Hey this is Seth standing on top of El Pico de Orizaba also known as Citlaltépetl , the tallest point in Mexico, the third highest in North America. It took us about 7 ½ hours from high camp to reach the summit. Everybody did great, it’s a beautiful day and the boys are psyched let’s here them (yells in background). We will check in again when we are back down in Tlachichucha this evening. And tomorrow we are going home.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall calls from the summit of Pico de Orizaba.
Hello everyone in the lowlands! We thin-air breathers are now back in base camp after a terrific day. The team carried gear up to Camp 1. Aconcagua is a big undertaking which requires a lot of food, fuel and gear.
We established Camp 1 at 16,200 feet. The team is honestly doing so well! We moved as one unit up and down. I like this because it keeps people motivated and we can pass the time with chit chat.
Once we arrived at Camp 1 we emptied our packs and then Leah and I filled a couple of duffel bags full of food and gear. Now back at base camp we are surviving the heat and several climbers are in a championship round of Yahtzee.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Awesome work team!!! Sounds and looks like ya had an adventurous and exciting day. Glad to hear everyone is doing well. Best of luck trekking back to Camp 1 tomorrow. Josh - I am so very proud of you. Mom and I spent the day with lily in St. Louis!!! We talked about you the entire trip. We miss you bunches!!! Keep up the great progress.
Love you - Jess
The Kilimanjaro Family Climb departed Shira Plateau today, passing Lava Tower - and setting a few new personal altitude records along the way - before reaching Barranco Camp beneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Breach Wall. Watch the video dispatch of today's climb:
Well we are moving right along. Team is doing well after a couple of trams and a chair lift. Here we are at 12000', the Garabashi luxury dorm-type living. We are sticking with the normal program that has worked so well in the past. We did a nice three-hour hike, acclimatization is going well. Was under nice weather. We are just resting, hydrating, and nesting in our lovely barrel. We're waiting our turn in the dining area. There's a few other groups that are sharing our support crew up here and we're all getting along just fine. Although there is just one guy up here. I think he goes by JJ. You know there always has to be one of those in the bunch. So psyched the team is doing well. Should be another good night to catch up a little more on that jet lag.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls in from the Garabashi Hut.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
There was some reason for optimism at 6 this morning when snow stopped falling and we were granted a view of some blue sky and the upper mountain. The guides got up and out to brew a cup of coffee and to watch the skies. It was considerably colder at 11,000 ft this morning, down to about what should be "normal" for this place. We watched clouds build up again and eventually we found ourselves in another snowstorm before we could even call the gang to breakfast. Mike King taught a well-attended seminar on knots and hitches in the main dining tent for a good chunk of the morning. Some lounged the day away in the POSH while others returned to their own tents to clear the snow and read/sleep/zone-out. Our afternoon was brightened when our good friends Tyler Jones and Laura Rogers, of RMI and Whittaker Mountaineering respectively came skiing down out of the storm. They are up to play and were just successful a few days back in climbing Denali's North Peak. They regaled us with all of the news of the other teams around the mountain and a pretty comprehensive wrap up of the entire season in the range. Eventually, they moved down into the clouds to get a little closer to Basecamp and we moved back into our POSH tent for dinner and a final round of stimulating conversation before bed. We remain optimistic that the snow will quit and the clouds will flee.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Just because we climbed Europe's highest mountain Mt. Elbrus, it doesn't mean the adventure is over. After a great celebration dinner last night we boarded our flight and we are now in St. Petersburg. It has been a tiring day flying so we are going to relax tonight, order a little room service and maybe have a little spa time. Tomorrow we are going to begin exploring this amazing Russian city. We will have some photos and video to show you.
RMI Guide J.J. Justman
What an exciting time for this group! The wait is finally over and your adventure begins! I wish complete safety and totally success for everyone in the group! I look forward to updates! Peace!
Posted by: Mary Helen Martin on 7/21/2012 at 4:39 am
Hey JJ Whoo Hoo congratulations JJ and team!! What an accomplishment. I have been following all your posts and climbs. You seem like an awesome upbeat guide. I’m doing the 4 day climb of Rainier August 11-14th. I was hoping you would be one of the guides. I heard great things about you. So hurry back to the states!!
