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CLIMB WITH PRIDE-ACONCAGUA 2007Updates from the team in Argentina The very first day of expedition! The team began their approach to the Plaza Argentina Base Camp today. They have trekked through the Vacas valley, with the Vacas river flowing near them. The spectacular terrain was both sandy and rocky. "In fact, the route we were walking on is covered in broken pieces of rock," Rene'e elaborated. By the end of the day, and after about eight hours of walking, they reached camp at an elevation of 3,200m. The night temperature was around 5 degrees Celsius, and after a first full day of hiking, the team members were all happy campers! As soon as their tents were up, the rain came pouring down. Later, however, the rain had cleared, although there were still plenty of clouds around. When PRIDE spoke to Rene'e today, the team members were at the camp and had just finished their dinner, which was cooked by one of the guides. It was rather windy earlier in the day but after dinner, it had calmed down. "It feels good, especially when you get to camp, you have your tents up and you can relax. We're just hanging out now," Rene'e explained. "We had a good day today. We started out a bit slow, this is the first day right? Then we picked up the pace after a short break for lunch, and managed to get to campsite in a good time." According to Stephanie, the three guides in the team are friendly and knowledgeable. One of the guides would even walk ahead of the team just so that he can set up camp ahead of the group. "The lead guide, Andres, gave tips and hints on the right place to stop and even how to walk. There are certain techniques used when walking that can save energy. Carlos is a really nice guide and Laura, the other guide, is right at the back behind everyone," said Rene'e. It was also not busy on the trail. Today, the team only bumped into a group of five heading up Mt Aconcagua, plus a few others on their way down. "I'm feeling excited. But it's only the first day, so I can't be that excited!" said a definitely excited Stephanie over the satellite phone. Zabil told PRIDE that during the trek up, they could see the snow line of the snow capped mountains of Mt Aconcagua. "I'm feeling quite good, strong and I think tomorrow will be another good day," he said. Due to the high altitude, the team members were still trying to cope with the food they have been eating so far. "Everything tastes difference - it's not what our taste buds are used to," said Rene'e.
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