I’m not a climber as I’m disabled but I came across this by accident and I love it, well done

This was absolutely amazing. Thom, you would gather such a large following just by telling stories. Stories of struggles, stories of accomplishments. Just stories that don't even have to be productions like that one was. I promise you. People would just love that and I'm sure you have a ton to tell. I had no idea you climbed this mountain. I thought it was only Everest. You have stories of that boat trip. You have a very humble spirit, and I know that can make you not want to talk about you very much, but in talking about you, you will help countless others. Please consider. Use that gift of storytelling you have. :)

Love watching these older documentaries your story telling is top tier and brings the viewer into the video. Thank you for sharing Thom and best wishes.

Thom what a video, dude your such a inspirational man thank you 🙏🏼👊🏼🕊️😎

Great to see you back in action, Thom - Always love the content.......and the guitars.....😉😎

Great to see you back, Thom! This was a great video - your wisdom shines, through the decades!

I'm glad that you're back, my friend! I noticed that you didn't acclimatize in the normal way (climb high, sleep low). Why was that? And - wow! - that video is so good. Thank you very much for sharing it, I really loved it. Peace out!

Yeah! So I had to pause the vid early just to say WOW Thom! You look refreshed and energized! Thanks for coming back and love the snow, we have it too and I just got back in from my backdoor while enjoying the Northern Lights in my backyard. Love the new hat and the fact you made this film! Now to watch the rest...I enjoy your films and your good heart! Peace and let's pray for spring! Hugs

Hi Thom, good to hear from you! Hope you’re well❤

Thanks for sharing your treasures. Bought back so many memories including my winter of 77 in North Conway and my old roommate in Aspen , legendary climber Charlotte Fox. Just found your site and look forward to spending more time with you.

NH reminds me of being on the top of Lafayette when I was I think 7. I was so light & the wind so strong I almost had to lie down to not fly away.

Welcome back Brother.

Thanx Thom as always your article is top notch and yes I thought Aconcagua was quiet compared to like k2 or others but as usual I'm wrong anyways awesome article please keep em coming have a great week

A friend just died there 2 days ago. Was a 56 years old woman from Romania, the 3rd victim of 2024. RIP

Another great video.... Thanks

Thom, glad to hear from you. ❤ What a huge difference between your climb back then and what we see today of people with guides/Sherpa’s doing all the work and just jumaring their way to the top.

Thanks for sharing such an exciting, yet dangerous part of your life. I very much liked your commentary now looking back at the past. Thanks for being vulnerable

Loved the Lion at 4:06 !

Hi Thom. I don't know how i missed this. What a journey. Could not do it myself but have the utmost respect for people like yourself. This vid is absolutely brilliant. Rotorua, New Zealand 🇳🇿

Thank you for sharing. It's always enlightening to visit your channel. The truth is that everything is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Especially, going places (alone) without potential help from other humans. I'm glad you weren't alone on that trip. Have a good one. 💜

Wonderful work Thom. Looks like a brutal struggle to get to the summit. Im sure you came out of it a better and wiser person.

Thom ... I am sure that your library of climbing videos is extensive and I, for one, would love it if you would show them to us - with your commentary. For example, the '99 Everest search of Mallory.❤

Good to see you back , Thom! Much love.

Your video is a blessing to my morning, it's great to see you and great to hear your story 💙💌

I just subscribed to your channel, great documentary, thank you for the breakdown. I'm scheduled to summit Dec of 2024

Great video, Thom. I loved the educational & spiritual aspect of the original film, which you definitely achieved in making that journey to the summit. But I think you've done a greater service in explaining the hidden dangers of high altitude mountains better through your own near-fatal experience. I would've naively thought Aconcagua is a safe rounded summit that wouldn't require too much technical skill and more a hike up. But the death rate there is high enough and with yourself, a fit young man, getting affected by altitude sickness (due to CO poisoning,) then tourists hoping to make one of the 7 Summits should think carefully regards their own preparation & physical fitness before setting out.

I soloed Aconcagua in 1996 by the same (standard) route. Aconcagua is ideal for solo ascents since the standard route, in decent weather is non-technical ... just a high altitude hike. In fact, soloing is far more straightforward--for an experienced mountaineer--than ascending in these cumbersome, guided expeditions like this one with a group of, typically, strangers. Inevitably, particularly when the groups are guided, there are "clients" who should not be there ... having inadequate degrees of experience, physical and mental preparation and whose limitations will afflict the entire team and dominate the timing and pace of the ascent. The flexibility from climbing alone means that you can ascend at your ideal pace without waiting on others or needing to assist others which inevitably happens with these large parties ... guided or not. That same flexibility also allows you to work the weather windows optimally which commercial or large parties cannot manage due to inflexible logistics and return travel schedules. In my case, I waited, watched, acclimated and then chose to ascend from BC in a two day window of perfect weather. And the best part, of course, is that you can eliminate all the human chatter and it is just you and the mountain dancing together ...

Very cool brother , a slow burner. But I got in there. Thanks . Savage effort .

New Hampshire looks beautiful ❤️

I'm late watching this but I'm so glad I watched. Very interesting film you did on this climb. Your insight on why you didn't feel well on that climb is right. I did an elk camp high in the mountains once years ago and did most of the cooking and never thought about all the fumes from the stove and lanterns in the tent. I remember how bad my eyes burned and watered. I feel like crap. Never thinking about the cause of the problem. This reminded of that. Anyway glad you survived it. And what a climb your team had. You are very good with commentary Thom. Have you done more films? I know about the Everest ones. I'm guessing you have climbed on other mountains too. I have heard of this mountain in South America but didn't realize it was like that to climb. Great job with this one!

Amazing documentary! Loved the format. Having climbed in January 2022, I fully agree as well. Aconcagua is hard! Everyone downplays how difficult Aconcagua really is. Half of the battle is the trek to basecamp. If I had to do it again, I'd definitely take a helicopter into Plaza de Mulas and save myself 5-6 days of trekking. It's cold too, but I got used to it, and good professional mountaineering gear tends to negate the cold. What did you find changed between 1993 and 2009 on the mountain and/or climate?

Man, love the video! But more importantly where so I get a Cosmic Country hat?

The lady with the pacemaker was 59 and died at base camp. It’s clear that she shouldn’t have been there because she was totally out of shape and could not keep up with her group’s training exercises but she died before she ascended. Her group organizer was trying to prevent her from going up the mountain due to her overall poor health and deconditioning. Seems like she died before he group left base camp.

@Thom , how does Aconcagua compare to Denali as a climbing challenge and in terms of danger?

Curious why there was no oxygen used........at least for recovery. Thanks Thom.

Wonderfully done. So you think you got CO poisoning. How many days were y’all in the park?

I heard people say that Denali & Aconcagua are in the same continent but in different regions(which I disagree with).

Burping all day? Remind me to bring rolaids.

Carbon monoxide and altitude, sounds like a bad combo.

Chocolate is a killer for climbing I feel