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Hello again everyone.
What an amazing day we had here today in the Khumbu. It started off with views of Everest right out our dining room window at breakfast.
We then hit the trail and headed uphill to old Pangboche to visit a friend and climbing legend Ang Kami Sherpa. As we sat and had tea with him and his wife, we learned he has 18 Everest summits, and has also climbed K2, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Shishapangma, Manaslu, Makalu, Ama Dablam 16 or more times, on over 45 Himalayan expeditions. Obviously, we were all totally impressed, especially by his humble demeanor. It was an honor to share time with him for all of us.
If that wasn’t enough, we visited the Pangboche monastery built in the 16th century and home to a supposed Yeti skull and hand. If you believe in that sort of thing, it was shocking to see, although we have a few doubters in our group.
We then slowly made our way uphill while walking right under Ama Dablam shining above us the whole way. Ama is considered the “Matterhorn of the Himalayas” and is a proud step climb at 22,500ft. Although small by Himalayan standards, she (Ama means mother) is often considered more difficult than many of the other 8,000 meter peaks.
The team is currently relaxing in Pheriche sitting around the yak dung burning stove warming our bones.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the trekking crew!
New Post Alerts:
Everest Base Camp Trek, March 9, 2025
Posted by: Jeff Martin, Pete Van Deventer
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: 11,200'
On The Map
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Elevation: 15,300'
Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 2:57 pm PT
We are excited for our first glaciers in Ecuador.
A fun, bumpy 4x4 ride delivered us to the climbers hut where we unpacked and settled into the penthouse suite. That is a nice way to say we had to haul all our gear up a bunch of stairs and everyone was breathing heavy.
After moving in, we refreshed our walking and cramponing techniques on the rocks and dirt just above the hut.
We also met the rest of our guide team, Carmelo, Jorge and Gustavo who joined us for dinner. They are warm and friendly and quickly becoming part of the team.
We enjoyed a delicious dinner of quinoa-potato soup, followed by chicken and rice. We are getting to bed early in preparation for our early start tomorrow.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
New Post Alerts:
Ecuador Seminar February 4, 2025
Deja vu happens to people all the time. A familiar face, feeling or experience happening in the present that one is sure has happened in the past. Most of the time this strange phenomenon passes quickly and the day continues on its normal path. Today was a different type of deja vu.
One year ago at this very time of year, I was on Chimborazo guiding a team of climbers motivated to ascend this beast of a volcano. We were camped at the same camp, had the same tent sights and experienced the same weather. Unfortunately this weather was the kicker. From well below the mountain, a mean looking cloud cap obscured the summit and it was clear that wind, whipped up from the volatile tropics had a grip on the upper mountain with no intention of loosening it. Today, everything from our parking spot to the cloud formations was the same.
We reached high camp at 17,400' at the 3:00 p.m. This section of the climb was actually much more pleasant than expected. Beautiful backdrops of our climbers were framed against the moody upper mountain and the deep red volcanic rock making for amazing color contrast and Kodak moments.
Once at camp, things began to change and the wind began to pour down the mountain making our tent houses flap. Through dinner the wind didn’t let up. Then around 8:00 p.m., as we were tucked in, things went calm. Exactly like last year. With this sign, I knew what was coming.
By 9:30 p.m. the atmospheric fan was turned to high. Dust found every tiny opening in the tents covering our sleeping bags and getting into our eyes and mouths. From here on we knew it was going to be an uncertain climb.
At 2:00 a.m. we left our camp with winds so strong we needed to collapse our tents and put rocks on them to keep them from getting destroyed. Last year that’s what happened. Unfortunately an hour into the climb, having been protected by a large rock band, we turned a corner and were greeted with the full force of Chimborazo. With all the local guides urging us to turn back, we were left with little choice. Having only climbed 600 feet, we turned the group around.
Sometimes the house deals some bad hands. Unfortunately on this trip, two out of three were not winners. Although we didn’t summit Cayambe or Chimborazo, we were blessed with a perfect day on Cotopaxi. We all feel psyched to be heading home soon but a bit disappointed we couldn’t get higher. All in all we had a great journey learning a lot while making life long memories.
