Most Popular Entries

Greetings from our high camp on Ixta at 14,700 feet above sea level. Today we hiked from our hut to this high camp below the Ayoloco Glacier, known here as the Stomach of Ixta, the 'White Woman.' Everyone did very well today and seems to be handling our new high point very well. This afternoon we are reviewing crampons, ice axes and rope travel around camp before an early dinner. For dinner's entertainment we will go over the plan for tomorrow's attempt on Ixta, looking at our route and discussing our strategies for the day. Then it's off to bed for an early start for summit day. Wish us luck! RMI Guide Jake Beren

Good day faithful readers,

We have concluded our 17 day Aconcagua Expedition. With a final 8mile walk out to the park entrance, we have made it start to finish. Our final night was spent bellies full of Carne asada and a crisp starry night to glance up at intermittently as we rolled in our sleeping bags. It's surreal feeling having been sleeping hypoxic at 19,600' and then in 48 hours on the valley floor. Three hours of walking brought us back to where we started and a quick wait brought us back to our clean clothes at Penitentes. Once back in Mendoza the team cleaned up and became new people. It's crazy what a shower, new clothes, and shave can do for someone's appearance. We enjoyed bottles of wine and listening to everyone tell their highs and lows of the trip. It's been an amazing time in Argentina from the people, the food, the scenery, and the company. On behalf of all three guides, we would like to thank our team for a great expedition. Thier commitment to train and be ready for this trip showed and their ability to adapt and bond as a team has made these three weeks truly enjoyable. So congratulations team, hope to see you all on the next mountain!

That's a wrap,

RMI Guides Hannah, Ben, Dan, and Team

Yoga studios have popped up nearly everywhere it seems and are as common as gyms in many places. Combine that with all sorts of free online classes and podcasts, and yoga is an activity that is readily available to nearly everyone. There are numerous different styles which focus more heavily on different aspects of the practice, such as stretching, building core strength, or mental training. The combination of strength, stretching, and focus that yoga builds can hold a lot of benefits for athletes, but many do not include it in their training routines. Yoga has a place in your training routine as you prepare for your next climb. It builds strength: Training for climbing often focuses on a handful of major muscle groups in the legs and core. We do squats for our quads, carry weight up stairs to build our quad and hamstring strength, and do sit-ups and other core exercises for balance and to help stabilize a pack. All of this training does a great job building the major muscle groups we need, but often leaves the surrounding smaller muscles underdeveloped and leads to imbalances that can ultimately lead to injury. Frequent and consistent yoga practice helps to develop those smaller muscle groups that are often left out, helping to balance out the body. Many yoga poses have a strong focus on balance: Consistent yoga practice helps to develop increased balance and coordination. In climbing, good balance and coordination translate directly to more efficient movement, and ultimately to being able to climb for longer, at a more comfortable rate. Yoga involves a lot of stretching and is a great way to increase your flexibility: Yoga improves joint and muscular flexibility, translating to greater range of motion, which in turn, yields an increase in performance. Increased range of motion also allows greater strength conditioning since the force can be exerted over a greater period. The increases in strength and performance ultimately lead to greater muscular efficiency, benefits which will certainly be felt on your next long summit day! The Shavasana portion that usually concludes each class help you to develop mental control: Stretching and strength poses were originally included in the practice of yoga to prepare the mind and body for the meditation and mental training that follows. Developing the ability to calm your mind, quell your doubts, and focus on the task at hand makes climbing a much more enjoyable experience and will improve your success in the mountains. The number and different types of yoga classes can be intimidating for someone exploring the practice of yoga. Shop around until you find a studio that you like, and explore the different classes they offer. Don’t be frustrated if you can’t do the poses at first; stick with it for a few weeks and you’ll make huge improvements in your practice and will see the benefits creep into the rest of your training. _____ Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!

Hola from Ecuador. We had great weather today as our team went on our first acclimatization hike, summiting Rucu Pichincha, a volcano that forms part of the western perimeter of Quito's valley. To start our hike, we took a gondola from Quito up to an altitude of around 13,500'. Then a well-maintained trail with stunning views led us out onto a ridge toward Rucu Pichincha. An easy rock scramble later and we were on top, at 15,700'. Our climbing was very strong today, making quick work of the altitude. We had good views of volcanoes Cotopaxi, the Ilinizas, Pasachoa, and Ruminuai the south, and Cayambe and Cotacachi to the north. We will leave Quito tomorrow morning, heading north towards Cayambe. But, before we get to Cayambe, we'll take another acclimatization hike tomorrow on Fuya Fuya, and then visit the market in Otavalo the next day. We'll keep you posted! RMI Guide Mike Walter

