Entries By eric frank
RMI Guide Andy Bond and Team just called from the summit of Pequeño Alpamayo a 5370 m peak in the Condoriri Group. Andy reported great climbing conditions and beautiful weather. The team climbed strong, and will be starting their descent shorty.
Congratulations Team!
Update: 5:19 pm PT
Hey just letting you know we’re back at camp safe and sound... well fed and ready for some sleep. Long day on a challenging route but everyone is doing great! We’ll update tomorrow with an actual blog post
RMI Guides Eric Frank and Andy Bond
It’s a few minutes after 8pm and the Bolivia climbing team members are already cuddled inside our respective sleeping bags, excited for tomorrow.
Today was a good day. We awoke to a quick breakfast and broke down our tents as the sun crested the ridge to our east. Thirty minutes later, our duffels were loaded on donkeys and we moved camp uphill two hours to our high camp.
This afternoon we hiked to the toe of the glacier and did some training on advanced techniques- cramponing on ice, short roping and the finer points of pitched climbing. Now we have the skill set we need to tackle our first climb, Pequeño Alpamayo, tomorrow.
The weather looks good and with any luck we should be calling from the top by mid to late morning.
RMI Guide Eric Frank
Good luck on your first climb
Go Team Frank
Posted by: Mom and Dad Zabinski on 5/30/2018 at 7:51 pm
Our beach vacation on Isla del Sol came to an end today as we made our way into the Bolivian Andes to begin the mountain portion of the trip.
The first of our three peaks is called Pequeno Alpamayo, located next to Condoriri. The views were amazing as we walked to our Base Camp at 14,700’, located at the base of the valley surrounded by big glaciated peaks, including Huayna Potosi (our 2nd peak on the trip).
We are all enjoying the luxuries of amazing home cooked meals including having lunch today at Gregorio’s house (a local farmer) on the way to base camp.
Tomorrow we’ll move camp and do some training on a glacier before our first summit attempt.
RMI Guides Eric Frank & Andy Bond
Another day of brilliant blue skies greeted us this morning while we sipped coffee and ate a lazy breakfast. The objective for the day was to take a meandering walk along the terraced ridges and slopes of Isla del Sol, gaining some additional acclimatization and taking in the cultural landscape of a society that has changed very little in the last few hundred years.
The island doesn't have any roads, so the only traffic we had to contend with were braying donkeys, farmers moving from field to field and the occasional European tourist.
For lunch we were treated to a traditional Andean feast, Apthapi. To make Apthapi, the locals dig a hole and line it with square rocks. They then light a fire and heat the rocks and surrounding ground. After removing the embers and ash, layers of potatoes, beans and meat are placed in the hole and covered with dirt. They cook for several hours and eventually produce an extremely tasty combination.
Weary from four plus hours of walking, we returned to our Eco Lodge and spent the afternoon relaxing and taking in the view of distance mountains.
The sunset this evening, like most here, was spectacular. Shimmering rays bounced up off the surface of the lake multiplying the colors, and making for a dramatic closing to the day.
RMI Guide Eric Frank
Just breathtaking
Never new to much about Bolivia but now know of its natural beauty
Thinking and sending good wishes to all
Julie kiss Stephen for us
Stephen kiss a Julie for us
Love you both
Go team Frank
Posted by: Tina and a John Zabinski on 5/28/2018 at 6:49 pm
It’s been so amazing to see all of this! Hi Dad (Mogens), i love you so much. I’m proud of you.
Love Jules Mary Pono and Malia
Kids think you are pretty darn cool
Posted by: Mary on 5/28/2018 at 5:18 pm
Our time in La Paz was short, as we awoke to another beautiful day here in Bolivia and made the three-hour drive to Lake Titicaca to take in the scenery and get acclimated to the 13,000’ altitude.
We walked amongst old Incan ruins and small farming villages surrounding the lake. The Bolivian Andes mountains on one side and Perú off in the distance across the lake to the north.
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. We took the opportunity to take a couple of ferry rides across the lake to different islands including driving through Copacabana. To get to our final destination for the night on Isla del Sol “Island of the Sun” we took a short boat shuttle to our eco lodge overlooking the lake and surrounding mountains.
The views are incredible as we got to watch the sunset light up the mountains across the lake. As we head to bed the near full moon is glistening on the water. We look forward to another day tomorrow walking around the island and all that it has to offer.
RMI Guide Andy Bond
I’m enjoying learning and seeing the beauty of Bolivia
To All
Enjoy
Be safe
Posted by: Tina /John zabinski on 5/28/2018 at 6:43 am
The honking horns had subsided and the streets were nearly bare this morning at 5 am, when fellow guide And Bond and I got up to make the chilly trip up to El Alto Airport at 13,400' on the Bolivia Altiplano. Three out of our six climbers arrived on the same flight, and after clearing immigration had piled their duffel bags next to an airport coffee shop, awaiting our arrival.
After a quick round of hand shakes and high fives, we grabbed a cup of coffee each and headed outside to hail taxis into the city. The soft beds at Hotel Ritz provided a few hours of rest before we had a late morning meeting to discuss the plan for the day.
The point of today, along with the next few days, is to play tourist and allow our bodies time to acclimate. After leaving the hotel, we visited several neighborhoods by using the new citywide teleferiquo system, a series of gondola lines that crisscross the city. The views of Huayna Potosi and Illimani from the gondola cars were incredible.
On the walk back to the hotel we were serenaded by loud music from a passing parade. This weekend is the Fiesta del Gran Poder (festival of the great power) which is one of the largest festivals in Bolivia. We watched thousands upon thousands of dancers, marching bands and people in traditional costumes stream by.
Tomorrow morning we launch north toward Lake Titicaca and Isla de Sol.
RMI Guides Eric Frank, Andy Bond & Team
Good luck Julie and Stephen and fellow climbers
I know you will all do great
A lot of angels watching over the team
Posted by: Tina zabinski on 5/27/2018 at 8:41 am
Posted by: Eric Frank, Jenny Konway
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir May 13 - 18 led by RMI Guides Eric Frank and Jenny Konway reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The team reported beautiful clear skies and great climbing conditions on their summit attempt this morning. The team ascended to Camp Muir on Monday and has spent the week with training and instruction near Camp Muir. They will return to Camp Muir for their final night on the mountain. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp tomorrow.
Congratulations to all the climbers!
Sammy sends all her love and wants to be there with you.
Posted by: alice on 5/17/2018 at 10:34 am
WooHoo! Congratulations Jay! Enjoy that view and never forget it!
Posted by: Cory Prykull on 5/17/2018 at 8:27 am
Hello, this is Eric Frank and team up on the North Side of Mt. Shuksan. I just wanted to send a quick note and let everyone know that we reached the summit this morning. It was a textbook climb in perfect weather conditions.
We intend to descend to Lake Anne later this afternoon, and work our way out to the trailhead in the morning.
RMI Guide Eric Frank
The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guides Eric Frank and JM Gorum reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Eric reported clear skies all the way to the top! The team will spend some time enjoying the views
Congratulations to today's team!
Way to go Franko!! So proud of you!! Love you! Tbone.
Posted by: TERESA HELMLY on 8/21/2017 at 9:40 am
Posted by: Eric Frank
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Hello, this is Eric Frank. Just giving you a call from Mount Shuksan. Wanted to let everyone who is following along that we are safe and sound back in camp. We had a good day of climbing up on the glacier and the summit pyramid. Unfortunately we were not able to reach the summit. The rain from yesterday kind of lingered late into the evening. There was a big, wet cloud that hung over the glacier that didn't let us get out of camp until mid morning today. But we did climb up the glacier, got to the base of the pyramid, and got to go through a little bit of that terrain, and experience what that climbing is like. We then made the safe call to come back down before things got too late in the day, and we had to come down in the dark. We enjoyed ourselves. We're all happy and doing quite well. Hope everyone out there is doing well, take care.
RMI Guide Eric Frank
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Great job
Strong team
Way to go
Posted by: John Zabinski on 6/1/2018 at 7:19 pm
Wow!!! Great Job Team! From Anna, Shelby and Sammie!!!
Posted by: Anna Baldwin on 5/31/2018 at 6:09 pm
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