Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Cotopaxi Express Daily Blog 

The team woke up this morning in a packed climbers hut at the ripe hour of 4am to climb Illiniza. Snow and sleet covered the ground and word came from the top to go back to bed. After a brief breakfast The team set off at 7 am towards Illiniza Norte with a windy snow still coming down but daylight on our side. Teams split into smaller groups to tackle the snowy scramble up the knife edge ridge of the mountain. Conditions remained poor, and we turned around 16,300’ to head down to the familiarity of the climbers hut. Repacked and trekking down to the bus, snow turned to rain and the bus was a warm bumpy welcome down the cobblestone roads. Lunch at a VERY FAMOUS pizza dive. Now the team is relaxing in front of wood stove fires, gazing over pastures towards the cloudy abyss—looking to catch a glimpse of the pinnacle objective hidden in the mist.

RMI Climbers, Dan and Joe Hayden 

Today the team left the comfort of Quito to begin our journey south to Illiniza Norte (because Illiniza Sur is apparently hard so we’re going to skip it). Unfortunately, we had to make an early morning start to get from our rooms to the hotel lobby by 9am.

With everyone safely on the bus we began the drive south to a famous gas station to buy critical snacks, meet our local guides Gustavo, Felipe (one of RMI’s finest) and Jaime, and sign paperwork. After saying goodbye to the gas station (and the last real toilet) we continued our drive to the trail head where we met horses and mules to carry our gear to the refuge.

We are now furiously chomping down popcorn and hoping for a good climb tomorrow.

- RMI Climber, Joe Maguire & Team

Elevation - 15,413 feet

Team Summits Ruca Pinchinca! 

This morning we started early for our first acclimatization hike of the trip. We opted to skip the Teleferico (Gondola) ride in order to get ahead of some afternoon thunderstorms. Thanks to Hector for driving us up to 12,800’ feet! 

It took us 5 hours to reach the summit and return. The hike gradually picks up with grade and we were feeling it towards the top. Today was hard work and the team did great. We got a glimpse of our main goal - Cotopaxi - which built excitement for the days to come. 

We will rest for the afternoon and enjoy a team dinner in Quito before moving to Illiniza Norte tomorrow! Wish us luck. 

RMI Guide, 

Sam Hoffman & Team

Sunday, October 26, 2026 - 6:05 pm PT

Welcome to Ecuador! 

The team made their arrival and assembled this morning for their first time as an expedition. After morning introductions, the team talked through trip details before heading out to explore the lovely city of Quito. The team explored the city and visited the equator, getting our first taste of the beautiful South American culture that is Ecuador. 

The afternoon lead into a team gear check before heading off to dinner and resting for the evening. Tomorrow's day will be an early start for our first acclimatization hike, Rucu Pichincha. 

RMI Guide,

Mike Bennett 

After leaving the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu and making our steady way up the Khumbu Valley over the past several days, we’ve arrived at Basecamp, perched at 15,000 ft. Ama Dablam towers above us, its iconic ridges stretching around camp. Ama Dablam is named for its resemblance to a mother cradling and protecting her child. 

What a place. We’re surrounded by 360-degree views of the Khumbu’s giants, some of the tallest and most breathtaking peaks on Earth. It’s inspiring, humbling, breathtaking. A fresh blanket of snow last week has transformed the landscape into a pristine white canvas, the air crisp as the last whispers of monsoon give way to winter here in the Himalayas.

Tomorrow, we head higher for acclimatization, up to Yak Camp, the intermediate point between Basecamp and Camp 1. We’ll tag 17,000 ft and return to BC for the night, where our routine involves as much ginger, lemon, and honey tea legally possible.

After that, we begin our rotation schedule in preparation for the big show: our summit push. For now, it’s still quiet up here, let’s hope it stays that way.

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli

10/2

With inclement weather including high winds forecasted for the coming days, we pivoted and rallied over to the Nevados de Vilcun Refugio to ski off of Volcan Llaima, the second most active volcano in Chile. 

After a great to-go breakfast at Casa Esquina, we hopped in the van and said goodbye to Malalcahuello. We zigzagged south along dirt roads and dense forests to Nevados de Vilcun, where we donned ski boots and climbing skins on the porch of the refugio. 

With just over 5,000 ft of elevation gain, today would be our biggest ski day of the trip. We skinned over the expansive plateaus formed by the last volcanic eruption in 2008 and our shadows danced behind us from the rising sun as we climbed. 

After a few hours the angle increased and we donned ski crampons to combat the firm slopes that make up the west shoulder of Volcan Llaima. The wind began to pick up and after another 1500 feet of climbing we switched to boot crampons and ice axes before cresting onto the rime covered summit ridge line. The winds were strong and we fought our way to the summit, finding refuge in a large fumerol “pot.”

We snapped a few selfies, took in the view and clicked into our skis just below the summit. Our descent was cold, chalky and downright fun. We arced turns down the expansive rolling terrain left behind from previous volcanic eruptions and back down to Nevados de Vilcun for a celebratory kombucha and a relaxing night.

