Cycling And Climbing Through South America

Two cyclists and climbers have combined their passions to launch a single great expedition that is currently underway in South America. Calling themselves the Biciclimbers, adventurers Jairo and Fer have set off to ride their bikes from Caracas, Venezuela to Ushuaia, Argentina, covering a distance of about 15,000km (9320 miles) in the process. Along the way, they'll also stop to climb some of the more prominent mountains in the countries they pass through as well.

According to their blog, it seems that the expedition got underway earlier this month, with the team first setting its sights on a climbing a big rock wall on the Gran Sabana of Venezuela. After that, they'll return to the road and what ever adventures capture their attention.

The Biciclimbers have dubbed their expedition "Pedaling the Andes," and they expect to cross through eight countries along the way. After leaving Venezuela, they'll make their way to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and finally Argentina. Exactly which mountains they'll climb along the way remains unclear, although the website does list Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America at 6962 meters (22,841 ft).

The website and blog for the Biciclimbers is in Spanish, so in order to follow along, you'll need to be able to speak the language or use Google Translate to stay updated on their progress. They are already posting blog updates form the road however, and from the sound of things, they're enjoying the adventure so far.

What an amazing idea for a trip. Cycling and climbing on an extended journey sounds fantastic, and I hope Jairo and Fer have a great time. Very inspiring!

Sherpa Climbs Seven Summits In 42 Days

Way back last March of last year I posted a story on Ang Chhiring Sherpa, who at the time was attempting to set a speed record for climbing the Seven Summits. Fast forward a year, and he has accomplished his goal and in highly impressive times.

According to this story, which is in French, (use Google Translate), A.C., as he has known, managed to knock off each of the seven summits in just 42 days of accumulated climbing. That's the amount of time he actually spent on the mountains itself, and not his his total time from start to finish of all of the mountains. The individual times for each of the peaks looks like this: Mount McKinley- 12 days; Kilimanjaro - 16 hours, 37 minutes round trip!); Elbrus - 8 hours, 14 minutes; Kosciusko - 2 hours, 32 minutes; Aconcagua - 7 days; Vinson - 4 days;  and Everest - 19 days.

A.C. actually finished off his quest last may when he completed his climb of Everest, but I hadn't seen confirmation of his final time until this story was send my way by Louis-Philippe Lonke earlier today. While the news might be old, it is still a very impressive time and accomplishment that deserves a salute.

It should also be noted that A.C. wasn't making the climb just to achieve a record. He was also raising funds and awareness for the Himalayan Women & Children Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping to educate women and provide basic health care and other services for those living in the Himalayan mountains.

A worthy cause to say the least.

7 Summits Climb For Alzheimer's: Camp 2 On Aconcagua

It has been about a week and a half since we last checked in on Alan Arnette. At that time he was in Argentina, where he was preparing for the trek to Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, and next on his Seven Summits hit list. Since that time, he has not only arrived on the mountain, but has been working hard to help shuttle gear to the high camps in preparation for the summit push. Yesterday, he and the rest of the team were in Camp 2, located at 18,000 feet (5486 meters), with plans to move up to High Camp today. With their gear in place at that location, they'll be all set for their final push when the weather allows.

For Alan, hiking around Aconcagua is like visiting an old friend. He has successfully climbed the 22'841 foot peak (6962 meters) on two other occasions. But Alan is also a safe and deliberate climber who doesn't take anything for granted. I can assure you that he doesn't look at this summit as a fore-gone conclusion, and he is focused on getting up and down very safely.

For those who aren't aware, Alan is climbing the Seven Summits to raise $1 million for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund. Since announcing this project back in November, he has already successfully climbed Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, and after Aconcagua he'll move on to Everest, a mountain that he has also been on several times in the past. Most Seven Summiteers wait to do Everest last, but Alan will make it the third peak on his list.

Good luck on Aconcagua this week Alan! Climb on!

7 Summits Climb For Alzheimer's: Alan's Off To Aconcagua!

This past weekend, our friend Alan Arnette flew off to Argentina where he is attempting to climb Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America, as part of his 7 Summits Climbs for Alzheimer's. Alan is currently en route to the mountain, which stands 6962 meters (22,841 ft) in height. While it is a mostly non-technical climb, at least along the regular route, the altitude alone is enough to cause some problems for those that are unprepared.

Alan will not arrive in BC for a few more days yet, as he and his IMG guides are now in Mendoza awaiting the rest of the team and preparing the last of their gear before purchasing their climbing permits for the mountain. Expect good updates at every step of the process, as Alan always does an excellent job of keeping us informed of his progress and giving great insights into what it is like to climb the mountain he is currently on. I expect no less this time, especially considering that he has already successfully climbed Aconcagua in the past.

An example of Alan's great work is the video below, during which he talks about his prep work for the mountain and shows off the gear he's using on this climb. He doesn't just show us the individual pieces however, as he actually shows us each piece in regards to where it is used during the climb. It is very insightful for those that wonder where all that gear is put to use.