Mountain Link "The Tie-In" - February
Tech Tip: Glacier Camp Building
As we discussed in our previous newsletter, building a good
camp in the mountains is much more involved than just
stopping and digging. Care must be taken both with your choice
of location and the actual construction of the
camp.
When picking a campsite, here are just a few of the considerations that need to be thought out. Wind direction, objective hazards like rock & ice fall potential, avalanche potential, and distances to/from your next objective.
We will take the case of placing a campsite on a glacier.
Unique to this type of campsite is the worry of crevasse
hazards; thus the first phase is to probe your
campsite area to establish an 
island of safety. One of
the more experienced team members should perform this
task. While on belay without their pack they need to
probe every foot and a half on the surface and at
least four feet deep. An avalanche probe is the best tool for
this very important process. They need to probe an area large
enough to ecompass the entire camp and the latrine site. When
the island of safety has been established it's perimeter should
be well marked with route wands. No one should step one foot
outside this area, the result has been tragic.
The second phase is to prepare the campsite surface. When soft snow conditions are present then the area needs to be packed down. Snowshoes and skis are the best choice here. Next you will need to level out some tent sites. If you are not in a storm situation then allow enough distance between your tents to compensate for conversation and snoring. Do not put your tent too close or downwind of the latrine. Back your tent in to any potential high wind situation. All else being equal, choose a nice view for the front door.
We will dicuss other phases of camp construction in our upcoming news letters.
Aconcagua Season Wraps Up!
We are proud of the five teams who chose to
work with us to take on the challenge of South
America's High Point. Everyone gave their all in what is
one of the most deceiving, therefore challenging climbs in
the world. In our opinion Aconcagua is the "Venus Fly Trap" for
high altitude expeditions. Non technical, without a
lot of objective dangers and a route that allows
for a speedy ascent can actually be a recipe for
disaster. She is often overlooked as a formidable
challenge in the high altitude arena. Four of the five teams
reached the summit. Congratulations to everyone who took on the
challenge. For information and photos of Aconcagua, click
here.
New Expedition - Tupungato
If you loved your experience on Aconcagua, or seek
a more prisitine adventure in South America of the same
magnitude, this seldom climbed jewel is it.Tupungato is one of
the triple crown when it comes to challenging
the highest volcanoes in the world. Check out the dispatches of this new
adventure that are now posted on the Mountain
Link web site.
Happenings
Everest
Our team for the South Col of Everest is preparing for their
2006 pre-monsoon ascent. Look for their dispatches on the web
site in April and May.
Bolivia
Unfortunately we will not have
the opportunity to catch those 4lb. trout in
Bolivia this spring due to the obvious scheduling
conflicts. Unless we discover a way to catch bigger fish in the
Himalaya ,we will deffinately be headed back to Bolivia
next spring.
Ecuador, Elbrus and Euope are the leaders on the "high interest board". Look for those to be the leaders for success this summer.
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