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Aconcagua - Dec, 2009
Post mortem:
The good? Well, that's an easy one. The beauty of the surrounding. The colors. The smell. The freedom. The solitude and the space. The grandeur calling for humility and peace. To let go. Hope and acceptance. Resignation too at times and measured defiance at others. Gratitude I guess.
The bad? The rest. The useless pain and the arrogance. The futility, the vainness.
Summiting Aconcagua didn't actually bring me anything; certainly not pleasure or pride. Reaching the summit, spending every second attentive to this frail, fragile corpse about to collapse, hoping the beating wouldn't stop with only one thought in mind; what if it did? No, no room for satisfaction.
The sad part is that I didn't see it, I didn't see the danger, the risk. It was that easy. Almost mechanical. Each day one step. Here today, above tomorrow. This and then that. Small familiar steps. Not once thinking ahead. Trusting the planning and the planner. It worked somehow.
Paradoxically, that, right there might be the real danger; how could I be mindful of what is nowhere to be seen? Its invisibility. Where was that line that should not be crossed? I saw it on the Pacific Crest Trail. I played with it once, teased the line for my own amusing...and won.
Aconcagua was asleep on December 17th. It wasn't a victory by any stretch of the mind; it was a forfeit and I hate that mountain for that. A rematch is the only option.
Obviously some things have changed. No reading, no writing, no real photography, no baking or cooking to speak of.
Preparing for a hike I guess...coming very soon.
"Officially" I will be leaving for Argentina just for a few weeks and hike in the Andes. Less officially (seriously you can't tell; it's a secret) I will be climbing Cerro Aconcagua (will try to anyway.)
I'll leave December 5th from Denver to Santiago, then Mendoza, Puente Del Inca and finally to the base camp at Plaza de Mulas.
Back December 28th possibly but I could take a few more days to rest and visit Mendoza or Santiago or who knows what....
I've been training since May 2009 (went from +160 pound (+72kg) to 130 pound (59kg)) hiking Fourteeners whenever possible (so far this year: Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Cameron & Mt. Bross, Quandary Peak, Crestone Needle, Grays Peak & Torreys Peak, Mt. Princeton, Longs Peak, Mt. Bierstadt & Mt. Evans, Mt. Sherman, La Plata Peak, Missouri Mountain, Castle Peak, Pikes Peak, Tabeguache Peak and a failed attempt at Mt Lindsey)
Last update |
Comments |
| January, 3rd 2010 |
Aconcagua photo gallery is on-line...it's about time. |
| December, 4th 2009 |
I don't think I'm gonna update this page before January 2010 at the earliest. Why? To piss off a few people obviously. |
| December, 4th 2009 |
Leaving this Saturday for Santiago, Chile. From there, Mendoza, Argentina. |
| December, 3rd 2009 |
Found some information on the weather at the summit: http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Aconcagua/6day/top |
| December, 2nd 2009 |
Camped at the top of Mt Evans for a few days during Thanksgiving; it was nice. |
Random thoughts:
- You would think that having so many idiots around me would boost up my confidence? It doesn't. It makes me oh so so sad.
- So many things are gonna changed in 2010 - I'll give you a hint; "Now fuck off and die, you fucked up slag" is gonna be my new catch phrase.
- I'm mentally worn-out, exhausted, empty, tired and if I had to make a choice now I would not even go.
- There's hiking / mountaineering gear all over my apartment.
- I'm totally excited at the idea of renting half a mule to carry part of my stuff from Puente Del Inca to the base camp
- I have solved the flag problem; it's gonna be awesome
- As during the PCT, I will bring "The Prince" by Machiavelli
- My text "On Friendship" is by far the most accurate and insightful text I have ever written but I need to rework a few things in it; too many shortcuts and as a result too many people don't get it.
- I'm on Facebook; happy now?
- No Foye; I'm not dead yet, I'm not dying and I have no plan in that regard :-)
Now, to answer the most obvious questions:
- Why climb Aconcagua?Because Everest is too high
- Why climb Aconcagua?For women
- Why climb Aconcagua?The alternative seems very dull and boring
- Why climb Aconcagua?The most efficient way to measure something is to use a ruler larger than the object it is meant to measure - not shorter.
- Why climb Aconcagua?Why? What do YOU do next Saturday?
- Why climb Aconcagua? It's too late in the year for BBQ
- Why climb Aconcagua? Identity
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| Yours truly - Summit of Aconcagua - Dec 17th, 2009 |
Start of the PCT 2007 |
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