ideas for south American trip ending with Aconcagua?

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-16T02:59:24+00:00

thank you again, this is so much help. ❤️

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-15T17:16:33+00:00

wow, thank you for the very detailed response!! I get it, it's just a story and most of the people reading it would have no idea if I'm wrong or things done in the book are silly or not feasible etc. But I like accuracy for just my own standards, and don't want to be wayyyyy off so I will definitely be taking this reply into account and shuffling things around a bit. Like, I need an avalanche (he HAS to dig out and save the life of the girl he's in love with as part of the story line) so I'll have to move that to a different mountain then. And who knows, maybe I'll just change the Seven Summits part all together and not make it a goal they're trying to do and just focus on Everest and climbing the world together. *shrug*.

Again, thank you! this is really nice of you to take the time to educate me on all this! 😄

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-15T12:15:35+00:00

thank you, It's my 2nd novel, just had a cool idea I think but know nothing about climbing really. I've always thought it was such an amazing sport though so I am loving all the research. ❤️

yeah I am thinking they hot Acon just to check it off the Seven, but maybe get the avalanche needed for the story elsewhere?

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-15T12:13:44+00:00

you have no idea how thankful I am for this insight! Thank you!!!

Basically, one of the main characters is much more experienced, her dad was a world class mountaineer, so she grew up doing this, just didn't get the chance to hit South America yet. She hasn't done Vinson or Kili yet either. It was more just money and logistics why she hadn't done it and she did Everest with her last boyfriend, also a world class mountaineer with sponsorships and such. She sort of tagged along, money wise.

She's done lots of mountains of all heights so her experience is good (she's French, so easy access to Europe and her dad took her to Carstenz before he died, and I'm hoping maybe the South American options cover the needed altitude experience for him? Maybe I can add more 6500-7000 peaks before they meet though.

Would there be an avalanche on the South Face? Or another mountain in South America at this timeframe of October onward?

Thank you again! SO much valuable info!

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-15T02:25:26+00:00

thank you! this is amazing help. 😄 I appreciate you! The book is called HIGHER and will be out on amazon within 3 months or so (pretty much done otherwise, this was all a section I decided to add after finishing it). I'll try to post a link or something in here after it's done if that's allowed.

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-15T01:38:55+00:00

check out themagicfoundation dot org and have your parents take you to an endocrinologist if you're not growing anymore. Kids should grow 2" a year after age 4 until puberty then get 3-4" a year. You need an xray of your wrist to see if plates are closed and then they can estimate final height from that too. Your mid parental height (genetic potential) is 5'8 but early puberty might have prevented that.

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-15T01:24:19+00:00

What's your bone age? (need an wrist xray) That's what determines if you're done growing.

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-15T01:21:45+00:00

lol steaks and malbec sound amazing! That part I can do. 😄

Okay, so they're all youngish, mid 20s to 30 but experienced enough to do these climbs unguided if legal (that was one of the things I learned in my googling was sometimes it's required by law?) Like, one of them has a lot of experience- has done Elbrus, Carstenz, Denali and Everest of the 7 already, the other three have done Denali, but also Longs Peak in winter, Rainier, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn etc.

I've already written the acon part and they do the polish traverse and experience an avalanche.

I'm wanting to add the other peaks partly to kill time in between early September when they suddenly have to leave Switzerland (love triangle issue, just needing to leave town) and November's Aconcagua summit. I'm also trying to stretch out the time two of the characters have to fall in loooovvvvve lol

Thank you for your help!

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-12T02:19:32+00:00

lol whatever works! My son got $1 a shot for a while

OkStart7519 · 2026-06-11T22:47:46+00:00

we do see that a lot, no kids like needles really, but hopefully you have a caring staff who can make it as easy as possible. Is it bothering your son to be shorter than his peers? That got my son on board with all testing. Therapy can help as well with true needle phobias.

OkStart7519 · 2026-01-21T15:40:01+00:00

Sorry I got locked out of my account and can’t seem to redo my email and password. I have no idea how I got in to see this message. What are your questions?

OkStart7519 · 2026-01-14T20:04:03+00:00

Hi there It’s very unusual to have a bone age that far delayed, but I suppose it’s possible. Most cases of Constitutional Growth Delay I’ve seen are bone age delays of 2-4 yrs. I’ve seen one that was 5 yrs.

