RMI Expeditions Blog
Hello again everyone.
We had a slower start today to allow the many porters to hit the ever narrowing trail. Right out of camp we were faced with the only real technical obstacle right out of camp. This hurdle is the great Barranco Wall, which rises about 1,000 feet and looks as intimidating as it sounds. Thankfully there is a nice narrow trail that weaves its way up and through the wall and all the way to the top. Most of it feels more like steep hiking, but there are a few places that require the use of our hands to help us climb up.
The team did a good job of moving steady and allowing a few porters through with their loads precariously balanced on their heads. Which was astonishing to see!
After reaching the top we took a nice break and enjoyed the amazing views of the ice-ladened south face and valleys below. The team continued our hike for a few more hours up and down through a few valleys before reaching camp.
All in all, it took only about four hours for us to reach our next camp called Karanga, named for the big and beautiful valley which it overlooks and the peanuts that are grown far below in the valley.
We spent the remainder of the day relaxing and playing cribbage, which has been quite the hit.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the 2nd Kili crew
On The Map
Posted by: Christina Dale, Alan Davis, Grayson Swingle
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
After a good night of sleep, lots of coffee, and a two hour breakfast the team explored the city of Puebla today. We love this city for its charm, beautiful churches, and friendly people. The hotel we stay in has a huge rooftop terrace that gives us a view of La Malinche to the North, our last climb to the west and our next goal to the east. Yesterday, as we descended Ixta, our group was tired, wind blasted, and hungry so talk of another mountain was not appealing. But, today is a different story, our team is well fed and rested and happy to embark on the next climb. Here are just a few quotes from the group today: "I've traveled to over 50 countries, and Puebla is blowing my mind!" And, "I'm in a great mood!" Yep, we are lucky to have these folks to climb with.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
What a great view from the summit, Congratulations Sue and team, can’t wait to see you and talk about your adventure.
Sandra E
Posted by: Sandra E on 1/25/2019 at 4:27 pm
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Avery Parrinello
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
We continued feeling like a cowboy by riding a mule across the river this morning. The river is painfully cold, so it was nice to avoid walking across. After a short ride we were back to traveling by foot. We exited the Vacas Valley and entered the Relinchos Valley. The views are gorgeous with steep rock on one side and rolling hills on the other. By the end of our walk we reach Aconcagua Basecamp just under 14,000'. Its a welcoming sight. We are greeted with juice and pizza. You feel rather civilized up here. Comfort food of shepard's pie and a welcome cake were enjoyed by all for dinner. The team is psyched and doing well.
Later alligator,
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team
On The Map
Pizza and welcome cake? Sounds like I should be there.
Good luck to all.
Posted by: Monica decicco on 1/25/2019 at 9:42 am
Good luck team! Have a great climb!
Posted by: Shannon Smith on 1/25/2019 at 6:53 am
Today we woke up to another beautiful day in Ecuador. After breakfast our team, now complete with our outstanding local guide Jaime, headed for the teleferico (gondola) and began our first acclimatization hike on a beautiful ridge overlooking Quito. The entire team styled our climb to Rucu Pichincha, breaking a couple of altitude records along the way. After some time on the summit enjoying just enough weather to make for dramatic light without spoiling any views, we headed back to Quito to rest and pack up for our move to Fuya Fuya and Otavalo tomorrow. The whole team was happy to get up in the mountains today and are feeling great, we hope our streak of great weather continues!
RMI Guide Chris Ebeling
Paul you are incredible!
Posted by: Julianne Echols on 1/25/2019 at 7:22 am
Nice work everyone! It looks absolutely beautiful out there. Good luck on your climb today! *Rock Stars*
Posted by: Amy Collins on 1/25/2019 at 4:46 am
This camp has an amazing view, especially when we have so much moonlight with a near full moon. If you can get yourself out of the tent during the night, the light illuminates the Polish Glacier and all the surrounding peaks. This Team has enjoyed the plentiful stars and seemingly 3D Milky Way during the first part of the trip and now the moon light will brighten the path early on our summit day.
The rest day has been fairly standard, big breakfast and lots of reading and hanging out in the tents. There have been some high clouds that have made the day cooler than previous and we have been fortunate with such favorable weather. Tomorrow we will pack up camp and move up to 19,600’. The day will go by fast as we get tents set up, make lots of water and prepare for a summit attempt on Saturday morning. The next five days include a lot of effort and ground to cover, fingers crossed the winds are light and the sun burns bright.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
Good luck in the next few days - stay strong!! Tell Sam Hall hi, this is his sister Annie :-)
Posted by: Annie on 1/24/2019 at 11:43 am
All is well here on Kilimanjaro!
Once again we woke to beautifully clear skies with even better views of Kili and clouds obscuring the valleys below. Our morning ritual has been waking around 6:30 and getting everything in our tents packed up before heading into our very spacious dining tent for quite the feast. It was a bit chilly this morning, but soon enough the sun had us hiking in just our light layers.
We hit the trail once again around 8am and hiked for an hour before taking our usual 15 minute break, then back on the trail for another hour. All total today we hiked for just over six hours before reaching camp which is set up and ready for us. Eventually the clouds rolled in and obscured the mountain for the final few hours.
Along the way we passed around the famous and beautiful Lava Tower reaching just over 15,000ft setting new altitude records for some of the team. Everyone enjoyed the day and there was plenty of good conversations amongst the crew.
All in all it was a really nice day!
