Gear - Climbing

On most other climbs, the climber has to bring a lot of items that are essential to staying on the mountain, like rope, ice screws, cams, quickdraws, stoves, gas, etc. Luckily, on Everest, the mountaineering association fixes all the ropes, significantly cutting down weight for individual teams. The support members will have tents and stoves set up in the camps as well. But there is plenty that has to be on me in order to make my way up and down. 

• Crampons: Black Diamond Sabertooth - These are used from the bottom of the North Col to the summit and back. Difficult to use over rock and scree, they are essential on snow and ice, and they are too difficult to take off and put on repeatedly so they stay on. 
• Trekking Poles: Black Diamond Expedition 3 - Poles help on the long hike in, and some climbers use them on the upper slopes in place of an axe for balance. 
• Ice Axe: Black Diamond Raven Pro - The tool of the mountaineer. The axe acts as a stabilizer with every step, and the pick can be used for self-arrests or to aid in steeper sections. The adez helps chop out snow (cutting steps from long ago, and for making platforms now). 
• Spatha Knief - Sometimes you gotta cut stuff.
• Petzel Ascender - Crucial for the fixed ropes, this device attaches to a rope and slides up, but it won't slide down. While it can add some aid to the climber, it is also a safety measure. 
• Belay: Black Diamond Super 8 and Black Diamond ATC - for use in belaying climbers and repelling/abseiling down the ropes. 
• Harness: Black Diamond Couloir - My harness is super lightweight because it is not used for taking hard falls off a rock wall; rather, it is flexible and thin, but strong enough to keep me tied to anchors and the rope. 
• Locking Carabiners and William Tri-Act Locker
• Mountain Hardwear 800-fill down jacket
  - When things are very cold, or when standing around at camps or at the base of a pitch, a thick jacket can really add a lot of warmth. 
• Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero Down Suit - The ultimate high-altitude clothing. Worn over a couple of base layers, this suit is worn from the higher camps up to the summit and back. 

I'll need something to haul all my gear in as well:

• Backpacks Arc'teryx Bora 95 and Gregory Forester
• Bag: REI Camp 4 Duffel (130L)

Gear - Hands

Hands are the extremities of the body, meaning the higher you go and the colder it gets, the less blood gets pumped to these areas. Not only can frozen hands become very painful, but if they don't recover, they can become damaged and require amputation. More immediately, if you cannot work your hands, you cannot work the belay devices, the ascender, and the ropes. This is a major obstacle in getting down safely. 

• Marmot Expedition Mitts - My old major mittens are of the highest quality. The absolute best things to have on the hands when it's cold, but these mitts make working the ascender and carabineers challenging. 
• Outdoor Research Alti II Mittens - A substitute for the above, these are of equal quality and fit tighter, meaning that it is easier to work the ropes and tackle. I think they are too small for me and I will likely leave them. 
• Black Diamond Guide Gloves - Made for serious cold, these have the advantage of 5 digits; however, up really high, they might not be enough for safe use. Gloves are colder than mitts, so these might not be used with any regularity. 
• Outdoor Research Highcamp 3-Finger Gloves - The benefits of a mitt with added dexterity, allowing more warmth than a glove but a little more maneuverability. 
• Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor Gloves - For warmer days or for a mid-layer, these are light, fit tight, and add some protection from sun, wind, and cold. 
• Black Diamond Midweight Softshell - like the above, these can stand alone or be used under a mitt. 
• Lightweight gloves - useful for a base layer, these add minimal warmth but also keep the skin from being exposed when the outer layers need to come off (for opening packs, taking pictures, etc.).

Not Pictured: Packages of Hand Warmers 

Gear - Feet

Protecting the feet is paramount as you need them to walk and walking is what gets you up and down the mountain. 

• Approach: Mountain Wearhouse Extreme - These are all-conditions boots that are fine in town and can go up to Advanced Base Camp. They will be warm enough for the lower mountain and keep out some of the scree and water encountered along the way which can create blisters. 
• Double w/ Overboot: La Sportiva Olympus Mons - The king of mountaineering boots. An inner boot is tight to the foot, stabilizing the ankle and keeping the heat in. Then there is the outer boot which is firm to support crampons, add protection from the cold, the rock, and snow, and has a large overboot to protect from snow getting in as well as self-kicks from the crampons ruining pants. 
• Lounging: Flip Flops - easy on/off around camp when putting on the big boots is just too much effort. 
• Tent: Sierra Designs Down Booties - Pure luxury, these come on at the end of the day, good for keeping the piggies toasty. 
• Socks: lots: Smartwool Mountaineering Max, Everyday Diamond, etc. “There is one item of GI gear that can be the difference between a live grunt and a dead grunt: socks, cushioned soled OD green. Try and keep your feet dry while we're out humping. I want you to remember to change your socks whenever we stop. The Mekong will eat a grunt's feet right off his legs. There are two standing orders in this platoon. One, take good care of your feet, and two, try not to do anything stupid, like getting yourself killed.”

