Aconcagua, 2025-Day by Day Updates

December 30, 2024

From TEXAS to ARGENTINA! Gearing up to climb Aconcagua! My climb starts tomorrow and I will definitely be missing my sister on this trip. The cold nights will be even colder without her beside me but she is there in spirit for sure!

The view of Aconcagua from the National Park Entrance to the first Camp at Confluencia!

ACONCAGUA is BIG, BEAUTIFUL and the HIGHEST mountain outside of Asia (the Himalayas), the second highest of the seven summits and the highest mountain in the western hemisphere. It is 22,837 feet high (6,961 meters) and is going to be brutal. Although it is summer time in Argentina currently, temperatures will be freezing at higher altitudes and the wind chill will be below zero. I met a climber at the hotel who just got off of the mountain and the coldest night of sleep was -15 F. Burrrr. This trek will be over a seventeen day period with the hopes to summit around day thirteen. I have a thirty percent chance to summit due to weather and winds but I am going to give this a big shot no matter what. There have been only three to four windows in the month of December to summit. (My sister said I will be back next year anyways!) This will be my second attempt in two years to climb Aconcagua. Last year I got sick and doc said it was a no go. This year has not been much better with sickness but I’m hanging on a lot of meds and a hope and a prayer while my mother is a nervous wreck!

As Kilimanjaro was a stepping stone to get to Aconcagua, I feel more prepared than last year and more confident about my gear. However, every mountain has its unknowns and I have no doubt it will teach me something! I am asking that Aconcagua grant everyone safe passage and I am praying for zero altitude sickness, low winds, clear lungs, a healthy body and most of all, a safe return.

For gear!

•Double boots are required on Aconcagua and will aid in keeping my feet warm and preventing frostbite.

•Mountaineering goggles and sun shades with side panels are required to prevent blinding.

•Insulated mits for mountaineering and layering gloves to prevent frostbite.

•A parka is required as well as several specific items for layering. On Kili I was cold while heading to the summit in my insulated gear so I have added new base layers, as well as down bibs and down wind pants to go over my insulated pants.

About to head out for the long journey to Argentina from the Texarkana Regional Airport!

•Additional items required: ice axe, helmet, harness, crampons.

I want to give a SUPER HUGE THANKS to my Sponsors! Thank you CRANE SERVICE INC and KILOS GEAR!

CLIMBING FOR A CAUSE I have made Aconcagua a charity climb! My business Company Dance has donated approximately $20,000 from our Christmas Spectacular to our local Christus St. Michael NICU and I am wanting to continue raising funds through my climbing as well! This climb will be a challenge and a feat, so I am hoping we can definitely raise more funds for the NICU! All monies raised will be donated to the Foundation at Christus St. Michael and earmarked for the NICU!

January 9, 2025

Hey everyone, from Camp Two on Aconcagua - 18,360 feet! Snowing hard at 18 degrees throughout the night and isolated in a tent! We are on a rest day!

I apologize for not updating previously, as I have not been myself or in a mind frame to do so. It has been a very long journey so far with ups and downs and of course sickness. I will have an update for you all on the first half of the trip soon!

Enjoying the bliss of rest after arriving to Camp One of the high camps!

We are all safe and sound at Camp Two. We started for the high camps two days ago on Jan 7th. We reached Camp One safely from base camp, Plaza de Mulas, and the weather was great! We had already done a carry of supplies to Camp One on Jan 5th so the trek was much easier the second time. We reached Camp Two yesterday on Jan 8th just in time before the snow began to fall hard. The night was not too bad considering it was 18 degrees F lol. I have hot hands in my down booties and sleep with them in my hands as well. My sleeping bag is -25 F and I have on a lot of layers! This morning you can see the ice crystals forming on my hair from my breath!

Tomorrow we will head to Camp Three if the weather allows it. We will sleep a bit and then try to make the summit. It will take us 8-10 hours to get up there so we will begin at 5 am and have a turn around time of 3 pm. We do have two additional weather days if we need to stay put before heading up.

