Dynatech-elevation

Originally, today’s intention was to rest; however, we have the will and strength to continue with the acclimatisation and have therefore decided to set off to the Vallunaraju BC at 5686 m. We intend to climb up to the 4300 m BC today and tomorrow, at 3 AM, get up to go to the Vallunaraju and keep on climbing as much as we can; we do not have a particular height in mind, we just want to acclimatise.

Bad news arrives from the Alpamayo; it seems that a mountaineer, who was climbing on his own, fell down the corridor taking three Austrians with him. This is incomplete and inaccurate news, therefore, we are not aware of the seriousness of the accident.

We are focussed on our goal and no other external accident should influence our intentions.

All or nothing, we will not relent in the face of anything. The future will tell our tale and, in the end, it is the circumstances that will determine whether we succeed or fail.

Not everyone understands our way of proceeding and this is not our intention either; however, the people who love us deserve an explanation. We are very grateful that you are by our side and, knowing how satisfied this makes us, you tolerate all the difficult moments we make you go through.

We love you.

After being at 3800 m. yesterday, today, following the aclimatation process, we have been at 4500 m. in the Churup lake. It is a beautiful place. The Churup mountain, at an atitude of 5495 m., gives his image to the lake and that one looks like a decorative accesory as appropiate. Both of them are places of special beauty.

IMAGE: ADRIAN UCLES, RAUL MARTINEZ AND FRAN LORENTE IN THE CHURUP LAKE (4500 m)

During the climbing, the normal sensation has occurred. The body refuses the effort that the head is offering. The heart is accelerating and the lunges are seaching air where there is not.

However, we keep going, we know this is a process we need to get through in order to get our goal.

Adrian Ucles and Raul Martinez are doing well, they climbed a difference in height of 700 m. in just one hour and a half, for me it has been harder and it lasted 20 more minutes. I still have a cold and I suffering it at each step.

The suffering process of aclimatation will be gone and only good moments will stay. We are selective beings and we use to keep what we want and reject what we do not.

Fran Lorente

Today we have been buying all these kind of things that it is better for us to purchase here because of the volume-weight relationship. We have been visiting Huaraz from our guest house “la casa de zarela”, an enchanting place in the suburbs of the town.

IMAGE 1: FRAN LORENTE AND RAUL MARTINEZ ON SHOPPING IN HUARAZ

After buying we decided to acclimatize. We have gone to Wilcayancucho lake (3700 m.) This lake is located in the Cordillera Negra, that is just in front of the Cordillera Blanca, like if it was a mirror. The main difference is obvious, one is absolutely snowed and the other one not. However, the scenic view that offers the Cordillera Negra is more spectacular than the one from the Cordillera Blanca.

At the same time, the “steady-state” is that state in which you can live with all the oxygen you need and now we are looking for the acclimatization, the process in which we will live a period of time and moreover try to do an extra effort.

We, the mountaineers, are looking for everything, in return of anything. Or, and it is worse, we give everything for nothing. As Lionel Terray said, we are “conquerors of useless”.

IMAGE 2: ADRIAN UCLES, RAUL MARTINEZ AND FRAN LORENTE IN THE WILCAYANCUCHO LAKE (3700 m) LOCATED IN THE CORDILLERA NEGRA

We are conscious that grey nuances do exist and, occasionally, are the best options. But we are passionate people that live intensely each minute of our live and that is why we use to move between everything or nothing.

Sometimes, it does not depend of ourselves to take over what we feel or what we want, we are people that follow our heart and we want it all despite we get nothing.

After a long trip of 12 hours, we arrived yesterday at Lima airport around 7.30 (7 hours plus in Spain).

Today we have been walking around Lima downtown, we met a colorful parade by surprise. Each of the groups that were in this parade was representing different tribes that took part during the independence of Peru. July the 28^th is the National Party and these kind of eves are part of the previous days.

IMAGE: RAUL MARTINEZ, FRAN LORENTE AND ADRIAN UCLES IN HUARAZ

At 13 h. we have taken a bus from Lima to Huaraz, the town that is going to to be our particular Base Camp.

Tomorrow we will take information about the mountain, we will buy the late things and we will organize the cargo with the “arrieros” (owners of the mules that carry the backpacks to the Base Camp).

We feel very good and there is a great atmosphere among us, we make jokes and we are really happy.

Best wishes and we will keep in touch.

The project known as “DYNATECH Alpamayo Expedition” is an attempt made by a group of experienced Aragonese mountaineers to reach the Alpamayo summit, a 5,947-m mountain located in the Andes Cordillera Blanca in Peru.

Why the Alpamayo? When a mountaineer faces a challenge, more than one reason motivates him to do so. The “DYNATECH Alpamayo” project was born as a continuation of the attempt, and later successful achievement in 2009, to reach the mountain known as “the coldest in the world”,  a name given to the McKinley, in  Alaska, with a height of 6,194 m., which is also the highest mountain in North America.

In our search for new and demanding challenges, DYNATECH has set its eye on the Alpamayo, 5,947-m., which is known as “the most beautiful mountain in the world”.

In addition, the Alpamayo has a series of specific characteristics which makes undertaking its ascent a considerable challenge:

On one hand, this mountain attracts a massive number of mountaineers due to the beauty of its lines; on the other hand it only has very few routes open (all of them at the end of the last century), which, without a doubt, says a lot of the difficulties its ascent entails. There are only three routes (and one alternative route) open on the SE face (undoubtedly the most beautiful face) and the direct French route is the most difficult one, technically speaking.

This is the route chosen by the group, which implies, if possible, a bigger challenge than the ascent itself. This route, which was climbed by an American roped team in the 80s, owes its name to two French mountaineers who attempted its ascent but died in the process. It is a technically difficult route as it includes a 450-m climb on icy snow with an average slope of 65º and the last 3 climbing pitches may have an 85-90º slope, in other words, they are totally vertical.

Apart from the other difficulties this mountain entails, there are imminent risks of avalanche, temperatures reaching minus 20º and winds of up to 70-80 Km./h., as well as the proximity to the Pacific implying a very changeable weather, all of these factors make it a high risk ascent with a low percentage of success.

For these reasons, the challenge is exciting albeit serious and not risk-free. For this ascent, the group, which is highly experienced as its members have climbed summits of 6000, 7000 and 8000 m., is being cautious about this challenge, planning a progressive acclimatisation in order to avoid one of the main problems caused by such a challenge: height; and, trying to open a new route on this or another mountain in the Cordillera Blanca, if the circumstances are right or allow to do so.

Next Saturday 17^th July, the expedition sets off to Lima (Peru) and will return on 13^th August.

Our next reports will be sent directly from Peru.

We hope that, as a great mountaineer of the 20^th C once said, they all return, return as friends and have a successful ascent, but always in this order.

Thanks DYNATECH!

Raúl Martínez,  Fran Lorente and Adrián Uclés
Members of the 2010 Dynatech-Alpamayo Expedition

Dear customers,

These may not be the best times for certain expenses; we should rather try to save, work, make an effort and innovate at a maximum in order to successfully find the way out of the current economic situation.

Nevertheless, there are some people whose dynamism, spirit of self-improvement and confrontation to adversity, perfectly reflect Dynatech’s own character. Their goals, no matter how complicated, are reached thanks to their perseverance, tenacity, courage and bravery.

IMAGE: FRAN LORENTE, RAUL MARTINEZ, FRANCISCO MATEO AND ADRIAN UCLES.

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