Entries from Mexico

Pico. De. Orizaba. 

What an incredible place, an incredible volcano, and an incredible climb. Congratulations to the team today for making it to el cumbre! After a glorious dinner last night before bed, prepared by the wonderful Rudolpho and Allan, we woke up same night to tackle our final objective. The night shined bright thanks to an almost full moon, lighting up the Labyrinth light a simple fable....with almost no wind and not a mouse to be heard (only felt on the back of the head while sleeping), we then enjoyed an insanely colorful sunrise that pictures can't even describe. Not all of us made it, but we are ecstatic for those that did. Now here we sit, back in Tlachichuca, all showered and bonito again. We could not be more grateful for our local guide Allan, and the rest of the Servimont crew for all of their hosting, driving, cooking, and overall hospitality. David Bowie may portray it better, but we will miss this place, once we are gone.

RMI Guide Ben Luedtke & Team

Mexico dispatch 2.27.26

Today we woke way too early, with way too little coffee, to leave our
quaint spot in Puebla to head out for Tlachichuca (or as I  call it "T+10,"
that saves everyone from my terrible spelling and even worse pronunciation)...it's time for the main event, Pico de Orizaba.

We got a great tour of the soap factory turned climbers' hut that's 100+ years old. It was good little history lesson of the Industrial Revolution as well. Who knew climbing was so educational?!

We got one last quick & delicious lunch and fingers crossed we've got all our needed gear for the next ~24 hours. Then 2 hours of hot, bumpy, dusty and smoky fun up to our campsite.

It's been an amazing journey so far with great people and many memories made. From bumpy roads, unique baños, dusty hikes, delicious dinners and everything in between. This trip is definitely one for the books and it's not over yet!

High  camp is a beautiful rocky spot where the clouds envelop us. It's quite nice minus the wildfire smoke. The Refugio was a nice little place to have our dinner after a quick avalanche briefing and hike to get the blood flowing. Next step is up.

I want to take a moment to give a big thank you to all our families and friends back home who are supporting us chasing our dreams in
the mountains.  We couldn't do this without y'all. I hope y'all have enjoyed following us along on this adventure. (And a special hug to my Scoops! I miss you buddy.)

iMuchas Gracias!

RMI Climber Anna Hern

P.S. - I just lost the game ;)
#IYKYK

Today was a decadent day of relaxation in Puebla, named “Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO.

The day was warm, the sun was shining, and music filled the air. This historic city could not be more charming from its tree filled main square, to the artisan markets, churches, and restaurants.

During the day, we strolled the streets, visited Pirámide Tepalcáyotl, and just caught up on life and work.

We all met in the evening for a team dinner at an exceptional restaurant, Mural de los Poblanos. We tasted moles from the region (while wearing bibs), gazed up at the moon through the open ceiling, and caught up on each other’s days.

On the way home, we indulged in the largest churro one has ever seen. We took it back to the hotel and proudly ate it on the rooftop while taking in the city views. It was a truly special moment.

If we were to write a 6-word memoir for our time together it might be: ‘Came for mountains, left as friends.’

As we have remarked throughout the trip, we love the mountains, but it is really the people that make the experience. We all come for different reasons — to immerse in nature, to stand on the top of the world, to challenge ourselves and push boundaries, to enjoy time with friends, to be truly alive… and when we leave we are always a little bit changed in a profound way. We are grateful for our paths to have crossed and that we got to take this unforgettable journey together. 

Tomorrow we head to Pico de Orizaba for the last leg of our adventure. Here we come!

RMI Climber Whynde Kuehn

People have asked me why I climb mountains. My answer has changed over the years. The short answer is I climb mountains so I can escape the mountains of my mind. 

I like Robert McFarland’s quote on the subject too. 

