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Aconcagua
  • Guy Merin
  • Guy Merin

Aconcagua

A 21-day adventure by Guy. Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 27, 2026
  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 2 - Guardaparque Casa de piedra

    February 1 in Argentina ☁️ 2 °C

    Day 2/16 arrived at second camp - Seccional Guardaparque Casa de Piedra

    Had a rough night with big headache but ok in the morning.

    We moved to 2nd camp, mainly on flats with gains of 500m/1700f trying to acxlimintze and keep HR in zone2

    Feeling strong , resting HR ok , and oxygen saturation is at 93%.

    We got a small peak between the clouds of Acouncagua , and it is FAR, very far. We got ways to go

    Mantra of the day: Focus on today. Tomorrow is a new day    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin
    11

    Day 3 -Plaza Argentina Base Campo

    February 2 in Argentina 🌙 0 °C

    Day 3/16 arrived at Plaza Argentina Base Camp
    Campo Base Plaza Argentina
    4200m/13600f. Feeling good.

    Emotional day for me with Bar birthday and our first goal achieved. From here on alpine level and less luxury.
    We are ready

    Mantra of the day: Remember your roots and where you came from, that will push you forward    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 4 - Rest day @Base camp P Argentina

    February 3 in Argentina ☀️ 0 °C

    Day 4/16 - Rest day at Plaza Argentina base camp

    Last night I started feeling a headache and loss of appetite, this is very normal at 4300m and I forced myself to eat and drink a lot , which has its tolls in the night 🙃

    Today feeling much better. We relaxed at base camp , did laundry, small hike around camp, shower, and packing for our first carry of gear to camp 1 tomorrow morning.
    Wanted to do a cold plunge , but the river here is our source of water, which is all glacier water so we have to add salt and electrolytes to it for drinking.

    Mantra of the day: believe in my body, it is strong and can adapt to altitude    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 5 - Carry day to camp1

    February 4 in Argentina ☀️ -2 °C

    Day 5/16 - carry day to camp1 and back to base camp

    Today we entered the alpine level altitude, leaving all the luxury behind. We hiked with half our gear, no mules at this level, climbing 3700 feet.
    We stayed at camp1 for 2 hours and headed back.

    OX saturation dropped to 90%, and feeling great and strong. Hike up and down was good.

    Mantra of the day: Climb high, sleep low. Acclimatize.    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 6 - Rest day at basecamp

    February 4 in Argentina ☀️ 1 °C

    Day 6/16 - Rest day at base camp

    Last night it was snowing at basecamp and very pretty, Today we had our 2nd rest day and I did a small hike around and the mandatory Dr check which is part of the permit.

    The good news: all my vitals are good , HR at 70, blood pressure good , and OX% dropped to 80% but normal at this altitude. My permit is signed off and I am allowed to climb to the summit !🙃

    The not so good news is that the winds of Illapa are very strong , today at 115 km/h, looking at the current forecast this coming week is rough. The next forecast for winds below 50 km/h are on the day I fly back😕

    We pray for a miracle and try to focus on the here and now.

    Mantra of the day: Surrender to what you can't control    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 7 - Weather day at basecamp

    February 5 in Argentina 🌙 2 °C

    Day 7/16 - weather day at base camp

    We used one of two weather days today and stayed at base camp. But we got good news , forecast is improving and we might get a window to summit next Friday. So tomorrow morning we leave to high camp, it will take us a week to hopefully summit.

    Team is happy. Feeling strong.
    Shabat shalom
    Mantra of the day: I am ready    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 8 - move to camp1

    February 7 in Argentina ☀️ 7 °C

    Day 8/18 - Move from base camp to camp1
    We completed our move to camp1 with all our gear, trying to keep it to the minimum. We are gaining elevation , at 16500f now and will stay here two nights with a gear carry to camp2 tomorrow.

    A team attempted to summit yesterday from camp3 and turned around half way. We are still aiming and praying for next Friday.

    I pushed through well today, it was hard but felt strong for today and days ahead. Everyone around me is in 30s-40s, which doesn't help confidence, but the trail teaches me best. And my own 88 year old mom reminds me of what can be done at any age...

