July 4, 2017 Greetings all! Happy 4th of July from the Ishinca Valley at 14,000'! We had great weather for our walk up the Quebrada (Valley) this morning, with outstanding views of the snow and ice covered pyramid of Tocllaraju. And here we are, having built home for the week, ready to start training and climbing in the high peaks around us. And as we thought the day couldn't get any better, we were provided an incredible dinner of TROUT! Our cook, Coronel and Pablo really pulled off an incredible feat. What a treat for us! We're looking forward to an acclimatization day tomorrow. We'll spend some time training in the grass here at Base Camp, as well as go for a short hike to take in the views. Until then, happy 4th, and we'll keep you all in the loop. RMI Guides Robby, Steve, William and your ESS-Peru team

Huaraz City, second to none when it comes to stunning mountain dwellings. Today, we dialed in our gear and took an acclimatization hike to 12,000', a perch called Puca Ventana (Red Window). Views of Huaraz City, and the highest massif in the range, Huascaran, were our rewards. After our hike we enjoyed lunch at a climbers' favorite, Cafe Andino. More rest, relaxation, and prep took us into the evening as we look forward to moving into the mountains tomorrow. Ishinca Valley will be home for the next week and we're excited to finally get eyes on these incredible ice-covered spires. We'll touch base tomorrow from Ishinca Base Camp. Stay tuned. RMI Guides Robby, Steve, William, and your favorite ESS-Peru team

Greetings all! Your Peru Expedition Skills Seminar Team has safely arrived in Huaraz City, perched in the high Rio Santo Valley of the Cordillera Blanca. It was a long journey by bus, 8 hours in total, from the hustle and bustle and modern amenities of Lima, to the humble mountain city of Huaraz. We enjoyed an incredible dinner tonight at Hotel Andino, the nicest spot in town. Alpaca steaks, Lomo Saltado, and numerous classic Peruvian dishes filled our table. Everyone is excited to be in a new country, and looking forward to some trip preparation, and further acclimatization tomorrow. Until then, thanks for following along; the best is yet to come! RMI Guides Robby, Steve, William, and your ESS-Peru team