10/3 

A rest day was on the initial plan, but with stormy weather forecasted for our next two volcanoes (Villarica and Osorno) we pivoted to Volcan Sollipulli to take advantage of the last day of sunny weather. 

We left Nevados de Vilcun bright and early and circumnavigated Volcan Llaima to the south and over to Nevados de Sollipulli Lodge. There we were met with friendly faces and a large buggy ready to transport us up through a natural Arunacia forest to the snowline where we’d put on skis and skin to the top of Volcan Sollipulli. 

The virgin forest of Aranucia rose high above us as we creeped our way up the steep dirt road and up towards the snow. We passed tall cascading waterfalls and an abandoned locomotive. Finally we reached the snow and continued skiing above tree line and up past snow covered lagoons. 

Volcan Sollipulli was once active and the result of its activity is a 9km wide crater with an actively growing glacier inside. Our goal today was to climb to the rim before skiing back down the snowline. 

The winds began to increase as we climbed higher and by the time we began to crest onto the crater rim we leaned and fought against the 40km winds.

Our time on the rim was short lived and we snapped a few photos before gingerly ripping skins in the high winds and skiing beautiful fall line terrain back to our stashed shoes. We returned to Nevados de Sollipuli for a celebratory lunch and pisco sours before loading up the van and driving back to Nevados de Vilcun for our second and final night.

10/4

We awoke to fresh snow and cold temps this morning. After a great breakfast we loaded up the van and drove south towards Pucon. 

There we’ll spend two nights resting and enjoying the town before an attempt on Volcan Villarica.

Food was eaten, shops were explored and naps were taken. Following an afternoon of exploring the city, we sat down for an awesome dinner at Trawen in the heart of Pucon. We plan to explore some natural hot springs and take a second rest day as we wait out stormy weather.

10/5

Today we explored the natural hot springs of Termas Geometricas and let our muscles relax. With over 15 pools ranging in temperatures of 35 to 45 degrees celsius there was much to explore. 

The lush jungle created the perfect backdrop for a day of rest and we left with our cups full and muscles relaxed. 

After an afternoon of napping we enjoyed another lovely evening of dinner at Trawen. Tomorrow we head to Volcan Villarica for another day of climbing and skiing!

10/6

Today we got an early start at 6:30am and headed up towards Volcan Villarica. With new snow and cold temps today would be interesting! We packed up our bags for the day and began skinning up the lower flanks of Ski Pucon (the local ski resort) and up towards Villarica. 

After about 2500 ft of climbing we encountered heavy snow and white out conditions. With no points of reference and zero visibility, we decided to call 7120’ our high point and ski back down to the van.

The skiing was engaging and dizzying as we tictaced our way down the steep slopes of Villarica. Eventually we made it back to the closed lifts of Ski Pucon and enjoyed dense, surfy skiing back down to the car. 

From there, we continued 4 hours south to Refugio Teski where we enjoyed the misty evening and prepared for a ski descent of Volcan Osorno in the morning.

10/7

With lots of precipitation overnight and low visibility, we slept in and waited for the clouds to burn off before we headed out for a ski attempt on Volcan Osorno. 

With a below average snow pack and the previous night's rain, some snow had melted which forced us to walk the initial 1000 ft of our climb to reach the snowline. From there, we began skinning up through the mist and onto the glacial plateau that marks the beginning of the glacier and steeper terrain ahead.

We zigzagged up the increasingly steep terrain and finally the clouds parted to reveal the summit and upper mountain! We took a break, attached our skis to our packs and put on our crampons. From here we only had about 1200 ft left! As we transitioned we were greeted and subsequently passed by a group of three Argentine climbers and ten Italian skiers! After a morning of solitude in the mist, Volcan Osorno suddenly felt more like the Alps than rural Chile. 

We boot packed up the rimed summit ridgeline and made one more traverse across the summit plateau to the tippy top. There we high fived, snapped photos and began preparing for our 5,000 foot ski descent back down to the refuge. 

After negotiating some rime mushrooms off of the summit, we enjoyed some of the best skiing of the trip! With the expansive lake region below our ski tips we party skied all the way back down to the valley to cold beers and pisco sours at Refugio Teski! Tonight we plan to pack up and transfer just over an hour to Puerto Varas where we’ll spend one more night together before we have flights to catch in the morning. 

10/8

Today we enjoyed one last breakfast and slow morning here in Puerto Varas before we said goodbye and headed to the airport. I can confidently say for everyone that this trip was such a joy to be on and in 11 days we enjoyed a lifetime of Chilean volcano skiing! Thanks to everyone involved and soon we will be back in the US enjoying fall and dreaming of future ski days for this upcoming winter!

RMI Guide Sam Marjerison

October 1, 2025

After a big day of skiing yesterday, we planned to take it easy and learn about the rich culture of the Mapuche people in Arenales. After taking a leisurely lap and enjoying some classic spring skiing, we sat down for a traditional Mapuche lunch which included wild boar, sweet potatoes and even a cup of piñon coffee! We learned about the traditional Rokas (house) the native Mapuche people live in and the importance of their coexistence with the environment. 

With our stomachs and minds full of all that we learned, we traveled back to Malalcahuello for one last night before an early morning to climb and ski Volcan Llaima in the morning! Pizza and Pisco Sours were on the menu tonight and we enjoyed another great evening in the Araucania region of Chile. 