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew
On The Map
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Avery Parrinello
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 10,550'
We all slept under the stars last night. No tent, just a sleeping pad and sleeping bag. You feel like a cowboy. The moon shone so bright you didn't need a headlamp to see anything. The morning came, we packed up, and continued our walk down the Vacas Valley. An hour into our walk we saw our first guanaco, the Llama of Argentina. After walking for a handful of hours we arrived at Casa de Piedra. We set up our tents and relaxed in the sunshine or down by the river until dinner. With the sun down and well fed we are all turning in. Tomorrow is big, we finally arrive to basecamp where we get to settle in for a few days.
Hasta luego,
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team
Go team! Have a great climb John! Know you are loved.! Ma
Posted by: Jill on 1/24/2019 at 4:23 pm
Jason,
Are you able to wear your ankle monitor and hiking boots? ;-)
Have a great expedition.
Posted by: Darren Angus on 1/24/2019 at 8:50 am
Our coldest night this trip and it still wasn’t that cold. The sun hits camp closer to 8 am so after breakfast and a little time in the tents to warm up we headed for 19,600’. Our High Camp is called Colera, named after the fierce winds that frequent that part of the mountain, not the contagion. The Team definitely noticed the 1,600’ difference in how their lungs and legs felt. We spent about 45 minutes there and headed down for a restful afternoon. Paperback books have been read and are now being passed around the group. We will have our last scheduled rest day tomorrow so that we can sleep one more night at 18,000' before moving up. The weather is holding steady with 20-30 mph winds forecast. We need to take advantage and not wait for a “better” day that might not materialize. Thanks for following along, we are all eager for our summit bid on the 26th.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
Hope you’re staying warmer than we’ve been in NJ! Good luck team!! Keep it up! Love to Ross :)
Posted by: Jen Rapach on 1/23/2019 at 3:18 pm
I am happy to announce the Ecuador Volcanoes team successfully assembled in the hotel lobby this morning. They were all a bit late and I couldn’t scold anyone in particular so I plan to run them all a bit harder on our first acclimating climb tomorrow.
After our team introduction we all loaded the tour bus and headed north out of Quito to the Mitad Del Mundo, or Middle of the World. Otherwise know as the equator! Here at the museum we were taught how the Amazon tribes shrunk actual heads of people, tiny fish can swim up urine streams into parts of the body fish don’t belong and snakes in the jungle can eat full size monkeys. And of course we learned how shadows tell time, the coriolis effect makes the water spin in opposite directions and gravity is possessed by aliens on the actual equatorial line.
The team seemed quite interested in these scientific studies but when we left the museum they were equally as interested to detour from the set itinerary to find some local home brew corn beer called Cheecha that the tour guide said was popular in that area. We did just that, toasting a good trip together with a liquid resembling nothing like we drink back home. At this same restaurant we noticed another local delicacy roasting on a stick. Here it is called Cuy. At home it is widely recognized as guinea pig. Luckily they don’t look as cute once they are cooked.
When the Cheecha ran dry we loaded up and headed into the old town of Quito where we saw great views of the city, a beautiful golden church and some of the oldest buildings in the country. Ecuador has an incredibly rich history and diverse population. Getting to see it up close never gets old.
After the tour we all gathered for espresso and soccer at my favorite place one block from the hotel. Before dinner we will check some gear then team up for our first official team dinner then retire to prepare for our first official climb. Tomorrow we go to 15,400 feet so stay tuned for the report.
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
Posted by: Casey Grom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Jambo everyone back home
We had much better day day on Kili today, thankfully waking to mostly clear skies. Seemed like everyone slept pretty well after a bit of exercise and 9hrs of tent time too.
We started the day waking at 6:30 to begin packing up before moving into our dining tent for a nice breakfast with porridge, fried eggs, toast, avocado and even some fresh fruit, and most importantly plenty of hot coffee.
We hit the trail shortly after 8 am and slowly made our way up the rocky trail that leads out of camp in the warmth of the sun. The trail climbs up a old volcanic ridge and eventually out of the trees and allowed for some nice views of the valley below. The team hiked for about four hours before reaching our next camp that sits on an old lava flow called the Shira Plateau. This plateau which formed a few million years ago sits just above tree-line, it was a bit cloudy when we arrived, so we had to wait till almost dinner to see some of the view and of course Kilimanjaro looming above us. Once settled at camp we were treated to a nice warm lunch and then hopped into our tents to relax.
The evening was full of great stories and another amazing dinner prepared by our more than gracious staff.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
On The Map
Awesome! So good to hear that you’re safe and had fun on your hike. Thanks for updating us. Felt like I was also with you on your adventure. Do you have blogs where are there are tips before climbing the mountain? Just like what I read in this post https://goshenisafaris.com/climbing-mt-kilimanjaro/ Would be really nice to read about it. Anyways, keep safe on your adventures!
Posted by: Krisan Sablaon on 4/26/2019 at 8:46 am
Following you all the way up…....safe footing God bless
Posted by: Barbara Sluboski on 1/23/2019 at 3:11 pm
Wow. Climbing that rock wall is more like crawling up. Wicked.! Wishing you all the best the rest of the way. Godspeed !!
Posted by: Barbara Sluboski on 1/25/2019 at 8:32 pm
Go team, go! Enjoy the views - the photos are great. Good work getting up the Wall! Safe travels -
Posted by: Rebecca Brown on 1/25/2019 at 3:31 pm
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