“The true blessing of the mountains is not that they provide a challenge or a contest, something to be overcome and dominated (although this is how many people have approached them). It is that they offer something gentler and infinitely more powerful: they make us ready to credit marvels - whether it is the dark swirl which water makes beneath a plate of ice, or the feel of the soft pelts of moss which form on the lee sides of boulders and trees. Being in the mountains reignites our astonishment at the simplest transactions of the physical world: a snowflake a millionth of an ounce in weight falling on to one's outstretched palm, water patiently carving a runnel in a face of granite, the apparently motiveless shift of a stone in a scree-filled gully. To put a hand down and feel the ridges and score in a rock where a glaciers has passed, to hear how a hillside comes alive with moving water after a rain shower, to see late summer light filling miles of landscape like an inexhaustible liquid - none of these is a trivial experience. Mountains returns to us priceless capacity for wonder which can so insensibly be leached away by modern existence, and they urge us to apply that wonder to our own everyday lives.”

Mountains of the Mind, Robert McFarland

To wrap up how I’m feeling right now, laying in a tent, at 13,000 ft, when I dream, when I attempt to define happiness, this is it. To be with new and old friends outdoors, doing things that allow us to walk the line of comfort and risk. A guide helps control this risk and allows for this exploration of growth. Thanks Ben.

Sometimes I climb mountains just to say I did.

RMI Climber Hannah McEntire 

Ps: Congratulations to the team today for our summit on Izta!

Mexico Dispatch — 2.24.26

After another wonderful breakfast, we made our way out and over to Ixta. With a quick stop in Amecameca for enough water to drink a camel dry, we got ourselves checked into the park and made the bumpy ride to La Joya. Well-fed and packed up tight, we’re looking forward to at least a few hours of sleep before tackling our next objective: Ixta.

Hip hip, cumbre?

RMI Guide Ben and Team

We had a hearty breakfast at Malinzi Resort and loaded up small day packs to head up to the summit of La Malinche today. Everyone seemed to be feeling well. We had absolutely perfect weather for our hike. 

If you like the Disappointment Cleaver then you will love La Malinche. We had alot of loose scree and rock until the final scramble. 

Everyone made it to the gorgeous summit, our camp dog "Lizzy" included! We spent some time at the summit gathering 360 views and memories to share! 

We had an easy decent and made it back in time to relax and shower before dinner. 

Tomorrow on to the next mountain!

RMI Climber Maria McCoy

"Star Mountain"

Mountains allure us

Mexico we traveled to

Together we climb.

RMI Climber Jesse McEntire

Good morning from Mexico City!!!

What a beautiful place. After a wonderful plate of tacos for dinner, a good night of rest, and a relaxing breakfast, we are packed, mingled, and ready to roll. We are off to the cabins at La Malintzi. Today will be an easy day of acclimitization, but tomorrow will be our first true test to reach the top of Malinche at 4,461 meters. (14,636 feet) Dormant for the last 3,100 years, Malinche's original name was Matlalcueitl, meaning "lady of the blue skirt," a goddess of rain and song. Hopefully the goddess helps keep the rain away so we can reach the top to sing our song tomorrow. 

RMI Guide Ben Luedtke & Team

Blog- Interview style with father and son 

We beg your indulgence for any poor grammar, mispelllings, provocative language, or boldface lies. We are writing on an iPhone on the bus back to CDMX. Also some of us apparently watch Anthony Bourdain videos during class. 

Hardest part of the peak? 

G-Descending the glacier, I was leading our rope team. i wanted to set a good pace but didn’t want anyone to slip.

What was the make or break elevation? 

G- 16,800.  It reminded me of being at the top of the DC on Rainier. It ‘s  a point where you have to commit to finishing.  Climbing Ixta was a great reference point. Once we got past 17,100, it was a new highest altitude for each of us, and once I got there I believed I could get to the summit. 

What did the mountain teach you about life?

G- When things feel too hard you have to dig deeper. 

Describe Pulque, and how did it affect your progress up the mountain? 

E- One of the things I was most looking forward to in Puebla, after watching Anthony Bourdain’s “no reservations” in my math class, pulque or as we referred to it Mexican cactus jizz was as one would expect, pretty awful. The one redeeming quality was that it did give me the extra confidence to push through the glacier on orizaba, cause if I can tank half a liter of Pulque I can do anything.

