Ecuador Seminar: Team Readies for Summit Attempt on Antisana
Hello from our cozy basecamp on Antisana! Our second day here is almost finished and preparations are underway for our next big summit attempt of the trip.
We were able to sleep in a little this morning and we had a nice full breakfast with coffee, bread, cereal, and quesadillas. With full stomachs and a full night's rest, everybody was feeling strong and ready for our second training day of the trip.
The lower glaciers of Antisana are literally an alpine playground--with open crevasses, firm ice, steep slopes, and towering seracs--and we made good use of it throughout the morning. We set up a challenging, yet fun, alpine skills course and spent the better part of the day practicing a variety of intermediate mountaineering skills: steep fixed line travel, vertical rappels, and a number of challenging ice climbs. The team is composed of members of a variety of backgrounds and skill levels, but all were able to learn something new today and we had a good time doing it!
We were back at our basecamp by 1pm this afternoon, just in time to beat the afternoon rain storms that have been visiting us these last few days. But despite the marginal afternoon weather, we remain optimistic for our chances of summiting tomorrow! The pattern seems to be afternoon showers that clear in the evening, giving us a good window tonight for our summit push.
With one major peak and a couple of days of technical skills training, this team is more than prepared to tackle a second summit. We plan on an early dinner tonight, giving us plenty of time to pack our bags and get some shuteye in preparation for another midnight start. Wish us luck in our attempt and we'll check back in with you tomorrow afternoon with a full report!
Until then,
RMI Guides Nick Hunt and Adam Knoff, and the rest of the ESS-Ecuador team
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Comments (4)
Jimmy, sending best wishes for more sucess for you and your crew in the next part of your impressive adventure!!!
Posted by: George on
William, I hope you have a better summit this time than last! The pups and I miss you! Can’t wait to hear from you!
Posted by: Linda on
Looks beautiful! You guys are major troopers!!! I am glad you had a good nights rest. I will pray for safety, strength, and perfect weather!!! I miss you Jimmy!
Posted by: Darlene on
Sleep well. I hope the weather holds
Posted by: Tom Garner on