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Hello!

Today we had our best weather day yet. Oh my goodness, was it needed. A reprieve. None of us slept much last night because the wind was relentless but just as the sun came over the horizon it began to soften. As we were cooking breakfast both Leandro and I went outside just to look to see if it really had dissipated. It had! Happy dance. Happy dance.

So we packed up camp calmly and we put on our backpacks and we began the move to Camp 2. It was so pleasant, the views remarkable. Mountains beyond mountains. Everyone moved well, steady. It felt good to climb in silence and sunshine.

We had a wonderful afternoon at Camp 2 and ate chicken burritos for dinner. The whole team had seconds which may mean nothing to you at home but to me that means everyone is doing so well here at 18,000ft and appetites are staying strong.

We expect high winds tonight and into tomorrow but you just never know. Time will tell. No matter what, we feel stoked to have made it to Camp 2.    

And with that, goodnight! 

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Aconcagua team.

P.S. don’t be alarmed if you aren’t hearing from your loved one all of a sudden - no wifi here at Camp 2 for the moment. All is well.    

Today was the day, the official start of the trek. After a quaint and much-needed rest day spent packing, recouping, and doing our best to actually rest, we were ready to get rolling. We did just that, bright and early at 5:30 a.m., scarfing down breakfast and hitting the road before the sun had fully risen. 

Day one does not ease you in. Instead, it opens with one of the hardest efforts of the entire trek: the park’s namesake, Las Torres. Three striking granite spires rise abruptly from the landscape, as if carefully carved by a patient but dramatic hand. They are awe-inspiring to behold, but getting to them is not for the faint of heart. The hike takes roughly five hours on the way up, followed by a long and careful four-hour descent down a narrow, well-traveled trail. It is a big day by any measure, and the team met it with equal parts grit, good humor, and quiet determination.

Tomorrow we officially begin the O Circuit and make our way to our first camp. For now, we rest, refuel, and celebrate a job well done, along with a very Happy Birthday to our teammate Kathy. ��

Rmi Guide Dominic Cifelli 

Hello there!

Sunshine all day long today. We needed that.

We started the morning walking through a valley of female yaks (called naks) and their babies. The cutest little things.

We took it nice and slow, making our way to the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and crossing over into Thukla for a tea break.

The highlight came after the climb up to Thukla Pass: the climbers’ memorial, draped in prayer flags and tributes to those lost in the mountains. We took our time there. It’s a special place and the weather and views were nearly perfect.

On the way up the hill I heard “Lookin’ good, Pancake!” and then “Feelin’ good, Cajun!” I’ll let you all guess which team members have acquired those trail names. The point is — the camaraderie is high. Whether it’s trolling each other by putting rocks in (or on) backpacks, taking ridiculous selfies on phones left unattended, or hollering words of encouragement as we waltz along the trail — we’re having the best time and laughing nonstop, even if it means spending the next 30 seconds after catching our breath.

Lobuche — the mountain — made her first real impression last night, framed perfectly in our teahouse window. After the climber’s memorial, we could even see the steep rocky route to high camp. A little intimidating but we’re stoked.

Everyone arrived to Lobuche, the village (confusing, we know), in good form. We were greeted with french fries, RaRa soup, and a long afternoon of rest.

Tonight we sleep at 16,200 feet. And by sleep I mean toss, turn, wake up for some deep breaths — but honestly? Good enough counts up here.

All is well.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

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

Hello one last time from Chile!

It has been quite the adventure down here for us, and today we hiked the final few miles back to the trailhead to complete the O Trek.

Thankfully the weather held out one more day to allow for spectacular views in all directions and comfortable temps. We made our way on what we are calling Chilean Flat, but you back home would call rolling terrain. More ups and downs than just easy strolling. It took us about 5 hours to reach the park gate and connect with our van for our return to Puerto Natales for our last night here. The team will head to Punta Arenas tomorrow and catch flights home.

