Hunkered Down at Camp II (18,400 ft.)

Scott was hoping that they would go for the summit tomorrow (Monday), but a storm started to roll in yesterday when they left Camp I and it continued today.  The blustering wind and snow will keep them grounded at Camp II tomorrow where they will rest up and get organized for their summit bid, which will probably be on Tuesday if the weather clears up.  The weather is supposed to improve on Monday or Tuesday, so hopefully they will be able to go for it on Tuesday.

It remains to be seen whether all this new snow will make the Polish Glacier direct route worse or better, so they will decide tomorrow whether they will traverse over the normal route to go up to the summit or straight up to the summit from their current route.

He said they are warm now that they are bundled up in the tent and tucked in their sleeping bags, but their meal tonight consisted of what we would consider to be party appetizers:  cheese, sausage, crackers and olives!  Since it is a blizzard outside, they can't fire up the cookstove and enjoy a hot meal.

A couple of nights ago he saw a huge lightning storm off in the distance, but he said they did not feel any effects from the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Chile (Araucania, Chile ) and parts of neighboring Argentina.  The area that was impacted is some 900 miles southwest of Mt. Aconcagua.

Scott will check in again before they go for the summit, so I will post another update then.