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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    gone north, but still on the west side
    Posts
    1,676

    TR: South America Oct-Dec 2009: high Andes, Antarctica, Aconcagua

    Well, I haven't posted here in forever, but figured I'd come back and share some stoke as I had perhaps the raddest fall of my life . . . I finally just finished the blog updates, so I hope you enjoy!!!! Click on the links to read the full story and see all the pics . . .

    The first two weeks was road tripping in Chile . . . Lacy and I had no plan other than to rent a car and see what we could find basing out of Santiago.
    First, we explored the Valle Nevado area


    Then, we skied Cerro el Plomo (5,424 metres - 17,795 ft) with Les Manley


    And finished it off with some exploration of the Cajon de Maipo


    From there, it was off for Ski Cruise 2009 to Antarctica!!!
    First, a welcome dinner and a few days crossing the Southern Ocean . . .


    Then skiing at Ciervo Cove on the continent!


    Day 2 was the most fun skiing (IMHO) - near Port Lockroy!


    Unfortunately, we had an injury and spent day 3 in transit


    Day 4 was a great day of skiing in the South Shetland Islands . . . beautiful!!!

    (photo: Scott Fennell)

    Day 5 was a double day . . . more couloirs and skiing to the sea!!

    (photo: Scott Fennell)

    And we finished it off on Greenwich Island under the sun!

    (photo: Scott Fennell)

    From there, I was off for a week in Vallecitos, ultimately skiing 5435m Cerro Vallecitos


    And the trip ended with a summit ski descent of Aconcagua via the Polish Glacier with Ollie Nieuwland-Zlotnicki and Anton Sponar!!!!


    I feel like this trip was remarkable in that it felt like a true journey. It was a voyage of self discovery, an exploration of new corners in the Andes, a chance to strengthen old friendships with the feeling that not a day has past despite the fact that years have past, and a plethora of new friends both in the mountain and in the city who have forever changed my life and made it a much richer place to be. There were challenges that have given me plenty to think about and grow from, solo time to let it sink in and to dream, serious suspension of disbelief and amazing rewards for doing so, risk taking and risk management, incredibly fulfilling human interactions, great practice speaking spanish, laughts, and tears. It was wonderful, challenging, insightful, rewarding, exhausting, hilarious, and overall a truly extraordinary adventure . . . un camino alucinante.
    Last edited by Kellie; 01-30-2010 at 09:46 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    705
    eeeee.....yow!!!

    props on the polish and everything else!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    266
    Yeah, yeah, skiing, climbing, fun, smiling, etc.. But what were you FEELING Kellie?

    Great photos and report, as always.

    Yer Penguin Pal,
    AMac

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    623
    This is good.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Colyrady
    Posts
    3,781

    Thumbs up

    Holy trip reports batman!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    STL
    Posts
    13,294
    Very well done. looks like you nailed it up and down!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    688
    you're a badass

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    44.9 degrees North, 93.1 degrees West
    Posts
    531
    Gorgeous! Nice pics. Post some more if you get a chance!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
    Posts
    3,208
    Most excellent.

    Blog posts were captivating

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Glasgow, UK
    Posts
    1,312
    beautiful! thanks for sharing

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Was UT, AK, now MT
    Posts
    13,501
    The best and most justified use of the one pic TR link to the blog.

    Great trips!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    SF & the Ho
    Posts
    9,299
    FTMFW!!!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    3rd floor
    Posts
    358
    that is a win.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    833
    wow - your autumn was better than 99% of peeps winter!
    great photos and write up.

    You clearly rock living the dream
    Last edited by Scottish_Skier; 01-31-2010 at 03:51 AM.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
    Posts
    6,587
    Excellent as always, and I love the pro model Buff cameos.
    Putting the "core" in corporate, one turn at a time.

    Metalmücil 2010 - 2013 "Go Home" album is now a free download

    The Bonin Petrels

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Chamonix/Franconia, NH
    Posts
    1,492
    And now for the Winter-Spring encore!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Baker/Crystal, WA
    Posts
    1,018
    I have no words!

    Well, I'll start with "holy crap fkna awesome!" and "you lucky SOB!"


    Those must have been some experiences. Thanks for sharing the linkies. The stuff daydreams area made of!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    X=Z-BO
    Posts
    3,455
    wow, that was awesome. you skied a burly line at Cerro Vallecitos
    and killed it on aconcagua. very impressive. can you send me some awesome in a bottle?
    god created man. winchester and baseball bats made them equal - evel kenievel

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,479
    Now that is some epicness.....

    Oski on the polish glacier..... danger
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    5,352

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    1,792
    Damn, that's awesome. Congrats on the Polish. Summiting Aconcagua 5 days from the road is impressive and incredible luck on the weather. Thanks for sharing.
    Ride Fast, Live slow.

    We're mountain people. This is what we do, this is how we live. -D.C.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Joisey
    Posts
    2,495
    I can't see any of your pictures or blog posts as blogspot is blocked at work. This is a note for me to look at this from home and edit this post with comments like, FKNA! And Thanks for sharing!

    Edit: Great pictures and storytelling. The above comments definitely apply... FKNA. Thanks for sharing!
    Last edited by spanky; 02-02-2010 at 08:48 PM.
    Because rich has nothing to do with money.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    P-tex, CA
    Posts
    8,660

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Idaho Falls, ID
    Posts
    1,042
    did vallecitos have much snow??? My brother and I went there mid august and it was bare, we were trying to ski cerro rincon but there really wasn't any snow till 14000', and it was nasty at that. Also, did you approach aconcagua from the argentine side or the chilean? thanks for sharing, looks like you had a memorable trip

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    3,173
    The stuff of dreams.
    "The skis just popped me up out of the snow and I went screaming down the hill on a high better than any heroin junkie." She Ra

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