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Posts from 11/2011

Ecuador’s Volcanoes: City Tour of Quito Ecuador

Posted by: Casey Grom | November 30, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Ecuador
Elevation: 9,350'

Hello Everyone and welcome to RMI’s Ecuador Expedition 2011.

The entire team safely arrived last night and headed straight to our nice hotel, Hotel Mercure Alameda,  to get a little rest after the long flights. We started today with a huge Ecuadorian buffet breakfast full of delicious breads, pastries, fruit, juices and washed it all down with plenty of coffee. After filling our stomachs we sat down for a round of meet and greet that included an orientation and overview of the program ahead.

Just after 10 a.m. we headed out the door on our city tour of Quito, starting off with a visit to the colonial old town. We were lead by our local guide Jorge though the narrow roads with stops at the Basilica, church of La Campania (built in 1605), the monastery of San Francisco (built in 1535) and a visit to Independence Square to see the President’s Place. Next up was a quick stop atop the Panacilla which is a small hill overlooking Quito with a 200’ statue of the Virgin of Quito. The views where wonderful of this 2 million-plus city. We finished the tour by heading a little to the north to stop and visit both hemispheres at the Equator from where Ecuador gets its name. It was fascinating to see the Coriolis effect in both hemispheres with different results in just a few feet. It made believers out of most, but I hear there are still a few skeptics among us.

We headed back to our hotel for a quick gear review and a little shopping before dinner and have now returned to catch a little shut eye before tomorrow’s adventure.

All is well and everyone is excited to be here.
RMI Guide Casey Grom

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Vinson Massif:  Team Returns from Union Glacier

Posted by: Dave Hahn | November 30, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif

It took all night, but finally the victorious Vinsonites evacuated the continent.  At two in the morning we all clambered into a giant open sledge being dragged by a Tucker snow machine.  Thus began a surreal hay ride across the endless Union Glacier to the blue ice runway in some of the coldest and windiest conditions of our entire trip.  We got to watch the massive Illyusion 76 scream in for a landing, but it was then still a few hours wait to get the big aircraft unloaded.  Luckily ALE had a convenient (and spartan) warming hut staged close to the aircraft.  I said my congratulations and goodbyes to the gang and watched them jet off the ice at 5:30 AM.  In particular, I made sure that Seth Waterfall and Billy Nugent knew the extent of my gratitude for their help and friendship these past weeks. Of course I was a little sorry to miss out on what I’m certain will be a fun victory dinner in South America, but my season on the Ice isn’t finished just yet.  I’ll pass a few days now at Union Glacier waiting for the next RMI Vinson climb (space on the Illyushin is limited and pricey so the best plan is for me to stay put).  ALE is hosting a marathon for about 30 runners tomorrow and I have volunteered to assist in conducting the event… It should be interesting. 

Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Vinson Massif: Team Back to Union Glacier

Posted by: Dave Hahn | November 28, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif

This is Dave Hahn calling from Union Glacier, we got in this morning about 4 AM. Twin Otter brought us from Vinson Base Camp and we waited a good part of the today with the hope of flying back to South America with the team. But the Illuyshin flight didn’t come about for today and now we’re putting our hopes on tomorrow. The weather is gone down a little bit here but waiting is pretty easy here at Union. It’s considerably more comfortable, easier living than back out at Vinson, but everybody is doing well, and hoping to be moving around soon, bye.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Vinson Massif: Team Returns to Vinson Basecamp

Posted by: Dave Hahn | November 27, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif
Elevation: 7,200'

The stretch of fine weather held just long enough for us to pack up high camp and drop on down the fixed ropes.  By mid-day as we neared low camp, we could see cloud caps forming on the mountain tops.  We repacked for sled-hauling and set out for basecamp.  Travel conditions were smooth and easy and our biggest concern became preventing sunburn.  We made it into base at 5:30 PM and joined several other teams hoping to fly to Union Glacier.  The ski-equipped twin otters have apparently been quite busy these last few days, but their intention was to make several trips to Vinson tonight.  The first flight made it in about 45 minutes ago and it is now 11:40 PM We would be on the third flight if they choose to go on through the night.  So perhaps around 4 AM we’ll get a shot… But in the meantime, our tents are up and it is time for a nap.

Best regards,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Vinson Massif: Team Returns to High Camp After Summit

Posted by: Billy Nugent | November 26, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif
Elevation: 12,400'

Hi Everybody,
This is Billy checking in for Dave and Seth and the rest of the crew.
We are back at our high camp safe and sound after a spectacular summit day.
We stood on top of Vinson Massif this afternoon and everyone is back in camp getting some rest after a nice big dinner.

We will give you a call and check in after we head out to base camp tomorrow.
Caio,

RMI Guide Billy Nugent

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Vinson Massif: Summit!

