Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Hello everyone! We are back at basecamp after a very successful carry to, and cache at
Camp 1! The group did very well today, and now all of our upper mountain gear and food is staged for us. The next step: REST. Today was the first day of the trip with heavy packs, and for many of the group a new personal altitude record. Tomorrow we will spend the day at base, eating food, napping, and recovering tired muscles. If all goes according to plan, we will move our camp to 16,000 feet the day after tomorrow, and continue the process of acclimating and moving our gear up the
mountain. Everyone is excited to have completed our first big day, and sends their best!
All for now.
Cheers,
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Gilbert Chase, Gabriel Barral, and team
Our
Ecuador's Volcanoes team has arrived here in Quito after a fair bit of travel, but healthy and with all of our gear! Always a good start to a trip.
Today we took to the streets, touring Quito's revitalized Old Town and taking in the sights from La Panela, the hilltop site of the Virgin of Quito where we could clearly see the city snaking to the North and South, the ancient churches and plazas quite visible from our vantage point. Then it was off to lunch and a stop at the "Mitada del Mundo," the "center of the earth." Here the equator is marked by more than just a line and we were able to double check it's accuracy with a few tests, putting to rest the long debate about which way the toilet flushes in which hemisphere (can you remember without testing?).
All in all a great first day and the afternoon thunderstorms even held off for us!
RMI Guides
Jake Beren &
Zeb Blais
Hello,
Our team arrived yesterday to
Aconcagua Base Camp at 14,000' after three nice days on the trail.
We spent today resting and acclimating for the upper mountain. After a delicious breakfast we checked in with the Basecamp Medical Staff and received a clean bill of health all the way around (everybody looks like rock stars).
During the afternoon we worked on sorting the gear that we are going to carry to
Camp 1 tomorrow. The weather was marvelous until 4 pm and since then it has been cloudy with a little bit of snow.
The team wants to wish a very Happy Birthday to Chad Johnson!
Cheers,
RMI Aconcagua Team
On The Map
Hi everybody,
This is the Aconcagua team checking in from
Pampa de Leñas camp.
After a few days in Mendoza and Penitentes doing the hardest part of climbing a big mountain (getting the climbing permits, trying to get all the duffel bags that didn't make it to the airport with us, packing a ton of food and gear for the mules, etc), today we started the trek to Base Camp. The mountain welcomed us with a perfect blue sky day. We hiked for five and half hours today and got to our first camp on the Vacas Valley.
Everybody did a great job and we are all feeling good. We are getting ready to sit down to dinner. Pete and Gilbert have cooked a gorgeous veggie pasta, almost as good as the amazing Argentinian steaks that we were eating since we arrived in Mendoza.
That is all for today, cheers!
RMI Guide Gabriel Barral and Team Aconcagua.
On The Map
The entire team arrived safely in Mendoza with all our gear (almost). One delayed bag should be arriving tomorrow in Mendoza.
It is after midnight here and we just returned to the hotel after our first team dinner. We had a great meal enjoying the local flavors of Malbec and of course some Argentinian beef. We were busy all day with everyone's arrival and our first team meeting. We are now just finishing the day.
Everyone is excited to start the trip and is looking forward to get closer to the big mountain.
Cheers
Gabi, Pete and Gilbert
Feliz Ano Nuevo from Mendoza! Our last dispatch was from
Aconcagua's base camp and we have certainly covered many miles since then. A big day of walking from Plaza Argentina to Pampa de Llenas put us in camp just in time for a big Asado prepared by our herreros, the mule drivers who transport our gear off the mountain. An early morning walk brought us to Penitentes where we showered and had lunch before heading to Mendoza. Now back in civilization our celebratory meal felt great and is a far cry from mountain food and the thin air of the Andes, but the significance of the last few weeks that put us on top of the highest mountain outside of the Himalaya is still sinking in. Everyone has done a great job and I am thankful for the time spend with a great team. Nice work all!
RMI Guide Jake Beren
After nearly 6,000 feet of walking downhill, our tired but happy team pulled into
Plaza Argentina. It was sunny and calm and perfect for setting up a relaxed camp before a big steak dinner. Everyone descended in style, putting a proud finish to a great climb. Tomorrow we will walk to Pampa de Llenas, a short hop from the road to Mendoza. Talk to you all in a few days.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
On The Map
"You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. . . "
After nearly two weeks of hard work here in the Andes, our team stood on top of the tallest mountain in either North or South America! Congratulations on a job well done. We had to earn it today, climbing through the chilly pre-dawn winds into a whiteout summit. Occasionally the surrounding peaks popped out, only to retreat behind an opaque veil that became our visual reality as we ascended the
Canaleta to the summit. A fine day in the mountains nonetheless and everyone should be proud of a tough, safe and successful climb. Tomorrow we start the long voyage back to Mendoza, retracing the steps taken a few weeks ago back to civilization. Thanks for all the support from the homeland and we'll be seeing you soon.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
On The Map
RMI Guide Jake Beren phoned from the summit of
Aconcagua. The team climbed well and there are seven climbers on the summit with the guides. Jake reported cloudy skies with lite snow. They will be starting their descent and will check in again soon.
Congratulations to the team!
On The Map
Today we moved from Guanacos Camp to our high camp at Piedras Blancas on
Aconcagua. The team moved quite well and we pulled into camp in the early afternoon with plenty of time to set up shop and have a siesta before an early dinner. The weather is the wild card here, if it is climbable tomorrow we will go for the top. If not, we are prepared to wait it out. Wish us luck.
P.S. A very happy birthday to il Padrino!
RMI Guide
Jake Beren
On The Map
Its only been a week and two days and I can’t even explain how long it seems! I miss you sooo bad! I cannot wait to hear more about it! Congratulations on making it to your highest point! I hope u can carry your sunblock! I love u mawah! What an experience! The pictures are unreal!!!!!!! It’s sooo massive! You are punkswole!so this thing and come home to your three babies with a lot of pics!
Posted by: Wiyanna on 1/14/2012 at 9:27 pm
Bryan, Dude wear that mountain out like we wore my Jeep Cherokee out!!! You got this brother! I’m proud of you! Love Adam Stroupe
Posted by: Adam Stroupe on 1/13/2012 at 6:38 pm
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