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Posts from 12/2011

Aconcagua Expedition: Team Returns to Mendoza

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 31, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua

Feliz Ano Nuevo from Mendoza!  Our last dispatch was from Aconcagua’s base camp and we have certainly covered many miles since then. A big day of walking from Plaza Argentina to Pampa de Llenas put us in camp just in time for a big Asado prepared by our herreros, the mule drivers who transport our gear off the mountain. An early morning walk brought us to Penitentes where we showered and had lunch before heading to Mendoza. Now back in civilization our celebratory meal felt great and is a far cry from mountain food and the thin air of the Andes, but the significance of the last few weeks that put us on top of the highest mountain outside of the Himalaya is still sinking in. Everyone has done a great job and I am thankful for the time spend with a great team. Nice work all!

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua Expedition: Team Returns to Base Camp

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 28, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'

After nearly 6,000 feet of walking downhill, our tired but happy team pulled into Plaza Argentina.  It was sunny and calm and perfect for setting up a relaxed camp before a big steak dinner.  Everyone descended in style, putting a proud finish to a great climb.  Tomorrow we will walk to Pampa de Llenas, a short hop from the road to Mendoza.  Talk to you all in a few days.

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua Expedition: Back at High Camp After Successful Summit

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 27, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 19,600'

“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. . . “

After nearly two weeks of hard work here in the Andes, our team stood on top of the tallest mountain in either North or South America!  Congratulations on a job well done.  We had to earn it today, climbing through the chilly pre-dawn winds into a whiteout summit.  Occasionally the surrounding peaks popped out, only to retreat behind an opaque veil that became our visual reality as we ascended the Canaleta to the summit.  A fine day in the mountains nonetheless and everyone should be proud of a tough, safe and successful climb.  Tomorrow we start the long voyage back to Mendoza, retracing the steps taken a few weeks ago back to civilization.  Thanks for all the support from the homeland and we’ll be seeing you soon.

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua Expedition:  Team on Summit!

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 27, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 22,841'

RMI Guide Jake Beren phoned from the summit of Aconcagua.  The team climbed well and there are seven climbers on the summit with the guides.  Jake reported cloudy skies with lite snow.  They will be starting their descent and will check in again soon.

Congratulations to the team!

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Aconcagua Expedition: Piedras Blancas Dispatch

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 26, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 19,600'

Today we moved from Guanacos Camp to our high camp at Piedras Blancas on Aconcagua. The team moved quite well and we pulled into camp in the early afternoon with plenty of time to set up shop and have a siesta before an early dinner. The weather is the wild card here, if it is climbable tomorrow we will go for the top. If not, we are prepared to wait it out. Wish us luck.

P.S. A very happy birthday to il Padrino!

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua Expedition: Rest Day at Camp 2

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 25, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 18,000'

Merry Christmas One & All! We are enjoying the day relaxing at the Guanacos Camp on Aconcagua, resting before our last move to Camp 3 and summit push. There is a big of weather up high, but camp is sunny and pleasant. If things clear up tomorrow, then up we go! Cross your fingers for us dear friends!

Thing of all you lowlanders today and can’t want to reconnect when we descend.

Enjoy the holidays amigos!

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua Expedition: Carry to Camp 2

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 24, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 16,200'

Today we carried up to Camp 2 to make a cache.  The wind was a constant presence, but we managed to get up to camp in good style and enjoyed the different views as we climbed to new heights.  Whispy clouds aloft slowly built throughout the day and we are keeping our fingers crossed for some decent weather to head our way, but we are prepared to outchill the storm if need be. 

Over dinner tonight we read everyone’s responses to the dispatches.  Thanks everyone, they were certainly a hit.  We miss you all and can’t wait to share the adventure when we return.

Finally, from the tent and minds of 2 Richs and a Trevor comes a poem.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Andes, not a creature was stirring, not even the Spaniard.

