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Hello everyone
We have finally returned to
Kathmandu!
We arrived yesterday in Lukla after a long enjoyable hike down from Namche. It was a beautiful day with sunshine most of the way and just a sprinkle at the end to welcome us back.
After a quick shower we stepped out to the local pub and had a drink to celebrate the journey.
This morning we were delighted to wake to clear skies and hear that we were on one of the first flights out. And better yet, arrived back in Kathmandu early enough for breakfast.
It's been a wonderful adventure and it will be sad to say goodbye to the team. But it's time to get home.
Thanks for following!
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
This is Seth checking in from the top of the
Barranco Wall. We've been climbing in a cloud all morning which has kept the temperatures nice and comfortable. The team is doing well and we're all looking forward to spending the afternoon at our next camp,
Karanga Valley.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
On The Map
Our
Cotopaxi Express trip is under way! Today was the first official day of the trip, and we started it off with an introductory team meeting over breakfast. We spent the rest of the day enjoying an informative and educational City Tour of colonial Quito, visiting various churches and parks, the Presidential Palace and the Virgin of Quito (a large statue situated on a hill above Quito). Our local tour guide, Jorge, is very well versed in the history and culture of Ecuador, and we had great time seeing the city.
We also visited an ethnographic museum located on the equator, where we learned about the different indigenous cultures of Ecuador. We also got a photo of our team straddling the equator, some of us in the northern hemisphere and some of us in the southern hemisphere!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
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
This morning was a welcomed departure from the hustle and bustle of
Ecuador's largest city. Despite the plush hotel, easy Internet access and wild night life, our team was ready to relocate to the country getting us one step closer the big mountains we came here to climb. Although we haven't seen any glaciated peaks yet because of the constant cloud coverage, the guides have thoroughly convinced the team they do exist. Such confidence was not instilled in our team when our driver today told us he knew where the trail head was to our second acclimating hike on a mountain called Fuya Fuya. Doing his best to convince us he was not indeed lost, it became undeniable when the road, if one could call it that, ended in the face of a giant bulldozer actually clearing jungle so the "road" could go further. Always expecting the unexpected, we made the best of the situation by pushing headlong up a muddy, steep trail hoping to find a lake we knew existed somewhere up in the mountains above. Surprisingly we did not find the lake but instead stumbled across the main road we should have been on in the first place. With a good laugh we headed back down the muddy trail to the waiting van and then got settled into our beautiful hacienda. Chuck, Jan, Albert and I had a great soccer match and the rest of us simply relaxed. A quick packing lesson prepared us for tomorrow's departure to the mountains and a great dinner has now prepared us for sleep. The team is doing very well and in good spirits. Hasta mañana.
RMI Guides
Adam Knoff &
Casey Grom
Good morning!
The Four Day Climb of Mt. Rainier led by RMI Guides Henry Coppolillo and Bailey Servais reached the summit of Mt. Rainier around 5:20 am PT this morning. Both teams went 100% to the summit--an incredible achievement! The guides reported beautiful weather and a great climbing route! The teams are currently descending and will be back in Ashford at Rainier Base Camp later this afternoon.
Congratuations to today's climbers!
Wednesday, May 11, 2022 - 9:56 pm PT
We awoke to another blue bird day in the amazing Ruth Gorge. The morning was spent enjoying a leisurely breakfast while waiting for the sun to hit camp. Once the sun had warmed us up from the evenings cold, we geared up and set out to do some exploring and training. We headed off across the glacier until we reached the eastern edge of the Ruth Glacier. After picking our way through the jumbled labyrinth of the broken edge of the glacier, we ascended a moraine and refreshed our mountaineering skills and learned a few new ones. Lunch was had with beautiful views of the 5,000 foot granite east face of Mt. Dickey. Then we meandered back to camp, practiced anchors, devoured some bacon cheese burgers and relaxed for the evening. Tomorrow we will combine all our technical skills acquired so far and learn crevasse rescue using a real live crevasse!
RMI Guide Avery Parrinello
Hi all,
Today is our last day on
Shuksan before we hike out tomorrow. We spent the morning relaxing getting in and out of our tents as the rain storms were sporadic. By early afternoon it seemed stable enough and we did some training. First we practiced knots and hitches, then we moved on to building snow anchors, and wrapped up with some crevasse rescue scenarios. We are now back in tents as a very dark ominous looking cloud quickly approaches.
That's the latest from Shuksan,
RMI Guide Geoff Schellens & Team
Hi! This is Solveig Waterfall checking in from our Cabana at the La Malitzi Resort at the base of
La Malinche. We had a great acclimatization hike this afternoon and made it all the way to 13,000ft! Everyone did great and the weather held off nearly long enough. At the first sounds of thunder we began a hasty descent back to relative safety below tree line and then motored all the way back down to our cabins under heavy rainfall. Everyone is in great spirits after a delicious dinner and we are all cozied up drying out clothing and boots next to the fireplace enjoying the sounds of the continued rain and thunder. Quite the first day here in the mountains of Mexico!
Tomorrow we will travel to the Altzomoni hut near the base of Ixta and begin preparations for our first big climb. Crossing our fingers for an improvement in the weather!!
RMI Guides
JJ Justman and
Solveig Waterfall
On The Map
Here we are! Once again in
Mexico City with another great climbing team. Yes, we are about to head into the mountains. However, one of the greatest parts about international travel is experiencing the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of the beautiful countries we visit.
I'd like to disclose the name of the restaurant we had our orientation dinner. However, I cannot give away our secrets. How was it you may ask?....Amazing!!! And guess what! It only gets better!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Congratulations you guys!
Posted by: Chris on 4/8/2014 at 2:17 pm
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