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Aconcagua: Justman & Team Prepare for Summit Bid

December 28, 2013

Posted by: JJ Justman, Leah Fisher

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua

Elevation: 19,600'

Hello RMI followers! Team 2 is at high camp on a gorgeous day. We are doing great and preparing for our summit bid tomorrow. Leah and I will be operating the stoves full time melting snow and boiling water. Our plan is to rest, rehydrate and eat some calories in preparation for a big day tomorrow. The wind prediction is staying true. We will have a breeze to keep us cool. Tomorrow will be a busy day for the guides but we will try to communicate as soon as we can. RMI Guide JJ Justman

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Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

So awesome! Can’t wait to hear that you guys have made it to the top! I look forward to the updates every day! Josh- I went to Oxford with my family today, Marlene asked about you and kept asking when you would be here. I have a video of you on my phone and she kept watching it. Since you were in the car she thought you were on your way over. I think she’s ready to see you! I’m so proud of you! I can’t wait to hear all about the climb and see your picture when you summit! Everyone says hello, and they’re proud of you. They’re all so excited for you! Family has been coming in for Marlene’s party they’re all up to date on the blog! Love you!! -Lily

Posted by: Lily on 12/28/2013 at 8:58 pm

Way to go team!!!! You are so close!!!! It’s truly been a pleasure following you along your journey and priceless adventure. I hope that tomorrow’s summit is a hallmark moment, and one you’ll always remember. I can’t wait to hear all about it. Best of luck tomorrow as you make your final ascend.

Josh - words can’t describe how extremely proud and excited I am for you. You amaze me everyday. I can’t wait to see your smiling face atop one of your lifetime goals. You are going to do awesome tomorrow, and remember you have three big angels guiding you along. Everyone here is rooting you on, and waiting in the incredible news that you’ve made it to the top. Heidi and I played fetch today. She was really hoping you’d come take over. No babies yet. Best of luck tomorrow!!!!! Can’t wait to see you.
Love you - Jess

Posted by: Jessica on 12/28/2013 at 7:36 pm

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Mt. Rainier: A Summit for the Four Day Climb!

June 7, 2025

Posted by: Henry Coppolillo, Bailey Servais, Bryan Mazaika, Tom Skoog, Stella Johnson, Sam Hoffman, Miles Watson, CJ Rogers

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

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!

Kilimanjaro: Grom & Team Move Steady Up Hill to Shira Camp

January 24, 2024

Posted by: Casey Grom, Jess Wedel

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

Elevation: 12,570'

Hi family and friends!

We woke up rested this morning finally starting to leave that jet lag behind.

After a delicious breakfast complete with fresh avocado, eggs, local yams and of course, pitchers of coffee, we hit the trail up a rocky ridge. The sun was shining but we watched the clouds build behind us all morning, crossing our fingers we’d make it to camp before the rains.

We walked above the trees, seeing our first views of the lush rainforest below and the snowy upper slopes of Kilimanjaro above. Everyone moved steady and fluid. We saw wild flowers and the first of many senecios trees. Making sure to take all the photos.

Just before arriving to camp, we stopped to put on our shell jackets and pants as the rain came. It was our lucky day because by the time we arrived at camp - the clouds had passed and the sun was peaking through. After a wonderful lunch at Shira Camp, we worked to dry out all our wet gear in preparation for a big day tomorrow.

This team is special and we know this experience is as well. We can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!

RMI Guides Jess Wedel, Casey Grom and the crew

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Kilimanjaro: Hahn & Team Climb the Barranco Wall

August 23, 2019

Posted by: Dave Hahn

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

Elevation: 13,160'

