Entries from Mexico
RMI Guide Mike King called in from the Orizaba summit!
"This is Mike King with Team Mexico. We are standing on top of el Pico de Orizaba, the third highest peak in North America! Light winds and visibility all the way out to Ixta and Popo. It was a great climb. We will check back in with you when we get back down to high camp."
On The Map
Posted by: Mike King, Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
This is Mike, we had a long descent from the Ixta summit and high camp. Everyone is well and getting cleaned up in Puebla. Tomorrow is a day off to rest, eat tacos and hangout at the beautiful square in historic Puebla. Your loved ones have Internet and cell coverage, hit them up for details on the trip thus far. Friday we are off to Piedra Grande to prep for our Orizaba attempt!
RMI Guide Mike King
RMI Guide Mike King called from the summit of Ixtaccihuatl (17,340') at 6:15 am PT today. His team was taking photos and enjoying the views from the summit. They will descend to High Camp, pack their gear and continue their descent from the mountain. The team will travel to Puebla later today.
Congratulations to the team!
On The Map
We are all nestled in at our high camp on Ixta at 15,500ft. The team carried heavy packs while taking in the amazing vistas with a cool breeze keeping the temperature manageable.
We will plan on getting an early start for our summit bid so the team can pack up camp and descend into the rest day and tacos al pastor that awaits us in Puebla. Getting to the top of Ixta is just another step in acclimating for our chance at standing on top of Pico de Orizaba, the third highest peak in North America.
Everyone is doing well and sends their best back home.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
Go Kierstie and Justin, soak it all in and enjoy the mountains!
Love Dad
Posted by: Scott Cameron on 2/21/2017 at 7:14 pm
Monday, February 20, 2017 - 5:32 pm PT
The Team continues to enjoy the food and rolling countryside here in Mexico. We are spending the night at the Altzomoni Hut, at 13,200' that overlooks Popo, the neighboring volcano. While today was mostly a travel day between La Malinche and Ixtaccihuatl, we did manage to hike for 2 hours through the lower slopes surrounded by dry bunch grass and a cool breeze.
We spent the afternoon sorting gear and getting ready for our move up to high camp in the morning. Everyone is acclimating well and eager to start our first climb of the trip. The mountain is dry this time of year and we have some high winds forecasted. We will keep our fingers crossed for clear skies and calm winds.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
Posted by: Mike King, Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Day two in Mexico was very successful. We climbed to 13,400 feet for our acclimatization hike on La Malinche then made it back to the cabins at the old Olympic training facility for time to shower and lounge on the grass. For dinner we had sizzling cactus and steak served on hot coals. The group is healthy and happy and starting a game of counting stray dogs. Off to Ixta tomorrow! Here's a photo of lounging in front of La Malinche.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
Posted by: Mike King
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Saturday, February 18, 2017 8:35 pm PT
This is Mike with RMI's Mexico Volcanoes trip. All the climbers arrived in Mexico City with luggage and enthusiasm. We had a nice team dinner and got to know each other a bit. From here we will leave the sprawling grasp of Mexico City for the scenic and rolling country side of La Malinche. Tomorrow's plan is to have an acclimatization hike to stretch the legs and lungs so the Team is prepared for our first objective, Ixtaccihuatl 17,340'. We'll check in each day and update those back home.
RMI Guide Mike King
Posted by: Mark Tucker, Hannah Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
AMO MEXICO
These climbing expeditions are so much more than putting one foot in front of the other for hours on end. It really is fun and exciting pushing yourself way beyond what you think is your limit. Such a great mental boost and refreshing perspective you return home with that your friends, family and co-workers always benefit from the zest for life you exude. A few hour drive, seamless check in and the team is on the way home. We all not only climbed the third tallest mountain in North America, but were true ambassadors. Thank you team for representing the USA with great poise. Have I told you guys what a great job you did!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Thank you to the whole team! Special appreciation to Mark and Hannah along with the local guides. We couldn’t have done it without all of you. It was a wonderful trip and experience of a lifetime.
Posted by: Sierra on 11/14/2016 at 5:21 am
A big and successful day for the RMI Mexico team. A fifteen-hour summit day on Pico de Orizaba. We woke up to perfect weather. Right out of the gate it is steep. No new snow at 14,000' so it was dirt and rock to start. After about an hour we entered a crazy area called the labyrinth. Such exciting terrain winding through gully after gully with mixed moderate climbing. We put on the crampons as the snow got firmer adding to the fun and excitement of the climb. Still dark with the beautiful moon we arrived at the base of the glacier. Ropes, ice axe and all the other toys that a prudent mountaineer hauls up hill were part of the next phase. Long and pretty darn steep at that point. Snow conditions were perfect and not much wind. As the sun rose, imagine the shadow cast on the surface of the Earth by this monolithic monster of a volcano. What a sight. Keeps me coming back for more. The team did an outstanding job up and down. The team is sleepy but still lots to do here at the historic old soap factory, which is our digs for the night.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls from the Orizaba summit!
On The Map
Buenos tardes!
Today we made the journey to Tlachichuca where the great Sr. Reyes lives. Sr. Reyes runs Servimont, the guide service we use to get to Piedra Grande by 4X4 trucks. The compound to which he runs his operation was once a soap factory. One of the drums used in the process to make the soap came from Philadelphia. But enough with the history lesson and back to the climbing. Once we arrived in Tlachichuca we were down to business, doing yet another gear shuffle. We packed our bags, ate a delicious lunch, and boarded the 4X4 trucks. A two-hour drive up a very bumpy and steep road brought us to Piedra Grande which sits at roughly 14,000'. We were in and out of the clouds while we pitched our tents and got settled in. Before eating dinner we had a refresher course of our skills for the climb. With fully tummies of probably the best rotisserie chicken we had ever had, we are off to get some shut eye before an early alpine start. Hopefully the next time you here from us we will be cal ling in from the summit.
Till then, good night to all,
RMI Guides Mark Tucker, Hannah Smith, and team
Looks awesome! Good luck, stay strong!
Posted by: Paul Lawrence on 11/14/2016 at 7:11 am
Good luck to all! I know you have it in ya dad!
Posted by: Kate denver on 11/12/2016 at 7:27 pm
Time for huevos rancheros and cerveza, the breakfast of champions.
Congratulations.
Posted by: Art Muir on 2/24/2017 at 1:26 pm
It looks like some awesome scenery! Best of luck! Enjoy the experience!
Posted by: Debbi Ersch on 2/23/2017 at 5:28 pm
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