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Seth Waterfall, Billy Nugent | November 26, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif
Elevation: 16,067'

Hey, this is Dave Hahn, and I’m on the summit of Vinson with a wonderful team. I’m with Billy Nugent, Seth Waterfall, and eight very strong climbers. We had a wonderful day. We got up on top at 4:45 in the afternoon. We headed out of camp this morning at 9:30, it all went really well and we lucked out on the weather. We’ve got blue sky and sunshine. On the top right now with gloves off and it’s just a beautiful day.  We’re all feeling extremely lucky.  We will give a call again from our high camp, when we get back there. I don’t expect to have too many troubles getting back there as everybody’s climbing really well.  Everybody seems quite happy here on the highest point in Antarctica, 16,067 feet. There we are. Very good.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Vinson Massif: Move to High Camp

Posted by: Dave Hahn | November 25, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif
Elevation: 12,400'

Another excellent day on ice.  We enjoyed an absolutely calm and beautiful day today as we broke camp down low and moved up high.  We got moving by 2:15 PM (as usual it was bitterly cold before the sun came around at 11:30 AM) and moved well and efficiently up the steep fixed ropes.  Our training from the carry two days ago and our rest from yesterday seemed to be paying dividends as it took just six hours to reach high camp.  The tents were pitched and dinner got cooked.  Naturally we talked over our plans and hopes for tomorrow.  It could be our shot at the top, but of course everybody must have a good night first, and we need continued luck with the weather.

Best regards from 13,000 ft,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Vinson Massif: The Team Enjoys a Rest Day

Posted by: Dave Hahn | November 24, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif
Elevation: 9,100'

We rolled out of the tents at 11:30 AM to find another perfect day.  Calm, sunny and clear, just the way we like things.  This was our well-earned rest day and we took full advantage.  A leisurely breakfast primed the team for a mid-day nap, which was followed by the mid-afternoon nap and the early evening nap.  The goal of it all was to prepare for a few tough days to come up high on the mountain.  Everybody did their best to catch up on hydration and calories.  Billy Nugent and Seth Waterfall rested by spinning on down to basecamp and returning with fuel and other supplies in a tight five hour round trip.  Thanksgiving dinner was held under our festive blue and white POSH tent.  Chicken and noodles with all the trimmings.  We’ll be even more thankful if this fine weather continues.

Best regards to all back at home.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn and Team

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Vinson Massif: Team Checks in from Camp 1

Posted by: Seth Waterfall | November 24, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif
Elevation: 9,100'

Hey, this is Seth Waterfall checking in from Camp 1 on Vinson Massif on the continent of Antarctica.

The group is doing great, we just returned a few hours ago from a carry to High Camp.  We are sitting pretty now with our cache in up high and we are going to take a rest day tomorrow after three solid days of working our way up the mountain.  The full team is looking forward to catching up on our hydration and doing some reading and relaxing around camp.  Then we will be all set for a summit bid.

We are hoping for good weather, the forecast looks great for the next couple of days and hopefully that holds.  Today was a beautiful day up on the fixed ropes and getting on the upper plateau of Vinson.  We are hoping for continued sun and calm weather which has been the name of the game for last two days.

All is well here.  Happy Thanksgiving to everybody back home, we are thinking about everybody.  We need to stand on the top of this mountain and then we’ll start heading back.

Take care,

RMI Guide Seth Waterfall

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Vinson Massif: The Team Moves to Camp One in Good Weather

Posted by: Dave Hahn | November 22, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Vinson Massif
Elevation: 9,100'

Weather forecasts that were passed in to us from Union Glacier suggested that things wouldn’t be so great today.  But then the forecasts changed.  It was a fine and calm day with plenty of sun and blue sky.  We packed up our basecamp and at about 12:30 PM, we began marching up the Branscomb.  The going was slightly easier today as the track in the snow is getting packed down a bit better.  We collected our cached food and gear from yesterday and then made the big northward turn with the glacier.  This put us directly under Vinson’s great western escarpment and it was a thrill to look up at 2000 vertical meters of rock and precariously perched ice.  A few hours of easier going on a firm surface brought us to Vinson’s low camp at a little before 7 PM.  It was very comfortable in the sunshine but the slightest breeze or a small cloud putting us in shadow made everyone acutely aware of what the actual temperature was.  The forecast that called for good weather today pegged the summit temp at -36 degrees.  We got tents up and the kitchen going and had dinner sitting outside, surrounded by giant and jagged mountains.  After dinner a few of us got a quarry of snow blocks going and built some walls for the camp… Just in case the weather changes, as usual.  It is now around 30 minutes after midnight and the sun is blazing away on the tents.  The sun won’t set, but around 3 AM when it goes behind the mountain, we will know it.  At this camp, we won’t expect to see or feel it again until noon.

Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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