Entries By joe hoch
Posted by: Eric Frank, Joe Hoch, Dylan Anderson, Mitch Valaitis, Layne Peters, Arianna Drechsler, Jack Ritterson, Brooks Ordway-Smith, David Ruthbun
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI Guides Eric Frank and Joe Hoch led their Four Day Climb June 2 - 5 to the summit of Mt. Rainier today. They reached the summit shortly after 7 am and reported clear skies and light winds. The teams will enjoy some time in the crater before starting their descent back to Camp Muir. After a short stop, they will continue down to Paradise and return to Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
PC: Layne Peters & Joe Hoch
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Joe Hoch, Celeste Wilson, Calvin Jiricko, Bailey Servais, Tom Skoog, Fitz Elder, Miles Watson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb led by Dave Hahn and Joe Hoch reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 7:30 AM today!
It’s a beautiful, sunny day with light winds, allowing the team to spend about an hour on the summit soaking in the views and celebrating their accomplishment.
Congratulations to all!
WOOHOO!!!!!
Posted by: T Northrup on 5/24/2025 at 4:08 pm
Awesome job Zach!!!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 5/24/2025 at 1:31 pm
Posted by: Casey Grom, Joe Hoch, Mitch Valaitis, Joey Manship, Miles Watson, Hannah Billings, Celeste Wilson, Nina Bridges
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
May 16–19 Four-Day Climb Update:
The climbing teams, led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Joe Hoch, departed Camp Muir at 3:00 a.m. for their summit attempt. They reached Ingraham Flats; however, deteriorating weather conditions forced them to turn back. The teams have returned safely to Camp Muir and plan to begin their descent around 10:00 a.m., when a break in the weather is expected.
PC: Nina Bridges, Joey Manship, Joe Hoch
Posted by: Eric Frank, Joe Hoch, Ben Ammon, Calvin Jiricko, Tom Skoog, Hannah Billings
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 13,100'
Led by RMI Guides Eric Frank and Joe Hoch, the Four Day Climb May 8 - 11 teams reached an elevation of 13,100 feet today before being turned back due to route conditions. They are currently descending to Camp Muir for a short rest and to repack before continuing down to Paradise later this afternoon.
Three for Three on Mexico’s Volcanoes!
A week of hail storms, dark clouds and lightning was nice and all, but as we drove closer to Tlachichuca and were treated to a stunning view of 18,500 foot Pico de Orizaba backed only by a blue sky, it felt like spring break.
We were running early and carried that luck all the way up the two hour 4x4 road to Piedra Grande, our Orizaba high camp at 14,000 feet. Dinner was at 4:30pm, and bed time came early at 5:30pm. This allowed us room to at least claim that we’d gotten some good sleep when tents were rattled at 11:30pm.
As we climbed under a bright half moon with light winds it seemed like cheating. After single-pushing on Ixta what we’d normally do in two days, a simple 4,500 foot climb was coming easy. That is until we hit the 17,000 foot mark and things started to grind.
But just as things were getting tougher with the elevation, Orizaba gave us all the classics. An amazing sunrise, the pyramid mountain shadow and finally the false summit with only a short walk to the true summit.
We all stood on top of the highest point in Mexico and third highest point in North America in the warm sun with barely any wind.
A great finish to a strong trip by all our climbers!
RMI Guide Joe Hoch
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes February 1, 2025
Posted by: Joe Hoch, Felipe Guarderas
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Puebla Rest Day and Off to Orizaba
After our single push of Ixta, the Mexico Volcanoes team deserved a rest. We took full advantage of Puebla’s welcoming streets, cathedrals and parks and mostly lazed around for a day.
Two nights of sleep, some light sightseeing, a gold plated brisket sandwich this time, and even some parking garage yoga later, we reluctantly packed the van back up and headed to Tlachichuca.
We’re off to attempt our highest summit of the trip, Volcan Orizaba. Wish us luck!
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes February 1, 2025
100% Team Summit of Ixta!
Fresh off our successful summit of Malinche dodging thunder storms, our Mexico Volcanoes team pulled into La Joya, our basecamp for Volcan Iztaccihautl, to find dime-sized hail falling and lightening cracking just overhead.
We overheard a trip report from some nice climbers who had camped at 15,500'. “Our hair was buzzing. We threw everything metal out of the tent, then the lightening struck! I still can’t feel my thumbs!”
This pretty well made our decision for us to not walk out into the storm to our high camp on a ridge. Easy decision, but it meant that summiting Ixta the next day would be anything but easy, and could only be done in a single push from La Joya.
We discussed with the team that this would be a very long and demanding day, and they were all excited for the challenge.
And they crushed it! We left camp at 1am and walked the normal three miles and 2,000 feet to high camp, then turned to the upper mountain, and no one flinched. Eight and a half total hours of climbing later we all stood in the sun on the 17,169' summit of Ixta.
Our total time on the climb was a little over 14 hours, with somewhere around 5,500 vertical feet. Half of which we normally do in a big day the day before. Strong work by our whole team!
As we pulled into Puebla around 6pm for our much needed rest day, there wasn't an open eye in the van.
RMI Guide Joe Hoch
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes February 1, 2025
Congratulations, Christian! Very proud of you. And thank you to Joe and team. Onward and upward to Orizaba! —- Dad
Posted by: Geoff Culbert on 2/8/2025 at 8:44 am
100% Team Summit of La Malinche!
We arrived to La Malinche cabins at 10,000 feet under sun and puffy clouds. Everyone enjoyed a pleasant walk to stretch the legs, then went to rest and prepare for our big climb in the morning.
Around 5:30pm our tranquil mountain setting was rudely interrupted by dozens and dozens of lightening bolts and thunder that was way too close. Then the heavy rain started and as we went to bed, waterfalls and lakes were forming around the cabin grounds.
Surprisingly, 5 am brought a starry sky and perfect climbing temperatures! And as we made our way past tree-line at 12,800 feet, a rare sight greeted us-La Malinche covered in snow almost like the old timey photos in the basecamp restaurant.
The team was expecting a ‘training hike’, not a ‘mixed snow and ice alpine climb’, but the new snow was good walking, and after a couple belayed sections on the summit block we all gathered for a quick summit photo. Quick! Because as we smiled for the camera, thunder clapped right above our heads and it was time to go!
We walked down through dime sized hail and more thunder, which will only make the meat tower at dinner taste that much better!
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes February 1, 2025
Well I am happy to report that our Mexico Volcanoes team all arrived safely as of last night. We met in the lovely lobby of our Hotel Geneve and had a nice chat about what to expect in the next few days. Followed by a classic dinner of local tacos.
We’re headed this morning to La Malinche to begin acclimating to the elevation.
Tomorrow we go for our first summit, La Malinche at 14,500’!
RMI Guide Joe Hoch
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes February 1, 2025
As we slowly bounced our way up the 4x4 road to Pico de Orizaba high camp at 14,000', a thick wet fog started to coat the windshield and then our tents. I semi jokingly asked our local guide Allan when the fog would clear. ‘11pm’ he replied, laughing.
Sure enough, when we woke around 1230am, we were greeted by a starry sky and cold! A 12,000' freezing level on an 18,500' mountain had us leaving camp in pretty much all our layers, and I for one stayed in my summit parka from camp to the summit.
We were treated to great conditions on our climb of Orizaba. The Labyrinth, commonly a confusing and tricky walk through loose then smooth then loose rock, was all easy snow. And as we passed 16,000' onto the upper mountain, the cramponing was easy.
Our team pushed hard toward the summit, and was welcomed by a beautiful sunrise and the classic Orizaba pyramid shadow over the lowlands. We gained the summit ridge, and warm sun greeted us at the top of Mexico.
We spent a pleasant half hour on the summit, carefully made our way back to camp, and eventually were treated to a delicious dinner in Tlachichuca.
Congratulations to the team on a long week and some strong climbing!
RMI Guide Joe Hoch
I’m so thankful to have met and climbed (to Muir) with this group of people. There was so much positivity and honesty amongst this group of strangers. It was inspiring to watch each person climb and battle their way to the summit and back. RMI’s guides are beyond impressive. The strength you all posses is incredible. To do what you do AND be personable AND lighthearted is truly a gift. I cant say enough about all the things you had to juggle to make this trip a success. Thank you to everyone for making this one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Posted by: Nate on 6/6/2025 at 9:53 am
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