Entries from Locations

Happy new year everyone! 

The team finally made to Tanzania despite cancelled flights and some crazy reroutes. Our normal 2 days turned into just a few hours on the ground before heading to the mountain. 

Today the team did a great job of getting everything organized before leaving the beautiful River Trees Lodge. We then made our way to the base of Kilimanjaro to meet our awaiting staff that will assist us along this journey. 

It was an enjoyable ride as we headed northeast of Arusha through rural Tanzania passing many coffee plantation and banana farms along the way. 

We were fortunate to hike a few hours before the rain started and the trail turned muddy. Nonetheless, the team did great and we were all elated to reach our camp and hopped into some dry clothes and have a warm meal before heading to bed. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Persevering Crew!!!

Monday, December 11, 2023 - 8:45 pm PT

So it goes with climbing sometimes we take what the mountain gives us and unfortunately that isn't always the summit. The team awoke around 11pm to beautiful weather and had an incredible few hours of climbing under the stars on the upper slopes of Antisana. Every member of Team Cuy Frito showed off their impressive strength navigating a breathtaking and complex glacier, it was really a sight to see. As the team got just above 18,000 feet, we encountered some instabilities in the snow and made the decision to turn around due to avalanche concerns. While we didn't get to stand on top of this one, it was still a wonderful day of climbing. It has been a joy to watch the team come together as one big goofy family over the course of this adventure. We will all be coming back with memories to last a lifetime and our head's held high knowing we kicked some serious butt in the mountains along the way. Thank you for all the support at home and we will be seeing you all soon!

RMI Guide Michael Murray

The team has arrived at Antisana base camp and we are organizing gear for our summit attempt tonight. We are hoping for favorable weather to get this thing done. Wish us luck up there and send us some positive energy and clear, dry skies!

RMI Guide Michael Murray

Well there ain't no rest for the wicked but thankfully we aren't wicked and we had ourselves a wonderful day of rest at the scenic Casa Ilayaku today. Gear was dried out while birds were watched and various animals visited during a stop at a local bird sanctuary and petting zoo, and fun was had by all. We will be checking out of the Hacienda tomorrow morning before making our way to Antisana basecamp where we will stage for another summit attempt tomorrow night. I didn't think it possible but morale has soared to unprecedented levels and we are looking forward to wrapping this trip up in good style with another strong push in the mountains. Friends and family you are certainly all missed at home and we look forward to seeing you soon.

RMI Guide Michael Murray

Friday, December 8, 2023

"I don't know where I'm a gonna go when the volcano blow"

-The Late Great Jimmy Buffett

Well thankfully the volcano known as Cayambe did now blow today but it was in fact summitted by members of Team Cuy Frito! We rose early (11pm if you can call that early) to put the final touches on our gear organization and scarf down a little "breakfast" before heading out onto the mountain to make our summit attempt. Skies were cloudy with some light wind but spirits were high as we started our ascent via headlamp. As we continued to climb, the wind increased and as we climbed up into the clouds we found ourselves covered in ice but the team remained strong and continued all the way up to the top at 18,996 feet. I could not be more proud of how the team battled some less than ideal conditions to end up on the summit. We returned back to the high hut for a more traditional breakfast and treated ourselves to celebratory lunch before ending our day at the Casa Ilayaku Hacienda, where we will be relaxing and recovering before our final objective of the trip, the volcano Antisana. Something tells me we will all be sleeping well tonight, we have certainly earned it. Hope all is well back at home and we appreciate your support!

RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier & Michael Murray

Hello! We arrived at the high camp at Cayambe and walked up to the glacier for a quick snow school followed by a relaxing afternoon. The weather seems to be cooperating and we will make our summit attempt tonight, wish us luck!

