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Just a brief note for now. It is almost midnight and these last couple of days have been quite busy... But we are finally right where we want to be, after a lot of flying and a lot of packing and preparing.
It didn't look so likely yesterday as we hung out in Punta Arenas. I took the gang up to the office of our logistics company ALE and Peter MacDowell was nice enough to give a tour and to explain just what lengths the company goes to in order to figure out flying weather in Antarctica. Winds at that time were still blowing too hard for a flight in. But as the afternoon progressed, things started to seem a bit more positive. At 7:30 we got the call to get ready in a hurry... Things were happening. We hustled out to the airport in our polar clothes... Waddled through security and onto our plane. The kazak crew politely directed us and we blasted out of Punta at 10 pm sharp. Four hours later the big jet roared to a stop on the blue ice runway at patriot hills and the tail lifted to offload tons of gear, food, fuel and machinery. And us. We got out snapping pictures of the 2 am sunshine and ice stretching as far as the eye could see. It was cold, but not unpleasantly so, since the wind had quit entirely. We walked the kilometer to Patriot Hills camp, enjoyed a fine bowl of beef stew (the traditional welcome in these parts) and then went out into the cold again to get our own tents built. At 5 am in the bright sunshine we went to bed. My head was spinning from seeing so many old friends among the camp staff and the climbers that were outbound on our jet. My old kiwi pal Sean Norman woke us at 9:30 to get us ripping down our tents. Time to fly again... This time in a Canadian twin otter on skis, to vinson. The flight through the Ellsworths took about an hour, the weather was fine and we landed at full power going uphill on the Branscomb. The day was then spent building another camp, getting a climbing kitchen going and sorting gear for a day of climbing tomorrow. Michael Horst and Vern Tejas are next door with their team, Willie Benegas is a few feet the other way with his. Scott Woolums is guiding a few folks as well. My team got to meet Namgya Sherpa who will be working with me. He came down in mid afternoon today from summitting Mount Shinn yesterday (Shinn is third highest in Antarctica).
It is calm and still at VBC as is often the case, but in the last hour or so it has gotten murky and misty and light dry snow is coming down while the temperature hovers around -10 F. Everybody is in bed now, deep in warm down sleeping bags.
The RMI Summit Climb team, led by Tyler Reid, is currently on the top of Mt. Rainier. A beautiful day with hardly any wind on the highest point of Washington. The team will spend some time on top before they begin their descent.
Congratulations to today's summit climb team!
This morning we got out early ahead of the other groups and were rewarded with phenomenal 360 degree views of the lush converging valleys and glaciated peaks. Usually the clouds hang between the trail and these tall mountains due to our proximity to the cloud forest. As we wrapped up our time at Phuyupatamarca Pass, 12,130’ the clouds began to rise from the Urubamba River and the glaciers were hidden.
The day was filled with great views, warming temperatures and elaborate ruins. In particular the terraces of Intipata and Winaywayna captured the groups attention due to the scale of such a project completed on the side of a steep and heavily vegetated mountain. We are all looking forward to walking into Machu Picchu at sunrise, getting a shower at the hotel is a close second.
RMI Guide Mike King
Hi Dori. What a sport you are! And it appears that you have an excellent leader. I’m looking forward to hearing about your trip when you’re home. You, Rhonda and I have a date August 7. Enjoy the rest of your time in Peru!!
Posted by: Jessie Strauss on 7/24/2019 at 8:58 am
Hey Lara Lee. Hope you are having fun! Enjoy Machu Picchu tomorrow. We love you! Tell Louis, Bruce, and Paula we say hello.
Posted by: Brayden Wilkie on 7/21/2019 at 3:24 pm
Hi! This is Solveig checking in after a successful summit day on Mt. Shuksan. We left camp just before 5 AM this morning and enjoyed perfect weather all the way to the summit. The team climbed strong and we made it round trip in a little over eight hours, with a nice rest on the summit. Our plan is to relax in the sun here in camp and begin our descent early tomorrow morning.
Thanks for following along!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Walter Hailes
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Summit Climb teams July 26 - 29, 2014 led by RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer and Walter Hailes reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 6:45 a.m with climbers from Wilderness Ventures. The teams reported light winds and great route conditions. They started their descent from the crater rim around 7:45 am. The teams will return to Camp Muir and then continue to Paradise later this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climb Teams!
Catherine, So proud of you and your taking on this wonderful adventure. Can’t wait to hear more about it.
Love, Poppy & Grandma
Posted by: Bill & Barbara Rack on 7/30/2014 at 8:06 pm
So proud of you!! 6:45am??? What’s up with that?? I miss you lots and can’t wait to see you so you can give me all the scoop on the trip. I love you!!