Team RMI lay in bags way up high,
Hoping to delay peeing until dawn’s early light

When out of the sky came a horrible roar,
And one more wind blast made us all hit the floor.

For almost 2 weeks we have not seen a tree,
Or even a plant a Guanaco might eat.

Our time is spent sleeping on boulder-strewn scree,
Or climbing steep slopes that grind on our knee.

The air is so thin that it jumbles our thoughts, and after some pitches we only see spots.

And yet on this day our thoughts turn to home and all of the loved ones that we’ve left alone.  So for this reason we send our love from above and say we can’t wait to see you when our climb is all done

So we close with the words that we hear everyday from Jake, Elias, and Geoff who show us the way. On Adam, on Katie, on Dave, and on Kim, on Eric, on Craig, on Trevor, and Rich (and Rich)

Merry christmas and happy holidays! And to all a good night!

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Mt. Rainier: Ski Touring in December

Posted by: Tyler Jones | December 22, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,060'

The week of winter solstice was filled with sun, great attitudes and a wonderful time spent in the mountains. We started our Intro to Ski Mountaineering Seminar with a day of basic touring skills, equipment function and packing along with harness, rope, and avalanche transceiver drills. This was a great start to the trip with two young boys from New York and Ohio looking for adventure and building their mountaineering and ski touring skill sets. The mountain days were full of exciting new learning.  Our first day on the hill we parked at Paradise and ski toured toward Edith Creek drainage and found a nice, secluded and well snow-covered area to camp for the evening, allowing us to make a run down a great slope in the basin. We covered kick turns and transitions along with many other key maneuvers while traveling the mountains with skis on, whether it be up or on the way down. Our camp experience was good practical winter camping… Cold…ish but clear and star filled nights.

The second day we awoke to fog filled air. We leisurely packed camp and dropped some extra overnight equipment in the van. Around 10 a.m. we stepped in to our skis and started our ski to Camp Muir, 4,500’ above at 10,000’. On our way to Muir we encountered firm crust and rime ice requiring us to make use of the crampons a few times and used them a good amount on a section of the upper snow field when our skins would just not grip. In late afternoon we arrived at Muir feeling the days work. We brewed up some hot drinks, had dinner and settled in the bunkhouse for the evening. The third day we covered loads of skills in the region of Muir including ice axes, ropes, cramponing, rope rescue and then followed with many of my other teaching tangents. We had the best weather we could ask for on the true winter solstice day in the Northwest. In our evening lecture we went over frostbite, hypothermia, and altitude illnesses. Today, our fourth day, we made our decent from Muir . We traveled a section with crampons due to poor snow conditions but still managed to get 3,200’ of descent. In my eyes, any skiing is good skiing. We closed the week’s journey back in Ashford over a refreshing beverage and a burger. The week of ski touring has been one to remember and I look forward to teaching more ski-based mountaineering trips on one of the lower 48’s best and biggest ski hills, Mount Rainier.

RMI Guide Tyler Jones

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Aconcagua Expedition: Resting at Camp 1

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 22, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 16,200'

Our winds have been quite manageable today with occasional gusts, but overall very pleasant.  We are resting here at Camp 1, getting used to the altitude before carrying up to Camp 2, the Guanacos Camp, to make a cache for our future move.  The team took a short walk to stretch the legs and now are enjoying a siesta before dinner.

Buenas Tardes,
RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua Expedition: Team Moves to Camp 1

Posted by: Jake Beren | December 21, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 16,500'

Hola from Camp 1 on Aconcagua! 

We had a good stroll up to 16,500’ under clear skies but with a fair bit of wind all day.  The team handled the conditions very well and we made efficient work of the stretch.  Once at camp we settled in, pitching tents in two big teams to make sure we didn’t lose one of our precious homes.  Since arriving, the winds have died down a little and our most recent forecast reflects our observations for the next few days! 

Looking good from up here in the atmosphere.
RMI Guide Jake Beren

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