Hi everybody and welcome to the first installation of many dispatches from this summer's Ecuador Volcanoes program!
The team finally met each other as a complete group this morning for breakfast after several hectic laps between the airport and hotel late last night. Team members were trickling in gradually through the night and the crowds of Ecuadorians awaiting family members made for quite a scene. Actually, it was more like a zoo with a traffic jam outside. Fortunately, Jaime and Victor (our expert locals) were incredibly helpful in scooping up our climbers and adept at navigating the melee. Anyway, after a decent breakfast and getting to know each other a bit the team headed out for a day cruising around Quito as full-fledged tourists of the sight-seeing variety. With the majority of the city situated at over 9,000' we have actually already begun our acclimatization process. After a long day of travel just to arrive in Ecuador, it was nice to have a day to just cruise around and get comfortable.
The city tour hit up lots of old colonial and contemporary sights including religious, governmental, and culturally significant buildings. We climbed the rickety catwalks high in the Basilica and caught tremendous 360 degree views of this huge metropolis of more than 3 million citizens and later went to the exact geographical equator where we played around with the strange forces the earth's rotation creates uniquely on the middle of the planet. The equator museum also had a cool sort of natural history museum with a collection of flora and fauna and anthropological relics from Ecuador's various regions. We're talking giant anaconda and boa skins, real human shrunken heads, and a gnarly, preserved amazon candiru - look it up... The team had fun getting to hang out in a casual atmosphere and we aim to keep the fun going as we begin some of our physical activity tomorrow with a training hike up on Rucu Pichincha, a volcano right above the city where we will hopefully hit nearly 16,000'. That should help jump start the acclimatization followed by a night's rest at relatively lower altitude in Quito.
Well, headed off to dinner with the crew, more to come as the situation develops,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Hello from Mexico City,
Tonight the team arrived, all with the same number of bags they left the states with and ready to go. We had a great intro dinner at a classic Centro Historico restaurant and retired to get a good night's sleep before leaving the city tomorrow. Off to a good start down here and we'll check in from La Malinche tomorrow.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
Did I say Antarctica wasn't cold? Well, I was just kidding. Antarctica, especially high up with a stiff wind, is really, really, really cold.
Our day today started reasonably enough, with a bright sun high in the sky and reasonable temperatures for walking. The team moved well out of High Camp along the seemingly endless glacial valley leading toward Vinson's summit.
About 2 hours into the journey, Vinson decided to give us a little test. The wind began to pick up, and suddenly we could all feel the frigid cold biting at any exposed skin and dropping our core temperatures degree by degree. Time to layer up. In moments, we all donned our custom Peak XV Antarctica down jackets and pants, shutting the wind and cold out, at least somewhat.
But, it gets tricky in situations like this. The thick down insulates well, and keeps you warm and toasty. But, you still have to move uphill, and that generates heat. Too much heat, and you start to sweat. Sweat out your baselayers, and you're going to get cold sooner or later. So, climbing in these situations is an exercise in zipper running, hat pulling, and sleeve pushing; it is a constant battle to maintain that thermal equilibrium, right on the line between too cold and too hot.
With that obstacle added to our climb, we kept moving, everyone doing well and chugging right along. Before long, the route made a sharp right-hand turn, and began climbing steeply toward the summit ridge. And, now, Vinson decided to show us what she could do. The temperature had dropped as we ascended, to about -30 degrees C on the summit ridge, and then the wind really picked up. We estimate about 30 miles per hour fairly consistently...In other words, enough wind and cold to make it the coldest day I've ever experienced on any mountain, anywhere. And, Ed Viesturs, who's got a handful of cold mountains under his belt, agreed that it was the coldest summit day in his memory. That's cold.
We were close now, though, and kept pushing onward, trying to check cheeks, noses, ears, etc., for frostnip - which can come on quickly in such conditions. Along with the wind, Vinson's final curveball was the largely-moderate terrain of the lower mountain finally transitioned to a steeper, more exposed ridge for the final push. But, it was manageable, and soon we were all celebrating and shivering on top of Antarctica.
I've been fortunate enough to travel to some unique places and mountains over the years, but must admit that Antarctica, and Mount Vinson, is one of the most spectacular. To gaze out from the summit at the jagged peaks of the Ellsworth Mountains, which eventually yield and give way to a vast sea of glacier, is simply beyond words.
We spent a few minutes on top, taking pictures, congratulating one another, and of course pulling out the 1966 Alaska Flag for it's final foray on the summit of Vinson. And, then, it was time to go. It's too easy to linger on such summits, and in the abusive cold and wind, we needed to get down fast. Everyone moved well downhill, and we're all now in our tents, enjoying the warmth of a sunny tent and a full belly. Sleep will come quickly tonight, and will be well earned by all.
Tomorrow...well, there's still work to be done. All our gear needs to somehow make its way from High Camp down the fixed lines and all the way to Vinson Basecamp. We'll sleep well, and work hard tomorrow.
And, yes, in case I ever forget, Antarctica is COLD!!
-Jake Norton
The chatter of Sherpa staff waking up and getting going is the first thing I hear, then the sun hits the tent and it is time to get up. Basecamp is a busy place, but I always think of it as the place that is ruled by the rise and set of the sun. As soon as the sun hits, it is too hot to stay in the tent and once the sun recedes, it is too cold to stay out. I like the simplicity of that; I don't have to think too hard about where exactly to be.
If all goes well and the weather holds, this will be our final rest before the summit push. There is still so much to do, but plenty of time. At Camp 3 on the last rotation, it was a great test of how things will work, and what still needs to be done. Today, I look through the gloves that I can choose from for the summit bid. I scan my climbing clothing, seeing what needs to be washed one last time and what is ready to go. I count out the energy gels that I will use for the summit push, and tuck in a few packages of fruit snacks for good measure. Looking at all of this equipment, it is hard to imagine that in less than a week it will be tucked onto my body and my back, on my way to the summit.
Of course, so much has to line up. A week seems close, but in reality, it is still a world away. The weather has to be good, but also we have to feel good as climbers. Your body has to be strong and your mind open to the challenge that is ahead. On the summit push, I need to stay healthy, avoiding any stomach bugs or head colds that might be trying to come my way. If everything does line up, then you have to be open to the mountain's terms. If I have learned anything, it is that you have to come prepared with health and strength but also humility and openness. Nothing is assumed. You have to be prepared to take this experience and enjoy each step of it, knowing that the mountains will give you exactly what they want to - that is the beauty of it.
These are the thoughts that are roaming through my mind as final preparations are being made for the summit. Somewhere between being aware of what the mountain is telling us, and which gloves I should pack, I realize that all the preparations (the mental and the physical) are the part of the experience that I value so much, the part that I can take with me on the next adventure. But for now, I will focus on this adventure.
Yesterday was our second summit of the trip, and the first time above 6000m for several members of the team! We had the luxury of being the only group in the refugio on Sunday night so it was easy to get to bed early in advance of our midnight wake up.
We left the hut at 1 am under a beautiful starry sky. A short rock scramble brought us to the toe of the glacier, which started out as the loud, crunchy ice we’d become accustomed to on Tarija, but quickly transitioned to grippy neve. The night was cold but dead calm, and it was a really pleasant few hours of climbing in the darkness until we finally caught the first rays of sun at the base of the summit pyramid.
The final few hundred feet to the summit made for the hardest climbing of the day. The challenge of steep, at times rocky and loose walking was compounded by the thin air at almost 20,000’! The team took it in stride and soon we were all on top, admiring the views of La Paz and the surrounding peaks. After high fives, photos and a brief rest we began making our way back down to the hut. Everyone moved well and we made it off the glacier well before noon. With showers, comfy beds and cold drinks in La Paz in mind we only spent about 45 minutes resting at the hut before continuing the descent all the way back to the road. A few hours later we were enjoying a delicious dinner at Hotel Mitru Sur before turning in early for a well deserved night of sleep.
This morning everyone headed out to explore the city and do some site seeing and souvenir shopping. This afternoon we’ll pack up for Illimani and head south to Pinaya first thing tomorrow.
After a long night’s rest, we woke up to clear skies, and warm temperatures. We had a quick breakfast of pop-tarts and grits as the sun began to shine onto ski hill. After our quick breakfast, we worked to tear down camp and begin our journey towards 11,000’ camp. We strapped into the snowshoes, and made our way up ski hill, through the 9,500’ camps, past our cache and finally up the final hill into our final destination for the night.
After a short break, we found a nice spot to call home for the next few days and spent the next few hours building camp and moving in before a warm dinner of ramen. Looks like a little bit of weather is coming in, but we are hoping to wake up with the sun and go get our cache tomorrow morning. Looking forward to a mellower day tomorrow! Check back in after the back carry.
We ALL made it to the top of Sahale Mountain at 3:15 pm today! We are on the descent now, off rock and back to glacier. The team is doing great! We will be back at camp soon, ready to get some rest and trek out tomorrow morining!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
It was a beautiful though somewhat blustery summit day yesterday and everyone did great! We woke this morning with the intention of moving downhill, but as we prepared, several other groups returned reporting high winds along the buttress. After assessing, we decided that it would behoove us to rest the day and recover from yesterday, and move down tomorrow in lesser winds. So we'll be in touch tomorrow, hopefully from significantly lower on the mountain! All for now,
RMI Guides Pete, Geoff, Robby, and team
Hello Guapo,
Everyone is asking me how long the trip down is, but I honestly don’t remember.
On the 9th it will be three weeks…..seems like forever.
Looking forward to hearing all about it…everyone is!