We are almost at the top of the Southern and Western Hemisphere!

January 10, 2025

Hey everyone, we made it to Camp Three on Aconcagua - 19,600 feet! Our entire team made it up!

The views were AMAZING and boy is it COLD! I feel great but am super sleepy due to the altitude! I would love a nap right now! We are at 10% oxygen currently and will be at 8% at the summit.

I would loved to have got more footage and pics for you all but if I change my rhythm or focus, I will quite possibly topple down the mountain! But I can tell you without a doubt that Andes are a sight to be seen! Especially from within and not from a bustling city or commercial property.

The team heading up to Camp Three, battling the cold wind, snow and heavy crampons!

In one of the pics posted you can see the summit behind me! It is super far away! Many climbers came down today and were unable to summit due to the snow and temps. We will leave out at 4 am and we will see how tomorrow goes! No matter the outcome, this has been such an achievement for me and pushing myself to my furthest limits!

Last night a climber was heli.ed out at about 10pm and an additional two more this morning were heli.ed out as well. We had two from our team vomiting receive DEX shots yesterday and another super healthy climber get the same sickness in the night. The stomach virus had made its way around base camp but hopefully it is only altitude sickness and the stomach virus has not followed us to the high camps. It may be altitude sickness as everyone handles it differently. Digestion slows rapidly and can cause the

same systems if someone eats too much. Here at Camp Three, some climbers already have severe headaches, are vomiting, are not coherent or are mountain zombies! Crossing my fingers, I continue my reaction to the altitude!

We are almost at the top of the Southern and Western Hemisphere!

January 17, 2025

Hey everyone, I am so sorry I am late to update! I survived the summit push! I made it to 6,400 meters, approx 21,000 feet!

We woke at 2:30 am, ate breakfast, geared up and headed up at 4:00 am! The morning was not too stressful but definitely tense! I always get a tad nervous on summit day! After an evening and night of constant snowfall, we had a beautiful window to head out, however, the snow was deep. Temps were insanely freezing but the winds were low! My buff and parka/jacket collars were all covered in ice and all my water was frozen by the first stop. I did not make it to the summit but did beat my record altitude at a new height of 6,400 meters and missed the summit by 500 meters! I honestly could not be happier! I had to make the responsible decision on when was best to turn around in order to make it down safely. This was physically the hardest thing I have ever done. With the snow, the weight of my crampons and the weight of my double boots, my legs did their best! Though intentional, the pain was seriously intense! Kili is no comparison to Aconcagua and they are on two totally different playing fields. I am super proud of myself and may go back for that next 500 meters one day! We did have four of our eleven team members make it to the summit in ten hours while being caught in a lightning/snow storm! Two solo climbers who meshed with our group also summitted. They are all MACHINES!

Quick pic at Independencia on summit day!

As a heli cannot rescue anyone between Camp Two and the summit, there were no incidents that could not be treated on site.

That evening snow fell nonstop and continued into the following morning. We left Camp Three and headed straight down for Base Camp. The descent killed my knees and was the beginning of the demise of my feet! (Thank goodness they only fell apart at the end of the trip!) We arrived that evening, celebrated with champagne and Sunday Argentine BBQ and I had a Coca Cola!!!!! (At this point, all I could think about was a burger and a chocolate shake!) The snow followed us to base camp and we could find no relief of warmth.

After spending one more night in a tent, we left for the park gate at 9 am! As I haven’t updated you all on the first week of the trip, the hike to base camp will take your spirit and your toe nails! After 30 kilometers and ten hours, I made it to the gate! The mules beat us there with our bags and a bus picked us up to take us on a three hour ride to a hotel in Mendoza! The day was super long but ended in the best way possible!

 FINALLY, I had my first shower in 2025 on Jan 13th!

My knees were expected to fail me on the descent, however, I did not plan on losing two toe nails! One is trying to come off now and the other will fall off over time.

I am attaching an interesting link about Aconcagua from the New York Times to give you all a little history of the mountain!

https://www.nytimes.com/.../aconcagua-mountain-expedition...