Entries from Expedition Dispatches
We're on
Ixta! Well we're actually at the Altzimoni Hut but we did get up to 14,600' on Ixta today. That means we set new altitude records for the whole team. That's always cool.
The day started with an 8 am pick up from La Malinche. Our fantastic driver, Rogelio, took us to the best breakfast in Mexico at the Hotel Mission Tlaxcala. Very nice.
Then we hit the market in the town of Amecameca for some last minute food and water before driving to the
Altzimoni Hut. After dropping our gear we set out for a hike. We took the same route that we will follow tomorrow and I dropped some water at our high point. We'll pick that up on the way through on our way to high camp and I'll check in again from there.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
On The Map
Our preparations for high altitude complete, the team awoke a few minutes after midnight on Monday morning for our summit bid on
Cayambe. The sky was cloudy, but calm- a hopeful sign given the hail and rain the afternoon prior. The first hour of climbing found us negotiating a long rocky stretch in big mountain boots. We transitioned to snowy slopes and the group moved steadily uphill in high spirits as the clouds gave way to a clear and starry night. At a break at ~17k, we caught the sunrise, as well as a glimpse of three climbers high up on the mountain. Several of us were amazed at the steepness of the slope they were ascending, only to discover shortly thereafter that that would be our route, as well! However, our group was more than up to the task, and everyone summitted after 7.5 hours en route. The weather on top was flawless(!), so we lounged around and took hero shots for an hour before heading down. The steep section was just as exciting on the descent, but the remainder of the route was easily accomplished by our crew.
After arriving at the refugio, we quickly packed up our gear and hightailed it down the mountain to get to some food! Unfortunately, hightailing it only works so well when you have 36k of rough road and 6000' to descend! After eating, everyone was looking forward to seeing our lodging at Chilcabama. However, the travel gods felt differently, and the expected transit time stretched out longer and longer, as first rain (on our duffels on top of the van), then traffic, the construction, and finally dark, unmarked roads had their way with us. Finally, we arrived to Chilcabama, where hot showers, freshly-made soup, and fires in our in-room fireplaces awaited us. It was the perfect end to a very long day.
Pictures to come pending wifi access!
RMI Guides Billy Nugent, Katie Bono and Team
On The Map
Hello everyone.
The team has traveled south and we have arrived at our last climbing objective,
Chimborazo. It took us about five hours to drive here from Quito. This is the biggest mountain here in
Ecuador and it stands proud at 20,700'.
We have currently just downed our dinner and are getting ready for bed. Everyone is doing well and ready to climb so we can return home to our loved ones. I'm keeping it short as we will be getting up early for this one.
We'll update tomorrow.
RMI Guides
Casey Grom,
Adam Knoff and crew
First, my condolences to both Green Bay and Seattle. For more uplifting news, the team moved to
Camp Two at 18200 feet. As usual, everyone is feeling great. The sun is shining now, however, the clouds are moving in. I wouldn't doubt we get some more snow.
Yesterday the mountain had a fresh blanket of snow, which made for beautiful climbing today. For now, we are all getting settled into our new home for the next couple of days. Stay tuned because we are literally a hop, skip and a jump from the summit. If we get the weather we will move to high camp in a few days!
RMI Guide
JJ Justman & Team
On The Map
Domingo. This is the Spanish equivalent to Sunday. And as we all know, on the seventh day of God's exhausting work week he rested. Granted he did create all living things, the land and sea as well as the heavens so deservingly so he earned the right to sit on the couch and mourn a Green Bay packers loss. Our team simply climbed a 19,000 foot mountain which God would dismiss as child's play but we are mere mortals. Regardless, Sunday greeted our freshly washed group at
La Cienega with beautiful sunshine and happy humming birds. After breakfast we loaded the van and rolled back to Quito to celebrate Ginger and Albert's time with us. By mid afternoon the team had sniffed out the most American sports bar this side of the amazon and watched what us gringos consider "real" football. Jaime keeps calling it hand ball and for some reason I can't find a witty comeback. All I can say is God is a Green Bay packer fan. After football we rested some more and then headed out for our fair well dinner. We have all passed this one Mexican restaurant with a short mariachi man standing on the corner blowing a toy trumpet trying to persuade any hungry looking gringo into his place. Because I seem to promise this funny little guy we will come in next time, I figured it would be bad karma to pass him up again. So Mexican it was. Sadly they can't serve beer after 4pm on Sundays because too many people were getting sloshed after church and crashing their cars, so I had to sooth my jalapeño burns with red wine. The food turned out to be great so the team went back to the hotel content. We now head south to Chimborazo. Albert and Ginger, we will miss you. Wish us luck.