We are all proud! Im glad you are resting and recovering.
xxoo
Mairon ad Maya
Posted by: marion and maya on 7/7/2013 at 3:54 pm
Good morning, Tommy! I am grateful you are well and resting. I miss you, but I am happy ya’ll are using caution as you come down. More than anything, I can’t wait to hear your voice! There was lots of excitement on Facebook once everyone learned of your success reaching the top. I can’t wait for you to read the posts and the messages and “likes” of those following you. I posted a special message to you on Facebook from me and your supporters today. To say I am proud seems like an understatement because I am so much more. I am humbled by your courage, strengthened by your strength, and inspired by your passion. We have such an incredible future ahead. Thank you for showing me what is possible. I pray for an awesome day and safety coming down. My love and thoughts are with you going down as they were going up. I am so excited thinking how close you are to coming home! I love you!
Rhonda
Editor’s Note: This "pulse check," adapted from the end of John Colver’s Fit To Climb Program, a sixteen-week Mt. Rainier training program, is a general check-in two weeks before the climb.
You really can’t build any more fitness less than two weeks before the climb. The other side of that point is there really is the potential to squander the benefits you’ve worked for by doing too much in the coming weeks and arriving to the climb thoroughly exhausted. For some people, the crux of the training is managing the reduced amount of effort and intensity. In a very similar way to being stuck on a mountain waiting for a storm to pass, this reduced workload may test your patience, but you have to recognize that to overdo it now would be akin to stepping out into the storm. There is just no point.
Roughly speaking, the training intensity and volume are reduced by 50% in the coming days. Some ways to manage the additional downtime can be reviewing your gear, reading about the climb, watching a movie or catching up with friends and family. The last few weeks of training are busy and your climb is coming up at the end of next week. It’s time to relax.
Given that your climb is coming up very soon, this week’s and next week’s preparation really blend into each other. As you look ahead at your schedule for the next ten days, bear in mind that it’s perfectly fine to juggle around the days to suit your needs. Another important thing to bear in mind is that it’s certainly okay to skip training days. The goal from now onwards is rest and preparation. The climb is the event that all the training has been leading up to. Most people are going to be a little nervous. If your nerves are getting the best of you, now is a good time to start actively practicing relaxation and anxiety management skills. My frank observation is that no matter what concerns or doubts come up between the start and the end of this week, the right thing to do in almost every case is to relax and focus on the next hour. You will need all of your energy to climb this mountain and you should feel confident that the training you have will afford you the opportunity to reach the summit of Mount Rainier.
There are, however, many things that cannot be controlled, weather and snow conditions being the biggest factors. It is easy to worry about both of these things, but I can promise you as a guide I learned not to worry about those things until the time is actually right. The determination of whether to continue or turn back is always a calculated decision made in the moment, and this is one of the fascinations of the challenge. A climbing team can have a hundred percent perfect weather forecast and if there’s a slight air pressure change two hours from the summit, this can result in white-out conditions and winds so high that turning around is the only reasonable option. It is also true that many successful climbs start out in poor visibility and inclement weather which dissipates as the team climbs higher. No one knows what the conditions will be like on your summit day and this is why the gear list contains clothing and equipment for all conditions. What you can count on is the knowledge that no matter how many times your guide has walked out of Camp Muir in the middle of the night, she or he does not forget what it was it is like the first time. Try and suspend thinking about what is happening above the clouds; I say this with absolute assurance, you will be supported by a world-class guide team.
On this note, many people report that the experience of being part of a team is one of the most memorable aspects of the climb. Being connected by carabiners and a thin nylon rope is certainly a bonding experience. The famous French guide and writer Gaston Rébuffat often spoke of the “Brotherhood of the Rope” to symbolize the connectedness of everyone on the team. It’s an amazing experience to share the mountains with like-minded climbers!
If at the end of next week, you stand on the summit of Mount Rainier, it will be because you put one foot in front of the other, over and over again, and met the challenge of climbing 9,000’ from the alpine meadows of Rainier’s foot to the glacier capped summit. Along the way, you will find synchronicity with your teammates. You will boost them when they are tired and they will do the same for you.
_________
John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle.
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9/10/13 6:49 am PT
Hello all -
The team has finally made it all the way down to Mweka camp situated around 10,000' and are resting after such a big day.
We had a wonderful day for climbing today with clear skies, moderate temps and very little wind. Everyone did a great job of taking care of themselves the entire day and really impressed me by making the summit in a little over 6 hours. We spent about a half hour taking in the spectacular views and getting the obligatory summit photos, then headed back down to high camp. After a brief rest we packed up and headed further down valley to tonight's camp.
Everyone is doing well and I'm sure will sleep well tonight.
Looking forward to hot showers and clean clothes tomorrow.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
9/10/13 3:10 am PT - Success!
Our entire team reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro today.
We have safely returned to high camp and are getting packed up for our descent.
We'll try to update this evening.
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Have a save climb! Hope the weather is cooperative and you get great views the whole way.
Posted by: Oscar on 6/21/2012 at 9:17 pm
Have gun you guys. Be safe
Posted by: chris fisher on 6/20/2012 at 7:00 pm
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