It’s been an incredible journey here with some of the most enjoyable friends we could all have. Full of great stories, laughter, nicknames, and all sorts of joking along the way, for 8 days and over 80 miles.

I asked each team member to pick just one work that best describes their experience, and in no particular order here they are.

Undulating
Gratitude
Puma
Resolve
Friendship
Rocks
Extraordinary
Thankful
Grit
Perseverance

A special thanks to our amazing local guides Mauricio and Hector for sharing their beautiful country with us.

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the best team!

The weather continues to be kind to us. 

After a pretty windy evening that rattled tents all night, the morning was calm and far less breezy. 

The team had breakfast and hit the trail about 8:00 heading west along the W trek passing many trekkers and stunning turquoise lakes .

Around 3 hours into our hike we opted for a moderate side trip hike high up into what’s called the French Valley to see the backside of the towers of Torres Del Paine. This 2.5 hr hike took us into a massive cirque with hanging glaciers that we could not only hear, but could often see them cascading down the mountains.

After descending the team finished off the final 3 hours into camp, took hot showers, had a few cold beverages and then sat down to dinner with our whole team including our 8 very important porters.  

One more night here on the Trek! 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the whole crew

Another day high in the Andes! We were able to carry and cache loads at 19,600 feet at Camp 3 - Colera.

We bundled up, did a little dance to our favorite hype song and took off into the wind.

Mostly clear skies and beautiful views greeted us as we slowly ascended to Camp 3. We cached our gear and stayed at that altitude for more than an hour before we began the quick descent back to Camp 2.

We’re now in the best possible position we can be for our summit attempt and are monitoring all the forecasts to find a window.

We’ve spent the afternoon resting, recovering and greeting more teams as they arrive at Camp 2.

On the menu for tonight’s dinner is steak, mashed potatoes and of course, soup! Soup is the king of expeditions. Warm and hydrating — what more could you want.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Jess and the Aconcagua team

"Star Mountain"

Mountains allure us

Mexico we traveled to

Together we climb.

RMI Climber Jesse McEntire

We did everything we could to get to the summit of Chimborazo yesterday, but the mountain had other plans. We delayed our start until 1 am to allow some lightning to pass by and made the long traverse around the Castillo rock formation above camp towards the toe of the glacier. As we rounded the corner the fresh snow that had been aiding our progress with smoother walking conditions over the rock turned into much deeper and more concerning slabs. Knowing that the hazard would only worsen as elevation and slope angle increased, we turned tail and headed back to high camp. 

While it always stings to get shut down, especially on the last and hardest objective of the trip, spirits were still high for our snowy walk down to meet the bus yesterday morning. A lazy afternoon of drying out gear, naps and packing was followed by an excellent final dinner at Hacienda Abraspungo. 

This trip was a success before we even stepped foot on any of the mountains. Each member of the team prepared diligently and showed up in Ecuador ready to climb, if the mountains would allow safe passage. In the end, we had the privilege of visiting two beautiful summits. Had we reached none of these summits, Dustin and I would be equally proud of this team for all the mental and physical training they accomplished before arriving here. A job well done team! 

RMI Guide Henry Coppolillo

 Wow. What a day we had! 

Today the team started early with breakfast at 5:30am and hit the road shortly after 6 for our 2 hour drive to the park entrance. 

Once at the park we checked in and dropped off our gear not needed for the hike and quickly transitioned into hiking mode, and what a doozy it was! We hiked up into a beautiful valley along a river, through the forest, and eventually up onto the moraine to fantastic views of the Torres del Paine massif, which the park takes its name. 

It was a bit of a haul to be honest, especially after days of sitting on planes, boats and eating endless amazing food. It was a little bit of a shock to our systems, but the team did great making good time despite there being quite a few other people hiking alongside us. 

The weather remained mostly pleasant the entire hike to the view point, before the famous Patagonian weather arrived and welcomed us with relatively gusty winds and a few light showers. 

It was a big day for us, and the team has happily returned to camp and I’m certain will sleep deeply after a the 10hr round trip adventure. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the team!