Entries from Expedition Dispatches

We’ve officially arrived in Argentina and the team is finally together — which means the expedition has truly begun (because nothing counts until everyone and every bag is at the table).

Today was all about our first chance to sit down as a full group. After a long couple days of flights, luggage wrangling, and crossing hemispheres, we gathered for dinner to swap stories, meet faces that until now only existed on email threads, and confirm the important things — like who packed the best snacks.

Which brings us to the real highlight: our first gelato stop. Not our last, but a very important milestone nonetheless. Here’s a photo. Proof of life. Proof of carbs.

The energy is high, the team is already laughing, and somehow everyone still seems optimistic about carrying heavy packs into the Andes. A strong sign.

Tomorrow we’ll dive into gear checks, a full orientation meeting, and some last-minute shopping around Mendoza before we start heading toward the Vacas Valley. For now, we’re soaking up being together in the same place, enjoying the calm before the climb, and leaning into the very scientific expedition strategy of starting with joy, caffeine, and gelato.

So far, so good. ����️

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and team

Wahoo!!! 

Everyone on top.  

All team members safely back to high camp after standing on the “Roof of Africa” and we did it while watching the sun rise. 

This team crushed it. Doing everything perfectly and stayed positive even though it was tough at times. It was surprisingly chilly (thermometer said 15°) and busier than we would have liked, however, our early departure saved us from the more than 100+ climbers all stuffed together. We even had the summit to ourselves for a little while. 

We spent about about 30 minutes on the summit celebrating, taking photos and even made a few phone calls to loved ones back home. 

We are headed down the mountain to our final camp in the thick warm air at 10,000ft, where we’ll have dinner then head off to bed for some well deserved sleep. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and a very happy Kili team!

Our Cotopaxi summit day came highly anticipated after being run off of Cayambe earlier in the week. We awoke to high overcast at 11pm and decided it looked good for a run at the summit. The night began with the customary bread rolls, slab of butter and huge plate of jelly that is put out every night at the same time. While it would be nice to stagger our starts a little, we are at the mercy of when the hot water and aforementioned breakfast will be served.

One team made it out of the gates ahead of us, but it took very little time before they were peeling jackets and we were passing them in the unseasonably warm night. That put us in front for breaking trail for most of the climb, a task that Felipe took on energetically. There had been some question as to what snow conditions we might encounter up high, but at the very worst we dealt with a few inches of graupel that made for difficult footing as it had filled in slightly deeper where the track previously existed.

This team was well-rested and ready to go, as evidenced by our 8 hour roundtrip summit day. The conditions were excellent for our descent, but that still doesn't diminish the fact that we got up and down in 2-3 hours less than normal. A big thanks to this team for being so well-prepared to climb that we could have a safe climb and spend much of it chatting with one another. Tonight we will dine together as a group, one final time, and recap the trip before returning home.

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

Hello again everyone,

The team had a good night's rest last night and today was just a short 2.5hr hike up to 15’000ft to our high camp. Everyone is excited and maybe just a touch nervous, which is very normal! 

The team has just wrapped up lunch and discussed in great detail the plan for tomorrow’s climb. Everyone knows what we’ll be wearing, what will be in the pack, as well as the schedule. 

Our game plan will be to wake at 10:30pm and have a quick breakfast at 11, then hopefully hit the trail around 11:30pm. It’s a bit busier, hence the slightly early departure tonight. Hopefully that will get us out in front of the majority of the other climbers. 

The team has been doing great thus far and I’m expecting us to reach the summit in 7 to 8hrs if things go according to plan. 

We had a trivia challenge, as per usual, and one lucky winner will get a phone call from the summit. (maybe everyone)

So friends and family back home please keep your phones handy and if you receive a call from a strange number please answer. We hope to be on top around 7. 

Which is 10pm east coast time Thursday evening. 

Casey and the RMI summit bound team!

Jambo from Kilimanjaro,

Today the team did a fantastic job climbing the intimidating looking Barranco Wall. It is the technical hurdle of this expedition and everyone did great and everyone enjoyed the challenge, of course the porters made it look easy as they climbed the wall with their loads carefully balanced on their heads.

Once above the wall we took a well deserved break to enjoy the views of the valleys below. The team climbed slow and steady as we made our way up and down a few ridges before finally arriving in the Karanga Valley where we will camp for the night.

Everyone is in good spirits and are looking forward to heading to our high camp tomorrow where we will start our summit bid from.

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kilimanjaro crew

January 26: A Thrilling Ascent to Cayambe

The adventure began with an alpine start, as our strong team set out for Cayambe. Under a breathtaking sky, we were treated to views of the southern cross as well as constellations we recognize in the northern hemisphere, a rare celestial show for the climb ahead.

As we reached the glacier, the weather took a gentle turn with light snowflakes beginning to fall. A stunning sight awaited us as we gazed towards the Amazon, where flashes of lightning illuminated the distant sky, creating a dramatic backdrop to our ascent.

