RMI Expeditions Blog
Hola amigos y familiares de Mendoza, Argentina y feliz año nuevo!!
We have all officially arrived here in the land of carne asado, vino tinto, and guanacos. The excitement cannot contain us. Over the last 2 days, we have found the lag to our jet, enjoyed some fine Argentinian cuisine, and triple checked our gear. The highest peak outside the Himalaya, the Stone Centinel, awaits our arrival. Tomorrow is that day. The day we start our long trek to stand atop South America. Stay tuned as we utilize our Chubb Rub along our endeavor not only to climb, but circumvent Aconcagua.
Hablamos pronto.
RMI Guides Ben Luedtke, Ray Holt, & Team
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Aconcagua Expedition January 5, 2026
Hello from Ecuador!
We had a beautiful first day on our Ecuador adventure. After introductions and a quick team meeting we set off on a tour of Quito.
Our first stop was at the equator, where it’s hard to walk in a straight line, easy (for some people) to balance an egg on the head of a nail, and water swirls this way and that. Our tour guide explained the physics being all these things correctly enough to meet the approval of Paul, our Astrophysicist. Most of us were just happy to see the water swirl in different directions.
We finished our sight seeing with a walking tour of the historic district and a panoramic view of the city from the base of the Virgin off the Panecillo.
Overall a really strong start with a great group of people.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
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Ecuador Seminar January 6 - 20, 2026
Sunday, December 7, 2025 - 8:45 pm PT
Tim and I said goodbye to a lot of friends today. We had time for all of that though as the jet landed at Union at 3:30 PM. We had plenty of time to catch a lecture on jellyfish, to eat a big lunch and to go for a 10K fat bike ride out in the bright sunshine. It was another great day in Antarctica. It was a slightly novel experience to load onto a 757 with only 16 other passengers. Things were relaxed, to say the least. We both got window seats and thus had a spectacular view of Vinson as the pilot took us way closer than normal leaving Union. Four hours later we put down in Punta Arenas. It was just getting dark -an unfamiliar thing to us- as we drove into town. Checking in to the hotel at 10 PM meant that dinner would be tough to find on a Sunday evening, but we were able to find a comfortable cafe still willing to serve pisco sours. So we toasted each other and a fine adventure. We got oh so lucky… and we used that luck to achieve some dreams.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Vinson Massif Expedition, November 22, 2025
Sunday, December 7, 2025 - 7:03 am PT
Tim and I spent a restful day and night at Union Glacier. It was another very calm and sunny day here… easy to enjoy. We alternated eating and napping with attending lectures and riding fat bikes on a groomed 10K track.
We are on course for flying back to South America later today and so we are both experiencing the usual mix of excitement for moving on and regret at leaving this wonderful place.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Vinson Massif Expedition, November 22, 2025
Friday, December 5, 2025 - 6:16 pm PT
It was another cloudy, cool day at Vinson Basecamp… right up until about six o’clock in the evening when the clouds melted away. We ate a last mountain dinner and then caught a twin otter to Union Glacier.
Now we’re in the big camp, with scientists, climbers, tourists and adventurers of every stripe. It is a bit like a school reunion, bumping into friends and teammates from around the world and from decades of expeditions.
Tim and I proceeded to the dining tent for a nightcap before heading to our comfy “clam” tent.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Vinson Massif Expedition, November 22, 2025
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 6:39 pm PT
Today was a no fly day at Vinson Basecamp… too much cloud. But Tim and I were quite happy to relax with the ALE staff in the comfortable dining tent. It is still something of a novelty to have WiFi way out this way and we enjoyed catching up and eating and reading. For being a “weather day” it really wasn’t all that unpleasant. Just a little cooler without direct sunshine. Now, close to midnight, it is snowing lightly.
Best
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Vinson Massif Expedition, November 22, 2025
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 - 4:43 pm PT
We got a good rest at high camp. There was some concern that winds would hit overnight but the morning was calm, sunny and easy. Just what we’ve come to expect. We ate a good breakfast, knocked down our tents and began climbing downhill. As expected, it was a pretty good workout getting down the fixed ropes, but then it was a cruise (a multi hour, pack carrying, sled hauling cruise) to reach Basecamp. We were greeted with champagne and handshakes. Just after Tim and I spread out our sleeping bags in our basecamp tent, the possibility arose that we’d fly to Union Glacier. Clouds were hovering around base but broke up enough for one airplane to get in. But that was it and the second flight that would have taken us was scrubbed for the evening. Tim and I were actually relieved to relax in Vinson Basecamp and to share a victory dinner with Jon Gupta.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Vinson Massif Expedition, November 22, 2025
That is Awesome Dave!!! Great Work!!! Congrats!!!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 12/4/2025 at 3:58 am
Good news!
RMI Guide Dave Hahn and climber Tim along with their ALE Guide Jon Gupta reached the summit of Mt. Vinson yesterday, December 2nd.
Congratulations team!
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Vinson Massif Expedition, November 22, 2025
Amazing! Congratulations!
Posted by: Holly Eckola on 12/4/2025 at 4:02 pm
Tim, Dave and team, congratulations!
Tim, as Eric said 6 out of the 7 peaks, all 7 continents is well done!
Can’t wait to hear about it in person!
Posted by: Chris Lucie on 12/4/2025 at 4:16 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Thursday, November 27, 2025 - 4:23 pm PT
We had a fine sleep in basecamp, far away from the sounds of the city. A leisurely breakfast fortified us for yet another round of refining and sorting gear and provisions for our climb. It was a sunny and calm day, perfect for an afternoon rope-up and rehearsal of the initial climbing route. Jon, Tim and I went an hour up the glacier. It was nice to get a little exercise and to re-familiarize ourselves with roped travel. We had an easy stroll back down just in time for dinner in the comfortable ALE dining tent.
As things stand now we’ll set off for “low camp” tomorrow.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Vinson Massif Expedition, November 22, 2025
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 - 6:14 pm PT
We’re counting ourselves as being extremely fortunate. Not only did we fly from South America to Antarctica on the morning we were scheduled to…. We then flew from Union Glacier right out to Vinson Basecamp on this same lucky day. It doesn’t always work this way, but it is pretty sweet to avoid glitches and weather delays.
It was a somewhat typical adventure travel day in that there was a lot of hurry up and wait. But it wasn’t unpleasant waiting. It was about 12:30 PM before we clunked up the airplane stairs in our big mountaineering boots to leave Punta. There were about 80 of us in the entire plane, so Tim and I both helped ourselves to window seats. This paid off about three and a half hours into the flight when we were treated to unobstructed views of Vinson and the Ellsworth Mountains.
The landing of a big jet on a blue ice runway was thrilling, although it was also flawless. We were certainly dressed for extreme cold when we got out, but to be honest, the weather at Union Glacier wasn’t all that unpleasant. A little cool but not face freezing cool.
We had just a short tour of Union Glacier Camp before climbing aboard the ski equipped Twin Otter for the 45 minute flight to Vinson. It was another perfect landing at 7,000' on the Branscomb Glacier and then we were hugging old friends and meeting new ones. Although we are the first climbing teams of the season, the ALE guides have already been in for some time getting things set up. Tim and I met Jon Gupta, who we’ll be working with. Jon was just on Vinson summit two days ago and reported excellent conditions.
We won’t climb the mountain tomorrow. It will be the perfect day to acclimatize and get gear sorted for the climb.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Hey Dave! It was So Cool to follow you guys on this Incredible adventure!
Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 12/9/2025 at 3:19 am
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