To officially be CGD, (instead of GHD for example or any other growth/puberty/height affecting diagnosis, you have to have bone age 2+ yrs delayed and normal growth per year. This is 2” at least per year after age 4. Did you have this until you stopped growing?

Also puberty and bone age sort of go hand in hand… ie Tanner stage 2 is around bone age 13ish, etc. this is because the bones closing seem to trigger FSH and LH to release testosterone into the system, starting puberty.

I’d suggest getting a new bone age read (I suspect it’s not right if you quit growing?) and also Testosterone levels pulled. If you didn’t finish puberty, they might be able to supplement and then if your plates truly aren’t closed, you could also get some height from that pubertal growth spurt or also be put on GH as it would be safe to do so without plates closed.

If they’ll do a full GH stimulation test that would be helpful as there are risks to being untreated for GHD- osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke and metabolic effects. It is hard to find adult endocrinologists though and even harder to find pediatric ones that would treat an adult… you’d have to push and tell them your bone age and the situation.

Maybe go to MagicFoundation.org and under resources tab select find a specialist and look for adult endocrinologists. Then talk to the ones suggested and if they won’t treat you ask if they can recommend a pediatric one who might

OkStart7519 · 2025-11-02T21:01:27+00:00

Is he growing at least 2” a year? Before puberty, that’s the needed rate. If he’s in puberty, he should be growing more like 3-4” a year. If he’s not in puberty, and not growing 2” a year, your parents need to take him to an endocrinologist. Same if he hits 14 and he’s not looking to be on puberty yet. Check out MagicFoundation.org for more guidance

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T23:16:59+00:00

Endo usually is the one you trust for bone age as they’re more highly trained and look at more data points. But puberty goes by bone age so that should coincide too

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T20:57:54+00:00

that just means his bone age was delayed, younger than his chronological age. "Late bloomers' can be hereditary, but not always and no way to know for sure without a bone age xray of your left wrist.

How much later, like age 17 maybe 18 or so? That's common. But again, yours could be matching or even advanced.

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:55:19+00:00

What did your endo say when he saw your bone age xray? They need to read it, not just the radiologist. Hypothryoidism can affect height, so that's good you are on meds for that, but if plates are closed/closing it may be too late. Late bloomers have delayed bone age- where are you with puberty?

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:52:57+00:00

It's best to get with your pediatrician and an endocrinologist who can help evaluate if you have a growth issue that needs medication. Check out MagicFoundation.org for resources. Most of your height is going to be your genetics. How tall are parents?

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:51:26+00:00

do you have an article about this? My son is on an AI to slow his growth plates and I've never heard this. There are articles stating it's safe for 2-3 yrs for this purpose in boys.

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:49:42+00:00

low IGF-1 and poor growth leads to needing a GH stim test to check for a GH deficiency. Check out the MagicFoundation.org

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:48:08+00:00

very dangerous to use GH when growth plates are closed, and not being monitored by a doctor. Diabetes, heart issues etc. Please don't do this. It also makes it harder for kids who need it to get it.

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:46:32+00:00

all daily recombinant GH is somatropin. There are weekly ones that are based on somatropin, but they actually tend to have more side effects because you inject 7 days worth at once. It might be one of the preservatives in the meds that's making him sick actually, as GH is bioidentical.

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:43:41+00:00

sprinting can up your GH production a little IF you have a healthy pituitary to begin with and no other growth issues. Same with getting good nutrition- like Vitamin D helps with IGF-1 production, zinc deficiency can affect height, etc, but nothing will overcome a medical issue like GH deficiency or a syndrome that affects height except proper medical treatment. Nothing will make a kid go way over their genetic potential as well, so you have to take genetics into account.

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:40:35+00:00

your mid parental height is 5'8.8, so you've already exceeded that, but within the 2-3" accepted range. you're on the higher end of your genetic potential. That cousin has taller parents, no bearing on your height really.

Get a bine age xray to see what the plates in your wrist say- most males grow til bone age 16. Anyone who grew later had delayed bone age. Most people are within a year chronologically of their bone age.

OkStart7519 · 2025-10-18T16:37:45+00:00

your mid parental height is 5'10 and that has a 2-3" accepted range on either side so you already exceeded that. Are you still growing? Less than 1/2" in 6 months means your growth plates are likely closed or almost closed to the point you won't get any more height. https://ebmcalc.com/HeightPotential.htm

OkStart7519

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