Climb every mountain...

 Sairecabur,  chile (20,000 feet)                                                             patagonian icefield, argentina   

​Our route will take us through a diverse group of countries, cultures and ecosystems. There are some constants however - our trusty (we hope) vehicle, Manuel, as well as us three participants (David, Adam and Bob). However, the majority of our trip we will have a 4th companion - this companion will not be riding with us, but will never be far away. This companion will dictate where we drive, how fast we go, and what kind of weather we get. That companion is the Andes mountain range.

Starting on our second day of driving, the Andes will be the one constant throughout our adventure, stretching all the way down to our final destination, Ushuaia (with a few breaks of flat land along the way). From the lower peaks of the Cordillera Occidental in Colombia, through the "Highway of the Volcanoes" in Ecuador, to the foothills of the Peruvian Andes, to the Central Andean dry puna region of Chile all the way down to Patagonia, the Andes are a diverse and formidable companion.

Adam and David have spent a bit of time in the Andes, climbing on the tallest peak in the range, Aconcagua, in January and February of 2013. They hope to spend some more time in the Andes on this trip, making smaller climbs along the way in each country to keep themselves fit and augment the long days of driving. These climbs will get progressively higher, with the highest being a peak in the Atacama desert on the border of Chile and Bolivia, reaching a height of 20,000 feet. The highlight of the climbing portion of the trip will be a 5 day climb through the Patagonian Icefield (the largest ice cap in the world outside of the polar regions) and an ascent of a glaciated mountain known as Gorra Blanca.

The Andes will no doubt be one of the most enduring memories of our trip, and will provide a beautiful backdrop to the cities, towns and regions that we visit - in other words, the perfect companion.