Bushwacking Through Bamboo
Greenpeace Lengthens Lead
Bariloche, Argentina — Dec. 5, 1999

	PC16

Team Greenpeace's Neil Jones
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Once again we witness the Kiwi Team Greenpeace make their way first into the latest checkpoint, number 16. Pampa Linda is the second official camp of the event and sits nestled below the 3,000 meter peaks of Mount Tronador. Here the teams are resupplied before venturing off onto the glacial traverse and mountaineering leg of the event.

Greenpeace arrived just before 11:00pm last night after a hellish bushwhack between PC14 and PC15. Team member Andrea Murray said "the bamboo is low and as we are pulling our way through, it wrapped around our feet. You need to be an octopus to get through this stuff."

The bad weather and fresh snowfall have still been a major concern, John Howard saying that "up near the volcano, it was the first time in my adventure racing career that I have had to test conditions for avalanche danger."

"The main concern now is that experts must assess the avalanche risk up on Mount Tronador..."

The entry for the teams into Pampa Linda is a spectacular series of four rappels descending hundreds of meters into the valley floor. The bush leading up to this rappel is extremely dense, even the local team Condor saying they didn't think forest that thick existed in Argentina.

The main concern now is that experts must assess the avalanche risk up on Mount Tronador before teams are allowed to reach the summit as planned.

Up to 1.5 meters of new snow have completely covered the crevasses and wiped out the safe route markers previously established. Luckily the day has dawned clear and it looks likely that teams will still get to the top of the mountain late tonight.

The lead teams have become extremely competitive and tight, the sleep factor is going to play an important role in who can win this race. Team Condor decided to stay and sleep at the camp while Greenpeace, Rubicon and Halti charged on into the night. In an interesting twist the competitors this year are forced to carry their passports and it is in this leg they see why. The route from PC16 to PC17 will actually take the teams into Chile where they will be met by border officials and have their passports stamped.

As it turns out, Greenpeace gains an extra three hours on Team Rubicon as they navigate perfectly up to this hard to find PC.

The question is can they continue with the remarkable pass and spot on navigation.

— Chris Vile, MountainZone.com Correspondent