On The Map

May 30, 2014 - 11:12 pm PT The view from the vestibule this morning was not what I'd have called heartening. Clouds and snow dominated the picture, adding visual texture to the soft but incessant howl of the winds coming from the Buttress above. We could still see most of the landmarks around camp, but in the shadow of the early morning it didn't look promising for our carry. So, after talking with Leah and Nick, I happily crawled back into my warm sack. We later awoke at the more reasonable hour of 9:00 to get the stoves fired up and start our day. No one complained about not climbing. I think having a real rest day was welcome by all. So what do we do on these days? First of all, we hang out in the Posh an extra hour or two, then we cut a few snow blocks to further reinforce the walls we built around our tents yesterday. It was impressive seeing the team rally and build some really good walls. I think everyone was feeling good and happy to be doing something. Twelve hours in a tent can do that to a person. But a rest day is a rest day and some good tent time is a must. A group was playing an animated game of BS next door to us in the Posh. Others were catching up on things on the radio. Naps are never a bad thing, and in this tent a few games of cribbage were contested. We even got in a bit of rope craft review and knot tying practice. Such is life for the climber hanging out at 14,200' waiting for Mother Nature to offer us a little friendlier weather to continue our climb up the flanks of one of her most beautiful mountain creations. We're all doing well and happily waiting this little set back out. Cheers, RMI Guides Brent, Leah and Nick

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.

On The Map

Happy Fourth!!! But actually our sixth day on the mountain and our first rest day. If it hadn't been proclaimed a rest day in advance, it would have become one anyway, but we'd have labeled it a storm day. Light, but continuous snow fell and we were seldom granted views of the sky, the sun or the mountains. Winds were aimless but persistent, making it a fine day for tenting. The team got up with the sun -or at least when the sun came out from behind the West Buttress at 9:15 AM and ducked behind clouds. Breakfast was held in the POSH and consisted of salmon, bagels, cream cheese and hot drinks. Conversation ranged from whales to polar bears and royal families. Cards were played, books were read and iPod movies were watched. Everyone seems to be acclimatizing well -which was the goal in resting here at 11,000 before the hoped for move to 14,200. While camp had seemed quite busy two days ago, it now seems quiet with just three other teams -all on similar schedules, give or take a day or two. Together we represent the end of the guided climbing season on Denali. Our team, although pleasantly diverse and international in composition is proud to be celebrating the fourth by climbing the America's highest peak. Although today we are climbing it from a predominantly seated position. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

Hey Everyone – This is JJ and Steve with Team #1. Guess where we are? No, we are not sitting by the pool in Mendoza. We are on the summit of Aconcagua. The entire team is up here right now. They did a really great job. This is my 19th summit of Aconcagua and I have to tell you this, is the most beautiful day I have ever seen up here. But hey, you have heard enough from me. I am going to pass the phone around, so hopefully this will work. Some folks want to hi and etc to some people back at home. So here we go. [Listen to audio] Alright, so hopefully that work and we didn’t get cut out. This is Team #1 on the summit of Aconcagua. A beautiful day up here. We have a little more work to do. But I can’t tell you how great of team this was. What do you say team [Cheers]. We are tired. But we are going down hill, so that is the good news. Chao from the summit, RMI Guide JJ Justman

On The Map

The wait continues here in the rainy village of Talkeetna. We have covered a whole gamut of skills and topics. Currently we don't have a glacier under our our feet but we have many new tricks and tips to help us when our plane's skis hit the powder-covered runway at KIA (Kahiltna International Airport), as many consider it. While the last flight in or out occurred this last Monday, our motivation is high and our spirits strong as we endure these fuzzy and rain filled skies. Maybe fishing for halibut would suit this weather well? Our afternoon will take us to the Talkeetna Ranger Station for a documentary video that outlines the process of climbing and the reality of this difficult and rewarding climb to the summit of North America! We continue to send positive thoughts to the teams on the hill, hoping to high-five with then as we land. Any high pressure you can send up here would be appreciated by all... Until tomorrow, RMI Guides Tyler Jones, Garrett Stevens, Bryan Hendrick, and team

Update sent 4:59 a.m. PST Off we go! Seth the Sherpa man left Everest Basecamp early with Lam Babu to retrieve gear from Camp 2 and bring down to Camp 1. They met up with Dave and Dan then Lam Babu went back to Camp 2 for the night. The team decided to make use of Camp 1 on this rotation for ease of travel. A good number of climbers summited today under nice conditions most of the time. Three remaining Sherpa here at Basecamp will go up to Camp 1 tomorrow and bring all equipment down to Basecamp except rescue and medical. Getting a head start on clearing the mountain. Forecast is still looking good. Dave and crew report all is well at a very quiet Camp 1. RMI Everest Basecamp Manager Mark Tucker

On The Map