I thought I should do a blog about my brother Brennan and the feat that he just accomplished. He just got home from a 17 day trek up the largest mountain outside of Asia, reaching the summit at 23,000 feet. Aconcagua in the Andes mountains of Argentina boasts severely high winds and even snow regardless of the fact that this is their summer season. This climb took months of preparation both mentally and physically. Brennan spent countless hours in a chamber to get his body ready for the drastic elevation changes that it would undergo. His team of people that ascended the mountain with him spent 15 of the 17 days going up the mountain, stopping at each drastic elevation change to get used to the conditions. Not all of the climbers were able to reach the summit as there were many cases of elevation sickness, injuries and just sheer exhaustion. Brennan was one of very few that made it to the top. He was so ill at one point, he described not having the energy to open food and eat it. Now that he is home safe (minus one very frostbitten foot) and can reveal what a dangerous undertaking this expedition actually was, it is frightening to think of him in a place so barren and treacherous. But it also shows his tenacity and drive to experience things and push himself to his absolute limits. So congratulations Brennan on this amazing accomplishment. I am sure that these pictures don't do the experience justice.
