Gentlemen, Meet your Mules

That's right.  While you are checking this update from your smart phone, iPad, or "old-fashioned" MacBook or PC, Scott & Aaron are hiking along with their gear piled onto the backs of mules as they have begun their 3-day trek to Base Camp of Mt. Aconcagua.

Scott was relieved to find out that they are able to trek along with their mules and muleteers (human guides/caretakers for the animals) up to Base Camp since the last time he climbed on this mountain, the mules and his gear took a different route than he did.  This time they don't have to be concerned about the gear's safe delivery and they can also get into their packs whenever they need something rather than carefully planning out what might be required for this specific portion of the journey.

After a night in Penitentes, they were transported to the entrance of Aconcagua Park. They took a shuttle to Punta de Vacas, where the muleteers loaded the equipment on the mules and from there they hike to Base Camp, which takes three days.  Today they trekked 4-5 hours up to the camp Pampa de Leñas (2950 m/9,200 ft.) where they presented permits to the park rangers, reunited with their equipment and set up the tents. Everything is going very smoothly so far, and everyone is feeling great and in good spirits.  Hee haw!