All good advice, Lieutenant Dan. 

Not pictured: Hiking gaiters to keep the little rocks out of my shoes. 

Gear - Head

 The body cannot survive without the head. So take care of it. 

• Jublo Glacier Glasses (x2) - Super sunglasses that block light from the bottom and sides. Another pair for back up in case one breaks or gets lost. If sun gets in the eyes it can burn the retinas and cause a condition called snow blindness, which can lead to a loss of vision. If this happens, a climber may not be able to get down under their own power). 
• Smith Goggles - To wear on summit night when the darkness is most, but to protect the eyes and face from wind and snow blasts. 
• Buffs (x2) - These keep sun off the next, wind and snow off the lower face, and can keep dust and germs out of the lungs. 
• Bucket hat - Keeps heat in and sun off the noggin and back of the neck, ears, nose
• Warm beanie - Keep that heat in. 
• Balaclava (one of 3 to choose from) - Wraps over the head and next, around the face, protecting it from the cold. 
• Hot Chillys Chil-block Half Mask - Like a balaclava only more minimal, and also helps keep cold air from going in the lungs. 
• Headlamps: Petzl Tikina 2 & Decathlon - one for tents and lower down, a fresh one for up high. 
• Helmet: Edelrid - for dangerous sections to keep the skull from being smacked by falling snow, ice, gear, or people. 

Not pictured: Oxygen mask 

Gear - Legs

The legs, like the torso, benefit from layers, but since it doesn't include protecting major organs, the purpose is a bit different. Also, a harness needs to fit over the pants so comfort and utility are important. 

• Base Layer - 3 pairs of technical base wear (Marmot, Decathlon) - Like the base layers on the torso, these are worn first. I have three pairs so that after multiple days of climbing on the mountain, I can swap them out and avoid stewing in my own filth for too long. 
• Fleece Layer (REI) - These pants go on next and add a lot of warmth. They are used in the cold up until the down layer is needed. 
• Mountain Hardwear Puff Pants - A luxury for the high camps. After a climb, I change into these in the tent. They are like a sleeping bag for your legs, soft and pillowy. 
• Rab Kangri Gore-Tex hardshell - The wind and waterproof layer that protects from the elements. These are worn on all climbs leading up to Everest and on Everest up until I need to switch to the down suit. 
• Trekking:  Arc'teryx pants - Used for the time before/after the climb and at base camp when the temps are good. 
• Mountain Hardware Tights (Not pictured) - A layer that adds compression and warmth. 

Not Pictured: Regular old boxer briefs for approach and lounging during laundry days

Gear - Upper Body

Keeping the core warm is crucial to survival on the mountain. High-quality layers are key to maintaining heat and balancing breathability and weight. 

• Base layer - Decathlon top. Worn under all other layers. It sits close to the skin to pull sweat off and dry quickly. 
• Black Diamond Apenglow Hoodie - a high-quality shirt that can act as a base layer as well, but this one has a hood to add to warmth preservation and prevent drafts from slipping down the neck. 
• Patagonia base layers (yellow and brown) - can be worn as base layers and are also fit for regular camp wear. 
• Lightweight Fleece (REI) - This layer adds some warmth but not a lot, so is good for wearing under shells. 
• Mountain Hardwear Fleece - a heavier fleece that adds warmth and cuts the wind; can be used as a jacket for hiking/walking around as well as under shells. 
• Cotopaxi Fuego down jacket - The down adds warmth and is lightweight. Can be a stand-alone coat or part of a layered system. 
• Arc'teryx Beta SL jacket - an outer shell that cuts wind and rain. Waterproof so helpful in the snow. This is the jacket worn on most of the climb (and all training climbs) before I have to switch out for the down suit. 

Not pictured: technical running shirts for lounging and approach to the mountain, North Face Windstopper jacket for causal wearing. 

Aconcagua

This post is going to be a lot more factual and contain less description and pizzaz than normal. The detailed description is being put towards the book efforts!

Aconcagua. 

At 6,961m (22,838 ft), she is the tallest mountain in the Americas and the tallest in the world outside of the Himalayas. She is one of the 7 Summits (and 2nd tallest of those as well). This is not a technically difficult mountain but the altitude and size of it do make it challenging in its own ways. 

I joined a company called Adventures Patagonicas for this one on an accelerated plan of 12 days (compared to 17-21 for other operators). My team was 2 guides and 6 people. After the obligatory gear check and meeting, we had dinner out at an Argentinian grill and ate more meat than any human should consume in a single sitting. The next day they drove us out into the mountains, past vineyards, to the park entrance (3000m) where we would begin our trek. It was about 7km from the road to the first camp, which took close to three hours, moving very slowly. Mules carried our gear so we were only hauling light loads. The first camp was well equipped with WiFi, beds in the tent, and catered meals. It was not a rough start to the mountain.

