RMI Expeditions Blog

Our 12 mile hike from Seron to Lago Dickson was an enjoyable day that consisted of rolling hills, tall grass and sporadic forests. We started paralleling the Paine River, “Paine” means blue in the native language. We were moving for about seven hours today, stopping often to take pictures and take in the views of glaciers and mountains that were covered with dark clouds from time to time.

Besides a few birds we didn’t see much wildlife. As we climbed a small hill between two knolls we got a good look at the Dickson Glacier that extends into Argentina and creates Lago Dickson, Rio Paine and Lago Paine. The camp is located on a large flat that has nice river access, large trees to act as a wind break and great mountain vistas.

We continue to eat well, have fun conversations with in our team and other hikers. Once at camp the charcuterie board and vino appeared and our team enjoyed some showers, time in the sun and kicking a soccer ball around. The dinners have been good, a salad, soup, meat and rice typically. Tomorrow we walk to Los Perros Camp. Life is pretty, pretty, pretty good out here.

RMI Guide Mike King

Today we got a casual start with a two hour drive to the Torres del Paine National Park. On the way we saw 20+ guanacos, which is a wild cameloid, similar to a llama. As we got closer to the park, flamingos and rheas where sighted.

The weather was overcast but we got some views of the glaciers and rock towers that this area is known for. Our hike to Campamento Seron was 5.5 miles and consisted of nice trail and beautiful Patagonia scenery. The tall grasses, wind bent trees and milky emerald green rivers kept people taking photos and enjoying conversations. We are in camp for the night, music in the background, good food being prepared and a charcuterie board with a few bottles of Chilean red wine to kick this trip off right.

RMI Guide Mike King

This is Mike, checking in for the Torres del Paine trekkers here in Punta Arenas. Everyone arrived after a long two days of travel. We got an early start to head to Isla Magdelana located in the Strait of Magellan to see a colony of Magellan penguins. The Strait of Magellan is protected from the weather of Cape Horn and one of the most important passages between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The hour and half boat ride was calm with nice views of the fractured land that makes up Southern Patagonia. Arriving to the island we had some ground rules laid out to not impact the penguins who are raising their near grown young. The young penguins are shedding their feathers in preparation for a northern migration along the coast of Argentina, Uruguay and even Southern Brazil. 

After an hour of walking and taking in the mix of penguins, gulls and brown skua we loaded up to head towards a sea lion colony. From the idling boat we took in these animals that number around 2,000. The smell traveled across the water while the young ones played in the water and swam close to the boat out of curiosity. On our return to Punta Arenas we saw a few Peale’s dolphins swimming alongside the boats. The remainder of the day will be spent in transit to Puerto Natales where we will pack for the start of our Torres del Paine trek. Thanks for following along.

RMI Guide Mike King

The team has made it back to civilization! We are once again in Mendoza and have celebrated our success on Aconcagua with one final team dinner and trip to one of Mendoza’s famous gelato shops. It’s hard to believe our expedition is over, but not one of us is sad to have access to a shower again. It was a great expedition this year and all of the climbers put forth their very best effort to get up and down the mountain safely. Cheers to an amazing team!

RMI Guide Nick Scott

One final big day. We walked from Base Camp to Pampa de Lenas, roughly 18 miles in a single push to get us on step closer to the park entrance. Before we are finally out though it is time to celebrate with a big BBQ cooked by the mule drivers. We can hardly wait for that meat!

RMI Guide Nick Scott and Team

After many days of walking uphill, we finally turned ourselves downward towards basecamp. The mountain however, did not seemed pleased about our decision. We woke up this morning to raging winds that made taking down the tents and packing for the descent more of a chore than necessary. It seems the storm we were avoiding by advancing our itinerary had arrived. The winds howled at our backs the entire way back to basecamp. Despite the trouble from the weather, we made the trip back to the comforts of Plaza Argentina. A trip that took eight days to go up, we completed in just seven hours on the way down. Everyone was happy to be back in solid structures where the wind couldn’t bother us and to have ample oxygen to fill our lungs with. Just two more days and we will be back in Mendoza. We are so close to civilization we can taste it!

RMI Guide Nick Scott

On The Map

We woke early to clear skis filled with unfamiliar stars. The wind was on us from the moment we crawled from our tents, taunting the climbers as they packed and tried in vain to drink down their coffee before the heat was stolen by the gusts. At 4am we marched, uphill into the darkness with only the bubble of light produced by our headlamps to guide us. Slowly, we made progress. One switchback after the next. Hour after hour, we toiled uphill, the wind a constant companion. It chilled us to the bone, no matter how many layers of down were added. On and on we climbed, past the ruins of the Independencia hut, across the Gran Traverse to the cave. Ever higher, one foot in front of the other. One step, one breath. The air is getting thinner with every meter gained. Harder and harder we breath. Onward from the cave, up the daunting Canaleta Couloir to Guanacos Ridge. Upward we go, ever so slowly, our muscles at their limit without precious oxygen to fuel them. Our legs are burning, one final step. No more mountain above us. The summit! Success! After so many days of carrying loads, one after the other. Moving camps day after day. We are finally on top of Aconcagua, The Stone Sentinel. 22,841 feet. The tallest mountain in South America. We’ve done it!

RMI Guide Nick Scott

On The Map

After many days of carrying loads up hill, we are finally at high camp, poised to make an attempt on the summit. Tonight will be our first of two nights spent at 19,600 feet, but it is unlikely many of us will sleep tonight. This will be due as much to nerves and apprehension as to the altitude. Regardless of whether sleep comes tonight, we will all rise early and begin the slow, steady march towards the top of Aconcagua at 22,842 feet early tomorrow morning, before the first light of dawn is on the horizon. It seems the mountain and weather gods have seen fit to push the worst of the winds farther out into the forecast, lucky for us. It will still be cold and it will still be hard, but this group of climbers just might have the right amount of grit to pull it off.

RMI Guide Nick Scott

On The Map

Due to an unfavorable weather forecast we have made the decision to alter our regular schedule. Instead of carrying to Camp 3 today, the guide team decided to rest at Camp 2 and move up to High Camp tomorrow. This advances our itinerary by one day and pushes up our summit attempt to Monday the 3rd. After carefully studying the weather and consulting with the locals who know Aconcagua’s weather patterns best, the guides and climbers believe that this decision provides us with our best window for a summit attempt. Everyone is feeling strong and has been acclimatizing well. We will give it our best efforts and hope that the winds hold off just long enough to make it to the top.

RMI Guide Nick Scott

On The Map

So far the weather has been very predictable. Sunny and clear in the mornings changing to cloudy with snow flurries by dinner time. This has been great for all of our planned movement up and down the mountain and today was no different as the sun was shining and the winds calm for our move up to Camp 2. Tonight will be our first night at 18,000 feet above sea level, a hard place to sleep for sure. Despite the lack of thick air, I don’t think any of us would trade the views just to be lower on the mountain. Camp 2 on Aconcagua stares straight out into the central Andes, a view you have to see for yourself to truly appreciate and it’s right off our front porch for the next few days. 

RMI Guide Nick Scott

On The Map