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Update: 8 pm PT
Summit day on Orizaba- Today our team bagged the 3rd highest peak in North America! This was quite a feat and the whole crew was feeling the effects of a hard and rewarding day on the mountain. We celebrated with dinner at the Reyes family dining room, sharing stories with each other and climbers we had met on the mountain before retiring for some much needed sleep.
Earlier in the day, and I mean a lot earlier in the day, we woke to perfect starry skies, grabbed a quick breakfast and began the climb. After warming up on the first stretch of the climb, the trail deteriorates into a jungle of rock, snow and ice known as the labyrinth. Our team made short work of this challenge and advanced to the Jamapa glacier. The struggle ascending the Jamapa was rewarded with an amazing sunrise, views Ixta and la melinche and the impressive summit crater. Our team climbed strong back to the Piedra grande hut where we were transported back to town by 4x4.
All in all it's been a great trip. Everyone is worn out but happy to have succeeded as a team on some impressive peaks. It's hard to believe 9 days in Mexico have already come and gone!
RMI Guide Zeb Blais
6:00 am PT
Hey all this is Geoff Schellens and team standing on the summit of Orizaba. It was a tough climb but everybody is quite happy to be here and enjoyed very good climbing conditions. It’s a beautiful day with light wind up here and a beautiful sunrise this morning. That’s all for now. We will check in when we get back down.
Adios,
RMI Guide Geoff Schellens
RMI Guide Geoff Schellens calls from the summit of Orizaba.
On The Map
The Four Day Summit Climbs August 13 - 16, 2013 led by RMI Guides BIlly Nugent and Lindsay Mann reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The teams delayed their start from Camp Muir due to high winds but were fortunate that the winds decreased enough to allow them to climb.
They began their descent from the crater rim shortly after 9 am PT. The teams will return to Camp Muir for a short break before continuing down to Paradise.
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz enjoyed of week of training on Mt. Rainier. They spent their final night on the mountain last night. This morning they broke camp and started down to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's summit climbers! We look forward to seeing all teams at Ashford BaseCamp this afternoon.
So proud of you Andy…want to hear all about your experience!!!!Love Aunt Sally
Posted by: Sally hodges on 8/18/2013 at 9:56 am
Congrats to Peter, Mike, Dan, and Dave on your achievement!
Posted by: Margaret on 8/17/2013 at 6:22 am
Mountain Guides can be a superstitious bunch. So as we did a little bit of training including rope travel, self arrest and cramponing in our second day of gorgeous weather. My superstitious side is coming out.
Tomorrow is our summit day on Elbrus and we are knocking on wood that the weather stays beautiful. But if I may ask all of you (because this worked for me before), please leave a comment on this post wishing our team luck. The more posts we get from you the better the weather will be. And that means great photos and video to share with all of you when we get safely down.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Hope the weather held- keep it holding for our trip as well!!! Safe travels back to St. Petersburg.
Posted by: Elsie Bemiss on 7/9/2012 at 5:48 am
Good luck all. Hope the weather holds and you have a good climb!
Posted by: Chris Foley on 7/8/2012 at 1:18 pm
Our Four Day Summit Climb Teams led by Tyler Jones and Leon Davis reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. According to RMI Guide Tyler Jones: "The weather is warm, we are wearing two light layers, winds are calm, and it's sunny and beautiful." The teams are doing well and have started their descent back to Camp Muir.
Congratulations to Today's Teams!
Hi everybody, who’s been following along. This is Billy, just checking in, we just completed, our summit day and we were able successfully put six climbers on top of Aconcagua this afternoon. We’re all back at camp safe and sound. And we enjoyed a sunny summit and then the weather kinda came in on our descent. And we are sitting in tents right now and it's snowing lightly. But pretty much plans from here on out are to pack up and high tail it out- out to basecamp and then straight back to Mendoza. Everyone sends their love to their family members and loved ones, and especially Richard. Richard wanted me to make a point of saying that he loves his wife very much and that she’s his valentine and that he could not have summitted today without her. And we’ll check in again as things progress and we're headed back home. All right. Take care. Bye bye.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Billy talks about their summit day.