RMI Guide Michael Murray

Greetings friends, I know you have all been anxiously awaiting this update and I am proud to announce that we have in fact found Flaming Hot Cheetos and are currently in possession of enough to power a small factory. Mission accomplished. As for updates on our whereabouts, we had a great breakfast at the hacienda and made our way to the Otavalo Market where we did some shopping and exploring before heading for the hills. We arrived at the lower hut on Cayambe late afternoon and had some time to relax before a three course dinner. Afterwards talked some logistics about the days to come and shared some good laughs. Tomorrow we will rise early and make our way to the high hut before heading up to the glacier for a quick snow school in preparation for our Cayambe summit attempt. Morale continues to soar and we are all excited for what is to come. Hope all is well back at home, we can feel you all cheering us on and we greatly appreciate it! Even Jeff Daniels

RMI Guide Michael Murray

Hola amigos! Team Cuy Frito woke up a little earlier than yesterday to load up the bus and make our way to Cerro Fuya Fuya at 14,000 feet for another acclimatization hike. We walked through some clouds but stayed dry and had ourselves a swell time. We finished our day with a team dinner at the quaint hacienda Intiyaya and are now organizing gear to head to the climbing hut on Cayambe tomorrow. The search for Cheetos was fruitless today but hopes are high that we will track some of that orange goodness down as we visit the Otavalo market tomorrow for some souvenir shopping and to pick up some last minute snacks before heading to the mountain. Morale is as high as the Andes and we are all looking forward to the adventures to come. Hope all is well back at home and hasta luego!

RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier & Michael Murray

Hello friends, all is well here in sunny Ecuador! Yesterday we kicked off our adventure with a trip to the Equator to learn some science and balance eggs on a nail (difficult, but not impossible), followed by a cultural tour of the city. After a delicious Ecuadorian dinner and some spa time, the team hit the hay to rest up before our first acclimatization hike.

We awoke to blue skies and after a nice breakfast we headed to the teleférico where we took a ride up to 13,000 feet and were able to stretch our legs on a wonderful hike to the summit of Rucu Pichincha 15,354 feet. We saw some splendid flowers along the way and even some friendly birds at the summit.

Tomorrow we will check out of our hotel and make our way to Cero Fuya Fuya for another acclimatization hike before ending our day at a lovely hacienda in Otavalo (don't worry friends and family we are certainly not roughing it on this trip). Morale is high and at dinner tonight we will be finalizing our new team name so stay tuned.

Hope all is well back at home and hasta mañana.

RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier, Michael Murray & Team

Trekking to the summit of Kilimanjaro is an experience of fitness and endurance. It is also an experience of culture – the sights, sounds, and people of Tanzania are a delightful overwhelm. What are you waiting for?!?!

In September, our very own RMI Office Team Member Lacey Meadows joined RMI Guide Casey Grom and our team in Tanzania to climb to the Roof of Africa and view the wildlife of Tanzania on our Kilimanjaro Climb & Safari. She wasn't disappointed. And if you have questions about this trip, call our office and talk with Lacey.  She would love to tell you all about it. Here is her experience: 

"Someone asked me recently about my trip to Africa, and they wanted to know if it was as “life changing” as I thought it would be. That was a tough question to answer because I knew it was going to be a very cool trip. I mean, I have spent the last 15 years wanting to go, and of course as a part of my job, I frequently talk with our climbers about the trip details, process the forms and payments, and post the trip dispatches and photos from our guides to the RMI Expeditions Blog. I really felt like I knew everything I needed to know to go to Africa to climb the world’s tallest free-standing mountain. No big deal. Until I got off the airplane at Kilimanjaro International Airport…

"Everything was different from the moment I arrived. The sights of dirt roads, open air buildings that looked mostly unfinished, and markets on about every street. The sounds of horns, motorcycles, and monkeys jumping through the trees, and the smell, a mix of sweet and smoky from the wood fired cooking and heat. This trip was going to be so much more than the climb!

"From the first dinner and team meeting at the Rivertrees Country Inn, our basecamp for this trip, our team connected. We ranged in age from 68 to 26, all different occupations and life experiences. It became noticeably clear that whatever individual experiences of suffering and triumph the mountain would bring over the next seven days, 37 miles and 17,000’ of elevation gain…We would experience it together as a team!

