|
On Sunday, 26 January, at 2.06
p.m., after little more than 8 hours of an uphill
struggle, I got to the summit of Cerro Aconcagua, the
highest mountain in the western hemisphere with a
height of 6962m. Exactly 8 months before that day I
had been on top of Mt McKinley. And like that day on
Mt McKinley, I was so overwhelmed that I started to
cry. What a view! The Andes were at our feet, we were
on top of the clouds. I cherished that moment during
which all my feelings, thoughts and the achieved aim
became one.
With agreeable temperatures of
minus 15 degrees we stayed there for half an hour and
took the obligatory summit photos.
 |
|
View from the Summit |
The descend through the Caneletta
was fine, but I started to feel the exhaustion a
little later when I started to slide down the slopes
on my backside until we reached Camp Berlin. After 12
hours all I wanted to do was sleep and so I took a
flask of hot tea and crept into my sleeping bag.
The next morning I was already on
my way down while Khalil and Ricardo were still taking
to pieces the camp. Because I could use the snow, it
was possible to descend in a straight line. I reached
the base camp Plaza de Mulas after 2 hours and 10
minutes. On my way down I felt how my body adapted to
the change the lower I got. At 2 p.m. I was in the
base camp and received the congratulations from Martin
and Sergio, the cook. I was hungry and thirsty and my
blood sugar had attained a normal level. I also
noticed how the effect of the injected insulin matched
my expectations and the normal procedure. The camp
doctor thought that the problems I had had resulted
from stress and insufficient acclimatisation.
On January 27, the weather was
still perfect. I walked the 29 kilometres from the
base camp to the entrance of the national park in just
under six hours. That same evening I drove to Mendoza
where I had Empanadas, a huge mixed salad, a 750g
steak and French fries, a litre of beer and ice cream.
The 22 units of NOVORAPID worked just fine.
I had four days to relax and rest
myself because all the Lufthansa flights to Frankfurt
were fully booked. I spent most of the time next to
the pool and analysed the last days in my diary. Again
and again I wondered how I had managed to surpass
myself and where I had got all that willpower. I have
thought about this many times since then and I have
actually found the source that helped me to keep
going. Surely there were some events casualties,
snowstorms, the wounded, the rest of the team who gave
up, uncontrollable blood sugar levels that would
have presented me with reasonable arguments for
putting an end to the expedition. But for some people
who have never been on a mountain but who still think
that they know best, following the expedition from the
comfort of their sofas, it would merely have been a
decision. In that sense they have contributed to my
success, they have made me take that one more step
again and again until I was at the summit. I wanted to
get there and I took the opportunity that was given to
me. Yet, despite this battle that I fought with myself
I was never in a life-threatening situation. The
insufficient acclimatisation did have an effect on my
body, but not on my mind and spirit.
I deem myself fortunate to have
been on top of the highest mountains on two continents
within the space of just 8 months, and I would like to
thank everyone who has somehow supported me in
whatever form.
 |
|
Patrick
Hoss on the Summit of
Aconcagua |
All
Pictures copyright Patrick
Hoss
The
first stage: The ascent of Mt. McKinley
Patrick
Hoss:
Background on Project
Diabetes-8000
|