Posted by: Kristen Farris on 7/11/2012 at 10:08 am
We left the Dik Dik Hotel this morning to begin our game viewing safari. We stopped in the town of Arusha for a little shopping for locally made gifts and souvenirs. We continued our drive to Lake Manyara National Park and found a remote and peaceful spot for our delicious barbecue lunch.
After a short but strong rain we finished the afternoon with a wonderful game drive in cool temperature, no dust and sweet thick air.
We are now resting and relaxing here at the Plantation Lodge, really roughing it with a four course deluxe meal.
We are off to the Ngorongoro Crater tomorrow looking for the elusive Rhino, to name just one, and then returning here another for another night at the lodge.
Life is rough!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
We awoke to an amazingly clear morning with the surrounding peaks dusted in a fresh coat of white from yesterday afternoon's snowfall. We hit the trail early, weaving our way out of Deboche's rhododendron forests, across a soaring bridge high above the Dudh Kosi, and then gradually climbing up the western side of the valley, soaking in the morning sun. Taking a side tour from the main route, we climbed up past several rows of mani stones to the village of Upper Pangboche. There we visited Lama Geshe, a well known and respected spiritual leader of the area. After paying our respects to him he proceeded to lead our small climbing team through a blessing ceremony, requesting safe passage from Chomolungma, the goddess of Everest and the Khumbu area, for our trek and climb ahead. Amidst chanting, throwing of rice, the burning of incense, and many hearfelt laughs, Lama Geshe gave a letter to each of us to carry with us on our climb, draped a kata scarf over our heads, and tied a small red string around our necks. A very geniune and happy person, it is difficult to leave the presence of Lama Geshe not feeling calmed, refreshed, and excited about the adventures ahead.
After saying goodbye, we continued out of the small cluster of buildings of Pangboche, gradually ascending higher up the valley, past more mani stones, chortens, and a beautiful mural of Guru Rinpoche, the Buddhist lama credited with bringing Buddhism to the area, painted onto a cliff face. The team is clearly acclimatizing well and walking strongly because we arrived at our destination - the small village of Pheriche - by midday, even with our long stopover at Lama Geshes.
We have spent the afternoon relaxing in the comfortable dining room of our teahouse, chatting with fellow trekkers and the doctors of the nearby Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) Clinic, and getting comfortable in the thin air of 14,000'.
We will stay another day in Pheriche tomorrow, going for a day hike above the valley and continuing to prepare our bodies for higher altitudes. We will check-in tomorrow when we return.
The first day of Safari delivered. We changed over from a team of disciplined mountain climbers to a gang of slacker tourists. Lake Manyara National Park had plenty for us to see and our driver/guide/naturalist Johnson made sure we saw it all. Elephants, big and small, were everywhere. They came quite close to our Land Cruiser. A tower of giraffes by the lakeshore was a bonus. A pair of mingling pythons surprised us. Monkeys, baboons, hippos and mongooses came to the party. We finished out the afternoon and made it up to the ultra comfortable Plantation Lodge for sunset and a fine dining experience.
The Four Day Climb Team June 2 - 5 led by RMI Guides Tyler Jones and Chris Ebeling were unable to climb due to high winds. The telemetry at Camp Muir shows average winds speeds in the 50 - 65 mph range from midnight on. The teams will descend to Paradise this morning and return to Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
SUCH an amazing experience!!!! Even just making it to Muir was life-changing, I’m *definitely* coming back to try again another year :) Thanks for being such a great team, great guides, and a great expedition overall!!!! -Kristin
Posted by: Kristin Lundine on 6/21/2019 at 12:53 pm
Summit or no summit, it was a great experience. Terrific group of people and awesome guides. Y’all have inspired me ... hmmm, that Peru seminar looks pretty fab :-)
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Taylor…..YOU DID IT…How was the weather??? Lots of snow?
How was it different from Oct? Deb
Posted by: Debbi on 1/25/2014 at 2:19 pm
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