"How this connection happens with every RMI team, I will never truly know. To me it’s the real “trail magic” everyone talks about! This could also be to the credit of our guide, Casey Grom, and our local guides and mountain staff from Barking Zebra Tours who anticipated our needs before we even knew what that need was. Most often, this was some hot tea and a snack during our rest breaks or pulling into camp just in time for an afternoon nap.

"For seven days, we traveled together on the Machame Route. Each day started with a breakfast of hot cereal, avocado toast, bacon, sausage, and coffee, then a few (or more) hours of walking, soaking in the views as we ascended the slopes of Kilimanjaro. The landscape looked out of this world: unique plants, rock formations, and views for miles of the Great Rift Valley. A highlight was the Barranco Wall, a class 4 scramble, and for me, one of the best parts of the climb.

"Time spent in camp was never wasted. Our evenings were spent in the dining tent reflecting on the day, laughing at newly christened trail names and how they came to be, all while eating an amazing variety of soup, chicken dishes, rice, fresh vegetables, and fruits. The fuel we needed to keep our spirits high, and our bodies going. We watched the sunset from every camp and learned how to take photos of the stars with our iPhones. Some of us played cards or took cribbage lessons before turning into our tents with our hot water bottles keeping us cozy.

"One of the most amazing things to me was how our camps were always set up by the time we arrived. Our dining, sleeping, and toilet tents were all waiting for us. I have never seen a more elite group of athletes than the guides and porters that trek up and down Kilimanjaro!

"We arrived at Barafu Camp (high camp) as a team, as we had done each day. Getting to high camp was surreal, the day was short, but the walking was slow, and breathing was heavy, in the pressure breathing sort of way that you do at 15,200’. This was excellent practice for what was to come.

"We ate lunch in our dining tent and Casey gave us a good rundown of how our summit day was going to play out, what to wear, what to eat, what to keep in our packs, and ensured each one of us that the summit was within our reach. We absorbed what information we could and spent the remainder of the afternoon organizing ourselves and our gear. It was back to the dining tent for an early dinner of pasta, veggies, and bread. Then it was off to bed before the sun even set (which is early near the equator) for what little rest we may gain before an alpine start. The energy was quite electric…equal part nerves and excitement, but our team was ready!

"“Pole, pole,” Swahili for “slowly, slowly,” became a bit of a mantra in my brain. When the walking gets tough, I usually sing Staying Alive by the Bee Gees and stare at my feet. The beat is “pole pole” and it's better than looking up at the endless string of headlamps as far as you can see. One foot in front of the other until you reach the rest break where you must eat.

"Note: Bring food that is easy to consume, because you must force yourself to chew and swallow above 16k!

"There were six rest breaks on summit day, the fifth one being Stella Point, the crater rim, at sunrise. That seemed so far away as we were leaving camp at midnight, but I just knew if I could keep walking until sunrise I would summit. I do not know, but I am going to guess that there is a time of delirium for everyone on summit day. You need to dig deep and distract yourself from what your mind thinks is too hard, but that your body trained all year to do. It also takes a little tough love from your guide!

"Suddenly, you look up at the most brilliant orange and purple sky you have ever seen, the sun is coming! We did it! We are on top of the world!

"I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD!

"The tears were overwhelming and I didn't really know if it was joy, pride, relief, or sadness. It is an indescribable feeling unless you have been there, but you know you have kept the promise to yourself, your team, your guide, and all the people in your corner cheering you on. Forty-five minutes later our team crossed the crater rim and we were standing on the true summit, all smiles, taking photos, celebrating, and taking our sixth and final rest break! Our entire team…100%…every single person stood on top!

"Three hours later with some easy downhill on fields of dusty scree we were back at camp. Greeted by the sounds of our porters and cooking staff singing the most joyous music, our tired legs could not help but dance, and yes, I cried some more! 

"What goes up must come down, so they say! After a long walk and about 9,000’ of elevation loss, a muddy trail, and tired legs we settled into our final night at Mweka Camp. The ease of sleeping at 10,000’ might have been one of my best night's sleep ever!