G- I would describe Pulque as the glue you use to hang wallpaper, but slightly less appetizing, came in a cool jug though. I don’t drink, so I didn’t try it, but I am sure it puts hair on your ice ax. 

 How much sleep did you get?

G- That question presupposes that I got any sleep. I might have accidentally napped for 30 minutes.

E- I slept like a log from a cool 7:00 pm to when la jefa (Lacie) shook us awake at 12:30 am 

First thing you did when you got to the hostel/ or off the mountain?

G- tried to clean up the tent but fell asleep on Eli’s sleeping bag. 

E- shower beer.

Best mountain snack on Orizaba?

G-our amazing guide gave us meat sticks which we could not find in Mexico. 

E- my 400 mg of caffeine through various supplements including guu, shot blocks, and a yerba mate from the states.

How did you prepare in the morning?

G-1st question my sanity, then put leukotape on my heels. I never get blisters when I tape up and that small ritual of taking care of my body prepares my mindfor the climb. 

E- Threw in headphones and blasted some Strokes until I was able to start fighting the cold and leave the comfort of my sleeping bag.

How many times did you eat shit?

G- Not expressible in a number, it’s more a state of being. Fortunately it only happened when I was wearing my approch shoes lower on the mountain. I also caught myself as many times as I fell. Falling your way down the mountain can be a safe, acceptable means of descent. 

E- Question not applicable.

G- Show off. 

Worst part?

G- A couple of climbers had to turn around part way through, which was the absolute right judgment call, but made me question if I should go down too.

E- post summit I had a headache for about an hour and a half which blowed.

What new mountaineering techniques did you learn?

E-How to breathe through my nose which was only possible from 12 to 18 thousand feet. As well as more technical skills such as: climbing with a rope, walking flat footed, the most optimal height for a hiking pole( which I will be gatekeeping), and how to take a very scenic piss. 

What was it like to breathe at 18k feet?

G- surprisingly easy! that elevation was my biggest worry about the trip, and I am grateful it was not a problem. 

Describe the labyrinth. 

G- to quote Gimli: “an impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks.” I really enjoyed it because it involved scrambling through mixed Ice and rock, and made my rock climbing brain happy. 

Best part of Orizaba?

G-Walking up to the summit with my son was a high point of my life, not just of the trip. Also I enjoyed climbing through the base glacier above the labyrinth and listening to the crackle of the ice which was like shattering glass under my crampons.

E- Finally reaching the summit and taking in the views from 18 thousand feet above sea level.

What did you enjoy about Mexico on rest days?

G - Exploring central Puebla. It’s a gorgeous city and I will definitely come back.

E- The amazing food we found by wandering around aimlessly.

How hard was it for your dad to convince you to skip a week of your final semester of high school? 

E- It was a pretty hard decision, I had to choose between sitting through my brainless Math, Government, and Bio classes or go to Mexico and climb some of the highest peaks in North America, while eating great food and meeting amazing people.

Thanks for reading,

RMI Climbers Greg and Eli Robillard

Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 8:32 pm PT

Puebla, Mexico a city founded in April 1531 was the location of the Cinco de Mayo battle where Mexican forces defeated the French on May 5, 1862 even though they were outnumbered two to one.  This is also the location where the 2026 RMI Mexican Volcano expedition team took its first day of rest after summiting volcano Ixta.  Puebla is a bustling city with beautiful churches, lots of shopping, and very kind locals.  Some of the RMI expedition team did sight seeing tours, some shopped for loved ones back home, and others just took it easy. 

Puebla is set up in a grid system so it’s easy to navigate.  Like everywhere else the team has been all the locals are excited to interact with the expedition team even know our Spanish is mediocre at best.  

During our evening in Puebla the team enjoyed a group dinner where we chatted about preparations for Orizaba and discussed how each other’s days went.  We also had the privilege to listen to live karaoke at the supper establishment.  

Highlights of Puebla, good rest, good people, and wonderful food! The expedition team is now physically and mentally ready for Orizaba.  Puebla is an absolute hidden gem of inland  Mexico.

RMI Climber Jason White