Snow was very soft. Here you can see me post-holing in thigh deep snow.

Since this was most likely another previously unclimbed 15,000ft summit on the Andes, I snapped this picture of myself on the summit with El Brujo (a 16,000ft glaciated mountain with notable technical ascents) on the background.

This is the gulley we followed. One of my concerns was that after 34 years of erosion (which is extreme in this part of the Andes) we would be stopped by a cliff. With the quality of rock being so rotten it could be imposible to set up a rappel and we would have to climb back up and try different routes until one worked.

...and at last I saw, with great relief an opening without any technical obstacles.

James Vlahos was an incredible person to have on this trip. Not only is he a great photographer and writer but a great person to climb with. Always easy going, considerate, strong and positive. It was very rewarding to become close friends during this incredible expedition.

Later that evening we found water for the first time.

This is El Brujo. Nando and Roberto saw the sun iluminate this peak until 9 pm. This gave them great hope that the next valley was open to the west since apparently no mountains were on the way to block the sun. This picture was taken a few minutes before 9 pm on December 16, 2005

This is probably the first spot where they saw water. After almost 70 days without any running water this was an incredible experience for Nando and Roberto

It was tricky to stay on the left side of the river.

Punching thru the snow would have turned deadly on places like these. These rivers are very cold and very strong!

This is probably the place where they camped on the night of December 18

Our route became very rocky. Loaded with such heavy packs walking became very tricky over this rough terrain.

Later the inclination angle eased but the going was still very tricky. Most rocks were moving under our feet.

The first human signs.

December 18,2005 The challenge of this day and the next one are the hardest to convey. We no longer had dangers of avalanches, crevasses or technical terrain it was simply a physical challenge to cover miles an miles with heavy packs, heat, sun, over terrain that's tricky to walk on.

...and bugs! Mario's new pet!

Something we didn't expect...a swamp!

Before we camped we got a view of the next valley that would leads us into Los Maitenes (still a long way to go!)
12/19

There were still many tricky river crossings

Condors kept a close look at us while climbing.

From L to R Ricardo Peña , Mario Perez and James Vlahos in Los Maitenes on December 19, 2005 after completing the first succesful re-tracing of Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa's historic escape from the Andes. They reached Los Maitenes on December 21st, 1972.

This is the hut where Roberto and Nando were taken to by the chilean peasants. In this little outpost was where they ate their first real meals in 70 days and where for the first time they told other human beings about their incredible ordeal!

For us the work out wasn't over since we had to walk another full day to reach the nearest road where a van met us.

But at least now we followed a path, and it was hiking on a good trail.

Our expedition showed the survivors climbed from 12,020ft up to a pass 14,774' high. From there they descended to 4,676' walking a total of 33.5 miles...very tough miles! (nothing to do with trail running or hiking!).

We carried a lot more weight obviously, our trek was more than 20 miles longer and we obviously had to climb up to the 12,020' location from 7200' in Argentina. In spite of that we had incredible advantages over them. We were experienced mountaineers, we were trained and healthy, we had plenty of food and great gear (perhaps a bit too much, but we didn't know what to expect since no one had repeated it before).

Overall we felt that what Nando and Roberto accomplished in '72 was incredible!...a miracle? not in my personal opinion, but one of the finest moments in human history when two young men, against all odds, and showing incredible bravery, defied the cruel environment and challenges of the mountains and accomplished an unbelievable feat and with that, saved their own lives as well as the lives of their 14 mates stuck in the plane.

This escape and the troubles and challenges faced and overcome by the 16 Andes Survivors always has, and will continue to inspire me; and will always speak volumes of that incredible thing called...the human spirit.