Mayo Clinic News

On Friday, January 22, a Mayo Clinic research team will land in Mendoza, Argentina to begin a month-long expedition monitoring extreme athlete Diane Van Deren as she climbs Aconcagua not once, but twice. During the second climb she will race to the summit, a climb she hopes to complete in record time.

Update 1/19/10: See today’s New York Times feature story about Diane’s climb, and follow her progress on Twitter via #Xmedicine.

Bruce Johnson, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic cardiology researcher, will be monitoring Diane’s vital signs remotely from base camp. More background on the research is on Advancing the Science, Mayo Clinic’s research blog.

In the photo above, Diane participates in the “60 Minute Pack Test,” an endurance performance based test where she is supposed to walk or run as far as she can on a treadmill when the grade is at 15 percent and while carrying a pack that’s 25 percent of her body weight. The distance covered on the treadmill, oxygen consumption response, and heart rate response are the important physiological variables examined. The purpose was to see what percentage of her maximal oxygen consumption and heart rate (maximal aerobic capacity) she can exercise at for 60 minutes.

Dr. Bruce Johnson and Diane Van Deren review results of baseline tests completed at Mayo Clinic in December.

You can follow Diane’s progress on Twitter via the #XMedicine hash tag, or by following @MayoClinic. We also will post periodic updates, including video and photos from Aconcagua, here on Mayo Clinic News.

Update 1/20/10: Diane’s first update from Argentina:

Good Morning Argentina! What a great way to start the morning and head out early with a small breeze and sunshine begging to rise. It’s 70 degrees here this morning and coming from Colorado with a high of 40 degrees and snow…it’s a heat wave here! I’m running in this huge park that’s miles in length and width and I got lost even though it’s not far from the hotel! Every time I asked for directions the louder and more excited folks got! But I made it back…had a wonderful breakfast…what a treat to be here! Leaving, now, for a trek around the city. Yes, I have my map. Adios! Di

Update 1/21/10: The Rochester Post-Bulletin has a story about the project today. Diane also sent an update:

Hey Guys! Marc and Heidi arrived about an hour ago with Damian, who will be one of our guides on the mountain. Damian is Willie’s brother and was just helicoptered to some of the camps to drop off food, etc. for our first group. His face is very red from the winds on the mountain. It was a clear day on Aconcagua but the winds can be a challenge. So FYI round one we are meeting tonight at 6 to go over details. It’s hot – maybe 100 degrees today. See the Mayo group tomorrow…can’t wait! Love to all – Di

Update 1/22/10: Here is some video from the Mayo Clinic team’s arrival in Argentina, where they were met by Diane, who had arrived earlier in the week:

Update 1/23/10: A message from Dana Sparks, from Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, who is facilitating the film crew and communications from the scene:

Sun is shining and cooler temps this morning. Last night was a team dinner with over 20 climbers from all over the world! Diane said North Face has identified some of them to be stationed at different points on the mountain for safety, when she and Willie do the speed ascent. Everybody is loading gear into trucks right now for the trip to Penitentes where Dr. Johnson will do his orientation describing the research equipment and the teams plan to monitor Diane on the climbs. Our camera crew has more gear than the 3 climbers combined! We’re on the trail…will update soon and when we can get reception. Oh- I just asked Diane if she has a message and she asked for everyone to keep all the climbers in their prayers for a safe journey.

Update 1-25-10 - For the newest photos, visit Mayo’s research blog, Advancing the Science.

Update 1-27-10 -

Message from Luke Johnson – “We made it to base camp.. about 14000 ft. Everything is going great thus far. Diane is healthy and ready to rock!”

Update 1-28-10 -

Message from Dr. Bruce Johnson – “Limited access here at basecamp. All is well, still strategizing with Damian, Willie, Diane and us. Altitude is 4000-4500 meters. Our team is many of the TNF The North Face South American leadership, guides, porters, mules. A rest day today, but about a 1000 m climb tomorrow. no more mules. We spend our time now acclimating and pushing gear up higher and higher camp 1, 2, 3. Diane is doing extra training each day. We have lots of footage, interviews, etc. We also have with us an executive, Hector D’Amico, of the largest newspaper in Argentina, La Nacion. He did an interview with us today. They all love Mayo Clinic! There is much to learn in field studies, but so far so good. This has been a bad year for cerebral edema on the mountain, but not sure why at this point. possibly related to large changes in pressure. Most of us have lost 3-5 lbs.

