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Aconcagua: Beren & Team Ready to Move to Camp 1

Posted by: Jake Beren, Leon Davis, Zeb Blais | December 26, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'

Today we enjoyed the first break in the wind we’ve seen up here and made a very productive carry to Camp 1. This not only put some much needed supplies higher on the mountain, but gave us a chance to taste our thinnest air so far and work on our high altitude techniques for later on. Tomorrow we will move up to Camp 1 if weather permits and be one step closer to higher exploration.

Tonight after our climbing was complete, we had a great (hopefully) last meal for a while here at BC. It really fueled us for a big day tomorrow, but not nearly as much as reading all the blog responses from everyone back home. Thanks.

RMI Guide Jake Beren

PS. Happy Birthday to il Padrino.

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Aconcagua: Beren & Team Wishing All a Merry Christmas!

Posted by: Jake Beren, Leon Davis, Zeb Blais | December 25, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'

Holiday greetings to all our friends around the world!  Down/up here on Aconcagua it has been a Christmas to remember. We went on an acclimatization hike towards C1, enjoyed a favorite mountain holiday tradition of quesadillas a la Leon, and generally enjoyed each other’s company. Tomorrow we will ride the (hopefully) improving trend of decreasing winds and try to carry up to Camp 1. Our time spent at BC prepares us for strength on the upper mountain and we look forward to making the most of it.

Here are a few shout outs from the team:
“Feeling great!  Love you all. MUAT baby.”
“Merry Christmas family and friends. Love from 14,000 feet.”
“Love you family!  #2, wish you were here!  Love you, #1”
“Jeanne, Love you.”
“Merry Christmas Fam!”
“Adi, having a great time. See you soon. Do your homework-love, Dad”
“Vien, all I want for X-mad is you.”
A few of us might have been napping, but rest assure we all miss our people and can’t wait to share this adventure when we return.

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua: Beren & Team Arrive Base camp

Posted by: Jake Beren, Leon Davis, Zeb Blais | December 23, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'

Greetings from Basecamp!  Our team battled a bit of wind getting here, but here we are safe and sound. Our morning began with the more sensible members of the team riding mules across the Vacas River, while the rest of us “tough” (ie ridiculous) members waded across the icy stream.  Once our icy feet had boots on, we hiked up the Relinchos Valley underneath a towering view of Aconcagua. It definitely looked windy up there, with spindrift ripping off the peak. Basecamp is somewhat better and after a good session of camp building in the elements, the team is ready for some well earned R&R. Tomorrow we rest and prepare ourselves for that break in the weather.

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua: Beren & Team Reach Approach Camp 2

Posted by: Jake Beren, Leon Davis, Zeb Blais | December 22, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 10,550'

Today we left camp to the sound of our herreros singing as they packed up the mules for Casa de Piedra, today was again hot, but as the temps rose, our tailwind turned into a headwind and kept us cool.

The team did great today, handling day two of our approach and just before camp we were treated to a spectacular view of Aconcagua and Cerro Amenghino. We even saw two guanacos loping down valley as we pulled into camp!  Nice to see our objective at last and tomorrow we all look forward to making our basecamp on the mountain.

PS is it the end of the world as we know it? We feel fine.

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Aconcagua: Beren & Team Reach Pampa de Llenas

Posted by: Jake Beren, Leon Davis, Zeb Blais | December 21, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 9,000'

Buenos tardes from Pampa de Llenas,

Our first camp on the way to Basecamp. After a somewhat leisurely morning at the hotel, we registered with the Federales and hit the trail. The walk was pleasant, warm but manageable with just enough of a breeze to keep the team from bursting into a fuego.

Now at camp we have reviewed tent building, a super important step for the rest of the trip, and are tending to a little relaxed maintenance. Resting in the tent we can hear only the wind and occasional braying of mules, the sounds of “civilization” soon to be no more than a memory. No more wheeled contraptions for us, just our feet and the hooves of our new friends. 

Our adventure has truly begun.

RMI Guide Jake Beren & Team

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Aconcagua: Beren & Team Relax and Ping Pong in Los Penitentes

Posted by: Jake Beren, Leon Davis, Zeb Blais | December 20, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 9,000'

Hola from a stone’s throw from the Chilean border!  Our team is currently relaxing at our hotel, enjoying coffees and catnaps before dinner.  Our gear is packed and weighed for the mules who will help us out by schlepping our kit all the way to Aconcagua’s Basecamp. Tomorrow we will hit the trail, tagging in after our friends with RMI Team the First (who we stopped on the road to visit on our way here). Time for one last meal without doing our own dishes and an evening in a “real” bed.
    Tomorrow we ride,
        RMI Guide Jake Beren
PS. After a fantastic meal here at the Hotel Ayelen the team discovered the hidden ping pong table. Dios mio man. Turns out the entire team is pretty darn good with a paddle. Let’s call it our first acclimatization cycle.

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Aconcagua: Beren & Team Getting Started in Mendoza

Posted by: Jake Beren, Leon Davis, Zeb Blais | December 19, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua

Greetings from Mendoza!  The entire team has arrived with all bags accounted for and after a siesta, team meeting and feast we are ready to head out tomorrow. When we get up we’ll hopefully have a busy day, securing permits and driving to Penitentes to load up our gear for the Mulas and enjoy one last restaurant meal before hitting the trail. Wish us luck for our last bit of off-mountain logistics. It feels great to be one step closer to getting on the hill.

RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Mt. Rainier: Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir Summit!

Posted by: Brent Okita, J.J. Justman, Solveig Waterfall, Zeb Blais, Katie Bono | September 27, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'

On a perfect weather day, the Expeditions Skills Seminar - Muir team called in from the top of Mt. Rainier!  RMI Guides Brent Okita and JJ Justman were happy to report 100% of the team reached the summit this morning!  After spending some time reveling in the views and taking photos, the team began their descent at 9:30 a.m.

This marks RMI’s last Mt. Rainier program for the 2012 season.  Congratulations to all the summit climbers this season that we have had the pleasure of guiding to the highest point in Washington state!

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Mt. Rainier: Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir Training Up High

Posted by: Brent Okita, J.J. Justman, Solveig Waterfall, Zeb Blais, Katie Bono | September 26, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,060'

RMI Guides Brent Okita and J.J. Justman are leading the Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir this week.  The team hiked to Camp Muir on Monday and has spent several days training at the 10,060’ camp.  Today the team is receiving instruction on crevasse rescue techniques.  The weather has been clear with warm temperatures.  We hope the weather holds for their summit attempt tonight.

Good luck to the team!

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Mt. Rainier: September 16th Summit!

Posted by: Tyler Reid, Zeb Blais | September 16, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Summit Climb led by Tyler Reid and the Five Day Summit Climb led by Zeb Blais were on top of Mt. Rainier this morning in blue skies, light winds, and some smoky haze due to wildfires burning around Washington.  Both teams started their descent from the crater rim just after 8 a.m. They will check in with us from Camp Muir before descending to Paradise.

Day 2 of Mountain Fest is here at Rainier Basecamp.  Check out the mountain gear sale, RMI Guide slideshows, and stop by the RMI tent to enter in our raffle to win a free summit climb!

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