"One more early morning, and a final descent to the Mweka Gate, and plenty of talk about how many showers it might take to get completely clean (about three!). At the gate we were welcomed with a final meal, song, and dance with our local guides, porters, and mountain staff – what a joyous celebration it was!

"I am not sure I have met a kinder group of humans than the ones that led us and took care of us on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. I was sad to say goodbye to Kilimanjaro and the people that ensured our safe passing. I will forever be in debt for the kindness and care they gave. Asante sana!

"After at least four hot showers and a good night’s sleep in a real bed back at Rivertrees Country Inn, we swapped our mountain duffels for our safari duffels. We all opted for the more casual attire of open-toed shoes and armed ourselves with cameras and binoculars as we loaded into our specialized Toyota Land Cruisers for the second half of our African Adventure.

"This time, we headed west of Arusha toward the game parks. Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, and Tarangire National Park were our new objectives. This was our chance to see the “big five” - lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo. The big five is a list from trophy hunting back in the day, but capturing them on camera is usually the goal today. Why giraffes are not on this list is beyond me because that is all I really wanted to see! Honestly, I am glad the giraffe did not make the list!!

"Our first stop was Lake Manyara, home of the tree climbing lions, and a stunning concentration of baboons. We were so excited to be on safari that our mountain guide turned safari guide Casey Grom told us that we would see plenty of baboons, otherwise we all might have had 200 photos of baboons on our cameras! We saw lions (not in trees), elephants, zebras, and way in the distance a lone giraffe.

"Fun fact: When a lion is laying in the middle of the road, you just wait….and wait! 

"A later lunch by the lake shore wrapped up the day, and we headed to the Plantation Lodge, our home for the next two nights. If I could have figured out how to work remotely and convinced my family to move to Africa, I would have never left the Plantation Lodge. The food and accommodations were five stars, a wine cellar to rival all, and the views stunning. 

"When we entered the Ngorongoro Crater, I could not help but feel we were on hallowed ground; the crater was once a mountain the size of Kilimanjaro that erupted and caved in upon itself, and the very place where some of the first hominoid species were discovered and believed to have lived and walked this earth. We share that DNA. The biodiversity is such that, except for giraffe and impala, every other notable African mammal lives successfully within the giant caldera, 100 square miles surrounded by 360 degrees of steep embankment. AMAZING!

"This is where we saw the big lions up close, so close that one male felt our Land Cruiser was in a great position to mark his territory. The crater floor is filled with enormous herds of zebra, antelope, wildebeest, cape buffalo, and pools full of hippos trying to stay cool in the midday heat. If you ever watched Wild Kingdom as a kid, just know that in the crater, you are living it!

"Saving the best for last, yes! Tarangire National Park and the giraffes! I was looking forward to these final two days on safari. We saw a leopard in a tree, a lion in a tree, and had to stop many times for elephants in the road, living their best lives grazing and knocking down trees, for fun or food, I do not know.

"The landscape was what I imagined safari to look like, giant termite mounds, huge baobab trees, and large herds of zebra and wildebeest moving along. I continued to be awe-struck when looking through the binoculars and seeing so many varied species within my view, still only one lone giraffe. I was starting to worry I would not see them. But as we approached our safari camp, there they were – a large herd of giraffe! It is hard for me to put this experience into words, but it was as magical as I had always dreamed it would be.

"We spent our last night on safari watching “bush TV” (a bonfire). With a glass of wine, elephants meandering, and our final African sunset, we reflected on our days on the mountain and safari. Coming together as a team and how perfectly we all fit together, we have shared experiences now, ones we will not soon forget.

"So, to answer the first question, was my trip to Africa life changing? No. I am back home, doing all the things I did before. You know, family, friends, work, and all the day-to-day activities life brings, so it did not really change my life. But, this trip was LIFE ENRICHING! Me, a girl from a small town, age 50, first ever passport, and I travelled over halfway across the world to climb a mountain and see giraffes. I did not realize it was going to be so much more. I know now firsthand that the world is big and beautiful, there are so many unique humans to meet, and even more wonderful places to see. A trip of a lifetime, sure, but not the last trip of my lifetime!"