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Today is a much deserved rest day, after yesterday's trip to Guanacos Camp (Camp 2) at 18,000'. The team slept well despite last night's wind, which wasn't quite as strong as the night before but was still strong enough to keep the tents flapping and creaking throughout the night. We woke this morning to more beautiful azure skies and golden sun, which quickly warmed the tents and our spirits. We had an impromptu team meeting during our breakfast of oatmeal and cocoa to discuss the upcoming legs of the climb, and everyone is ready to keep moving towards the top! We're spending the remainder of today indulging in delicious lunch foods and conserving energy for tomorrow's move to Camp 2. Today's stoke meter remains high, with an average of 8. Stay tuned for more details as we move higher on the mountain. Cheers! RMI Guide Gabriel Barral and the Aconcagua Team

Namaste from Namche Bazaar, The quiet setting of Phakding, amongst the blooming rhododendrons and along the river, gave us the opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest after days of travel and the skewed sleeping schedules of our nights in Kathmandu. We awoke to another nice day and after a leisurely breakfast in the teahouse we continued making our way northward up the Khumbu Valley. From Phakding we contoured above the Dudh Khosi, crossing occasional side streams and weaving our way amongst the fields and villages along the way. With several days of backed up flights finally breaking yesterday the trail was quite busy with locals returning home, trekkers, and lines of dzopkyos - the yak/cow hybrids used to haul loads at the lower elevations. With so many horns swinging down the trail, it was a challenge not to be distracted by our surroundings with towering peaks looming over us, coated in a fresh dusting of snow from last night. After crossing the Dudh Kosi and climbing a steep set of stone stairs into the small village of Monjo we reached the Entrance Gate to Sagamartha National Park. There we showed our climbing permit and checked in, before continuing on to the village of Jorsale where we paused for lunch. Above Jorsale we reached the confluence of the Dudh Kosi, flowing down from Everest, and the Bhoti Kosi, flowing from below Cho Oyu and the Nangpa La Pass into Tibet. At this confluence of the rivers, but several thousand feet above on the hillside, sits Namche Bazaar. We crossed our forth and final suspension bridge of the day, strung at a dizzying height above the river and blanketed with prayer flags that were streaming in the afternoon breeze, and began the long climb to Namche. Picking our way up the 18 or so switchbacks and through the pine forests, we gradually climbed higher, leaving the river below and gradually revealing the panorama of peaks that often hide from the valley floor. Along the way we passed grinning Sherpani women tempting us with tangerines, a welcome refreshment from the hot and dusty trail of the Namche hill. Eventually the trail leveled out, passing a few houses, before taking a sharp turn and leading us into the heart of Namche Bazaar. Perched at 11,300' in a U shaped bowl overlooking the Bhoti Kosi and peaks to the south, Namche is a series of terraced streets, buildings, and fields all built in a horseshoe shape that stack upon each other, climbing up the hillside. A center of trade, and now tourism as well, Namche's narrow streets are a bustle of activity compared to the calm farming communities below. Walking through its streets, really just stone lined footpaths amongst the shops, we made our way to our teahouse, nestled right in the middle of Namche. As trekker's peruse the stalls of souvenirs, yak bells, and the latest climbing and trekking gear, stray dzopkyos and yaks wander the streets, with little Sherpa children chasing them from the courtyards of their homes. It's an incredibly unique place and a pleasure to explore and we are looking forward to spending a few nights here. After a long day of walking, finishing with the large climb to Namche, the team is happy to have some down time to rest, relax, and explore. Tomorrow we are planning to check out the weekly Saturday morning market where villagers from throughout the valley will descend upon Namche to stock up on daily goods before spending the day acclimatizing and enjoying the scene of Namche.

Hello from Elbrus - The almost full moon shone brightly last night, transforming the rock morraine in which we are camped into a vague silvery landscape of shapes and shadows. By the time we awoke they were all gone, replaced by long morning shadows and the warmth of the early light. After breakfast, we packed up our packs, donned our crampons and harnesses and headed out onto the glacier. The climbing out of Camp 1 is a long, gradually steepening ascent straight towards Elbrus' East Summit. We climbed well, the team falling immediately into the rhythm of climbing as a rope team. By midday we had navigated our way through a small series of crevasses, switchbacked up the broad northeastern shoulder of the mountain, and reached a small outcropping of rocks at an elevation of about 14,200'. From there we were witness to impressive views of the eastern Caucasus, catching glimpses of jagged snowcapped peaks that straddle the border with Georgia. Above us, the clouds and winds that scoured the upper reaches of the mountain all day held their distance and we were treated to a calm break. Amongst the rocks we cached the food and fuel we will need for our upcoming summit bid before heading back down the mountain, chased by the clouds and wind from above that just nipped at our heels, never fully engulfing us. Back at camp, we relaxed in the warm sun for the rest of the afternoon, watching the fascinating cloud cap on Elbrus appear over the mountain's twin summits. With the weather coming straight out of the south today the wind was splitting when it hit Elbrus, pushing clouds down both the east and west sides of the mountain. From our perspective on the north side the clouds appeared to literally boil out of Elbrus' top before flowing down the sides of the mountain and dissolving. It was an incredible sight. The winds picked up a bit in the evening as we wrapped up dinner and headed for the tents. As we turn in for the evening the tent walls rattle and shake, making the warmth of a down sleeping bag that much more inviting. Tomorrow we are planning to move to high camp in preparation for a hopeful summit bid the following day. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather!