Nice job everyone. I was on Billy’s team last year standing atop Aconcagua, and have been following your progress. Congratulations! Now get outta there safely!
If he isn’t doing his Chicago Superfan routine on your hike out, you are totally missing out.
Posted by: Dan on 2/15/2011 at 12:03 pm
Great job guys! I’m happy for y’all! Lots of Malbec waiting for you in the city. Maybe even Basecamp, if you’re as lucky as Team Gabby was.
Posted by: Keith P on 2/15/2011 at 10:44 am
Up to the top of the Massif today. We had an easy time getting out of camp this morning as conditions were perfect, no wind and no clouds above (although there was an ocean of cloud below). We pulled out of camp a little before 9 AM. For the first hour or two, temperatures were mild and most of the team was wondering if all the down gear was necessary, then we caught a minor but persistent breeze and hoods went up and zippers got shut. The cooler conditions were ideal for walking. Vinson summit day is a long, moderate incline (on glacial ice, of course) up a broad valley until you hit the final rock and ice peak atop the broad summit plateau. Then things steepen and tend to get more interesting. Throughout the climb we were treated to increasingly magnificent views of the sharp and lofty peaks to the North. Eventually we were sheltered from wind as we came along our summit peak, but then caught enough of it on the 16,000 ft final ridge that we had to be very much on the lookout for frostbite on each others faces. We walked onto the highest point in Antarctica at 4:15 PM. I've had more relaxing times up there -the steady cold breezes needed to be paid attention to this time as one couldn't take gloves off for picture taking or snacking. But it was stunning and beautiful to see the mountains up and down the Ellsworth chain sticking out of the endless cloud sea.
We got off the ridge without frosting anyone and had a smooth and easy walk down to high camp, which we reached around 7:45 PM. Strength returned as we sat around for hot drinks and dinner. Inevitably, with the relief of having made the top, folks started talking about airplanes, but I tried to keep people focused on the need to climb down safely first. We'll do that tomorrow, high camp to basecamp, with some heavy loads. And from what we heard, none of the other teams did any flying yet and don't expect to tomorrow -that sea of clouds envelopes both Vinson Base and Patriot Hills. So perhaps we'll catch up to all the other climbers soon. My team is looking forward to a good sleep first... It is supposed to reach -30 C at high camp tonight.
Posted by: Adam Knoff, Casey Grom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Hello Everyone,
After a severe spanking on our first climbing objective, expedition skills seminar Ecuador has settled into a well deserved day of rest. Here at Chilcabamba, a beautiful rustic Eco lodge located ten miles north west of Cotopaxi, Ecuador's most famous mountain, we have been treated like royalty. Luckily, whatever crazy wind dance some angry jungle tribe did to irritate the mountain climbers has seemed to run its course. So, by this afternoon many of the dark clouds and biting wind gusts seemed to have subsided which by dinner time treated the team to spectacular views of the mountain we are to attempt next.
Because Cayambe was such a struggle, we opened today up to doing anything, within reason, each person wanted to do. Armed with the the Spanish speaking skills of a two year old, I did my best to arrange a car to drive five willing folks to Machachi, the nearest town. When a pickup arrived with seating enough for four, shoulders were shrugged, the back seat was packed sardine style and twenty minutes later Ginger's legs were numb. But so goes travel. After a few hours in town the team returned and a quality debrief of our Cayambe experience hopefully prepared us better for what's to come on Cotopaxi. By 5 p.m. more training ensued and Clark was imitating self arrest in the front yard peppered with llama poop while Albert attempted to mock rescue Ginger out of the imaginary grass crevasse. Who needs a glacier? This segued perfectly into dinned and eventually into Jan and Gary kicking the guide's tails in a heated game of cribbage.
The team is growing closer every day and can't wait to attempt another climb. Stay tuned.
RMI Guides Adam Knoff & Casey Grom
Love to hear Clark is covered in Llama poop! Hope you’re all having a great time.