    Mantra of the day: Age is just a number, my own mindset is what's importanty 8/18 - Move from base camp to camp1
    We completed our move to camp1 with all our gear, trying to keep it to the minimum. We are gaining elevation , at 16500f now and will stay here two nights with a gear carry to camp2 tomorrow.

    A team attempted to summit yesterday from camp3 and turned around half way. We are still aiming and praying for next Friday.

    I pushed through well today, it was hard but felt strong for today and days ahead. Everyone around me is in 30s-40s, which doesn't help confidence, but the trail teaches me best. And my own 88 year old mom reminds me of what can be done at any age...

    Mantra of the day: Age is just a number, my own mindset is what's important    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 9 - Carry day to camp 2

    February 8 in Argentina ☀️ -3 °C

    Day 9/18 - carry day to camp2

    Hard day today, we moved half our gear from camp 1 to camp2 gaining 1000 meters, reaching 18000f and headed back to camp 1. Keeping the notation of Climb high , sleep low.

    Last night was very cold, we are getting exposed to the higher mountains and the winds today were insane strong, at 70km.
    I cant begin to explain what that means, you often need to walk head first to break the wind and wind gust that lift you in the air, at times I needed to ankor myself on both legs and a poll. Gladly the path was safe, but at summit with knife ridges and traversing the polish glacier, it's a no go. So we are still hoping for calm winds on Friday. Currently looks at 50km which is a go.

    Mantra of the day: Respect the winds of Illapa, listen to what it is telling you.    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 10 - move to camp2

    February 9 in Argentina ☀️ -2 °C

    Day 10/16 - Move to camp2 at 18000f

    Had a rough night with not much sleep and very very high winds, the tent was literally on my face, not sure how it did not fly away.
    At high camps we are 2 person per tent. Its not negotatible, you carry less and you need the heat of 2 people.

    Move day itself was gorgeous, very nice day out here and easier than the same route a day before. I am done trying to understand this mountain...

    A note on mountaineering boots, they are heavy 1.5k each leg, and double layers. You need a liner to not get a blister and you need to follow the "rest step" method and "pressure breathing", once that dialed in, it's much easier to walk up elevation

    Mantra of the day: We are the Seattle team and the superball winners, we do that by playing defense, and on the mountain that translates to adapting yourself to what the mountain brings you    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 11 - Rest day at camp2

    February 9 in Argentina ☀️ 1 °C

    Day 11/16 - rest day at camp2
    We are chilling at camp2 today , and by chilling I mean it's cold and around minus 20c at noon, with summit at minus 40.

    We are now on a wait game, we need a windows of 48h to summit, a day to go to camp3 and then a following day of 14h summit and back to camp3.

    Keeping morale high, feeling good, it's a first time for me to sleep at 18000f and feel good.
    Starlink internet was down last night as battery froze 🧊 it's back now with the noon Sun on solar panels, not sure for how long. I have a backup satellite phone that I communicate with Ayelet and the boys as needed.

    Mantra of the day: Rest, look around it's beautiful up here.    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 12/16 -decision day

    February 11 in Argentina ☀️ 0 °C

    Day 12/16 - decision day
    Weather is bad for another week and we decided in the morning to head down.

    We moved from camp2 to camp3, 2000f hardest climb that I did with very strong winds and -30c . Very hard to walk and breath at this cold temp.

    We spent less than 3 minutes in camp3, and headed to other side. Heading down to base camp in plaza de mules.

    I guess this is it. Summit will have to wait a year or two

    Mantra of the day: Summit is optional, getting down to safe grounds is mandatory    Read more

  • Guy MerinAconcaguaGuy Merin

    Day 13 - Back at Mendoza

    February 14 in Argentina ☁️ 31 °C

    Day 13/16 - We are back in Mendoza.
    This will be my last daily update as we are on to touristy things.

    We are back at 3000f in safe Mendoza, A great place, recommended. Going to try a new PR for a 5k run with my 20k acclimization. Need to utilize those red cells somehow.

    My biggest fear up the mountain was an earthquake, this is how my dear friend and climbing guide Benny died.

    I just got a note of a earthquake in the region, less than 100km from the mountain, I'm reaching out to teams there. I'm sure all are fine.

    Mantra of the day: Is this another ending or a start? And is there any way that they could be apart? In the end, we come full circle again    Read more

  • Trip end
    February 16, 2026