Entries By ben luedtke

Mexico dispatch 2.27.26

Today we woke way too early, with way too little coffee, to leave our
quaint spot in Puebla to head out for Tlachichuca (or as I  call it "T+10,"
that saves everyone from my terrible spelling and even worse pronunciation)...it's time for the main event, Pico de Orizaba.

We got a great tour of the soap factory turned climbers' hut that's 100+ years old. It was good little history lesson of the Industrial Revolution as well. Who knew climbing was so educational?!

We got one last quick & delicious lunch and fingers crossed we've got all our needed gear for the next ~24 hours. Then 2 hours of hot, bumpy, dusty and smoky fun up to our campsite.

It's been an amazing journey so far with great people and many memories made. From bumpy roads, unique baños, dusty hikes, delicious dinners and everything in between. This trip is definitely one for the books and it's not over yet!

High  camp is a beautiful rocky spot where the clouds envelop us. It's quite nice minus the wildfire smoke. The Refugio was a nice little place to have our dinner after a quick avalanche briefing and hike to get the blood flowing. Next step is up.

I want to take a moment to give a big thank you to all our families and friends back home who are supporting us chasing our dreams in
the mountains.  We couldn't do this without y'all. I hope y'all have enjoyed following us along on this adventure. (And a special hug to my Scoops! I miss you buddy.)

iMuchas Gracias!

RMI Climber Anna Hern

P.S. - I just lost the game ;)
#IYKYK

Today was a decadent day of relaxation in Puebla, named “Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO.

The day was warm, the sun was shining, and music filled the air. This historic city could not be more charming from its tree filled main square, to the artisan markets, churches, and restaurants.

During the day, we strolled the streets, visited Pirámide Tepalcáyotl, and just caught up on life and work.

We all met in the evening for a team dinner at an exceptional restaurant, Mural de los Poblanos. We tasted moles from the region (while wearing bibs), gazed up at the moon through the open ceiling, and caught up on each other’s days.

On the way home, we indulged in the largest churro one has ever seen. We took it back to the hotel and proudly ate it on the rooftop while taking in the city views. It was a truly special moment.

If we were to write a 6-word memoir for our time together it might be: ‘Came for mountains, left as friends.’

As we have remarked throughout the trip, we love the mountains, but it is really the people that make the experience. We all come for different reasons — to immerse in nature, to stand on the top of the world, to challenge ourselves and push boundaries, to enjoy time with friends, to be truly alive… and when we leave we are always a little bit changed in a profound way. We are grateful for our paths to have crossed and that we got to take this unforgettable journey together. 

Tomorrow we head to Pico de Orizaba for the last leg of our adventure. Here we come!

RMI Climber Whynde Kuehn

People have asked me why I climb mountains. My answer has changed over the years. The short answer is I climb mountains so I can escape the mountains of my mind. 

I like Robert McFarland’s quote on the subject too. 

“The true blessing of the mountains is not that they provide a challenge or a contest, something to be overcome and dominated (although this is how many people have approached them). It is that they offer something gentler and infinitely more powerful: they make us ready to credit marvels - whether it is the dark swirl which water makes beneath a plate of ice, or the feel of the soft pelts of moss which form on the lee sides of boulders and trees. Being in the mountains reignites our astonishment at the simplest transactions of the physical world: a snowflake a millionth of an ounce in weight falling on to one's outstretched palm, water patiently carving a runnel in a face of granite, the apparently motiveless shift of a stone in a scree-filled gully. To put a hand down and feel the ridges and score in a rock where a glaciers has passed, to hear how a hillside comes alive with moving water after a rain shower, to see late summer light filling miles of landscape like an inexhaustible liquid - none of these is a trivial experience. Mountains returns to us priceless capacity for wonder which can so insensibly be leached away by modern existence, and they urge us to apply that wonder to our own everyday lives.”

Mountains of the Mind, Robert McFarland

To wrap up how I’m feeling right now, laying in a tent, at 13,000 ft, when I dream, when I attempt to define happiness, this is it. To be with new and old friends outdoors, doing things that allow us to walk the line of comfort and risk. A guide helps control this risk and allows for this exploration of growth. Thanks Ben.

Sometimes I climb mountains just to say I did.

RMI Climber Hannah McEntire 

Ps: Congratulations to the team today for our summit on Izta!

Mexico Dispatch — 2.24.26

After another wonderful breakfast, we made our way out and over to Ixta. With a quick stop in Amecameca for enough water to drink a camel dry, we got ourselves checked into the park and made the bumpy ride to La Joya. Well-fed and packed up tight, we’re looking forward to at least a few hours of sleep before tackling our next objective: Ixta.

Hip hip, cumbre?

RMI Guide Ben and Team

We had a hearty breakfast at Malinzi Resort and loaded up small day packs to head up to the summit of La Malinche today. Everyone seemed to be feeling well. We had absolutely perfect weather for our hike. 

If you like the Disappointment Cleaver then you will love La Malinche. We had alot of loose scree and rock until the final scramble. 

Everyone made it to the gorgeous summit, our camp dog "Lizzy" included! We spent some time at the summit gathering 360 views and memories to share! 

We had an easy decent and made it back in time to relax and shower before dinner. 

Tomorrow on to the next mountain!

RMI Climber Maria McCoy

"Star Mountain"

Mountains allure us

Mexico we traveled to

Together we climb.

RMI Climber Jesse McEntire

Good morning from Mexico City!!!

What a beautiful place. After a wonderful plate of tacos for dinner, a good night of rest, and a relaxing breakfast, we are packed, mingled, and ready to roll. We are off to the cabins at La Malintzi. Today will be an easy day of acclimitization, but tomorrow will be our first true test to reach the top of Malinche at 4,461 meters. (14,636 feet) Dormant for the last 3,100 years, Malinche's original name was Matlalcueitl, meaning "lady of the blue skirt," a goddess of rain and song. Hopefully the goddess helps keep the rain away so we can reach the top to sing our song tomorrow. 

RMI Guide Ben Luedtke & Team

Hi team, it's my turn to write this blog from afar. For say goodby and thank you. I am so happy because we achieved our goal, and I'm not just talking about the summit. In my first blog, I asked myself why we come to the mountains, and I discovered it was to find challenges. Well, Aconcagua was a great challenge for everyone. I met amazing, strong people and a very united group. That's not easy, and we did it. I truly enjoyed the days we shared, guiding and speaking English. I just want to say thank you, and I hope you enjoy the asado and vino in Mendoza. Writing in English isn't easy for me, so it's not a very long blog, but it's from the heart. 

A big hug and after so much adventure, I hope your return to home will be tranqui panki.

Grajales and RMI Guide Batti 

Why do we do this?

No showers, marginal nutrition, bitter cold, stifling heat. Don't forget the heavy packs tired legs, strong winds, and thin air. As our minds wander, step after step, I think it's the dichotomies of climbing that keep is coming back. Always yearning for the next far away peak. The calm within the chaos, the humbling yet empowering nature of the mountain, the isolation and the strongest connections a group of people can make. Mountaineering is the greatest team sport I have found in my short but varied 25 years on this earth. People from all walks of life coming together for a common goal. Summit or not it is a fast track to making friends for life. I would be mistaken if I didn't recognize the people along the way who made this journey possible. I am grateful for our team of climbers who were brave enough to try, my fellow guides , Ben and Batti, who supported the team every step of the way, the kind and organized staff of RMI and Grajales expeditions, Shane and Jonny, our friends and families back at home, and most importantly Aconcagua herself. I love this shit.
PLG

- RH (RMI Guide Ray Holt)
P.S. Happy Birthday Andrew!

First and foremost, with great honor, we want to congratulate this team for reaching the summit of Aconcagua! For those of us that made it, however, I believe we would all agree that it came with a cost and it was very bittersweet. This team truly became a family, and it's rough given that not all of us made it. We are so happy and excited for those of us that did, but heartfelt and bummed for those of us that didn't. Not having all of us stand on top left a mark on us, but it also brought out a bond in us that was truly inspiring.  

As guides, we couldn't be more proud of this team from start to finish. Everyone busted their asses, supported each other, and we are all better climbers because of it. We look forward to climbing together again, and what brought us together wasn't just a goal to climb a big mountain. We are a team consisting of an author, a coach, a mother, an entrepreneur, a father, an adventurer, someone going through a mid life crisis, an explorer of life, and someone living their dream. 

We will let all of you decipher who is who. ;)  A huge thanks to this team for coming together in every situation, pushing on, and being part of something even bigger than Cerro Aconcagua herself. 

Congratulations team!! :)

RMI Guide Ben Luedtke