The photos and stories keep on rolling in to 350 HQ – here’s the latest from the event at Chacaltaya, the Bolivian glaciar that disappeared earlier this year. The planned event was an expedition of scientists and indigenous Aymara to perform funeral rites for the passed glacier, and a ceremony to protect the other glaciers. Here’s what happened instead, according to participant and organizer Nicky Scordellis:
Bolivia´s 350 trip to the location of the former world´s highest ski-slope on Chacaltaya glacier became a close call with fate when the weather attempted to show us that climate change hasn’t won yet, welcoming us to the 5400m mountain with a blizzard and subzero temperatures! Given that the mountain finally lost its glacier to climate change this year after 50 years of gradual melting, this was definitely freak weather. Ditching plans for a special ceremony with the national choir singing, the 70-strong group fought to stay outside long enough to hold up our signs, shout 350 and have our photos taken meanwhile our hands and faces literally froze, before beginning the treacherous decent in 3 old school buses down the 10 foot wide, cliff-bordered, rocky track which was iced over by the storm! Despite some near misses as the buses slid precariously close to the edge, we somehow all made it back in one piece… in total, the day was a fantastic adventure in which we all really showed our commitment to the cause thanks to the dramatic twist of events!! Thanks to 350 for inspiring us to do this, and let’s hope our actions can stop the loss of Chacaltaya glacier being repeated across the Andes.