September 30, 2025

After a delicious breakfast at our hostel, Casa Esquina (Corner House), we loaded up the van and set off towards Volcan Lonquimay. The van wound through the tall Araucaria Araucana trees known for their tall trunks and wild leaves and we enjoyed the crisp spring air as we donned our boots and skins for the day ahead. 

With 4,000 feet of elevation gain, we had a big day ahead of us and we slowly and enthusiastically weaved our way up onto the Southeast shoulder of Volcan Lonquimay. After skinning for most of the way, we strapped our skis to our packs and boot packed the last 600 feet to the summit crater and enjoyed views of Volcan Llaima (our next destination), Sierra Nevada, Volcan Villarica and Volcan Lanin. 

After snapping some photos and enjoying the panoramic views, we began our 4,000 foot ski descent back to the car where we enjoyed soft turns straight off of the summit! Our day was capped with an afternoon beverage on the ski areas deck and the satisfaction of a summit well earned. Tomorrow we plan to take an active rest day and do some moderate skiing in an adjacent valley.

September 29, 2025

We woke up early to dew covered grass and foggy streets here in Temuco, Chile. After a hearty breakfast, we met the rest of the team and loaded our gear into a large bus that would be our wheels for the trip. We drove into the countryside and out to the Corralco Ski Area at the base of Volcan Lonquimay.  Today our plan was to do some skiing, get to know each other and shake off the ski cobwebs.

With clear skies and warm temps, we enjoyed a day full of groomer laps, off piste skiing and spectating an FIS GS race where even Lindsey Vonn was in attendance! After skiing bell to bell, we drove back down to the town of Malalcahuello for dinner and drinks before getting a good night's rest for our first of four volcanoes tomorrow, Volcan Lonquimay.

September 28, 2025

After a long two days of travel, we arrived, with all bags accounted for here in Temuco, Chile. Naps were taken, Jacuzzis were utilized and we enjoyed a wonderful evening exploring the downtown city streets. With an early start tomorrow morning, we will drive over to Corralco Ski Area for a day of riding lifts and shaking off the cobwebs of a snowless summer.

RMI Guide Sam Marjerison

Hello one last time everyone! 

Today the team headed to Tarangire National Park know for its abundant animals and plentiful elephants, and it didn’t disappoint. Not sure how many elephants we saw, probably several hundred, possibly more than a thousand. It wouldn’t seem like we could get tired of seeing elephants, but there were so many that eventually we had to keep driving so we could see other animals. 

There were lots of giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, impalas, monkeys, ostriches, and many others, including 6-8 lions which was a highlight. 

We are spending our last night here in Africa at Nyikani Camp, which has beautiful tented rooms with screen windows to allow the sounds of the African night in. If you’ve ever heard the term “Glamping” that’s exactly what we are doing. 

Everyone is doing great and we hope to catch a sighting of a few more cats on our way out tomorrow. Then we will head back to our main lodge near Arusha for a quick shower before catching our evening flights home. 

I asked everyone for a single word that would best summarize their experience for this trip. 

So in no particular order here are our words. 

Overcome

WOW

Perseverance 

Transformative 

Humbling 

Determined

Indomitable

Connection

Fulfilling 

Simple 

Transcendent 

Come join us for an adventure sometime!

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the safari crew

Jambo everyone, 

Today we visited Ngorongoro Crater, considered by some to be the 8th Natural wonder of the world. The crater is roughly 100 square miles and is home for more than 25,000 animals that have taken up residence. We hit the road early with hopes of catching a few more animals before the heat of the day sent them in search of shade. 

There were many sightings today of hyenas, jackles, ostrich, and countless other birds. We manage to see a few Lions, although not as close as we would have hoped for, but it was truly amazing to so many animals in one place.  

We have just finished another wonderful meal here at the Plantation Lodge and the team is off to bed after a long, but very rewarding day on safari. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Safari Crew

Jambo again everyone!

Today was our first day of safari and we headed west to visit the beautiful Lake Manyara National Park. The lake is known for its many migratory animals and home to more than 300 different birds.

Everyone enjoyed our first day cruising around in our safari vehicles with cold beverages in hand while seeing the animals up close, and I do mean close! I have to report that we got “crop dusted”

by one of the big elephants from about 8 ft away. That wasn’t on our bucket list.

We also manage to see a lots of baboons, a few impalas, warthogs, lots of birds, but unfortunately no big cats.

All in all it was a really nice introduction to the incredible diversity of wildlife that Africa has and the team is looking forward to seeing more tomorrow.

We wrapped up the evening with a few cocktails and a wonderful meal at our new lodge https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.plantation-lodge.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Clacey%40rmiguides.com%7C844ba615f8c544a7d1b608ddf2254931%7C5ec23eb0d7634906bc868c9089e10b92%7C0%7C0%7C638932964140148354%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vgySL3HZ4UsZ%2F0BB%2FaJDvr%2FjhmwB9Q88d6hRRTG113o%3D&reserved=0 see for yourself!

Casey and the Safari crew