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Entries from Expedition Dispatches


Ecuador’s Volcanoes: Casey Grom Checks in from Cotopaxi’s Hut

Hello everybody back home. This is Casey Grom checking in from the Ecuador's Expedition. I just wanted to check in to let everyone know that all's going well. We had a nice leisurely day today at Chilcabamba. Got up this morning, got things packed up and had about just over an hour drive up to the parking lot to the Cotopaxi Hut. We got out of the car little bit of cloud and took us about 40 minutes to hike up a nice easy trail to get up here to the hut. It sits at about, oh just shy of 16,000'...(transmission lost) RMI Guide Casey Grom


RMI Guide Casey Grom checks in from Cotopaxi's Hut.

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Aconcagua: Justman & Team head back to Mendoza

Hey this is JJ and Team One on Aconcagua, The weather is fouling up the satellite so I will make this quick. We have left Aconcagua Base Camp, and it was probably the worst day walking out of Base Camp I have ever had. Usually we are worried about sunburn, but today we have to be worried about windburn in a blinding blizzard snow storm. Something I have never seen before. It is definitely nice to be out of that weather and a little bit lower in the valley. The team is doing great and we’re real happy. We are actually having a great dinner of filet mignon with the cowboys that are carrying our stuff out via the mules. This will be our Final Dispatch of what was one incredible adventure, with the weather that is still not letting up is going to miserable for the next few days, so hopefully Mendoza will be a little sunnier, a little warmer, and a little more hospitable. The Team definitely deserves it! Thanks again everyone for following along, and definitely stay tuned because Geoff Schellens, Garrett Stevens, and I will be back at it with another Expedition her on Aconcagua. We hope the weather gods will be kinder to us. I can’t say enough great things about this team and the great experience we have had. No summit but that is the way the weather goes. That’s all for now from Argentina, Ciao! JJ Justman, Geoff Schellens, and Team


JJ and Team head for Mendoza

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Todd McClure- Todd, I am praying for your safety and that you have an amazing time.  I can’t wait to hear stories in late January about the climb.  One step at a time!!!  Tim Dolan

Posted by: Tim Dolan on 1/2/2013 at 12:52 pm

This is a shout out for Todd McClure.  Todd, thanks for the link and I hope you get this.  I’ll be thinking about you and your effort and all you stand for and know that you’ve got what it takes.  Drink lots of water and you should be fine.  Altitude headaches are horrible, and hopefully you’ll acclimatize well.  You’re big and strong and can carry a lot of weight which should help your team.  I’m thinking the best for you and your group.  What an adventure.

Posted by: Bart Blankenship on 12/29/2012 at 10:40 am


Ecuador’s Volcanoes: The Team Resting Prior to Cotopaxi Summit

Hello, this is the Ecuador crew checking in. We had a great rest day. We are at the Hacienda Chilcabamba here at the base of Cotopaxi. Most of us took a nap in the afternoon, just getting ready for our next big push. So tomorrow morning we'll head up to the Jose Ribas Refugio and get ready to climb. Things are beautiful down here. Hope everyone is doing well back home in the states. RMI Guide Eric Frank


RMI Guide Eric Frank checks in from Chilcabamba Eco Lodge.

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Way to go Mike, Scott & Kelly! How’s the air on the peaks? You look as though you’re breathing as well up there as you do at sea level - or is that just an act? Good luck and keep safe!
Bill Proctor