Posted by: Aunt Tina on 7/30/2014 at 9:10 am
Posted by: Billy Nugent, Walter Hailes, Katrina Bloemsma
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Whew. It's been a busy couple of days for this newly assembled team of climbers... The whole gang made it down to Argentina yesterday safe and sound and with all of our luggage! Travel-weary but excited we held a team meeting to formally get to know one another and hash out some of the many logistical details that getting out of town and on the mountain involves. Then we went out on the town in Mendoza for a wild and crazy night. Just kidding. But we did get to see some street performers and walk through the Saturday night crowds on our way to a fine Argentine restaurant. Now's where I'm supposed to brag about the delicious beef we ate and Malbec we imbibed.
The following morning we got our act together after a couple hiccups at the permit office and then caught a quick lunch before transferring out to Penitentes. We spent the afternoon getting our gear ready for the mules and are about to enjoy one last night with a filling meal and a warm bed. Well, at least for the foreseeable future...
Hitting the dusty trail tomorrow, everyone's a little anxious but psyched to find the rhythm of the expedition.
All for now,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent and Friends
We are all thinking about you and send our love and prayers for a safe climb! Erle, Erle, Donald, Djr. and John
Posted by: Erle Broughton on 1/12/2015 at 11:41 am
Hi this is Seth and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir. Today we climbed the Muir snowfield. We began at 9:45 a.m. from Paradise (elev. 5,420') and spent the day in the clouds with light snow flurries. It made for nice walking temperatures throughout the day and the sun actually came out to welcome us into Camp Muir (elev. 10,000).
Everyone is enjoying their dinner now and getting ready for our first night at Muir!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest
Advanced Basecamp sits along a rocky moraine overlaying dense glacial ice.
The rock comes from Everest' immense and steep Southwest Face and a few million avalanches. Once at the base of the Face it is plowed into a neat ridge by the motion of the Khumbu Glacier. I suppose though, that the ridge is only neat in geological terms. Yesterday as we walked the 30 minutes from the tent at its lower end, to our tents near the moraine's upper end, we were treated to views of old sneakers, pots, pans, shredded tents and crushed stoves mixed in with the rock and ice. Fifty seven years worth of Advanced Basecamps in the same slow moving place have made this spot one of the worst on the mountain in terms of ecological damage. A number of those decades of mountaineering were before any ethics existed governing which items should and shouldn't be left in the hills.
Our camp was already up and running and deluxe by Camp I standards. There we were cooking in our tents - here we have Maila, the Camp II Chef, in a comfortable dome dining tent with chairs. We rested through much of yesterday afternoon when it was hot enough to fry eggs on the tents. When the sun ducked behind Nuptse, we each came out in our down suits to watch the light fade on Lhotse and Everest.
It would be normal, after a first night spent at this altitude to do some damage control. Somebody would, quite reasonably, have had a terrible night of headaches and insomnia and would be packing their gear at first light for a fast escape. Not so with our gang. In the cold 6 am shadows this morning, Seth, Kent and Erica emerged looking well rested and comfortable. Along with Ang Kaji, we ate a quick breakfast and then got out for a hike to the foot of the Lhotse Face. I wanted the team to wear their down suits - since that is what we'll wear on the next rotation when we actually tackle the Lhotse Face. We could see several dozen climbers on the new ropes on the Face - and way up high - between Camp III and the Yellow Band at 25,000 feet - we could see dots representing today's fixing team. One of those dots was our own Nga Tenji, pitching in to further the route. Nga Tenji made it all the way to the South Col, at 26,000 feet, staking out a site for our High Camp before heading back to ABC.
My small team climbed perhaps a 1,000 ft above ABC, to 22,000 ft and were treated to new views of Cho Oyu, the worlds 6th highest mountain, 20 miles distant. Nobody felt like doing cartwheels or jumping jacks at the new altitude - but such tricks weren't required. We were perfecting our one and only most important trick: walking higher when walking lower is easier. And we did fine with it. We didn't concern ourselves too much with the next big hurdle - we'll get on the Face next time, after a Basecamp rest.
For today the morning hike was enough. We spent the afternoon tinkering with the solar charging and radio systems at ABC, while drinking liter after liter of water -always trying to counteract the dehydrating effects of high dry air. Tomorrow it will be back to the comforts of Basecamp - provided we watch every single important and awkward step down through the Khumbu Icefall.
Wanting to make the best of our closing weather window, I managed to convince our team to forego our rest day today and go for our third summit in three days, Villarrica. Our alpine start began with a three-hour drive, arriving at a socked-in trailhead. Was this a good idea? It didn’t seem like it until the early afternoon when we popped above the clouds. The mental fatigue of skinning in a whiteout gave way to nice views and general alpine enjoyment, even as the wind increased. We tagged the top, peered into the active crater, and 5,500 feet later were drinking beer in the parking lot. Tomorrow the storm arrives, and we rest.
RMI Guide Tyler Reid
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Congratulations! You made it to the top. Enjoy the rest of your trip, you are awesome!
Posted by: Rochelle on 7/28/2019 at 7:33 pm
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