Dispatch#41 January 30th, 2002.  Aconcagua Base Camp, Argentina. Team IV Hi this is Ellie calling from Aconcagua Base Camp, it's January 30th.  We've just heard from Willi and the team up on the mountain, they were making a summit attempt this morning, they left about 7:00 from Camp IV and ran into very strong winds, Willi estimates about 70-80 mph winds, trying to cross the ridge above Independencia.  So they decided that it really wasn't worth it for the day and they turned around and went back to Camp IV, and they were discussing whether Willi or Lhakpa will go back to Camp III and bring additional food up so they can spend another night and hopefully a deck of cards, so they don't; have to sit there counting the squares on the top of the tent all day.  And hopefully conditions will settle down a little bit over the night and they will be able to make another attempt tomorrow morning.

Here in Base Camp it's also blustery, figuring that Lhakpa's prayer flags that are stretched between the two base camp tents are sending out a lot of prayers this morning, so hopefully they will be answered and the team will be safely on their way up the mountain soon.  So that's it for January 30th and we'll have more news as it comes.