It was sleep-in day at Barranco Camp. We didn’t start slurping coffee until 7:30 this morning and breakfast at 8:00 was a leisurely affair. There were several good reasons for going slow and dragging feet. Barranco Camp is a beautiful place and absolutely worth spending a little more quality time in. But strategy-wise, we wanted to give neighboring teams and their associated porters the chance to get out ahead of us and to clear the tricky ledges and scrambly bits of the Great Barranco Wall before we committed to it. Secondarily, we knew we didn’t have a long way to go to reach Karanga Camp. So it was 9:40 before we put on our packs and followed Gama to the start of the wall. The strategy worked... while we didn’t exactly have the track to ourselves, there weren’t any big bottlenecks or traffic jams and we were able to figure out the tricky rock moves without much pressure or stress. In truth, the great majority of the “wall” is just walking or careful walking. And we did all of that well. We gained about 900 feet in elevation and popped out on top of the wall to easy terrain and gorgeous views of Kibo and the rest of the world. As usual, the rest of the world -with a few exceptions- was under the sea of white cloud lapping at the slopes of the mountain a thousand feet below. We had tea and snacks at that 13,900 ft high point and then carried on traversing to the east. After another hour we’d reached the steep walled Karanga Valley. Our camp sat on the opposite rim, so we dropped down a dusty trail to the valley floor and marched up the opposing flank to our home for the night. Karanga Camp is at virtually the same altitude we slept at last night -13,000 ft, so we hope to solidify our acclimatization before moving higher tomorrow. We made it here in four hours,allowing plenty of time for rest, for kite flying, and for more of Tosha’s great cooking. Best Regards Dave Hahn

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Stay vertical!

Posted by: Jeff Tracy on 8/24/2019 at 6:01 am

The SUMMIT awaits. Congrats to all for a great hike so far…and yet to come. Excited for summit pics. High fives and hugs to Peter Jacqueline and Steven!

Posted by: Erin Anton on 8/23/2019 at 1:00 pm

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Peru Seminar: Young & Team Conclude Their Time in Peru

July 29, 2019

Posted by: Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar

Greetings all, It’s been a whirlwind of a few days following our summit of Pisco on Friday. From the summit of Pisco onwards, we’ve been on the move, starting with a descent to Huaraz, a quick turn-around of packing, followed by a great celebratory dinner at our favorite Peruvian restaurant, Encuentro. Check out the photo of the feast that ensued, with props to Trey for going for the customary Peruvian dish, Guineau Pig (Cuy). He even ate it like a Peruvian, but we’ll omit a few details for our sensitive readers. A long bus ride back to Lima on Peru’s Independence Day put us in position for our long overnight flights back stateside. I just landed in Los Angeles, and other members of the team are doing the same in other cities across the US this morning. It’s amazing how quick it feels between the time we’re standing on the summit of our final climb, and the time when we’re heading through customs in a blurry travel haze. Our time in Peru, while it’s physically concluded, it’s a place that will certainly have a permanent impact on all members of our team. The mountains are very much unique on this planet of ours. The climbing is exquisite, the sunrises are the best in the world, the food rich, and most of all, the people are unbelievably welcoming and kind to us visitors. A big THANK YOU goes out to our guides and local staff down in Peru, including Alvorado Adventures guides William and Alfie, long time co-guides of RMI down in Peru. As well as our exceptional chef Emilio and his assistant Roger, who’s 5-star cooking was such a huge part of our experience and our success. That’s all until next season. Thanks for following along blog fans. Enjoy a couple pictures from our final summit! RMI Guide Robby Young and your favorite ESS-Peru Team

Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Train at 14,000’ Camp

June 9, 2017

Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

June 9, 2017 Today we enjoyed a little bit of sleeping in before a solid brunch. The weather has been persnickety of late, but our team is handling the storm well, fortifying camp at 14,000' and swapping stories in our cook tent. Naps are a big part of the downtime as we wait for a chance to move higher. Yesterday we went for a training mission to hone our skills for the fixed lines and everyone did a great job, passing their rope skills test with flying colors. Cross your fingers for some good weather for us! RMI Guide Jake Beren

On The Map

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Lindsay - hope you are having the time of your life! It seems like weather is not cooperating but I am sure it will turn around. Hang in there!

Posted by: Manish on 6/10/2017 at 4:08 pm

Steve, We are in awe watching you and your team embrace this journey.You are all truly amazing!! Hang in there man…you are living the dream…We love you and can’t wait to see, hug , and have a very expensive bottle of wine and dinner with you!! Stay safe all. Ruth and Mike

Posted by: Mike and Ruth on 6/10/2017 at 2:51 pm

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Mt. Rainier: June 26th Summit

June 26, 2014

Posted by: Mike Soucy, Zeb Blais, JJ Justman

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Summit Climb of Mt. Rainier led by RMI Guides JJ Justman and Mike Soucy stood on top of Columbia Crest this morning. JJ reported that the teams were in and out of a cloud cap all morning but enjoyed light winds and pleasant conditions on the summit. The teams will descend to Camp Muir where they will pack up and refuel before making their way to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them in Ashford this afternoon. The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz led by RMI Guide Zeb Blais also reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. They enjoyed a light breeze while on the summit. The team will descend back to high camp for the night and will return to Ashford tomorrow. Congratulations to today's climbers!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Congratulations everyone. Great reward for all
the training and hard work. So proud of you, Paul!!
A special thank you to the guides.