RMI Guides
Adam Knoff &
Casey Grom
On The Map
The first full day of the trip has been a blast. We started off with breakfast at the hotel in
Mexico City. While we were eating the military honor guard raised the national flag in front of the presidential palace giving us quite the show.
After that we peeled out of town and headed for the mountains. On our way out we stopped to get some water and one of the guys found a soccer ball that he just had to have. So now we have a team soccer ball.
The drive was real smooth and we pulled into the cabanas at
La Malinche before noon.
Once we moved in we set off for a hike. We ended up getting to about 13,700 feet on La Malinche and set a new altitude record for Dave!
We have just returned from the hike and we're all starving. Dinner is in 8 minutes so I've got to go!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
After a difficult night of sleep, we woke to mostly clear skies and enjoyed our first views of
Cayambe up close and most of the other major volcanoes poking out of the clouds in the distance. It was the perfect mood elevator after a rough first night at altitude and very loud bunkmates in the refugio who treated us to a nice and prolonged wake up in the middle of the night. Well, tonight it will be our turn because after today's training on the glacier we are prepared to take a crack at summiting Cayambe VERY early tomorrow morning. The team is anxious but ready! Wish us luck!
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
On The Map
Rest day at Aconcagua
Camp One means only one thing. Pizza making day! You may be wondering, "How do you make pizzas at 16,500 feet"? Sorry, it's an
RMI Guide secret.
Today our team awoke to a fresh blanket of snow covering the entire
mountain. It is a beautiful day to stay put and recover here in camp. Everyone is doing very well and we are feeling healthy and strong.
The remainder of the day will see some of us playing cards, reading books and watching movies. Yes, it's rough living up here.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
On The Map
Buenos noches from
Mexico City. Everyone has arrived without too much incident and we just spent the evening getting to know each other. Our hotel is located right on the zocalo (historic center) in the city so there is tons of activity all around. We had a great dinner overlooking the square and now we're getting ready for a fairly early start tomorrow. Our next stop is La Malinche where we begin our acclimatization in earnest.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
As the phone call from earlier today said, we had an absolutely phenomenal day
climbing Cotopaxi. The team as a whole was saddened by the withdrawal of Ginger from the climb itself but but we were all so impressed by her selfless decision to remain at the hut and not attempt the climb do to a nagging chest infection. When climbers put their team first over their ego and personal ambitions, it reveals much about their true character. Ginger we missed you today. After descending from our surreal summit, we quickly packed up at the hut and marched the 15 minutes downhill to the waiting van. Our amazing local guide, Jaime Avila went home to Quito to prepare for his return to Chimborazo and the rest of us are now resting peacefully at a 400 year old hacienda south of Quito. I simply can't remember a nicer day in Ecuador.
Voicemail Message: Hello! This is Adam with Casey, Jaime and the crew on top of Cotopaxi! Ginger stayed behind at the hut this morning as she was not feeling well. Everyone else is on top on the most beautiful day we could have asked for. It is almost a fair trade - I would give a day like we had on Cayambe to have a day like this on Cotopaxi. It is a beautiful, beautiful place to be. Everyone is feeling great and all is well. We will check in later from La Cienega.
RMI Guides
Adam Knoff &
Casey Grom
On The Map
Congratulations Team El Futbol!
Gorgeous photos!
Dave..the SVA letter came.. all set!
Adios Amigos!
Posted by: Laura on 1/15/2013 at 6:49 am
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