Much of the first two days of the hike look like this. 

Day 3 of the trip took us from Confluencia (3400m) to Plaza de Mulas (base camp at 4400m). However, in between is about 18km of trekking, fortunately, not steep. The route mostly follows the river up the valley and can be considered flat for a significant portion of the hike. At the end, the trail kicks up and most of the elevation gain happens in the final 90 minutes. Again, mules took the gear, so this was little more than a long walk. To allow people to acclimate, we moved at a very slow pace and stopped often.

The summit with an ominous cloud enveloping it.

Base camp sits on a plateau with a wonderful view of the mountain. Again, this was a well-equipped place with WiFi and a huge mess tent where we had our meals brought in by the hard-working catering staff. It was optional to rent a domed tent ($135/night) that had a bed in it, but I slept in a regular tent alone. We then "carried" to Camp 1/Canada (4900m). I say "carried" because I took up some climbing gear and shared team food, but everyone else hiked up with little packs as they were using porters. All of their weight and team food was taken camp to camp by porters. Needing the practice of carrying weight at altitude, I saved the money and carried my own gear. After a brief stay at the very windy camp, we dropped back down to base camp for the night. 

Camp 1

Day 5 started the "climb" and we went again from base camp to Camp 1, this time staying up higher, and I shared a tent with a teammate. Luxury was minimized here as we ate from our self-packed bowls, there was no Wi-Fi or power, and our toilet was a backpacker tent when you had to crap in a plastic bag. After one night, we head up the loose scree that is most of the mountain. This time I carried everything in one push, and it was my heaviest load at 57 lbs. It made for a challenging few hours but was completed without incident.  

Camp 2/Nido (5350m) was better equipped again. We had a mess tent and Wi-Fi, but the wind was punishing. Little sleep followed, and the next day was a rest day where there was little else to do besides eat, poop, and sit in the tent, hiding from the wind. 

On day 8, we headed up to high camp/Berlin (5800m), and although the trail up was much better (not as loose and energy draining) and the wind lessened, there was no Wi-Fi as promised. While we all can afford to unplug, it was Christmas Eve, and our summit bid was Christmas Day, and it would have been nice to check in with the family on the holiday, but it was not to be. Again, we had a mess tent and a decent toilet (a real toilet seat and a bucket which you put sawdust in after) within a tent to shelter your backside from the wind. 

Camp 3 after an Xmas Eve sprinkling of snow.

We awoke at 3am and were off by 5am in the darkness and cold, on our way up the mountain. The trail was as stable as it had been yet, and the first couple of hours went by fine, with the rising sun causing the removal of layers. We moved slowly, slower than other teams, and once we hit about 6500m, two of my teammates opted to turn around. Counting the two who left the trip early previously, it was now just me and one other climber to carry on with a guide. We stopped at 6550m and soon after put on crampons. While there was no snow for the entire climb, on the final slopes, a snow patch lined the side of the trail, and walking on it proved easier than on the frustrating loose rocks. We pushed upward for several hours, and 9 hours after leaving high camp, we arrived on the summit. It was flat, and we had excellent views.

Panorama from the summit

Two thumbs and climbed it? This Guy!

The cross at the summit. 

 25 minutes later, we headed down, although tired, which made the trip much more difficult. We stopped to take off the crampons, and 10 feet before that point, I tripped and fell, smacking my leg on a rock. The descent was as frustrating as the ascent, with loose rock and scree causing poor footing and draining energy. It took us 3 hours to get back to camp, and we were tired, but we spent the night at Berlin. The next day (day 10), we packed up and descended to base camp, none too soon as the mountain got smashed with clouds and snow. Exhausted, the remaining members of my team took a helicopter out. I pitched a tent and the next day packed up the mules and hiked from base camp to the road, a journey of 6 hours or so on exhausted legs. Another day was spent in Mendoza eating and getting a haircut, and then I began the two-day journey back to Poland, happy to have done the peak but tired from the travel.

The peak from base camp after the snow came. 

This was not an overly fun mountain to climb. Climb is a hard word as it is basically a hike, but one that goes to almost 7000m. I feel the weather was generous as we summited in a clear window, but prior to that, the wind was howling, and after we got down, snow covered the peak. Porters, beds, catered meals, and helicopter rides all make this much more accessible (and comfortable) than other peaks if you are willing to pay the price, but I felt like an outsider for wanting to do it like other mountains. Also, I trained hard for this peak en route to Everest, putting in 2-3 hours a day and sleeping in my Hypoico tent to pre-acclimate. I can't say others do this. While it is an "easy" mountain compared to some, it takes fitness and acclimatization to scale it in a matter of days, and people need to prepare accordingly. Group trips are always hard, as it seems they cater to the slowest, least prepared people, which can be frustrating if you are on the other end of the spectrum.