Post 3: Plaza de Mulas 14000ft

Post 3: Plaza de Mulas 14000 ft.

Rest day after the second hardest day of the climb. A few awake with a headache, and everyone has to go for a medical checkup before we leave. My blood oxygen level was 96, which is better than last year’s with two much harder days than I expected. Chris is sick with a stomach thing, and barely makes it to the next camp. He hasn't eaten anything for two days, and it takes hours to get to next camp with a fourteen mile, 4000 ft. climb. He is a very strong climber and should be okay.  We dodge mules along the trail. Winds strong with the temperature not too cold. I got ran over by a stray mule on the way, but luckily didn't get hurt.

I am now writing from PDM, Plaza de Mulas, during our rest day. Listening to descending climbers we got bad news; the weather was bad, temps were cold, and there was a lot of snow. We still have five days till our push, and the weather forecasts are too far out to be accurate.

Tomorrow is a carry day to our first high camp. We pack half our gear and descend to PDM. I will have one more day of rest here at base camp, and then go dark till I return in five days. I have a satellite phone and will try to give short update from high camps.

[huge_it_gallery id="27"]