RMI Guide Billy Nugent and team were forced to abort their summit bid on Cayambe due to windy and snowy conditions. After resting and trying to dry out in the hut they began an eventful drive down the mountain with muddy roads, lots of snow and a flat tire. The team is resting nicely at the Chilcabamba Eco Lodge at the base of Cotopaxi.
Listen to Billy's dispatch below for more details.
We look forward to hearing from the team tomorrow to see what the weather has in store for them.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent checks in after the team's summit bid and descent from Cayambe.
Today we set out to cache our upper mountain supplies above Windy Corner. As we finished breakfast and packed gear the wind blew snow around camp. Layered up and ready for the weather, we set out anticipating the gales that would greet us at the corner. Constant wind and snow tried to impede us but the crew dealt with the adverse weather like it was a summer stroll. As we pulled up to the fabled Windy Corner the weather was nicer than what we'd walked through to get there. We buried our gear there and pushed back through the nasty weather to 11 camp. Everyone did great and spirits are high.
Tomorrow we rest!
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
Ahh - a day of leisure in the rarified air. Well deserved after yesterday and a chance for the team to recharge.
Chris - continued best on the adventure and trust you remembered every last lyric on the Thriller album.
Pops
Posted by: Pops on 6/26/2012 at 4:53 pm
This is incredibly great! The team is working together and enjoying the experience. Hope the weather cooperates all the way up and back. Love Ya Tim. So proud of you!!
After a nice evening of sunshine, we awoke again today to light snow and wind, and very limited visibility. Again, this is fine with us as we could use another rest day before moving to high camp at over 17,000'. The weather forecast this morning indicated that we may see some significant snow tomorrow, before this system moves out later in the week.
We're all enjoying some down time, but we are eager to climb higher also. Patience is paramount as we sit in this holding pattern. We'll keep you posted with our progress with regular updates. If anybody out there can pull some strings and hook us up with perfect, sunny and warm weather for our summit bid, we'll buy you a beer when we get back to civilization!
Cheers,
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Stan et al—Snow! I would love to see snow, right now! I hope you are not too bored and are able to read and rest! The scenery looks very nice. We are fine. Take care, love me
Posted by: Betsy on 6/26/2012 at 1:04 pm
We are watching and hoping for more sun and clear weather. Patience is a good thing…wish I had some but you are making great progress and soon you will summit! Love from your Vermont buddies.
Posted by: Helen and Mike Bridgewater on 6/26/2012 at 11:19 am
The Four Day Summit Climb led by Seth Waterfall and the Five Day Summit climb led by Gabriel Barral were forced to turn around at 11,000' due to storm conditions and high avalanche hazards. There is a large cap on the mountain that was descending to almost 10,000'. The team began their descent from Camp Muir. We look forward to meeting them at Rainier Base Camp later this morning.
Hey Seth,
Thanks for the opportunity to summit. You made the right decision! We will see you soon for another attempt. BTW, can you e-mail that picture you took of us on your iPhone?
Thanks so much,
Jim
Posted by: Jim and Karin Block on 6/26/2012 at 1:23 pm
Thanks Gabby for a very special summit attempt. I hope soon to join you and shoot for the summit. Jake
Hello from the Carstensz Pyramid team,
What a way to start an expedition. Mountain climbers surf Bali!
Fresh red snapper for lunch and solid 3 foot swell for dessert.
I love my job!
We head to the airport at midnight tonight for a 2 am flight to the town of Timika on the Island of New Guinea.
The whole team and all bags are here and ready.
Everyone is looking forward to the rest of this adventure.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
We're having a relaxing day, lounging around in our tents, resting, eating, and sleeping after a tasty breakfast of smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel sandwiches. The weather today started off cloudy and snowing lightly, but currently the clouds have dropped below us and we're enjoying some sunshine up here at 14,000'. We're currently in a holding pattern, waiting for a good weather window to move to high camp and make a summit bid. Based on the current forecast, it looks like we may take another rest day tomorrow to let this unsettled weather pass. That's OK with us, as we are welcoming the rest and time to acclimate further. The weather forecast looks good in a few days, so we'll hope that verifies.