Posted by: Bill Proctor on 12/19/2012 at 12:24 pm


Vinson Massif: Team Refreshes on the Basics and Caches Supplies Uphill

Clouds and murk rule the Ellsworth Mountains for the moment. But even so, the weather isn't all that bad down here on the Branscomb Glacier. We did a normal mid-morning wake-up at Vinson Base (earlier than that one risks discomfort from cold shadows and down glacier breezes). A leisurely breakfast was followed by a brief review of the basic mountaineering techniques we'll employ for travel on the lower mountain. In mid-afternoon we set out to carry loads up the long gentle hills between base and the big ninety degree turn of the glacier at the foot of Vinson's massive Western escarpment. This carry wasn't performed so much out of a great need to get supplies up the hill, but more out of a desire to test systems and our legs and lungs. All good. We cached the load at around 8,700 ft and walked easily back to our 7,000 ft Basecamp. We even got a few grand views of the endless ice to the west. These had to suffice for scenery since the clouds closed in while we were eating dinner and put us in a world of gauze and grey. The sun will come out tomorrow. Possibly. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Aconcagua: Justman & Team Back at Base Camp

Hi All, RMI Aconcagua team one here in Base Camp watching the torrent on the upper mountain as we pack and organize gear for the mules. After soup and snacks we moved on to sports and movie trivia with some of our German climbing friends. Although we are all disappointed to be leaving the mountain with out a summit, the foul weather and thoughts of steak and wine are reassuring. We will start our hike out tomorrow and get back to Mendoza on Thursday the 20th. Thank you all for all the support and we look forward to talking to all our friends and family soon. RMI Guides JJ Justman, Geoff Schellens & Team
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Vinson Massif:  Team #2 Arrives in Antarctica

Union Glacier camp was a busy place this morning. There were snowcat sledge trains and big-wheeled vans and tracked vehicles and snow machines of every sort and size zipping from A to B, plowing things flat, and simply hauling freight and people. Fuel drums were being fed to the Twin Otters and names were being written on luggage tags. The ALE staff were in overdrive and sixty outbound climbers and Antarctic enthusiasts were pleased, mellow and smiling. It was "Ilyushin Day".... Out with the old and in with the new on a grand scale. My successful climbing team packed their bags and knocked their tents down in about five minutes... Ready to go home but also a little sad to be leaving this cold paradise. Around 1:30 PM, the big four engine Russian jet touched down with a great roar of reversed thrust out on the ice runway. My old gang got in one big offroad van with Seth Waterfall and headed for the plane and Punta. I'd shaken their hands and advised them to have a heck of a victory feast in town. They'd earned it. I stood for a while watching all the action and before long another big offroad van pulled up with my new climbing team. Nicole, Brian, Joe and Bart were snapping pictures in all directions and smiling broadly. We got acquainted and oriented, waited a bit and then hurried up for a flight to Mount Vinson. By then it was dinner time and the Union folk felt bad about kicking us out of camp without a big feed, but clouds were closing in and we needed to get to the mountain. Mission accomplished (with a big pan full of hot pigs-in-a-blanket for inflight food) despite the encroaching storm, there were still a few thousand peaks to be seen out the windows of our ski plane. We landed at Vinson Basecamp around 8 PM and built our tents in our new home. My climbers haven't yet seen their mountain as it is cloaked in mist and light falling snow, but they will see plenty of the big hill, soon enough. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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We’re cheering you on, Joe! Love to you from me and the girls!

Posted by: Stacey Brus on 12/19/2012 at 8:53 pm

Good luck to Brian and the team. We’re super excited for you.  You have a lot of people here following you and cheering you on!

Posted by: Katie Koppenhafer on 12/19/2012 at 9:40 am


Aconcagua: Justman & Team Descend to Basecamp

Hello everyone! It's Team One on Aconcagua. Well, it's a bitter sweet. For the good news, the entire team is safe an sound in base camp. For the not so good news Aconcagua is angry. I don't think we did anything to offend her but it is clear she is not in a good mood. For two days our team survived restless hours in the wind at 18,000 feet. Yesterday, the winds calmed to 35 mph allowing us to climb to 20,118 feet. When we returned the forecast that was given to us came true. The wind picked up again and it was time to batten the hatches. Our plan was to do our last acclimatization day yesterday, which we did. Then to rest today, then move to high camp, then summit. The winds on the summit currently are close to 100 mph and they are predicted to be stronger through the 23rd. Well past our window of opportunity. Our team made the decision to head toward safer and calmer territory. We are all in basecamp after a tough day carrying heavy packs downhill. It may seem disappointing but when the mountain says No, you have to accept the fact there is nothing you can do about it. The team is in great spirits and we are thankful we are down out of the hazardous wind and bitter cold. RMI Guide JJ Justman

On The Map

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Glad you all are safe at Basecamp. Now it is time to tango in Mendoza! Pay the mules to cross the river. Love to you all.

