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REMEMBER SOME ARE GRATEFUL AND SOME ARE DEAD
Posted by: Carole on 5/28/2011 at 7:38 am
Missing you very much!!!! I can’t wait to see you!!!
Posted by: Carole on 5/28/2011 at 7:20 am
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Henry Coppolillo, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,000'
Saturday, May 21, 2023 - 11:27 pm PT
Big moves today. We bounced back and forth on whether to move this morning, as it snowed all night and was still when we woke up. After a bit of waffling we decided it was time. Though it was pretty cloudy and white at 11,000', it was dead calm, and it looked much the same above. We stayed in that cloud until Windy Corner and it was HOT. It acted much like a microwave and we were sweating, both from heat and loads. The theme was pretty similar to yesterday - our travel was smooth, it was hard work, but the team was strong and we clipped right along. Six hours after leaving 11,000', we walked into our new home at 14,000'.
VERY excited to hear the summit word!!!! Hoping for good weather behavior and smooth climbing.
Lots of folks here in “the middle” are watching and pulling for you all.
Posted by: Betsy Wearing on 5/22/2023 at 12:53 pm
｡:.ﾟヽ(*´∀`)ﾉﾟ.:｡
That’s a YAY face!
Great job! Proud of my guy!
Posted by: Lyds on 5/21/2023 at 5:32 pm
I am pleased to announce that our Ecuador Seminar team successfully reached the glorious summit of Cotopaxi today at 6:45 am, a mere six hours after leaving the hut in near perfect weather. As we gathered outside preparing ourselves for launch we were greeted with a stunning view of the Southern Hemisphere’s most notable constellation, the Southern Cross, perched directly over the summit which was illuminated beautifully in half powered moonlight. With almost no wind and warm temps, our climb was a drastic contrast to the experience on Cayambe. There were certainly more climbers sharing the mountain but all in all the climbing was very manageable and the route was perfect. Along with the the great weather, we were blessed with a stunning view of night time Quito, 50 miles to the north looking like a long orange fire against the backdrops of numerous volcanoes.
Upon reaching the summit we were bummed to be missing two of our team members still struggling to overcome annoying chest infections but we took plenty of pictures to show them the crater and expansive vistas. After an almost flawless descent I provided a bit of unneeded excitement by taking the wrong trail off of the glacier resulting in steep screen sliding but we found the hut and eventually the bus, waiting patiently in the parking lot ready to zip us to showers, internet and cervesas.
As I write this I am sitting in another 400+ year old hacienda, beer in hand, showing our gracious hosts the incredible pictures of this mornings climb. All I keep saying is what a great day and climb it was. We all hope Chimborazo treats us the same way.
Our journey is well past it’s first week so we want to let all of those following the blog know we are grateful. We all miss our families and loved ones and hope you can send positive thoughts for one more climb.
Tomorrow is a rest day as we transfer south to this planet’s actual tallest mountain. Ask google why.
Adam: congrats! Your team is lucky to have you and the weather is something I hope for the next time!
Posted by: Deborah Rutter on 1/17/2020 at 6:12 am
Fantastic everyone ! Congratulations! Wishing you good weather and climb for Chimborazo.
Posted by: Linda Dempf on 1/16/2020 at 4:40 pm
On The Map
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You guys are AMAZING!!! Katie, your myzone was so cool to look at!!! I’m so stinking proud of every single one of you! Please come home quick and tell us all about it!
Posted by: RAB on 7/23/2019 at 7:04 pm
Way to go, Prime Family!! You are amazing and I can’t wait to hear all about it! You are such an inspiration!
Posted by: KERI LEHMAN on 7/22/2019 at 6:53 pm
Posted by: JJ Justman, Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Elevation: 17,340'
JJ and Team checking in from the Summit of Ixta
Posted by: Jeff Martin, Pete Van Deventer
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: 11,200'
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Leon Davis, Mike King
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 19,600'
On The Map
Rick is my favorite person named Rick Popp! Congrats to you and your team!
Posted by: Ben Gadd on 2/3/2013 at 12:48 pm
Thinking of you and your team today as you make the summit. XOXOXO Carol
Posted by: carol Crye Popp on 2/3/2013 at 5:25 am
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Ben Luedtke, Michael Murray
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 2,449'
Today we walked.
It was a dusty, rocky, hot, and dry 15 miles from Mulas Basecamp to the park trailhead. In front of us sprawled an immense valley. Behind us, clear views of the summit we stood upon just a few short days ago.
A perfect setting for reflection.
Some thought back to the summit bid with all the challenges and struggles that came with it.
Others looked forward to the Michelin Star dinner that awaits us in Mendoza tonight. With FKTs being broken to meet the reservation.
Still others spoke of future climbing plans such as Mt. Vinson or Denali.
All in all we started this journey as strangers just a few short weeks ago. But we leave the Park as friends, by our shared experience of climbing Aconcagua.
Thank you for following along, we can't wait till we're back out in the mountains for our next objectives.
Climber Jon Honda
Billy, Nick and Robby, Thanks for making our summit possible. Getting there was my most amazing physical accomplishment and I owe it to your outstanding guidance. I was happy with my strength and endurance, but not my balance and I wasn’t a big fan of the crevices. At first I thought this would be it and it took me a few days to be able to walk easily again, but now I am getting juiced about another challenge. I did write up about a six page summary and am putting together a picture book as wel. Billy, I especially owe my summit to you and really appreciate all you did to keep pushing me and keeping me in one piece. Heart surgery is sure easier than mountaineering. Good luck and thanks. Blue Bob
Posted by: Blue Bob Robison on 9/29/2012 at 6:38 pm
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