Entries By dustin wittmier
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A day wandering among the colonial walls of Puebla leaves us relaxed and ready. A short drive and we're in Tlachichuca. After what feels like a much longer drive, we're at Piedra Grande. The road into the mountains is scarcely maintained and yet constantly ridden. Reminiscent of Ixtaccíhuatl's trails, there are a great many random intersections, deep ruts, protruding rocks, and washouts. The locals clearly hold scant regard for instructive signage, and thankfully, our driver needs none. We have one of our favorite meals of the trip at camp at 14000' -- more meat, cheese, veggies, and tortillas. And then it's time for bed.
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By contrast, the 1 AM start feels reasonable. Still, the no-longer sleepers lament their rude departure from the cool and languid maw of REM sleep as they force down coffee and tea, oatmeal and cheerios. Dustin shares a vision of the world come to a white end. The would-be dreamers ascend through darkness, treading an old aqueduct, just a bit too steep to be an enjoyable trail, past random spray paint memorials, curiously abiding, and finally to the mouth of the Labyrinth. Weaving through this violent mess of a glacier's last destructive efforts, we finally make our way up and out to the current moraine, sandy and desolate. The Glacier lies above. Eerily still, devoid of the chaotic structures we associate with living glaciers, this mass of ice sits like a ghost on the mountain: a commemoration of a period of cooler Earth and accumulation of snow.
Hunched and hooded like dark penitents the climbers huff and struggle to raise each onerous step. Slowly the sun lights the land but shares no perceivable warmth. Our route takes us up the north side of the peak and we poor solar supplicants are left shivering in the gray penumbra. After a few false summits we reach the highest point of Pico de Orizaba, along the deep crater's rim. A few steps down the steep, dusty bank, the air is curiously still, and we settle in to glean what we can from the thin atmosphere and supplement with snacks and water from our packs.
A fine dinner and a better breakfast are gratefully consumed by our weary team back in the ex-soap factory of Servimont. Now we're headed home.
RMI Guide Will Ambler and team
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes November 8, 2025
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Will Ambler
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
A dozen bright eyed cyclops laboring through the labyrinthine network of undesigned trails, clinging to each breath knowing the next will have less to offer. A cough escapes. For some of us this is the highest we've been, for all, the highest in recent memory. More to go.
Many hours later our team reached the summit of Iztaccíhuatl under a warm sun and brilliant blue sky. No small feat. And neither was the return. Though the views of the day extended far beyond the dusty trail of the night. Deep glacial valleys whose soft rock has been reworked by more recent year's liquids- delicate degradation of cyclopean castle walls. A gently erupting neighboring volcano, dispensing its vapors toward the valleys below.
Now as we look back up through the haze, the bittersweet, almost somber, feeling of a difficult journey tholed holds the occupants of our van; pensive and grateful.
RMI Guide Will Ambler
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes November 8, 2025
"Hard weather says the old man. Wrap me in the weathers of the earth, I will be hard and hard. My face will turn rain like the stones." Cormac McCarthy
In our efforts of acclimatization our team enjoyed frosty wet winds, an in-depth tour of the grand interiors of a cloud. Our climbers bedazzled in rime; hooded migrants iced for a birthday. Happy birthday Nate! The summit of Volcan Malinche reached and no grand views but the middle floors of our gaseous estate. Soggy and satisfied we descended through scree, sand, and mud. Lungs and legs the better for it. Welcomed by the quadrupedal locals back to our interim homes at La Malintzi, we find the sub cloud world refreshing and rewarding. Another feast at 10,000 feet. Another cozy night in beds and cabins. Onward now to Iztaccíhuatl. Vamos viajeros.
RMI Guide Will Ambler
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes November 8, 2025
The Mexico Volcanoes team led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier and Will Ambler arrived in Mexico City on Saturday. The team headed out of the city the following morning to La Malintzi resort, located at 10,000ft. They enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and began their acclimatization process. Today the team stretched their legs and lungs on a hike to the summit of La Malinche, 14,636', it was cloudy and a bit cold. They will return to the cabanas at the base of the mountain for a second night. Tomorrow they will make their way to the base of Ixtaccihuatl.
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes November 8, 2025
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Mike Bennett, Avery Stolte, Layne Peters, Tate Hughes, Nina Bridges, Julian Kral, David Rathbun
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb August 17 - 20 led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier and Mike Bennett reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The teams delayed their departure from Camp Muir a bit due to the colder tempertures, with a 2 am departure, they reached the summit around 8 am. They enjoyed some time on the summit before turning around and retracing their steps. Once back at Camp Muir the team will repack and continue their descent to Paradise.
Nice work team!
Awesome Dustin!!!
Very Cool Pictures!!!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 8/21/2025 at 3:45 am
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Seth Burns, Layne Peters, Ben Thorneycroft, Erika Barrett, Mac Nolde, Julian Kral, Brooks Ordway Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI’s Four Day Climb, Aug 11-14 successfully reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today.
They reported 100% of the team was on top enjoying the calm weather and beautiful views this morning.
They are currently descending and will take a short but much needed break at Camp Muir before heading down to Paradise later this afternoon.
Congratulations to all of them!
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Tatum Whatford, Raymond Holt, Mac Nolde, Kayanna Hopkins, Jack Ritterson, Matt Tucker, Erika Barrett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb August 7 - 10 led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier & Tatumn Whatford reached the summit of Mt. Rainier around 6:30 am today. Tatum reported that it was a little windy and a little cold but it was turning into a beautiful morning on the mountain. The teams spent about an hour in the summit crater before starting their descent. Once back at Camp Muir they will take a quick break and repack their gear before contining the final 4.5 miles to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's teams!
PC: Tatum Whatford
Posted by: Casey Grom, Dustin Wittmier, Arianna Drechsler, Julian Kral, Kat Porter, Celeste Wilson, Stella Johnson, Annie Chapman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
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With calm and beautiful skies, the Four Day Climbs led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Dustin Wittmier reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The teams spent time on the summit enjoying the views of the 8,000' cloud deck blanketing the lower elevations. Currently on their descent to Camp Muir, the teams will be back in Ashford later this afternoon.
Congratulations climbers!
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Hannah Blum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
Monday, July 21, 2025 4:37pm PDT
100% summits on the Coleman-Deming route. We summitted just after 9am and got back to camp before the rain!
It's been a chill afternoon waiting out rain showers in the tent and intermittently napping.
We plan to descend in the morning.
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier & Team
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Lacie Smith, Rosie Hust, Jack Ritterson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14, 410'
The Expedition Skills Seminar Team, led by RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier, reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today via the Emmons Glacier.
Over the past week, the team has been training on the upper slopes of Mt. Rainier, honing a variety of advanced alpine techniques. Today, they put those skills to the test and successfully climbed to the top of the mountain.
The team will spend one more night at Camp Schurman before descending and returning to Rainier Basecamp tomorrow afternoon.
Congratulations to the entire team on a successful summit!
Great job team! Thanks again Dustin, Lacie, Rosie, and Jack.
Posted by: Paul Morgan on 7/5/2025 at 4:53 am
Awesome Dustin!!!!!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 11/18/2025 at 5:31 am
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