Entries By dominic cifelli

Hola, and thanks for tuning back in.

Today, our team completed our first carry of the trip from Basecamp to Camp 1 at 16,500 feet. None of this would have been possible, however, without an amazing breakfast provided by Grajales and a discussion regarding the crispiness scale of bacon. We traveled amongst waves of glacial ice, towers of penitentes, plains of tiny alpine lakes, and hills of what must be the real rocky horror picture show. It was nothing we couldn't handle with some light encouragement from one another. Alas, we reached Camp 1, cached our gear, and descended back to Basecamp.

A note to Tory, Brian's wife, don't worry, he wore his nose guard today, and he looks fabulous. As the day wore on, we continued discovering new things about one another. Some of us speak American real good, or as some might say, more better than others. Nathan has become Basecamp's shower time police, Ethan likes to whisper sweet nothings, Erica has a farkle mouth, and Brian is already discussing future wine tours while Eric is still nursing a wine hangover from Mendoza, allegedly.

All in all, today was a huge success. Dom and I are very excited for this team.

Tomorrow, we get to rest once more before moving uphill to Camp 1 and beyond. The climb has officially begun, and as the funniest person in this group, I would say this team is UP for the challenge. Yeet, yeet!

RMI Guide Ben Luedtke & Team

I went to bed tired after three successive nights of little to no sleep. I entered my sleeping bag fearful of seismic disturbances both inside and outside my tent, but fatigue overtook me and I slept with dreams of everything dolce de leche. Woke up to a blue bird day and ready to reset. Not much to say about a rest day- eat, drink, hike a little, eat, play Farkle, talk random minutia, and then eat- you get the picture.

Today I thought would be a good day to share gratitude. I am very grateful for the Argentinian people, so welcoming, huggers and hand shakers, space violators- I love that. I am grateful for the 6 other strangers I am climbing with, thrown together with high individual expectations but how quickly we formed a team of working together for a common goal. Nate- from Illinois, works in the medical device industry and in the Air Force reserves, family man and enjoys a good beer, gentle bear and unable to be poked as he will always laugh it off, always willing to help, not a single swear word in his vocabulary but I am holding out hope. Eric- from Indiana, train engineer, energy is off the charts and he can laugh at himself, authority on rock bands and an avid 4-wheeler, can talk to anybody about anything, always willing to help. Erica- from LA and owns her own business, extremely tough but easy going hanging out with 6 other guys in the mountains with pretty offensive language (outside of Nate), aspiring Farkle master, also quick to contribute productively to a conversation, always willing to help. Ethan- from Indiana, owns his own business, near master of obtuse trivia particularly movies for which he says he never watches them, doesn’t take long for him to get a room laughing, cheats at Farkle, always willing to help. Dom- from WA, our guide and team leader, quick to read a room and join into any conversation from conspiracies on why the world is flat to Farkle strategies, affable, knowledgeable, humble, glad he is leading us. And last but not least, Ben- from a lot of places but most recently I think AZ, our other guide, the uncle every kid wishes he had with his mastery of riddles and bad Dad jokes even though he has no offspring, affable, knowledgeable, humble, also glad he is helping lead us. 

I think I am in good hands with these new friends of mine. So on our first rest day, I am grateful. That’s no cap…

RMI Climber Brian G

Today was a concatenation of surprises which threw all of us in a vortex of emotions and awe! The journey started o’dark early, navigating from the Vacas Valley at Casa de Piedra, straight into fridged knee high white waters to access our next route.  Pins and needles shocked our legs but the cold waters quickly awakened those that were not yet awake.  The team was ready as we headed into the Relinchos Valley, navigating the long narrow edges that overlooked the raging river stemming from Cerro Aconcagua as the team deadheaded towards base camp.  Passing many mules and sparking multiple conversations of chapacubras, lemmings, and jackalopes, helped to preoccupy our conversations and made for a quick traverse. We were treated by Dom and Ben to a delicatessan delight with homemade ham and cheese sandwiches which was a bonus and boosted our spirits. We climbed high and at a good pace until we reached Aconcagua’s base camp.

Other highlights - we saw an Argentine Bolo Mouse which Ben said had a poisonous tail, passed by a heard of Guanacos as they gazed the fields, and mistook the sound of the closing bathroom doors for thunder snow.

All in all a great day as it could only be summed up only to this Aconcagua Slayers Rhyme:

Twas the night before base camp, two camps down one to go! From Pampas de Leñas to Casa de Piedra, all bedded down early, and ready to roll.  Tossing and turning, the thin air spoiled in their sleep. The stench from no showers wrenched as they slept. Tucked tightly in their tents, the storms rattled and the winds howled, but did not prove to be a battle!  No cap!

Dressed in their Patagucci, all tired and weak, they strolled with their feet, crossing creek to creek. The harsh cold weakened and dampened their feet but was match to slow the Aconcagua Slayers beat.  Morale was so high that they could not deny, they trekked on to no demise and accomplished their prize! Base camp conquered, what a feat, nothings going to stop the Patagucci peeps! 

Time for some Farkle gone wild.

RMI Climber Nathan Karlen

Cowboy camping and waking up under the stars was quite refreshing. Shoutout Starlink. My circadian rhythm said awe dope bro, that’s what’s up. After a salty breakfast, we left Pampas de Leñas at 8:15am and the first thing that comes to mind: Aconcagua Slay. Heading off with the team towards the so-called “suspension bridge.” Riddles and jokes were had by all. Forwards I am heavy backwards I am NOT.. definitely not a pregnant woman but Ben’s jokes and riddles are TON’s of fun…you maggots! Pocket rocks were found, ketchup and salami sandwich’s were had, we saw guanaco, and learned a pirates favorite letter is definitely “aye.” After 10.2 miles we made it to Casa de Piedra to set up camp. What I thought would be a siesta turned into Erica taking us to school In Farkle… I think I now “underment what she stood.”

In the words of ChatGPT, “no cap, this climb’s straight bussin’, we keep slayin’, there’s no discussion.”

RMI Climber Ethan Pickett 

Welcome to the blog for our Aconcagua Expedition!

Throughout the trip we’re going to be passing the blog around to the group so make sure to keep an eye out for your climber and leave some comments for our adventure! 

We are a couple days in, and boy did we enjoy Mendoza. Wine tours, big dinners, and local markets is one hell of a way to start an expedition. The best part for us? Our dollar goes far here.  You don’t have to have a rocket doctor salary to enjoy the fine dining here. But we’re here to climb not JUST drink wine in the city and it’s a welcome change. 

The first day on the trail started off almost too good to be true. Sunshine? Check. Warm temps? Check. A cool breeze? Sure, why not. Spirits were high, and we cruised along the trail, soaking in the views. Buuuut that didn’t last forever. We experienced it all. The hot sun and still air, the high winds and exfoliating sand, the cold rain and concussing hail. After the gambit we finally made it to Pampa De Leñas, our first camp, enjoying the amenities here, pondering the origin of profanities, listening to a ukele show from the professor, and  saving our appetite for a delicious meal. 

Looking forward to climbing one of the best mountains in the world, no cap 

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli 

Thursday, December 5, 2024 - 8:40 am PT

It is always amazing to reflect on how long it takes for anyone to dream and prepare for any large mountain, especially for one as remote as the Vinson Massif. For some that time can be measured in decades. For today we can reflect as we decend from high camp. We started from over 12,000' elevation down the fixed lines, past Camp 1 where we pick up our sleds, all the way to Vinson Base Camp. From there we flew back to Union Glacier Camp. Once we got off the ski plane we got confirmation that after dinner we are going to board our Boeing 757 to Punta Arenas tonight. Meaning we get to go from negative thirty something to nice hotel temperatures. What a change in settings.

RMI Climber Forrest Heller

100% Summit!!

I was thinking the other day about just how motivated people have to be to come climb big mountains. It just takes so much effort, from paying for it, training for it, and actually doing it. Real go getters, doers. At the same time, I thought it was quite funny that those same type A, don’t sit around type of people. Have to sit in tents, bide their time, and do nothing for days on end in order to climb these mountains. They take time, patience, preparedness, and luck of course.

Today was our lucky day. We finally had the night we’ve been wanting. Still, cool, clear. And in the “morning” (the sun only hides for 2 hours behind Vinson) it was all systems go. We throttled the stoves and ate our breakfasts. We got our harnesses on and donned our gloves. We started to climb, and… continued to climb.

Vinson summit day involves gentle rolling slopes with bouts of steep seemingly unrelenting hills. It climbs Southeast through the Vinson Massif in the Jacobsen Valley situated at the base of Vinson. Behind, breathtaking views North to Tyree and Shinn from angles we hadn’t yet encountered. The Grand Finale? The summit ridge. A long traverse over the top of Vinson with steep drop offs to both sides, sprawling views, and bitter wind. 100% of the team stood on top this afternoon at 3:34PM.

We did all that today and more. We accomplished a goal that didn’t know we could achieve, we summitted the tallest peak in Antarctica on the best day we could have asked for. We’ll sleep well tonight after we scarf our dinners and run to our tents. Tomorrow, we start the descent.

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli & Team

December 2, 2024 - 12:41 pm PT

The first thing you notice about Antarctica, as you look out the airplane window anxiously anticipating your arrival, is the scale. The scale of Antarctica is infinite. Snow, ice, mountains and clouds seemingly go on forever.

Then you notice the colors of Antarctica. The colors of Antarctica are equally enticing, but they are few - only the endless white and the brilliant blues. The pure white ice and snow that cover this grand continent interrupted only by the the hints of blue tinting the cracks in the glaciers when the sun hits them just right, the natural blue ice runway, and the vast blue sky. (This of course ignores the spectrum of bright primary colors in the climbers’ down coats, tents and other gear that pepper the landscape, but those are not the natural colors of Antarctica.)

Then you notice the sounds of Antarctica. The sounds of Antarctica are many, and they are distinct. Each step on the ice in our mountain boots and crampons delivers a high-pitched squeak,  like pieces of styrofoam being rubbed together - squeak, squeak, squeak - so loud it’s impossible to have a conversation while walking. Each plant of our poles similarly punctuates every step with an exclamation mark. The sound of Dominic firing up our camp stove is similarly unique. The roar of the white gas igniting like a miniature jet engine summoning us to our cozy mess tent for hot drinks.

And the melodic chatter coming from the tents of the Chinese contingent we are sharing high camp with, matched by the friendly sing-song of Anja’s voice greeting us each day - “good morning” - wishing us a nice meal - “bon appetite” - or singing us a German lullaby before bed.

But the most distinctive and telling sound of all is the howl of the wind. And boy does it howl. The howl tells us it’s cold, very, very cold. And, unfortunately,  for the last two nights starting in the early hours of the morning the relentless howl has clearly and triumphantly announced that we would not be climbing today. That we would remain at high camp, confined to our cramped tents for another day. That the summit would have to wait. The howl is the gatekeeper to our adventure. So here we are again today - our third day at high camp - relying on our creativity to pass the time. Meeting other climbers from around the world and chatting with them for as long as you can stand the biting cold, shivering in front of the stack of squeaky styrofoam ice blocks arranged to give a hint of privacy while you try to poop into a plastic bag before you get frostbite in places you had never before worried about getting frostbite.  Or laughing and telling stories of our prior adventures in the mess tent over cups of hot chocolate.  Or listening to a podcast, concerned the entire time you’re wasting valuable battery life that will cost you pictures of the summit when we get  there tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day …

RMI Climber Chris Lind

Sunday, December 1, 2024 - 11:45 am PT

Yesterday we had the most beautiful day, mostly calm, clear skies, warm enough. The strange thing was that it was forecasted that we would have high winds and blowing snow. It wasn’t that the forecast was wrong necessarily, it just got the timing wrong. At around midnight the winds showed up, transporting about half a foot of snow around our tents and in every nook and cranny it could find. Bitter cold, shaking our tents, and making it clear today was no summit day. So instead we woke, winds still howling, and got to work. Building higher walls, clearing the nooks of our gear of snow, and making a high camp breakfast of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. We’ll take another day to recoup, rehydrate, and eat eat eat. Crossing our fingers that tomorrow is our day! Whoever didn’t wish us luck back at home, we blame you entirely.

Till tomorrow!
RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli

Sunday, December 1, 2024 - 11:45 am PT

Yesterday we had the most beautiful day, mostly calm, clear skies, warm enough. The strange thing was that it was forecasted that we would have high winds and blowing snow. It wasn’t that the forecast was wrong necessarily, it just got the timing wrong. At around midnight the winds showed up, transporting about half a foot of snow around our tents and in every nook and cranny it could find. Bitter cold, shaking our tents, and making it clear today was no summit day. So instead we woke, winds still howling, and got to work. Building higher walls, clearing the nooks of our gear of snow, and making a high camp breakfast of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. We’ll take another day to recoup, rehydrate, and eat eat eat. Crossing our fingers that tomorrow is our day! Whoever didn’t wish us luck back at home, we blame you entirely.

Till tomorrow!
RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli