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Nice to be in the mountains, especially the Caucasus. What a nice range of peaks it is. A bit of sun, a little cloudy at times, and some wind made for a nice variety during our day of hiking. We used the chair lifts to put us into thin air and then climbed to around 11,000'. Had a momentary glimpse of the Mt. Elbrus' upper mountain but saving the prolonged clear for summit day and time we will spend high on the flanks of the tallest peak in Europe. Good planning indeed. Ran across a number of guide friends today and played a good trick on one of them. The team got into character and did not break till we totally fooled my pal. They met him on the trail and immediately surrounded him saying how great to see you again, giving him hugs and the whole enchilada, while I kept just off stage watching his reaction. He was pretty cool, trying to remember what trip or where he knew them from, being old friends and all to this group of five ladies, acting as if yes, I might just remember you. We all had a good laugh after I showed myself. I better keep an eye out for he will definitely try to get me back. The team did great today on the hike. We are all well and having a fun time. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

On The Map

Hello Everyone, We woke to mostly clear skies for the first time since leaving our hotel. We had the normal tea in our tents just before 7 and had another enjoyable breakfast of fresh fruit and eggs for breakfast. We then hit the trail shortly after 8 and made good time up the Barranco Wall. This wall is about 1,000' high and is the steepest part of the entire climb requiring hands in a few places to assist us up a few steep steps. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and change of the new terrain. It was amazing to watch the porters easily navigate this terrain with their loads carefully balanced on their heads. We made good time and arrived in a little over 3 hours to our new home sitting at just over 13'000'. We are incredibly thankfully to all of our porters and crew who have been working so hard to keep us well feed and comfortable thus far. You can't imagine how they dismantle one camp shortly after we leave, to then have it reassembled before we arrive. Enjoying being spoiled! RMI Guide Casey Grom and Crew A Special note: I hope all is well back home and appreciate the updates from you guys. To mom and my two wonderful brothers. Its been a memorable experience. Built a cairn in honor of dad at camp 4. To "G" in Washington - All is well. ; )

We made it to our base camp at Plaza Argentina! We got an early start this morning in order to take advantage of the muleteers offer to ferry us across the Vacas River. For some, it was their first time riding a mule, and it was a much more pleasant start to the morning than wading the four frosty channels would have been. It's a pleasant walk up the canyon of the Relinchos River, and before we knew it, we were walking into Base Camp to be greeted with juice and fresh melon from our excellent outfitter, Grajales. They cooked a wonderful dinner for us tonight and will handle our meals for our stay at Base Camp. On tap for tomorrow is a well deserved rest day. We'll use the time to sort gear for the carry to Camp 1 the following day. Before all that though: a big breakfast of breakfast burritos. Hasta luego. RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer and the RMI Aconcagua team

On The Map

Today began with a team meeting at breakfast. Last night there was a possibility that mud slides in the Vacas Valley would prevent us from coming down the mountain the way we came. Fearless leader Dom confirmed we would not be able to backtrack the way we came and instead would go down the other side of the mountain to the Mulas base camp, a route known as the "360." Since we would not be able to go back to our original base camp, we'll have one of the helicopters pick up our duffels and bring them to us at the Mulas base camp. 

Our carry day to Camp 3 today brought many us to new high points, with Camp 3 at nearly 19,600ft. Since we would have to carry all our gear up and over the mountain, as opposed to caching it at Camp 2, we all had pretty heavy packs. As we climbed today, the air got thinner and thinner, for most of us requiring a breath every step. Even though we have been at 18,000ft for almost two days, it still required significant fortitude to keep climbing. 

High elevation does a number on your body. As you climb higher, the decreasing oxygen makes it difficult to even do the very basic tasks, you loose your appetite and have to force yourself to eat, and for most climbers there is a point where they need start taking Diamox to help prevent high altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema. 

After a few days at a particular elevation, we get acclimatized and start feeling good. But we can only bring so many supplies and we have only so many days to get to the summit and back. So our schedule keeps us moving to a new higher point just as we were getting used to our current camp. This is mountaineering and one of the many things that makes it so difficult and the act of doing it so rewarding. Getting to a rest stop on a hike or the next-higher camp on a carry or move day brings a sense of relief that is hard to find in any other activity. 
As we approach our last uphill move day, and followed soon after by our summit bid, it's important to remember what a great feat we have accomplished so far, and how lucky we are to be up here with the best climbing team you could ask for. 

Climber Andy Green

The Five Day Climb August 9 - 13 led by RMI Guide Joe Hoch reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The team enjoyed a spectacular morning on the mountain with very little wind and clear skies. After soaking in the views from the summit the team will return to Camp Muir and then continue their descent to Paradise. They will conclude their program this afternoon at Rainier BaseCamp. Congratulations to today's climbers!