Pushing onward, our team persevered to an altitude of 17,500 feet. The snow intensified, and we could feel a palpable electricity in the air—a sign that the weather was turning. Prioritizing safety, we made the wise decision to descend before the storm hit.

Once back at camp, we took a moment to rest and capture the stunning views and a well-deserved rest followed by a hearty hut breakfast.

The adventure continued as we embarked on an exhilarating ride down the access road from Cayambe to Los Mortiños, a quaint and comfortable refuge nestled at the base of Cotopaxi. Once we settled at Los Mortiños, we indulged in a fantastic dinner and a well-deserved drink, savoring the camaraderie of our team before sinking into a restful night.

January 27: A Day of Rest and Reflection

We awoke to another hot coffee along with tasty Ecuadorian breakfast. In the backdrop, a view of Cotopaxi framing our dining experience. After a good meal, coffee, and some great conversation we broke for a well-earned relaxing day. 

Some of us enjoyed a nice book by the fireplace, while others opted for a serene horseback ride through the picturesque countryside. The tranquility of the surroundings offered the perfect backdrop for reflection and rejuvenation.

Shortly we’ll be gathering again for dinner, sharing our experiences and excitement for the big day on Cotopaxi that lay ahead. Stay tuned as we prepare for the next leg of our adventure!

RMI Climber Paul Morgan

All is well here on Kilimanjaro!

Once again we woke to beautifully clear skies with even better views of Kili and clouds obscuring the valleys below. Our morning ritual has been waking around 6:30 and getting everything in our tents packed up before heading into our very spacious dinning tent for hot coffee and breakfast. Obviously our crew is taking wonderful care of us. 

We hit the trail once again around 8am and hiked for an hour before taking our usual 10-15min break, then back on the trail for another hour. All total today we hiked for just over 7 hours before reaching camp which is set up and ready for us. 

Along the way we passed around the famous and beautiful Lava Tower reaching just over 15,000ft, setting new altitude records for some and we also chatted with a few other climbers who are on the same schedule with us. All in all it was a really nice day with clouds gathering in the afternoon to help keep the temperature comfortable for hiking. 

That’s all for now. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew

'Un clima raro' -strange weather- has been the theme of our Mexico Volcanos trip.

Though it’s the ‘dry season’ we had a full winter ascent of Ixta, and as we pulled into high camp at Pico de Orizaba with a forecast of a clear calm sky, we instead were greeted by a dark cloud deck streaming over the mountain at what we estimated to be 40+ mph. Not ideal for a 18500ft volcano. 

But Team Mexican Koala has proven quite hearty and as I poked my head out of the tent at 12am, a clear starry sky and a light breeze greeted me. Classic Orizaba!

We left camp with 6 of 9 climbers (something has been working through the group) and as we fought freezing winds and bone-chilling temps it looked like we would pull off a sunny summit!

Having not had a summit view yet, we spent almost 45 minutes on the Orizaba summit taking in the cloudless sky and expansive views of Ixta, Malinche and a sea of other Mexican volcanos. A perfect end to our week! 

Congratulations team Mexican Koala-3 for 3 on summits, and a full week of Mexican adventure!

RMI Guide Joe Hoch

Monday, January 26, 2026

Hello again everyone 

The team had a really nice day here on Kili today, waking to clear skies and a beautiful view of Kili right above camp. We had a light cloud layer which helped keep us cool while on the trail, which was nice as the sun can be quite intense here near the equator.

We started the day waking at 6:30 to start packing up before moving into our dinning tent for a nice breakfast with porridge, fried eggs, toast, avocado and even some fresh fruit, and most importantly plenty of hot Tanzanian coffee. 

We hit the trail shortly before 8am and slowly made our way up the rocky trail with occasional views of Kili above, while sharing the trail with all the porters. 

The trail climbed up a blunted ridge and eventually out of the trees and allowed for some truly spectacular views of the valley below. The team hiked for a little more than 4 hours before reaching out next camp that sits on the Shira plateau, which is the remnant of an ancient lava flow. 

Everyone is doing very well and we are currently relaxing in camp. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Today the team had an early start and left behind our incredibly comfortable lodge as we have headed to the mountain towards the start of the climb. We left around 8 am and drove along the rural country side passing small villages for 1.5 hours before reaching the park entrance called Machame. We also had great views on the drive of Kilimanjaro looming high in the distance, intimidating and exciting at the same time. 

Once we arrived at the park gate we had all of our gear weighed and divided into loads for our 51 porters and other staff to carry before hitting the trail. With everything in order we’ll start our climb slowly make our way up the winding trail that ascends continuously through the thick forest. Thankfully the overhead canopy of the surrounding forest will provide a huge relief from the hot sun overhead. 

We are about to start our 6ish hr hike to camp that sits around 10,000ft and most likely won’t have reception so I’m sending this from the entrance. 

Everyone is doing well and looking forward to starting this adventure. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew