Entries By nicole de petris
Posted by: Dave Hahn, James Bealer, Mitch Valaitis, Nicole De Petris, Rosie Hust, Miles Watson, Stella Johnson, Nina Bridges
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
The Four-Day Climb from May 26–29, led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn and James Bealer, was unable to make a summit attempt this morning due to sustained high winds and stronger gusts. The teams remained safely sheltered at Camp Muir and will begin their descent to Paradise later this morning.
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Nicole De Petris, Avery Stolte, Hannah Blum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 13,000'
The May 9–12 Four Day Climb enjoyed a beautiful morning on the mountain, with clear skies, calm winds, and cold temperatures. RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli led the team to 13,000 feet before route conditions prompted a turnaround. The climbers will return to Camp Muir for a brief rest before continuing down to Paradise this afternoon.
PC: Dominic Cifelli
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Ecuador
A Final Day in Ecuador: Reflections and Goodbyes
After an incredible adventure, we made our way back to Quito, wrapping up our time in Ecuador. We squeezed in some last-minute souvenir shopping, picking up mementos to remember the trip by. As the evening approached, we gathered for a wonderful final team dinner, reminiscing about the amazing experiences we had shared. Conversations turned toward the future, with talk of returning to climb Chimborazo and Antisana. But for now, we had to say our final "see you laters," cherishing the memories made and the bonds formed.
Safe travels!
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Saturday, February 15, 2025 - 7:55 pm PT
A Change in Plans Due to Weather
This morning, we woke up to heavy rain at Chimborazo Lodge. Despite the downpour, we followed the plan and drove to the trailhead, hoping for a break in the weather. Unfortunately, the rain persisted, making conditions difficult. On top of that, avalanche danger on Chimborazo is high, and lightning was a real danger on the ridge trail to high camp.
Given these risks, we made the decision to abandon our 2-hour hike in the rain and our attempt to climb Chimborazo. Rather than pushing forward, we chose to head to Baños for a chance at a very different adventure and to explore a different side of Ecuador.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Elevation: 19,348'
RMI Guides Walter Hailes & Nicole DePetris checked in from the summit of Cotopaxi this morning. It was a cold day with not many views but the route was good and the entire team reached the summit.
Nice work everyone!
RMI Guide Walt Hailes calls from the summit of Cotopaxi.
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
It has been a treat to rest, relax, and learn after a big day on our feet. The morning consisted of learning haul systems, rope ascension, and EARNEST anchors. As the downpour began, we taxied into the town of Cumbayá for lunch of taco flights and quesadillas. We spent a few hours of the afternoon exploring one of the wealthiest suburbs of Quito. The rain continued for most of the afternoon so we headed back to our hotel for dinner of more local Ecuadorian dishes. Everyone is feeling rested and ready for our Cotopaxi climb!
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Elevation: 18,997'
RMI Guide Walter Hailes checked in the from the summit of Cayambe at 18,997' today. The entire group reached the summit in what sounds like great conditions.
Listen to Walter's voicemail below.
Nice work team! Congratuations!
The team has safely descended and will enjoy a bit of a rest day tomorrow along with some training.
RMI Guide Walt Hailes calls from the summit of Cayambe.
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Elevation: 15,300'
Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 2:57 pm PT
We are excited for our first glaciers in Ecuador.
A fun, bumpy 4x4 ride delivered us to the climbers hut where we unpacked and settled into the penthouse suite. That is a nice way to say we had to haul all our gear up a bunch of stairs and everyone was breathing heavy.
After moving in, we refreshed our walking and cramponing techniques on the rocks and dirt just above the hut.
We also met the rest of our guide team, Carmelo, Jorge and Gustavo who joined us for dinner. They are warm and friendly and quickly becoming part of the team.
We enjoyed a delicious dinner of quinoa-potato soup, followed by chicken and rice. We are getting to bed early in preparation for our early start tomorrow.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
We woke up early to a taste breakfast at the hacienda. Quickly loaded the bus and headed out. Our first stop was the vibrant Otavalo Market. The colors of the woven textiles, the aroma of fresh flowers, and the lively chatter of local vendors filled the space. We wandered from stall to stall, picking out unique gift. Some crazier than others.
After a few hours of shopping, we drove south toward Cayambe, passing through rolling hills dotted with grazing cattle. The road twisted and turned, leading us to a spacious hut at the foot of the volcano.
Along the way, we grabbed some hearty sandwiches, some of which were bigger than expected.
Finally, we arrived at the lower hut on Cayambe. The clouds scrouded the mountains most of the day but we did get a quick peak at the snowy slopes we hope to climb.
Nicole taught a master class on climbing knots. Everyone diligently practiced tying while laughing at our mistakes but feeling accomplished as the knots became second nature.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Friday, February 7, 2025 - 6:57 pm PT
After getting a peak at Cayambe on our hike yesterday, we were eager to make our way to the mountains. We packed our bags and set off from Quito to Laguna Cuicocha, a beautiful crater lake surrounded by jungles and peaks near to our next hotel in Otavalo. Clouds sat high up in the sky for most of the day, sunlight peaking through for the first half of our circumnavigation of the lake. Just as we hit the parking lot after our 7.5 mile hike, the light sprinkle turned into rain and we hopped in the bus to Itinyaya Residencias, our stay for the night. We chatted by the fire in the main lodge after settling into our rooms and capped off the night with a team dinner of more local meals.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