Posted by: elsie Bemiss on 12/18/2012 at 5:00 am


Ecuador Volcanoes: Cayambe Summit!

Hello everybody back home. This is Casey Grom checking in from the Ecuador expedition. Just wanted to let everyone know that we are standing on the summit of Cayambe right now! Beautiful day, a little chilly though. There's a slight breeze. We had a total of 10 climbers reach the summit... One climber and one guide turned around at about 18,200', just short of the summit. It's been a really long day. The route is in good shape, but it's just a really long route. Took us six and 1/2 hours for the first group and about 7 hours and 45 minutes for the second wave of climbers to reach the summit. Everyone's been doing great, pushing real hard and are pretty tired. We're going to take a few minutes get something to eat and drink and start making our way back down.......... We look forward to talking with you soon. RMI Guide Casey Grom


Casey Grom calls from the Cayambe summit!

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Vinson Massif: Team Winds Down at Union Glacier Basecamp

An easy and slightly surreal day for the team, after so much walking and dealing with discomfort... to be thoroughly inactive, waited upon and flat out comfortable in the luxurious dining tent at Union Glacier. The team wasn't visibly anxious to be missing out on exercise, nor did anyone seem worried over whether the Ilyushin airplane would fly on time. We sat, we ate, we concurred. Life is good. There was a persistent and slight breeze blowing all day long at the Union Glacier camp, but the air temperature is so warm (compared to anywhere on Vinson) that we routinely walked from tent to tent without gloves or jackets, crunching along on well-packed snow. If all goes well, the plane will fly from Punta Arenas tomorrow and the RMI Vinson team will head back to South America and a victory feast with Seth Waterfall. I'll stay in to greet the next RMI Vinson team and get started on a new adventure. Many thanks to those who have followed our trip for the past two weeks. Your comments were passed on to us (we don't surf the web, but we exchange email with RMI headquarters) and produced many smiles on twelve sunburned faces. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Thanks to you Dave & Seth and the whole RMI team. Sterling had a wonderful experience.
Sue

Posted by: Sue Foreman on 12/17/2012 at 9:39 pm

Dear Dave & Seth: Thank you very much for taking the time to write all those informative blogs every day after a hard day of climbing in extreme cold. They were the first things I checked for in the morning and last things I read at night. They made me feel like part of the expedition (albeit in the comfort of our home), living the ups and downs of our loved ones through your postings. Thanks for guiding another successful climb! Happy Holidays! -Fan

Posted by: Fan on 12/17/2012 at 7:46 pm


Vinson Massif: Team Ready, Bags Loaded, Hoping for Flight Tomorrow

Hi RMI, We gathered with about 30 other climbers this morning for our pre-trip briefing with ALE. Mike Sharp, one of the owners, gave a very detailed presentation about what is going to happen over the next few days. As you might imagine, logistics for getting to the "bottom of the world" are complex. Even though we have already traveled thousands of miles to get to Punta Arenas, we have about 2,000 more miles to fly and two different airplane types to go before we get to Vinson Basecamp. Covering everything from flight plans to arial maps of Union Glacier and the climbing route to ways for dealing with the extreme cold, it is critical information to know before we fly out of here and land in the middle of Antarctica. After the meeting, we weighed our bags and sent them off to the airplane so they can be loaded and ready for our flight. Weather permitting, we are planning for an early flight tomorrow, with the airport transfer scheduled for 7:00 am. Next dispatch will hopefully be from Union Glacier. All the best, RMI Guide Jeff Martin
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