Into Thick Air: An Account of the Expedition's Successful Ascent of Mulhacén

We had gathered some of America's premier mountaineers for an attempt on previously unclimbed (well, by this group at least) Mulhacén, at 3482 meters, the highest summit in mainland Spain. Thanks to excellent advance field work by our Sherpa guide, Iñaki, the normally arduous trek from Bubión to Base Camp went smoothly (the ride in the van wasn't too bumpy). At Base Camp (also known as Hoya del Portillo Control) we acclimated (for 20 minutes) to the thin air and prepared for the climb (bought tickets for the shuttle bus). Our plan for the climb was risky: attempt a strictly alpine style ascent, without fixed ropes or high altitude camps, with all our hopes for success riding on one crucial bit of timing: catching the shuttle bus to Camp IV. Upon our arrival at Camp IV (who knows what happened to camps I thru III), we brazenly started up the treacherous slopes. There was no time to waste, with the approach of the monsoon season (plus we had to get back by 3:30 to catch the shuttle down). The weather was ominous, mostly blue sky, but with a mild breeze; and would get even worse as the climb progressed; by the top we were in full whiteout conditions: 50 mile visibility and a bit of overcast.