Posted by: Charlie W-G on 1/11/2013 at 12:13 pm
Love the updates!! Glad you all had a needed day of rest!
Posted by: vicky vogt on 1/11/2013 at 8:51 am
After three long days of climbing we are back at 14 Camp with the summit of Mt. McKinley under our belts. We couldn't believe our luck when we woke up at 17 Camp to absolutely beautiful weather so we set out on our summit bid mid morning, having waited a bit for the sun to warm everything up.
Nevertheless, it was still cold as we climbed the long traverse out of camp to Denali Pass at 18,500'. At the Pass a light but cold wind was blowing, so we kept our break short before continuing upwards. As soon as we climbed a few hundred vertical feet above the pass we escaped the wind that was funneling through there and it became great climbing. We made our way upwards, passing a few rock outcroppings before cresting into a broadd plateau called the Football Field (19,500') that sits below the final push to the summit. The weather remained perfect and the team strong so we set out, climbing the slopes to the summit ridge and then traversing the wildly corniced ridgeline to the summit. A moderate wind was blowing out of the southeast, which we had been protected from up till that point, but as we climbed along the ridge it blew plumes of powder snow around us - making for cold going. Finally we skirted the last cornice and climbed the final feet to the summit. It was beautiful from the top, with views in all directions.
After celebrating and soaking in thhe moment for a bit, we turned around and descended back to hig camp. The winds picked up as we descended but otherwise everyone climbed well, making it back to camp in the late evening.
This morning the wind continued to blow down through Denali Pass and into camp - not a great day to go for the top. We packed up camp and descended back down the West Buttress and down the fixed lines. It was smooth going but our legs felt the summit day yesterday, so we were all pleased to reach 14 Camp and take our packs off.
Now are sights are set on getting back to Base Camp so we can fly back to Talkeetna and then head home. We are spending the night here at 14 Camp before descending back to our first camp at 7800' at the head of the lower Kahiltna Glacier tomorrow. We plan to set up camp there for the evening and then wake up in the middle of the night to cross the lower glacier when things are nice and frozen and the snow bridges across the crevasses are strongest, hopefully arriving at Base Camp Sunday morning and flying out later that day. We'll need the weather to continue to cooperate but we're all feeling optimistic. We'll check in tomorrow from 7,800'.
Linden
Congrats to Frank and the whole team! Great job on a bigggg mountain!
Posted by: Tony Horness on 7/11/2011 at 7:41 am
We are all anxiously awaiting your return, but BE SAFE! A big hug to Frank.
Posted by: Laurie M on 7/9/2011 at 12:17 pm
Posted by:
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
After an excellent rest day in Puebla where we explored the cobblestone streets, museums and pyramids we packed up and hit the road. In Tlachichuca we finalized our mountain equipment and enjoyed a great lunch at the climbers' compound run by our friend Dr. Reyes. Loading the truck and piling in saved us a long approach to the mountain. Once at the hut we had a big dinner and hit the sack. Tonight we will try our luck on Pico de Orizaba.
Posted by: Steve Gately, Emma Lyddan, Charlie Harrison, Josh Geiser, Mitch Valaitis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
After enjoying a day of training at Ingraham Flats, 11,200ft, yesterday, the Five Day Climb June 29 - 3 July led by RMI Guides Steve Gately and Emma Lyddan put their training to good use. The teams climbed 4,500' from Camp Muir to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Steve reported a pleasant day on the mountain with a bit of a breeze towards the summit. The teams began their descent from the crater rim just before 7:30 am en route to Camp Muir. Once back at camp they will have a short break to repack before continuing the remaining 4,500' to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's climbing teams!
Congratulations team! Looks amazing. Can’t wait to see more pictures DTP. Hugs.
Posted by: Elizabeth on 2/22/2014 at 4:35 pm
Congratulations to all of you on your summit! Michael, I couldn’t tell if that was you in the second photo and I am really hoping that you made it. See you Sunday! Love, Kristin
Posted by: Kristin Stollov on 2/22/2014 at 4:16 pm
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