Entries from Bolivia

Pickled and fresh cut veggies, mouth watering empanadas, chicken thighs that fall off the bone. I think the Bolivia team assumed our days of feasting on this trip were over, but no! Today we ventured into the mountains under cloudy, threatening skies, accompanied by our cook staff. Fortunately we made it into base camp before it started to rain. Once the tents were up, our kitchen team treated us to a three course dinner where we laughed and told stories, dragging the meal out to two full hours. After dinner, we walked outside to find that the clouds had lifted and we could see the Southern Cross stretched across the sky. Life at 15k ain't so bad!! RMI Guide Eric Frank

This morning started with a pounding rain through the night that magically let off just as the sun rose across Lake Titicaca. Once the sun peaked out, everything quickly dried up and we had perfect weather for a visit to the Isla del Sol. A beautiful boat ride along the banks of Copacabana and Lake Titicaca took us to the island of the sun; the famous home of the fountain of the youth. This mountainous island is steeped in ancient history dating back long before the Incas unified the Andean Plateau. We found ourselves walking in the same steps and drinking from the same spring as generations of pilgrims before us. I must say the fountain gave the group a special spring in our step as we climbed to the top of the island and took in the gorgeous surroundings of Peru, Bolivia and the massive lake between them. After that, all that was left was to descend to the shore for a lunch of delicious Andean food overlooking the water. We returned back to Copacabana well fed, a little better educated about the history of this amazing area, and for some maybe just a touch younger! RMI Guide Caleb Ladue

May 22, 2017 Hello from the shores of beautiful Lake Titicaca. This morning the team fought our way out of La Paz traffic, and made the stunning three hour drive to Copacabana, a small beach town nestled on the Peruvian/Bolivian border. We spent the afternoon learning about local history, dining on fresh caught trout and climbing a small nearby peak to gain an over look of the city. It started raining in the early evening, so we retreated to our lodge for a cozy dinner and an impromptu foosball tourney. We know it all sounds like fun and games, but our bodies are working hard acclimating right now. Starting the trip at over 12,000 feet means that we need to take the time to work into things. We are laying the groundwork to perform well in high ascents later in the trip. Wish us luck! RMI Guides Eric Frank, Caleb Ladue and the Bolivia crew

Hola! The sun has set on our first day in Bolivia! The group just returned after a great tour through La Paz. We checked out the fruit filled markets, quiet plazas and even had the opportunity to ride the gondola up to the rim of the city and into it's sister town El Alto. La Paz sits in a valley at the toe of the altiplano, or high plains, and the gondola brings commuters out of the valley, and 500 meters up onto the steppe. Our timing couldn't have been better as the sun was setting on the Altiplano upon arrival. From our vantage we could look out over the city and see our climbing objectives Huayna Potosi and Illimani standing tall against the plains. we are regrouping in a moment and we will head out for our kick-off dinner and celebration. RMI Guide Eric Frank