-on spurs
The nearby tourist market The backside of the same market Neat roof Old, abandoned tracks Beautiful flowers
First view of Aconcagua! Wild geology - steep, sharp, big First night - tiny place in a big place Local architecture Valley view
Crazy-cool sunsets And moons Rox, Chris and Vico heading up Places that make you feel small And almost a moonscape
Yours truly, bundled against the wind, sand and sun Heading to towards base camp Peter and Vico goofing off Our awesome guide Vico The trail(s) ahead
Mules headed up, nice and slow Giving them a wide berth… Mules headed home, quickly! This is what an avalanche can do Waaaay up
We're walking on ice!? Vico cooking lunch Our lunchtime view Outhouse row Local artist being brilliantly weird
Nightime I Nightime II Small climb: Rox, Chris, Vico Snowscape Steep slopes…
Mean you get high up Chris and Rox on a 'local' 5000m peak Full view of Aconcagua in the face! The view towards Chile And scree-ming back down
Working through the snowscape SnowStorm! SnowArt Not much snow… But enough for a snowball fight!
The Face Off The Rout Aconcagua dressed up Silhouette (Emil) Sunset on Aconcagua
The tents start to show And then the moonlight and stars The Milky Way above the Mountains Straight Up (Beautiful!) The 5000m peak (note the up/down trails)
Moonset Silhouette Trains of people headed up… Result in rescues coming down And heli rides: 2 days in, 7 minutes out
Practice hike up to Camp I People train Reflections And the (fast) descent And not for real, with big packs
Camp I (Camp Canada) View down to base camp A friend looking for scraps Afternoon chats Morning prep - lots of people!
Porters sometimes carry crazy loads Aconcagua, here we come! On top of the world (though only Camp II) Headed up to Camp III Basecamp Stroll: under-ice stream
Shadows and reflections Beautiful waterfall Ice towers The RockMan is watching Aconcagua Beautiful icicle forms
And even a polar bear Runoff made for tricky trekking Hardy plants! Slackline at basecamp Mules, Part I
Mules, Part II Mules, Part III Mules, Part IV Mules, Part V Local tourist
Lay low, flowers, lay low A geologist's dream Dwarfed again by the valley Mule train Left Behind
Salt Flats Mule river crossing - up to the belly! Almost home… Last view of Aconcagua… Done!

Peter Newbury's Published Adventures