Message from Diane -”Quick note on Damian’s computer. All is good… we climbed to first camp today with heavy pack and gear unloaded and the group came down. Will took me up to 17000 feet to prepare for speed attempt. A little more climbing to prepare for round two– feeling great! That’s the highest I’ve ever been –beautiful! I’m sitting next to Bruce and Luke going over monitoring today. All is good… everyone is healthy and doing well. Now the hard work begins for all with gaining of altitude. Love to all! got to go xoxo Di”

Update 1-30-10: Message from Diane:

Wow what a day! I was going to try and call but it’s either a phone call or a shower! Sorry, this girl needs a shower before we head up the mountain. So, what a day today I have to share with you. Mayo Clinic here and Willie going over our different training we need to be doing for speed attempt. Willie took me to 18000 ft today…all my oxygen saturation levels and heart rate etc are perfect today! Was really special because Mayo went over emergency meds I have etc. with Willie and how my wirng system is showing all signs. It really was so great to feel awesome climbing to 18000 feet! Willie knows people on the mt. and we did see some high altitude sickness. Med teams came for them quickly. When Willie and I got to 18000 feet at Camp Nido we had lunch with the med staff there and they will assist us on mt if emergency is needed for Willie and me. So great to meet the staff. It was stunning to be on top of the mt on a crystal clear blue sky day and you could see forever! I told Bruce and Luke that I think this is a glance of what heaven is going to be like. It was great to climb and feel in my element. No headache, no tightness of lungs etc. As we know there can be lows also but when it all comes together its wonderful! Tomorrow we will take gear to camp one and we will not have contact for maybe 6 7 8 days as it depends on weather conditions on the mt. No summitting today because of the winds. Well love to everyone and keep prayers for everyone…start the summit tomorrow xo Di

Update from Kasha Rigby – “As we bathe in the alpenglow of this evening we forget the storms of the last few nights. we are all at plaza de mulas, our basecamp, and feeling well. the weather has been predictably unstable – sunny and clear in the mornings but by mid day clouds building with electricity and rain. we had one clear night where we were able to identify the southern cross and watch a magical moonrise, but the last couple nights have been rain down lower and snow higher, mixed with gropple and hail. the infamous andean winds have luckily not hit us yet.

willie arrived this morning after running in from the highway in 3 hours – a journey that took us two days. we were starting to worry he might have to winter over in antarctica. he arrived feeling fresh, before those of us languishing on a rest day had even begun breakfast. he brings the news that weather should improve for at least the next 4 days giving us time to establish ourselves higher on the mountain.
in the meantime we eat and drink and rest. acclimitization and hydration are such critical pieces for success higher on the mountain. monitored by our mayo clinic doctors we have all become compulsively interested in our heart rates and blood/oxygen saturation. today we all weighed in and each have lost between 2-5 pounds and we have not even really started the climb. we have been going through a series of resting and step tests to see how our bodies react and recover

we are a formidable group – 22 now with willie, but moving together with an amazing efficiency that can only be attained with each member being highly conscious of working as a group. it is impressive to be with such skilled and professional individuals, each adding their unique perspective and experience.

tomorrow we take a load to camp one, a steep scree climb, and then come back to basecamp for one more night.
being here with diane and her team of mayo doctors/scientists is such a great honor. watching diane pace herself and the focus of the team is a treat and an inspiration!

Update 1-31-10: From Willie Benegas

we brought a load of hard gear, food and some tents to camp one yesterday, just over 16,000 feet. our group of 22 represents el salvador, argentina, chile, the us, uk, and venezuela so at this point many of the group are at a new high point with each step – for many their first real climb of a mountain. it brings a sweet freshness to our climb.

we have moved into a high pressure weather system with the full moon but with this comes evidence of winds up high. last night we were treated to a ridiculous sunset and then full moon rise over the ridge of aconcagua.

diane and willlie strike out ahead of the group each day and were headed out again early this morning while the rest of us sorted gear and rested at camp. on their accelerated acclimitazation program they went to over 18,000 ft today. kasha has held full yoga classes each afternoon with the the peak on one side and the crashing of seracs on the other – breathtaking surroundings in which to practice. damian is madly keeping things organized and flowing smoothly for our giant group with such mixed experience and objectives, we will run through another set of tests with the mayo doctors this afternoon.

and tomorrow we head up the mountain. our plan will be to set three camps on the mountain over 4 days and then head for the summit. with good luck and weather we hope to summit on on the 5th and be back in basecamp maybe that night or the next day. no dispatches while we are on the mountain but we will take heaps of pictures to share.

we are headed out! the winds of yesterday turned most people off the summit but look like they have settled down a wee bit. wish us luck!

Update 2/6/10:

The Mt. Aconcagua Expedition is taking a respite after enduring at least 4 nights of 60 mph winds and -20 degree temperatures. Hopes were high they might reach the summit by this weekend …but in true collaborative form, the team of climbers decided to trek back to base camp at 14,000 feet and renew themselves for another attempt, in a few days. The Monday forecast is much improved with winds supposedly dying down early in the week.

Check out latest messages and pictures on Advancing the Science blog and The North Face blog.