Ojos Del Salado partner needed

[dereferenced]

This is where we disagree. I read (I think it was in the "altitude illness" book) that you can't acclimatize above 17,000' (or maybe it was 18,000'). You can go that high or higher but you only get the benefit when you come back down and recoup.

You're right that some things deteriorate. A more nuanced statement might be "sleeping that high, you are rapidly gaining acclimation, but slowly losing strength".

That is, you're probably losing weight, your cardio fitness might be slowly declining, wounds heal slower, stuff like that. Despite those long term negative changes, you're still making short term improvements in acclimation -- that is, spending time there will reduce your odds of altitude sickness and improve your climbing speed.

I don't know how long you could stay before things get really bad. People stay above 18k for a few weeks when climbing Cho Oyu. I think the Silver Hut expedition had people stay that high for much longer and they got weaker? I haven't read the details.

I think medicaid pays for supplemental oxygen for patients who are 89 and below. I'm willing to bet you would never get above 89 no matter how long you stayed above 18,500'.

Supplemental oxygen is cheating. Haven't we covered that?

I dug up my notes. 1st night at 18,500 feet, I was at 100 bpm, 72% sat. 8th day I was 62 bpm, 82%.
I got to 90% at 16k, but never at a higher camp.

I haven't tried every option, lots of different acclimation schedules can work. I just think you're exaggerating the danger of sleeping high a few nights.

Let us know what approach you try, and how the trip goes.

[Scott P]

This is where we disagree. I read (I think it was in the "altitude illness" book) that you can't acclimatize above 17,000' (or maybe it was 18,000'). You can go that high or higher but you only get the benefit when you come back down and recoup.

It is true that the body can't completely and permanently acclimatize above 18,000 feet or so.

That said, most people climbing Ojos sleep at 19,150 feet simply because few can make it from the 17,200 feet camp. Sleeping at the highest camp gives the best chance for most people to summit; that's why people do it. Summitting from 17,200 is no impossible for everyone, but few people can do it. If you can do it, great, but I know I probably can't.

[mikefromcraig]

Supplemental oxygen is cheating. Haven't we covered that?

I was just referring to everyday people living at sea level. I think 89 and below is the point where Doctors say you need oxygen just to live your everyday life.

90% at 16,000' sounds very impressive.

I'm not referring to the "danger" of sleeping so high the night before summit day, just that it doesn't seem like the optimal strategy based on what I've read.

I think we can all agree that IF you can drive from 17,000' to 19,000' you absolutely 100% would be better off sleeping at 17,000' then driving to 19,000' to start the summit push.

[Scott P]

I think we can all agree that IF you can drive from 17,000' to 19,000' you absolutely 100% would be better off sleeping at 17,000' then driving to 19,000' to start the summit push.

Sometimes you can drive to 19K (though it is very dicey even in a souped up 4wd), but you wouldn't want to do it in the dark. Also, it takes about as long to drive as to walk anyway (downhill walking is faster than driving, uphill is about equal). If you can do drive it, it may be a good way to drop off some supplies, but I wouldn't count on being able to drive it. You could sleep at 17,200 in the morning and then drive the road as soon as it got light (maybe 2-3 hours to drive from 17,200 to 19,150), but you would have to be fast in order to make it to the summit that late. I wish you luck if you do try it though. For some, it might be possible.

[mikefromcraig]

I'm still looking for a partner for pre-Christmas if anyone is interested.

UPDATE: So I have now been given estimates for the difficulty of the last pitch from "class 2 to class 3" from an Aconcagua guide who has done it and "5.7" from an online report. That's a pretty big variance!

Also, I was told from someone that a normal rental car won't make it to the first campsite at Laguna Verde 4,400m.

A local also told me that 2016 has been a slightly below average snowfall year, unlike last year. So the trail should be easier than other years.

I'll probably just rent a 4x4. Would be about $650 for 8 days. Would much rather split that cost with someone else though...

[Scott P]

A local also told me that 2016 has been a slightly below average snowfall year, unlike last year. So the trail should be easier than other years.

Lack of snow usually makes it harder, rather than easier, though perhaps not by that much. The ice field can get really icy in dry conditions, plus a little snow makes it easier to find water.

Still there won't be that much difference in difficulty. The real factor is the wind and current weather patterns rather than winter snowfall.

[Scott P]

UPDATE: So I have now been given estimates for the difficulty of the last pitch from "class 2 to class 3".

Was he from the US? If not, he was speaking of UIAA grade. No one outside North America uses the class 1 through 4 definitions that are used here.

[mikefromcraig]

UPDATE: So I have now been given estimates for the difficulty of the last pitch from "class 2 to class 3".

Was he from the US? If not, he was speaking of UIAA grade. No one outside North America uses the class 1 through 4 definitions that are used here.

Well, he lives in South America but he referenced climbing in Colorado. Basically, I told him nothing about my climbing experience and he felt comfortable saying that it wouldn't be a problem without a rope. It was something along the lines of, "I mean, the guides that take people up there use the fixed rope but, I mean, you'd be fine without it."

But again, I think there may be some confusion as to which of the two summits we're talking about.

In any event, looks like I'm going solo. I'm looking at rental cars. So you said the Toyota Hilux can go all the way to 17,000 feet. Any other 4X4 you know of that you can rent down there that's adequate?

Thanks again!

[Scott P]

Any other 4X4 you know of that you can rent down there that's adequate?

None that I know of. Hilux's were the only vehicles that we saw there. One Mitsubishi was there, but it didn't make it.

Alex Abramov was up there when we were. I think he said he paid $246 a day? Maybe a little less (?), but still over $200. That's not that bad considering the roads in the area. That's not much different than the prices at say, Moab to rent a capable 4x4.

What dates are you going and do you have your plane tickets?

I guess I could ask around and see where the best place to rent a vehicle is (unless you have already done that).

[mikefromcraig]

Any other 4X4 you know of that you can rent down there that's adequate?

None that I know of. Hilux's were the only vehicles that we saw there. One Mitsubishi was there, but it didn't make it.

Alex Abramov was up there when we were. I think he said he paid $246 a day? Maybe a little less (?), but still over $200. That's not that bad considering the roads in the area. That's not much different than the prices at say, Moab to rent a capable 4x4.

What dates are you going and do you have your plane tickets?

I guess I could ask around and see where the best place to rent a vehicle is (unless you have already done that).

I'm planning on getting my tickets tomorrow.

I'll arrive Dec. 12 or 13 and leave probably 23rd.

I asked around at some of the guide services and it would only cost a little more to have them drive me around than to rent so I'd probably just do that if I go solo.

Let me know ASAP if you know anyone who wants to go.

[wicor]

Hi
Is it possible to get DIFROL permit for solo expedition to Ojos or other peaks in Chile? Anyone tried it?
I'm planning to go to Ojos only by myself and on the DIFROL official page there is information like this:
"The authorization can be conditioned to the expedition of climbing and climbing is carried out by at least two people."

http://www.difrol.gob.cl/autorizaciones ... ntura.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any information would be helpful

[mikefromcraig]

Hi
Is it possible to get DIFROL permit for solo expedition to Ojos or other peaks in Chile? Anyone tried it?
I'm planning to go to Ojos only by myself and on the DIFROL official page there is information like this:
"The authorization can be conditioned to the expedition of climbing and climbing is carried out by at least two people."

http://www.difrol.gob.cl/autorizaciones ... ntura.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any information would be helpful

I tried to deal with DIFROL and found it very frustrating. Not just because of the language barrier. I finally just told my guide to deal with it.

I don't know if they have rules against solo expeditions.