Dave called from high camp on Ixta at 8:30 a.m. PST. The group reached the summit today and all is well. They are now back at the hut on Ixta after a seven hour round trip climb. Later today they will pack up and descend to the trailhead. They will relax tonight in Puebla and enjoy a rest day tomorrow before heading to Orizaba. The party is very strong and everyone is doing well. Dispatch received from Dave via email The alarm on our watch began to beep, letting us know it was time to awake from a restless night's sleep. Out of our toasty sleeping bags and into the cold night high on Ixta we began preparation to climb. An unusual cold snap has embraced this part of Mexico and nipped at our bodies as we started to approach the Ayoloco Glacier. About an hour of hiking up loose scree and talus found our team at the tongue of what was once an impressive glacier careening down the side of the seventh highest peak in North America. With crampons on our boots, ice axes in-hand, and ropes attaching our teams together we ascended and traversed the hard snow and ice. Our brief glacier climb brought us to the prominent ridge leading us to the summit of the "Sleeping Woman". Aztec legend says Ixtaccihuatl was an Aztec woman who died from a broken heart. Her love, Popo, was an Aztec warrior, allegedly killed in battle. With such devastating news, Ixta ended her life. When Popo returned, he too was broken hearted and created the mountain in her memory. Today, Ixta's profile from the West or East resembles that of a sleeping woman, Ixta, with her feet, knees, breast, and head defined by ridges and rocky peaks. Our teamed climbed strong and efficiently, reaching the summit in just under 4 hours. We were graced with a brief clearing while on top as we endured the colder temperatures. We won't mention any names (cough, cough...Collin and Marty) but some went bareskin on top for a priceless photo opportunity! The descent was again well climbed by our team and we reached our high camp in under 3 hours. We hung out at camp watching the clouds roll up and down the slope below us, next to us, and above us. We packed our packs to the brim for the hike down to our wonderful chauffeurs, Regolio and Guiermo. Awaiting us were incredible Mexican tortas, a typical sandwich with meat, cheese, tomatoes, onions, avocados, and mayo- delicious! Of course there was celebratory libations provided to wash down the tasty meal. Overall, our team did extremely well climbing our first objective, Ixta. This climb can definitely pose challenges in that it is very high in altitude, soon after our arrival to Mexico, and we have to establish a higher camp. We are now resting surrounded by wonderful people, incredible cuisine, and amazing culture here in Puebla.

The Expedition Skills Seminar - Paradise team led by RMI Guides Tom Skoog and David Rathbun put their week of training to the test this morning and climbed to the summit of Mt. Rainier. The team has spent the last several days climbing and training. They pushed up to Camp Muir yesterday and with an alpine start this morning enjoyed the sunrise from the upper slopes of the mountain.  The team started their descent from the crater rim around 7 am.  Once back at Camp Muir they will take a quick break and continue down to Paradise to conclude their climb. They will celebrate their accomplishments later today in Ashford.

Nice work team!

PC: Tom Skoog

The Four Day Climb Led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Drew O'Brien reached 13,400' on Mt. Rainier before poor weather forced them to abort and head back towards the shelter of Camp Muir. The team is currently at Camp Muir and will start their descent to Paradise soon.

Congratulations Team! 

Our final day on the mountain!

Today the gang got up at 6:30 refreshed after a much needed nights sleep, we had breakfast, then hit the trail one last time. It took just around three hours to reach the park gate where the team had lunch and said our final goodbyes to our amazing crew that took such great care of us on the mountain. 

We finished the little celebration by handing out their well deserved tips and then hopped aboard our awaiting bus for the ride back to the lodge. 

Finally we are all safe and sound, cleaner, and smelling fresh after an exciting 7 day journey up and down Kilimanjaro. 

Stayed tuned, Safari starts tomorrow!

RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

Our Team arrived in Mexico City over the last two days. We met and enjoyed a quick dinner last night after a nice meet & greet. This morning we’ll head for an acclimatization hike on the extinct volcanic remnants of La Malinche. It’s a long day to the top and electric storms sometimes thwart our efforts. Regardless of our high point it’s a nice hike to stretch the legs after a long flight and wake the lungs up in preparation for the high altitudes on Ixta & Orizaba. We’ll stay in some small cabins to sleep around 10,000’ for the night and check in once we get back into cell coverage tomorrow morning. Until then, we’ll enjoy the rolling corn planted countryside and dense pine trees surrounding our hike and cabins. Thanks for checking in. 

RMI Guide Mike King

The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guide Steve Gately reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Steve reported clear skies and a light breeze. They are on the descent and will be back to Camp Muir in a few short hours. Congratulations Team!

Well, we had our fill of pizza, thick air, and dance remixes of American top 40 pop songs. We’re back on the mountain now, preparing for our summit attempt tonight. We just enjoyed dinner and a movie, chicken and couscous while watching a Russian overdubbed version of Twilight. The weather is better than it was last time we were here, but I wouldn’t say it’s remarkable. We can’t control what the weather does, but we can give it our best and see what happens. Wish us luck tonight, and we’ll check in tomorrow! RMI Guide JM Gorum & Team