Sofrecom Aconcagua Expedition 2008
Story of the Expedition
height: 6962 m
coordinates: 32.65°S / 70°W
country: Argentina
SMS:
I am honored to announce that on January 14, 2008
Sofrecom Aconcagua Expedition reached the Aconcagua peak!
Slowly we are coming back to reality and starting to celebrate!
[Michal Wieszczycki, Sofrecom Polska]
Common passion, courage and determination of Sofrecom Aconcagua Expedition 2008 lead them to the very top of the world. They climbed Aconcagua: the highest mountain in America, commonly regarded as the highest summit in the Southern Hemisphere, rising 6962 meters above sea level.
On January 1, 2008 Michal Wieszczycki, Tomasz Kulakowski, Mariusz Ostrowski and Andrzej Mostek started the Expedition in Mendoza. Base camp was settled in Plaza de Mulas, 2 days walk from Horcones, the entrance to Aconcagua National Park. On January 2, Confluentia camp was settled and acclimatization process started on absolute height 3000 m.
On January 4, through the Horcones Valley, the Expedition moved to Plaza de Mulas camp, which became the next base camp on over 4350 m. The temperature was below 0ºC there, while air dampness did not exceed 10%. On top of that, it was very windy. Unexpected weather breakdown makes further trip impossible and forces them to stay in the base camp.
On January 8 one of the climbers feels so bad, that immediate evacuation by helicopter is needed. The weather is still so bad. The next day brings health problems to another Team member: labyrinth perturbation and pressure balance dysfunction in middle ear.
On January 11, the weather conditions improved drastically – ‘go’ decision was taken. Although the route was long and monotonous and the difference in height exceeded 700 meters, the first camp on 5100 m was reached. The next morning, through the middle camp they moved to Nido de Condorres, the second camp on 5200m.
Environment conditions are so tough, that they loose appetite. On such height, it is very important to have easily adoptive liquid food, which they didn’t have. Energetic batons they had, had lost their features.
The next day is spared for further acclimatization. They have to choose the way of peak attack. Two possibilities are taken into consideration: the first – a stop over in the third camp called Berlin on 5900 m and the peak attack from there and the second: an additional day in camp II and the peak attack from there. Each variant has its pros and cons, but finally they decide to take option 2.
On January 14, 2008 on 8:15 am they start the peak attack. One of them, Tomasz, suffers from altitude disease and feet frostbites, so he decides to go back. Andrzej and Michal pass the Berlin camp and go further, straight to Independencia (6300m). They suffer from extremely cold conditions and lack of humidity. In Canaleta it is time to put on crampons. Step by step, fighting with cold, lack of humidity and breathing difficulties, on January 14, 2008 at 5 p.m., Michal and Andrzej reached the top of the Stone Guardian – Aconcagua. Boundless exaltation, quick rest and then photo session with a Polish flag and Sofrecom logo culminated this exhausting race.
Due to the tiredness hallucinations appeared, which is the incentive to an immediate strung out of there. They move back to the base camp, where the Sofrecom pennon with Expedition members’ signatures is hung among many other expeditions’ memorabilia.
At the end of the day, the team did it. They achieved what they came for. Sofrecom reached the world crest, and will continue with reaching peaks in business.
Best regards and congratulations,
Grzegorz Poręcki
General Director
Sofrecom Polska
Photo Galery
Movie from the Expedition