Excess Baggage, Plaza de Mulas

At least four of five of the Andinistas have reported the need for 11th hour acquisition of larger luggage to accommodate the mountain of gear accumulated for our upcoming expedition. We are collectively hoping that the American Airlines' check-in agents are more focused on holiday goodwill than on maximizing profits for The Company.

As has been previously noted, Plaza de Mulas (Plaza of the Mules) is base camp at about 14,300 ft (4,370m) elevation.  Base camp is really a small village with a "hotel" nearby (reportedly the highest hotel in the world), meals, showers and internet & other services for sale.

Our plan is to spend several days here acclimatizing and perhaps taking dayhikes to nearby peaks or other points of interest.  Rich - the team planning, navigation, and weather geek, has noted that by Wednesday about a foot of snow is forecast to fall at the Plaza de Mulas, which is a bit unusual.

The following is a photo sent by our muleteers showing ascent of the Canaleta, a 1,000 ft (300 m) chute just before the summit - a scene we hope to see within the next several weeks!

Happy holiday wishes to all our friends and family!