Posted by: Vicki on 6/26/2014 at 9:59 pm

WAY TO GO JIM AND KATHERINE !!!!! Congratulations to all. Truly an experience. Love you :)

Posted by: Mary Kruse on 6/26/2014 at 5:48 pm

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Aconcagua: Stevens & Team Nestled into Plaza Argentina

January 1, 2014

Posted by: Ben Liken

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua

Elevation: 13,800'

Happy New Year from the team, nestled in here at Plaza Argentina! How many of you can say you started off the new year riding on the back of a mule across a raging river? Well, everyone on the team did just that, and once we were all safely across the Vacas River we started today's long ascent up the Relinchos Valley. The early morning shade gave way to sun, and unlike yesterday we didn't have a breeze to cool us down. While the absence of flying sand was nice, the heat wasn't exactly what many expected as we made our way higher and higher. Hydration was critical as we climbed closer to our goal, and by mid-afternoon we arrived in base camp - hot, tired, and happy to be here. Our hostesses Griselda and Anita soon had delicious treats on the table and juice in our glasses, and the team took full advantage. After some much-needed rest, we sat down to a dinner of trout, potatoes and tomatoes, complemented with hot tea and lively conversation. We are settled in now for the night, looking forward to tomorrow's well-earned rest day. Everyone is excited to be kicking off 2014 here on Aconcagua! Keep it locked in for more news from the crew... RMI Guides Ben Liken, Nick Brown, and Garrett Stevens

On The Map

Aconcagua: Justman & Team Ready for Summit Bid

December 30, 2013

Posted by: Leah Fisher, JJ Justman

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua

Elevation: 19,600'

Hey, this is JJ and Leah up here at High Camp 19,600' finishing up the hot drinks and breakfast for our team. It's about 4:30 in the morning, a little bit of wind today but it's looking like it's going to be a nice day to climb Aconcagua. So the team is up and at 'em, getting ready for our summit attempt. Wish us luck! And hopefully we will have some great news for you a little later on today. We'll touch base hopefully from the top of South American's highest mountain. Take care, JJ Justman

RMI Guide JJ Justman checks in prior to summit bid on Aconcagua.

On The Map

Mt. Rainier: September 6, 2013 Update

September 6, 2013

Posted by: Tyler Jones, Lindsay Mann

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 10,080'

The Four Day Summit Climbs led by Lindsay Mann and Tyler Jones were unable to leave Camp Muir last night. The team experienced heavy thunderstorms that brought much lightening and 6 inches of new snow to Camp Muir. The teams plan to leave Camp Muir shortly and will be back in Ashford in the early afternoon. Congratulations to today's teams!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Janet and Peter,
Although it wasn’t what you planned, it sounds like you had quite the adventure, Maybe Peter should have brought his raft! I can’t wait to hear all about your trip. Love you both!!!!
Jeanine

Posted by: Jeanine on 9/6/2013 at 6:44 pm

Hi Juli, Megan and Wes.
What an exciting time you have had for the last few days. We are so proud of your efforts. Looking forward to seeing the pictures. Love and prayers, MOM, Memaw

Posted by: Mary Alyce Hall on 9/6/2013 at 12:21 pm

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Aconcagua: Justman & Team Prepare for Summit Bid

On The Map

Mt. Rainier: A Summit for the Four Day Climb!

Kilimanjaro: Grom & Team Move Steady Up Hill to Shira Camp

Kilimanjaro: Hahn & Team Climb the Barranco Wall

Peru Seminar: Young & Team Conclude Their Time in Peru

Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Train at 14,000’ Camp

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Mt. Rainier: June 26th Summit

Aconcagua: Stevens & Team Nestled into Plaza Argentina

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Aconcagua: Justman & Team Ready for Summit Bid

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Mt. Rainier: September 6, 2013 Update

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