On November 16, we ascended Poquentica. Theoretically this was easier than our ascent of Licancabur. However, our jump in altitude was large since we would not camp at the midway point up the summit [as we did when we ascended Licancabur].



We drove to Poquentica. That is Poquentica in the background.

We went up the mountain in two groups. Our Bolivian expedition support team/porters [who climb this kind of mountain on a regular basis] headed up first with some of our scientific equipment and expedition gear.

I went up with the second group that would go up that day.



Part of the ascent team. [Left to right] Rob, Cristian, Nathalie, Clay, Peter [me], Macario.

Our ascent of Licancabur was rocky and with little sand. In contrast, our ascent of this mountain was sandy, and with some rocks.



The kind of terrain we encountered while heading up the mountain.



We took a break during the ascent. Macario is on the left, Freddie is on the right.



Panoramic image of our view during the break.



Gigantic rock features, slippery sand.



Rounding a big rock.

Finally, we reached the summit where we met up with the first group that ascended that day. After a brief stop [and after being battered by the wind a bit], we headed down into the crater were we would observe the lake and set up our camp for the night.


[Click the image to see a bigger version.]

Reaching the summit.



Descending into the crater and tent set-up.



Tent set-up.



Tent set-up.

After our tents were set up, we [Rob, Clay, myself, Cristian, and Nathalie] headed across the lake to set up the meteorological station that we brought with us. This group set up a similar station near the crater lake at Licancabur. These stations are robust and can record data for years at a time.



Heading out across the crater to set up the meteorological station.

The crater lake on Poquentica was frozen solid. This meant that experiments, such as deploying the bathymetry boat and the diving activities that were originally planned, would not be possible.

The ground was frozen with "permafrost." It took a great deal of effort for the team to pound the stakes into the frozen ground in order to anchor the meteorological station.



Clay pounded a stake into the permafrost. The Deputy Mayor of Julo loaned us that sledge hammer!



Setting up the meteorological station.



Cristian anchored the meteorological station with cables.

Night started to fall across the crater, and we were also starting to get hungry. We stopped working for the day and headed around the outskirts of the frozen lake toward our camp. We would warm up freeze dried food and get into the tents for the night.



Night starts to fall across the crater.

Night

Clay, Cristian and myself settled into Cristian's three person tent. Rob and Nathalie settled into Nathalie's two person tent. Our tent was cramped. This is a good thing because body heat is one of the major factors that keeps the tent warm at night.

Clay started preparing freeze dried food that came in aluminum packets. The food tasted good after the long climb and shivering outside.

The wind started to blow harder and so we zipped the tent shut. Sitting in a tent like this is probably what it is like to sit in a space capsule.

The big joke for the evening was: "Cristian, as soon as you sit back, I'll sit up and change my socks..." Then ten minutes later: "Cristian, as soon as you sit back I'll sit up and change my socks." This was probably only funny to the three people in the tent, but this indicates how cramped these tents are.

Everyone has differing opinions on the conditions at night because each tent is sheltered differently and performs differently under the wind. The three inhabitants of our tent all universally agreed on one thing: This crater gets cold at night!