June 30, 2017 2:13 am PST After a thirteen-hour summit day, the crew is back at high camp safe and sound. The conditions were variable all day from sunny and calm to windy and snowing. We had to break trail both to and from Denali Pass. I am proud of the whole crew and the effort that they put in for a successful summit day! RMI Guide Mike Haugen P.S. Gloria says Happy Birthday to her dad!

On The Map

Hello from our RMI Aconcagua expedition, here in sunny Mendoza! The team all arrived today, with the last members landing just before 2:00 local time. All the crew, and all the bags, were on time and in place, which is the perfect way to start an expedition. After getting settled here at the beautiful and accommodating Nutibara Hotel, the team sat down for a round of introductions and discussion about our upcoming expedition. We enjoyed the cool air conditioning in the hotel for an hour or so, and then it was off for the final food shop at the local grocery store. The temperatures in town, at 90 degrees or so, certainly have more than one of us eyeing the pool, or thinking about the cooler environment of the high camps on Aconcagua. Soon enough we will be up there, but for now we busied ourselves with gear review, final packing and preparations, and a delicious dinner of beef and Malbec at one of the local restaurants. Turn in was early (by Argentinian standards, anyway) to ready ourselves for tomorrow. We will be up and out early to get the permits we need, do some last minute gear acquisition, and then take the ride out to Penitentes. The crew is in high spirits, and the team is coming together well! We are all excited to get the trip underway, and we will be sure to keep you updated on the progress as we head in to our objective. Keep your fingers crossed for continued good weather, and stay tuned for more! RMI Guides Garrett Stevens, Ben Liken and Nick Brown

As planned, the climbing team was up at midnight and on the trail shortly after 1 AM. There were stars and a big bright moon, but plenty of clouds as well. It was tough to know just what we could expect in the weather department. Yesterday afternoon and evening had produced a couple of inches of new snow on the ground, starting just uphill from our camp. We set out walking in it. The best thing was that there was no wind. We made pretty good time, stopping roughly every hour to rest. Predictably, it was tough going. It was dark, unrelentingly steep, and progressively colder as we ascended. We were breaking altitude records for a number of the team. But we had extremely good and capable help from our guide team. Freddy Kileo's crew of Vendelin, Francis, Eliapenda and Kundasai, along with Oswald, really came through. Everyone felt challenged by the climb, but the team rallied in the face of all the difficulty and discomfort. We pulled up onto Stella Point on the crater rim just at sunrise, which was stunning. But at Stella, we also got hit with some pretty mean wind gusts. We pushed on toward Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa, and conditions improved. We weren't alone up there on this beautiful day, but we weren't paying too much attention to other teams. There was excitement and pride in the fact that our entire team had made it to the top. We shot some happy pics and shook hands and hugged. Chris and Jeffrey Hendricks celebrated their one year anniversary on the summit. We didn't spend too long at 19,340 ft above sea level. It was cold and we wanted to get down to more abundant oxygen. Leaving the top at 7:30, we were back down to Barafu Camp by 10:30. We brunched, packed our bags and got on the trail again. In the course of the afternoon we dropped another 5,000 vertical feet to 10,000 at the Mweka Camp. We are back in the giant heather zone and looking forward to finishing the descent tomorrow. Best Regards RMI Guides Dave Hahn

On The Map

After a good trip up the Relinchos Valley yesterday, the team is enjoying a well-earned rest day here at Plaza Argentina. Our night of good rest rolled into a breakfast of eggs, fried ham, peppers and onions with coffee and hot chocolate, and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. After giving the team time to digest, we all went over to the medical office and got the obligatory physical check-up. Everyone passed with flying colors, and we're now poised and ready for our carry up to Camp One tomorrow, situated at 16,200'. While we're living at about 14,000 feet, everyone is feeling tip top and acclimating perfectly. We have beautiful weather and look forward to staging for the move higher on this beautiful mountain. Keep sending the positive energy! RMI Aconcagua Expedition and Guides JJ Justman, Garrett Stevens and Geoff Schellens

On The Map

After a big day of work getting half our kit to the 14,200ft camp, the team is enjoying a much deserved rest day in our plush camp at 11,000'. Our breakfast of bagels, cream cheese and bacon was a wonderful way to start the day, and the mostly clear skies and lots of sun are making the day quite pleasant for swapping jokes and stories around camp. The agenda for the day is more eating, drinking and resting, with an eye towards packing up and moving higher tomorrow. Days like today are the reason many of us come to the mountains: to spend quality time with friends old and new, be present in the moment, and have an unforgettable experience in one of the most incredible places on the planet. Even though thoughts tend to trend towards the summit on beautiful days, we're happy to just be here, soaking in all the glory that Alaska has to offer. Thanks for following our progress and cheers for now! RMI Guide Tyler Jones