When attempting to steal a glimpse into the heart of the warrior and examine what makes him tick, what drives him to subject himself over and over again to the harsh conditions of the world, we find ourselves marred with the sweat and dust and blood that accompanies the obstacle course he has built to protect it.

What is it that drives him to subject subject himself to the harshest conditions this world has to offer time and time again? What is it that permits him to grow accustomed to surviving at the limits of human ability and striving for a step beyond that limit?

Here at CWVC, the mountain is the obstacle, the research is the objective, and the brotherhood is the vehicle they take to get there.

Yes, the research is what matters the most to our CWVC Challenge team.

In the next month, the team will become very familiar to you: Peter Quintanilla, Expedition Leader, Billy “Badass” Costello, Roland “Roland Thunder” Vaughan, Bryan Wiedle, Josh Waisanen, Mark Dickison, Ted Graves, Dom Gorrie and David Olson. This is the stir-crazy group representing CWVC as they attempt to climb Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina.

Danger does exist, but the possibilities – focusing on success, makes the danger and statistics just numbers. If a fall from high winds or heavy snow conditions doesn’t kill you, odds are the high altitude just might do it. While researching, I found that most climbers die on Aconcagua from altitude-related illnesses and severe weather including high winds, snow and white-out conditions.

By most accounts over 135 climbers have died on Aconcagua, most by complications from altitude sickness as well as falls, heart attacks and hypothermia. An average of 3 climbers die each year. A sobering thought when I think of the team.

The success rate averages about 60% of climbers who attempt the mountain, with the breakout showing 75% are foreigners and 25% are Argentinean. The United States proudly leads the pack with the number of climbers.

The motivations behind each warrior are as diverse as the services they represent. Curiosity drove me to pose the question of why to several CWVC team members. The answers may surprise you.

We’ll introduce our team members to you in the coming posts, along with their comments and aspirations for this ascent. Thanks for being part of the CWVC family and keep sharing our story with others!

Research Source Credits: Wikipedia, K2news.com, 7summits.com, SummitPost.org.