Today the team left Moscow and caught a flight to Mineralnye Vody, which is a medium size city here in southern Russian known for its abundant mineral springs. The flight over Russia's inland reminded me of the rural Midwest back home. We quickly hopped on our waiting bus and headed further south into the Baksan Valley where Elbrus sits on the border between Russia and Georgia. The area is mostly farmland with a few small towns that are predominately Islamic via its Turkish roots. We arrived in Cheget which sits at the base of Elbrus and is our launching point for our climb. We are currently getting ready for bed in our hotel after a wonderful authentic Russian meal.
It was another long day of travel and the team is doing great. Everyone is looking forward to stretching their legs tomorrow.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Glad everyone and every thing is doing great. Success to all. The blog is wonderful. Almost feel like I am there!! Mom
Posted by: Gerri Seaton on 7/10/2013 at 12:20 pm
Larry: You are looking great, sage and youthful. All the best for another of the Seven. Godspeed, Walter Tell the peak “hey” from Lori and I, June 2010.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Light and variable wind started over night with warmer temperatures. We woke early to beat the heat and the people that have collected at the 14 camp over the past week of stormy weather!
We began our climb to high camp in cold squeaky snow conditions. The headwall where the fixed lines are located were a bit more difficult than our trip up the other day as the wind nearly stripped all the snow and left firm icy climbing! From the top of the lines we began a perfect climb up the West Buttress, which is the most exposed and picturesque part of the climb. The climb was hard but the team did very well. We have sparked our match for our summit push! Currently we are again cowering from the most intense sun of the trip basking in our shelters at 17,200' Denali high camp! Our chill mentality had payed huge today and with a bit o' luck we will have nice weather tomorrow for our summit push! More food, water, and relaxing for the eve. We will try for a call from the summit tomorrow afternoon! Hi Five!
RMI Guides Tyler Jones, Garrett Stevens, and Team!
Happy Father’s Day , Justin! Anxiously awaiting to hear that you and team have summited. As one of the guides alluded to in a previous blog, this experience is about more than just climbing a snowy mountain!!!! Can’t wait to hear all the details and “meet” your new friends. Be safe! Love you——Mom and Dad
Friday, June 7, 2013
Today, we are chilling out around camp like it's our job; in fact, it IS our job after yesterday's move up to 14,200'. The trial of moving with big packs in the relentless sun is behind us, and now we are enjoying our well earned rest.
The morning started when the sun crept around the ridge, taking the bite out of last night's sub-zero temperatures. The crystal blue skies above were inviting folks to grab sleeping bags and drape them over tents to dry out, as well as let the UV rays kill a week of accumulated funk.
As hot water came to a boil and the smells of frying bacon and eggs wafted over our tents, the crew came circling in like sharks sensing prey in the water. Our breakfast quesadillas lasted about as long as an injured fish in a feeding frenzy, too - but you know what they say: you have to eat your way right to the top of this mountain.
After the group appetite was satiated, team members waddled back to their tents in down booties, looking for more respite from the intense power if the sun. The route is easily visible from our tents, and we've seen plenty of teams heading up the route we'll follow tomorrow on our carry. The group morale is high and folks are climbing strong, although the new altitude is definitely noticeable.
Our afternoon today will include a review of fixed line travel techniques, in preparation for the carry tomorrow. But for now, we are simply enjoying being in one of the world's most beautiful places, with excellent weather and the bulk of Denali reminding us of what's to come. Thanks for all the kind wishes and keep sending the good vibes! Stay tuned...
RMI Guides Tyler Jones, Garrett Stevens, and the Crew
Robin and Team
Hope all is well up there in the thin air! Congrats to you all for passing the half way mark and I hope you get some well deserved rest and recharge for what lies ahead. You guys are nothing short of amazing! Best wishes and lots of prayers for you all for your continued safe ascent and good weather. Stay warm and stay safe.
Hey, this is Seth calling from the Cotopaxi Express trip. We are up at the Jose Ribas hut at about 15,700 feet. Today we had a nice breakfast at the Chilcabamba Hacienda and after a relaxing time packing our stuff for the mountain we headed up into mix of sleet, clouds and high winds, We're all safely at the hut. We have to two nights here so hopefully the weather will clear up for us in a couple of days and we’ll get to punch it to the top. All's well here. We're having a great time. The hut is full of people from all over the world. Nothing but fun stuff. We’ll check in tomorrow. We hope everything is well back in the USA.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall checks in from the hut on Cotopaxi.
Glad to know that all of you are doing well, I will pray for good weather so you all can have a good summit day, we are thinking of you. Get home save, we miss you
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
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.
We're all down from Cotopaxi, healthy and happy after a successful summit climb! We woke up at midnight and left the climbers' hut at ~1:30 am... headed for the summit. The weather was spectacular: no wind, moderate temperature, and a crystal clear, starry sky. Our team climbed strong, and 7 1/2 hours later we were all congratulating each other on top! The snow conditions were perfect for cramponing--a good thing because we had some exposed traverses and a steep ice chute to negotiate up near the summit. The route was very enjoyable, and challenged us not only with its altitude, but its variety.
