Engaged at 14,000 ft!

Location: Cerro El Pintor, Andes Mountains

Rundown:  Got engaged breathlessly at 14,000 feet.


Up before the sun, as all good adventures, hopped into the car and drove up on a mystery excursion into the mountains loaded with backpacks and gear.



Donned skis and took the lifts up to the top of Valle Nevado.  Off went the skis, on went snowshoes, and up we went for another hour to Falsa La Parva.

At the top of Falsa La Parva the snow had all been blown out, so we dropped snowshoes and continued for two more hours in boots.

The La Parva ridge.  Fairly flat after the uphill to Falsa.  You can see the tiny dot on the left.

Underneath the great glaciated face of Cerro Plomo, the 18,000 foot peak that Miranda and I summited two years ago is Cerro El Pintor, a 14,000 foot peak banded with yellow and green rock stratification. 

Took some pictures had a little lunch...

... and BOOM!

Breathless, thanks to the altitude.  She couldn't say no because she couldn't breathe to speak!  I had strategically located the proposal so as few people as possible could see me weep if I was rejected.  BUT, she said YES!

And it was all DOWNHILL after that!  Get it?  Downhill?  Because we were on a mountain top?  Come on guys, that's funny.  I don't care who you are!

Had a quick bite on Falsa La Parva.  Here we are showing off our respective hardware!

Reached our skis just as the sun began to set.  The mountains turned pink.  Without a soul around we skied half an hour down to the lodge.

Arrived just as darkness spread through the valleys.

Went home and passed out for an hour, then put our rally caps on and made it to our favorite Nido jam band's gig.  Rocking out to A Lo Gringo the news spread fast and furious.  Everyone was pretty stoked.  It was the end of the year party and all our friends were there.  What better way to end an incredible, life changing day!