RMI Expeditions Blog

Wedel and team send pictures before they start the Inca Trail and lose service. 

We took off from the trailhead last night around 11 pm - the smoke had cleared up North and the stars were incredible! We walked in the darkness for around 5 hours until the light hit us about halfway up the glacier. It was a beautiful morning to summit Mount Baker and now many hours of walking and snacks later we are back at the cars and on our way home with tired but happy legs.

-RMI Guide Avery Stolte

The Four Day climb led by RMI guides Joe Hoch and Mac Nolde made it to the summit of Mt Rainier this morning. They reported nice weather and a busy route. They were leaving the crater starting their descent back to Camp Muir around 7am. They will return to Ashford this afternoon. 

Great work up there! 

We woke up with a little pep in our step after a good night’s rest at lower altitudes.

Today was our shortest day on the trail, and it came at exactly the right time after two big days and more ahead. After a leisurely breakfast — oat bread (a crowd favorite), quinoa porridge, breakfast sandwiches, and as much hot cocoa and coffee as we could physically put down — we hit the trail.

Descending for a couple hours, we took our time and stopped to learn about the plants, herbs, and flowers along the way. We stopped by the river and sat in silence for some minutes, everyone on their own rock, listening to what Edgar called “the music of Pachamama.” Peaceful, and a good reminder that you can do this anywhere, just sit and listen to birds and moving water, you don’t need to be at 12,000 feet in Peru to remember that. Though it helps.

We visited our first archaeological site on trail, then said goodbye to our horses and wranglers. From here on, we’re on the official Inca Trail, porter team and all.

The afternoon was ours. Rest, laundry, lying in the sun. A campsite chess match. Meanwhile the local chickens and roosters strutted through camp like they owned the place (they might.)

Well-earned, all of it, before tomorrow’s big climb up to Dead Woman’s Pass.

Everyone is doing well. Chess champions, laundry doers, chicken diplomats, the whole crew.

- RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Machu Picchu team

We had just arrived at Incachiriaska pass — over 16,000 ft. Everyone was sitting on the rocky ridge, breathing deeply after a big climb to get there. The guides were constantly reminding people to be careful and thoughtful with movement since both sides of the pass opened up into expansive views (and big falls lines.)

Edgar was just beginning to tell us about how the Andean people believe the mountains are holy. We had all picked up a rock on the way up. The bigger the rock for the bigger the sinner, Edgar joked. (Some of us even carried multiple rocks. Are we overachievers or perhaps have much to atone for? Who’s to say.)

But just as Edgar started to speak, a soaring condor flew, I kid you not, 20 feet above us through the pass. As if he was looking right at us, as if he was saying some important message to each of us that we needed to hear.

You could tell it was special because Edgar, who has lived his whole life in these mountains and been guiding for more than 20 years, stood in awe. His eyes wide as he whispered, “stay quiet.”

We watched as the massive bird sailed through the air, we watched as he in both an instant and an eternity soared away.

The feeling of awe is ever-present here but in that moment it was felt deeply. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. We just stood there, sixteen thousand feet up, watching.

We stayed a little longer at the pass, creating a stack of all our carried rocks as an offering to Pachamama. The condor continued to circle back a time or two but never as close as the first time.

Soon, we packed our bags, lengthened our trekking poles for the steep scree below and started our long descent to camp. We moved down and down nearly 4,000 vertical feet, back into soft grasses and birds chirping and the water rushing next to us. After many miles and hours, we arrived at our camp at 12,000ft.

The air is thicker, the temps are warmer and with full bellies from another delicious dinner, we tucked into our tents for the night. But not without the seared memory in our minds of the condor so close it felt like we were friends.

What a world.

- RMI Guide Jess and the Machu Picchu team

The Four Day climb led by RMI guides Dave Hahn and Mike Bennett reached the summit of Mt Rainier this morning! They reported a beautiful morning, and were starting their descent from the crater at 7am on their way back to Camp Muir. They will return to Ashford this afternoon. 

Great work up there, everyone!

The Four Day Climb, led by RMI Guides Dan May and Stella Johnson, reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 5:45 a.m. today. Dan reported excellent weather and a great route, allowing the team to remain above the smoky conditions below. The climbers have begun their descent and are currently making their way to Camp Muir, where they will gather their overnight gear before continuing down to Paradise.

Congratulations to the entire team on a successful summit!

Hola!

We left Cusco long before sunrise, trading city lights for a winding, bumpy road that climbed steadily into the Andes. By the time we reached the trailhead, the sun was out and so were the mountains. The serac-laced slopes of Humantay and Salkantay both standing over 20,000 feet stopped us still. Today we met the rest of the team who will make this journey possible. Diego is joining us as a guide, and Pancho is our head chef (he's already far exceeded our expectations by serving up trucha, local trout, for lunch that we all deemed the best we’ve had this whole trip.) After days of travel, packing, reorganizing and checking gear, it was a relief to finally shoulder a pack and start hiking. We quickly settled into the simple rhythm of the trail: one step after another through mountains that people have called home and traveled across for generations. The highlight of the day was arriving at our camp at nearly 15,000 feet. We’re right at the foot of Salkantay — the mountain towers over our camp and we couldn’t stop looking up. Watching the clouds and the fading sunlight in a dance across the jagged slopes.

A pinch me moment for every single one of us.

We piled in the dining tent for an early dinner. One full of laughs & ease. After getting our hot water bottles (a necessity, it’s brrr cold up here) we headed for an early bedtime. But not before seeing the Milky Way and one million stars holding the sky.

What a dream.

Jess and the Machu Picchu team

RMI Guides Nick Sinapius and Hannah Blum checked in from camp on Mt. Shuksan with an update from an impressive Alpine Seminar week.

Over the course of the seminar, climbers developed essential skills in glacier travel, alpine rock, steep snow and ice, and multi-pitch systems. The team summited Mt. Baker via the Coleman Deming in stormy conditions, then climbed above the smoke on Mt. Shuksan, ascending the Fisher Chimneys to the Southeast Ridge and on to the summit.

With one more day remaining, the group will wrap up a memorable week of learning, challenge, and growth in the mountains. Congratulations to the climbers and guides on a fantastic seminar.

The Four Day Climb August 2 - 5 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today.  They were descending from the crater rim just after 7 am.  RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli reported a beautiful day with a little breeze and great route conditions.  The team is descending to Camp Muir where they will take a short break, repack their gear and continue the final 4,500' descent to Paradise. Their program will conclude this afternoon with a short celebration at Rainier BaseCamp.

Nice work team!