This team of climbers attempted Cotopaxi last summer, but we were denied its summit by a violent storm. Persistent folks we climbers are; we scheduled this reunion trip and it paid dividends. We had great climbing weather and summitted 3 peaks in 4 days... all of which are higher than any peak in the Continental US!
Now we're getting some much needed rest at the hacienda Chilcabamba. After a leisurely breakfast we'll head back to Quito tomorrow morning. I'll be in touch tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
After sleeping soundly last night we were greeted to grey skies hanging low over Moscow this morning. Despite international attention for the heat suffocating Moscow this summer, we found ourselves walking down the street buttoning up our jackets against the chill. Leaving the hotel we walked a few minutes to the north, crossing the broad sweeping bridge over the Moscow River and directly into Alexander's Gardens - a long park that runs along the Kremlin Wall. It was a quiet morning in Moscow with few people in the Gardens. We reached the end of the Gardens and crossed underneath Resurrection Gate into Red Square. The giant expanse of cobblestones between the Kremlin and the former Soviet State Department Store turned high-end shopping center is arresting, the place of so many momentous events in recent history. Today large scaffolding was erected on the Square in preparation for an upcoming holiday, the modern metal tubing standing awkwardly amongst the old stone buildings surrounding. Due to an event celebrating the recent discovery of an unknown fresco above an entrance to the Kremlin visitation to Lenin's tomb was closed so instead we crossed to the Bolshoy Theater where renovations were recently completed before stopping for coffee on Tverskaya Prospekt, Moscow's Broadway.
We met our Russian guide, an energetic and knowledgeable local named Nina, around 10:30 and as the ominous skies began to spit rain we dove underground into Moscow's famous subways. We spent the better part of two hours bouncing from one station to the next, admiring the stunning murals, frescos, stained glass panels, mosaics, and statues that decorate the stations. It is truly incredible to see the work, attention to detail, and pride that went into these stations and they are an under recognized gem of Moscow.
Emerging into the downpour that developed as we zipped across the city far below it's streets, we crossed underneath the imposing red walls of the Kremlin and into the seat of Russian and Soviet power. A living history of the city itself, with buildings of every era, the Kremlin is a sprawling compound of office buildings and churches, each laced with bits of history. We spent several hours in the Kremlin admiring the churches and watching the Saturday parade of soldiers and cavalry before retreating to a nearby underground shopping complex to escape the rain and cold.
With the day drawing to a close and with tired feet to show for our hours spent visiting about Moscow, we returned to our hotel to catch some rest and get our gear ready for the morning.
We have an early departure tomorrow to make our morning flight south to Mineralnye Vody, our gateway to Elbrus and the Caucasus. We will spend tomorrow night in the town of Kislovodsk before reaching Base Camp the following day. We will check in tomorrow night from the south of Russia.
We woke up in Pangboche and headed back on the trail. Descending hills, crossing bridges, ascending hills and descending more until we made it to Namche Bazaar.
We passed our final yak trains (only mules and zopke below Namche) and many teams looking fresh as they headed in the valley.
We got an early start so we had the afternoon in Namche to shop for final gifts - yak bells, yak wool scarves, customized hoodies and more.
Tomorrow we have one final big day of trekking until we reach Lukla.
The Fellowship of Climbers, bound by their quest to conquer Mount Doom (i.e. Aconcagua), set forth from Camp 1. Sauron (i.e. Ben), the dark lord of the mountain, led the way, his all-seeing eye detecting all possible overhead hazard.
Gollum (i.e. Yev) crept alongside, whispering "precious summit, we wants it, we needs it." Hannah, Jim, and Nick followed, their hearts steeled for the trials ahead.
As they ascended, the winds howled and the scree tumbled. Yet the Fellowship pressed on, driven by their quest to reach the unattainable summit of Mount Doom. At last, they reached Camp 2, weary but undaunted. The vastness of the mountain loomed ahead, but they stood ready to face its windy challenges."
The pics keep getting better and better! The only thing more awesome would be live video! When you all get to the summit keep an eye out for low flying 757’s.
John B. In Rhode Island USA.
A few clouds to the morning but after another nutritious breakfast we set out toward High Camp. We marched up the broad tilted plateau concentrating on efficient techniques in walking and breathing. Things steepened just a bit as we came to the final ridge. We all were feeling strong as we arrived in Barafu our High Camp at 15,000'. We enjoyed a great lunch and held a meeting about strategy for the summit bid. We are busy packing up for an early dinner, bed by 6 pm and wake up around midnight. The team is in great shape and can't wait to get started.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Glad everyone and every thing is doing great. Success to all. The blog is wonderful. Almost feel like I am there!! Mom
Posted by: Gerri Seaton on 7/10/2013 at 12:20 pm
Larry: You are looking great, sage and youthful. All the best for another of the Seven. Godspeed, Walter Tell the peak “hey” from Lori and I, June 2010.
Posted by: walter glover on 7/9/2013 at 5:51 am
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