What were the most difficult aspects of the climb up Aconcagua?
Tom Demerly: Aconcagua is a graduation exercise from Rainier, Orizaba and Kilimanjaro to very high mountains near 7000 meters. The wide weather extremes, duration of the climb and the altitude make it a real gutbuster. There are a lot of ways to suffer. In the Relinchos Valley, during the approach, it can be 100 degrees. At base camp you are suffering from the altitude: Bad stomach, splitting headache, the whole misery assortment. In a few days you acclimate and do some carries up to the higher camps. You work through the weather windows, carrying loads up so you’re ready for a summit move once you’re fully acclimated and you get good weather. By now, the trip is just getting really long. Summit day is huge, just this long, freezing cold grind. Nothing is technical, it is just cold, long and hard. A lot like a bad day at the Hawaii Ironman, except it lasts a month. Q: Will you someday tackle Everest? TD: Any climber would want the opportunity to attempt Everest. I tell people, if I don