Until then, we're in chill mode. We'll keep you posted with any news from our end.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Enjoy every moment. Would be awesome to take in that much of creation’s beauty…so untouched by humans. Can’t to see your photos. We are praying for your safety. love the Ortmeiers:)
Posted by: maren ortmeier on 7/2/2012 at 5:23 am
Great to hear some news! I will certainly be praying for you, Lee, and all your compatriots. You’re as high now as I’ve ever gotten . . . keep going! I can only imagine what it actually looks like seeing it with one’s own eyes. And I suppose the Creator must be bigger than this, since He made it! :-}
Posted by: Fr Paul Duchschere on 6/28/2012 at 8:45 am
Today presented our team with it's first real challenge. Early this morning mother nature decide that leaving the weather window wide open was making things a bit to easy for us. She knew we had plans to move to 11,000 feet so early this morning the wind started blowing, the temps dropped and the world resembled the inside of a ping pong ball. For a while we were actually debating staying put. That thought lasted as long as a Luke warm cup of coffee and two hours later we were all heading toward camp 3. Despite the weather this team performed like a well oiled machine. We arrived at 11,000 feet in great style and pounded out a great camp. I am most impressed by everyone's strength and charisma.
Talk to you all tomorrow.
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
Hi Michael R,
Any good X-C skiing up there? If u see any good scarfs pick one up for me-hee hee!
We know u will do well ~ enjoy the experience & have fun!
Lv, Diana & Brian
Posted by: D and B on 6/25/2012 at 5:53 pm
Hey! One picture of my hubby is not enough for me to make it through! I just need to see Tims face and I’ll know how he’s doing. Pleeeeease! : )
Appreciate any news you can send, stories. Good job on the blog…just want more. You write very well!
Hey, everybody this is Billy calling and checking in from Ecuador on the Ecuador’s Volcanoes trip. The crew woke up yesterday morning at the Hosteria San Luis, where we enjoyed some really nice facilites after our hike on Cero Fuya Fuya. We went to the famous Andean Market in Otavalo where the crew got a chance to see all the local handicrafts and eat some crazy foods, all the cool stuff that’s for sale on a super busy Saturday market. It was a real treat that we were there on a Saturday.
Then we geared up and headed up to the hut on Cayambe. The road was in super bad condition. So, we ended up having to run laps with the 4x4 thru some deep mud while the rest of the crew was walking along the way. Vans couldn’t get within 10 km of the refugio.
But everybody is up here right now. We are taking a rest day. We did a bit of training and we are hanging out. Hopefully getting geared up for a summit attempt tonight. The weather has been super awful all day. Lots of clouds, blowing snow, lots of wind and everything around us is covered with ice and rime
Currently the weather is improving so we are keeping our fingers crossed for tonight and we’ll take our first crack at a big volcano.
So, we’ll call and check in tomorrow and let you know how it goes.
Signing off for now,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
RMI Guide Billy Nugent checks in from the Cayambe Hut.
A few hours ago we were sitting on the glacier, Heartbreak Hill already a fading memory. Now we are back in Talkeetna, showered and fed and reconnecting with life off of the mountain. Our final day's walk was truly magnificent, with the light of the solstice in full effect as we marched downhill into thicker and thicker air, gaining strength as we went despite the accumulation of many days of work and little sleep. Waiting a few hours for a flight in the warm sun in the stillness of the Southeast Fork took the title as my best airport experience ever.
Once again we are all happy and healthy, glad to return to everyone back home safely and with an excellent time with friends on The Great One.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Jason Thompson was forced to turn around this morning due to deteriorating weather conditions. The teams reached a height of 10,500’ before making the decision to turn back. The team is expected to arrive back at Ashford Base Camp by early afternoon for hot coffee and a slide show presentation about RMI’s Alaska Seminar. There is an open invitation for the slide show if you happen to be in town!
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Ahh - a day of leisure in the rarified air. Well deserved after yesterday and a chance for the team to recharge.
Chris - continued best on the adventure and trust you remembered every last lyric on the Thriller album.
Pops
Posted by: Pops on 6/26/2012 at 4:53 pm
This is incredibly great! The team is working together and enjoying the experience. Hope the weather cooperates all the way up and back. Love Ya Tim. So proud of you!!
Posted by: Bob McLaughlin on 6/26/2012 at 3:20 pm
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