Now we are enjoying a welcome afternoon of football before heading back to Quito and ultimately back home. Thank you all for following our Ecuadorian adventure.
Hasta Luego!
RMI Guides Adam Knoff, Dustin Wittmier and Team
Good Luck Sue!! Wishing you and your fellow climbers a safe and successful climb!
- Mychal (Mexico climb teammate)
Posted by: Mychal Wooldridge on 1/20/2020 at 1:14 pm
Glad you are safe! Sorry that the wind blew you off the summit! Packers also were blown out!
Posted by: Jane on 1/20/2020 at 5:03 am
It seems to be quite a mindblowing journey. Be courageous. Enjoy!
Posted by: Bertrand Lambotte on 8/25/2019 at 5:20 am
Climb like the wind!
Posted by: Jeff Tracy on 8/25/2019 at 4:22 am
RMI Guide JJ Justman and the team call in from the summit of Aconcagua.
On The Map
Congrats Matt! Sounded a bit winded though, need to train harder. Jimmy, Ross and I really appreciated the shout out ;).
Posted by: Michael Beck on 12/29/2014 at 9:17 am
There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.
Happy Summit day!!! Congrats!!!
Posted by: Chris on 12/28/2014 at 10:12 pm
RMI Guide JJ Justman checks in from 19,600 ft on Aconcagua.
On The Map
Dec 30 - Results from the NFL games on Sunday (home team in CAPS)
INDIANAPOLIS 30 Jacksonville 10
NY Jets 20 MIAMI 7
MINNESOTA 14 Detroit 13
TENNESSEE 16 Houston 10
PITTSBURGH 20 Cleveland 7
NY GIANTS 20 Washington 6
CINCINNATI 34 Baltimore 17
Carolina 21 ATLANTA 20
Green Bay 33 CHICAGO 28
NEW ENGLAND 34 Buffalo 20
NEW ORLEANS 42 Tampa Bay 17
Denver 34 OAKLAND 14
San Francisco 23 ARIZONA 20
SAN DIEGO 27 Kansas City 24 (OT)
SEATTLE 27 St. Louis 9
Dec 30 (Infostrada Sports) - Results from the NFL games on Sunday (home team in CAPS)
INDIANAPOLIS 30 Jacksonville 10
NY Jets 20 MIAMI 7
MINNESOTA 14 Detroit 13
TENNESSEE 16 Houston 10
PITTSBURGH 20 Cleveland 7
NY GIANTS 20 Washington 6
CINCINNATI 34 Baltimore 17
Carolina 21 ATLANTA 20
Green Bay 33 CHICAGO 28
NEW ENGLAND 34 Buffalo 20
NEW ORLEANS 42 Tampa Bay 17
Denver 34 OAKLAND 14
San Francisco 23 ARIZONA 20
SAN DIEGO 27 Kansas City 24 (OT)
SEATTLE 27 St. Louis 9
Philadelphia 24 DALLAS 22
Detroit, Oakland, Washington Cleveland and Minnesota have all fired the head coaches! It’s Black Monday for sure! I hope the wind calms down! Happy New Year! Go Sparty!
Posted by: Stacy on 12/30/2013 at 7:54 am
HI KIM!!! Hope you’re not having tent fever! Do you all tell each other ghost stories to pass the time?? Good luck and hope those winds blow themselves out! AT
Posted by: Alison on 12/30/2013 at 7:30 am
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek
Elevation: 4,383'
Larry and the gang: Glad to know the weather is cooperating and hope it continues. What tales you can tell us when you return. Best wishes to all! Gerri S.
Posted by: Gerri Seaton on 12/12/2013 at 5:18 pm
Larry and Crew
Great to hear how your expedition is progressing so well! Hope the weather continues to be good. Excited to hear how your safely and successful move up the mountain!! Keep each other warm and best of success!!!
Fred K
Posted by: Fred Klingbeil on 12/12/2013 at 6:35 am
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