RMI Guide Mike Haugen and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier via the Katuz Route early this morning. Mike reported great climbing, clear skies, and light winds. The Kautz Route is a great adventure for physically fit climbers ready for a slightly more technical adventure on Mt. Rainier, and today's team climbed strong! The team will be descending the Disappointment Cleaver Route, taking a short rest at Camp Muir before returning to Paradise.
The remainder of the group arrived yesterday, on time and COVID free. This morning we all met and headed out for a tour of Quito and La Mitad del Mundo. We learned quite a bit of Ecuadorian history and had a chance to get our bearings in the second largest city in Ecuador. More importantly, one member of the team was able to balance a raw egg on the head of a nail. There is now a shiny certificate that comes with this achievement as compared to when it just came with lifelong bragging rights.
With our first day at altitude under our belt we are headed to Rucu Pichincha tomorrow for another day of acclimatization. Everyone is looking forward to getting the legs and lungs working!
100% on top!
We did it! We stood on Mt. Elbrus, the highest point of Europe.
I have to admit we were pretty lucky with the weather, as it was near perfect. The team did a fantastic job of taking care of themselves and climbed strong. We reached the summit at 7:30 AM in clear skies with a wonderful view of the entire Caucus mountain range with very little wind, which is rare here.
But it didn't end there, after descending back to the saddle between the 2 summits that Elbrus has, a few of us decided to climb both summits while the rest of the team descended safely back to camp. It only added an additional 1.5hrs, so not too bad, especially since we had such amazing weather.
After everyone returned to camp, we had a quick lunch and then packed up to head down valley to our hotel at the base of the mountain.
Everyone is in high spirits and feeling great after some much needed hot showers.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and comrades
Hey, this is Seth checking in from the top of Kilimanjaro! It's a beautiful day here to be on the Roof of Africa. Zero wind. We got up here right in time for sunrise, and just an awesome day of climbing. The crew did so good. I had to slow them down. They were going too fast so we took some extra breaks just to reel them in. Great crew, great day. It's beautiful up here and now we are going to flip it around and head back to our low camp at 10,000 feet. So, 9,000 feet to go downhill for us, but we should have a great day. That's it from the top of Kili!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Seth Waterfall calls in from the Roof of Africa, Kilimanjaro.
Hello RMI followers. This is JJ Justman with the first Mount Elbrus team. Today was an exciting day as we left the tiny town of Azau. After two tram rides, we arrived at the Garabashi Hut, also known as "The Barrels." We are currently at 12,000 feet. The team is enjoying the thin air. We would like to convince you that we are roughing it. However, life up here has some pretty darn nice creature comforts: French-pressed coffee and a full delicatessen, some comfy beds to name a few. It is important to relax and ease into the altitude. That's exactly what we need to do. We're playing card games and listening to electronic dance music, it's thumping in the background as I speak. I'm actually, myself, gonna currently watch culinary video podcast to get some new ideas for my mountain cuisine. We want to say hello to all the friends and family following along. The team is doing just fantastic, having a lot of fun. We will keep on informing you of how we're doing up here, but life is pretty darn nice. Take care for now.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
RMI Guide JJ Justman calls in from the Garabashi Hut.
The Four Day Summit Climb led by Casey Grom and the Five Day Muir Climb led by Eric Frank reached the top of Mt. Rainier this morning! Casey radioed at 7:42 a.m. from Columbia Crest, the highest point on Mt. Rainier, and reported a very nice day. Both teams began their descent at 8:15 a.m.
Congratulations to a job well done by our guides and climbers!
A nice 10 mile plus or minus hike from Chu Kung today. Not quite sure how there can be so much uphill on a descent, who built these trails anyway? Happy to be back here in Namche at the Campo de Base tea house. If you ever are in the area, this is the place to stay. Very friendly staff, comfortable rooms and Hot Hot showers!
We saw a couple of Everest teams on the way today. We had a nice chat with some old friends and made plans for future meetings at Basecamp. We will check out of the park in the morning and finalize our permits regarding the Island Peak climb. The infrastructure is a bit crude but it is so important to keep trying to have an eye on this truly amazing part of the world.
The sky was a bit hazy today but a nice temperature for the trek out. A few of the hillsides had a large number of rhododendron trees flowering, it is so nice to be back in the living zone of the Earth's dirt.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
...lol…I think the same people who named a peak an ISLAND built the uphill descending trails : ) The photo you posted tells you trail story well. That mountain in the background has got to be Mt. Everest…it’s gorgeous. Love your spot tracker maps. I need to find out what time it is in Nepal versus where I live in Southern California. Thank you for your updates…it’s so fun following all of you on your trek.
We are so excited to read your blog! Thank you for keeping us posted on your adventure. Like Kris says, you never cease to amaze me, Adam. I have been searching for ice skates the last 2 days, with no success, as our little lake is frozen glass right now. Can’t wait to get out on it.
All of our Love and Prayers. Aunt, Ginni
Posted by: Aunt Ginni on 1/7/2013 at 9:44 am
Adam and crew, finally got on the blog to see how the trip is progressing. Looks like a great group and you are enjoying the “pain” of altitude! I’ll pray for safety for your group. It amazes me what you can do! Stillwater is warming up to a balmy 35 today and xc skiing has been good. I’ll keep reading your blog and keep typing it up Adam. Love ya, Aunt Kris
Our team woke to a beautiful morning after our first night at 15,300' Refugio Cayambe. Inspiring views of the glaciers and rugged landscape made our day of mountaineering skills amazing. The team is strong and we're all looking forward to a great summit day. We're hoping for good weather and climbing conditions as we make our summit push tonight.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
Hi, this is Mike Walter calling from Chilcabamba.
We awoke last night at 11 pm to check the weather for our summit attempt on Cayambe. I took a quick check out side and was greeted with a strong wind, some snow and poor visibility. We kept checking the weather to see if it would improve but by 3 am it became apparent that the storm wasn’t going to let up. It wasn’t going to be our day on Cayambe.
Instead we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the warm and dry comforts of the Cayambe climber’s hut. After lots of coffee, hot chocolate, oatmeal and cinnamon rolls, we packed up, put on our Shell jackets and headed down to the trail head and our waiting vehicles.
We headed to south to Chilcabamba where we will rest and prepare for our next climbing objective: Cotopaxi. Chilcabamba is located just outside of Cotopaxi National Park, on the flanks of Cotopaxi and has great views of the mountain and our climbing route.
We are hoping for more cooperative weather down south and our climb of Cotopaxi. In the mean time We are all in good spirits and enjoying each other’s company and the wonderful culture of Ecuador. Right now I am standing outside of Chilcabamba on a cloudless morning looking at Cotopaxi.
So all is well and we’ll check in later from the Cotopaxi hut.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
All the Best to you and your team Dustin!!!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 1/13/2022 at 3:40 am
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