Hi there, this is Seth wrapping up a month in Africa. Most of my recent team has flown out of the Kilimanjaro area, with some folks headed home and others to Zanzibar. A few hardy souls headed back into the wilderness early this morning to join some bushmen on a hunt.
As for myself, I spent the day handing the reins here over to my buddy and fellow RMI Guide, Casey Grom. He's just beginning back-to-back Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari adventures like I just did.
Everything is running great with our local team from the Dik Dik Hotel. I'm a little sad to leave them but other adventures await. I'm headed straight to Moscow to meet a new team. We'll be tackling the north side of Mt. Elbrus and that should be a grand adventure!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
I bumped into Solveig on the way up to Muir on Saturday. She was her usual smiley self in a lime green puffy and pink vest. Couldn’t miss her!!! She told me you were off to Elbrus. Lucky you! One of these days I’ll get myself on a travel adventure with RMI and hope you are the guide! Hope to catch up when you sit still long enough. Cheers, Jo
Posted by: Josephine on 8/20/2013 at 4:17 pm
Seth, thank you for your daily updates. I know Mark Miller had a great time and what an experience for you all. Thanks to RMI for their help in us that could not to. Cornelia Miller
Posted by: Cornelia Miller on 8/19/2013 at 11:29 am
Another beautiful day at Everest Basecamp. The weather so far this season has been really great. We've had traces of snow some nights but most days have been warm, sunny and the climbing conditions have been, as my friends say, 'splitter'.
Dave, Erica and I took advantage of the conditions today and went for an acclimatization hike. We went down the Khumbu, out of Basecamp and towards Pumori a ca. 23,000 foot peak located across the glacier from Nuptse. The trail below Basecamp was moderately busy with climbers, trekkers, porters and yak trains. Hiking the trails around here with Dave is always fun because he invariably runs into someone he knows, usually several people. Today we ran into a British gent who had done some scientific work on several of the artifacts that Dave and team had recovered when they found Mallory's body on the North Ridge of Everest in '99. They had never met face-to-face but had known of each other for a few years. I couldn't think of a more appropriate place for the two to meet.
On our hike we passed through Pumori Basecamp and then walked out across a rocky ridgeline. At a high point on the ridge we were rewarded with spectacular views of Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. After getting the requisite photos Dave and Erica headed back to camp for lunch while I continued on to Camp 1 on Pumori. From there the views were even more spectacular. I could see all the way from Basecamp, up the icefall, through part of the Western Cwm (although Nuptse blocks most of this), up the Lhotse Face to the South Col and then I could follow parts of the South East Ridge of Everest to the Summit. It was very cool to be able to see almost the entire climbing route. It also gave me a great visual representation of why it takes about two months to climb this mountain. It's a long way from basecamp to the summit!!!
The rest of the team is doing great as well. Ed and Peter had spent last night at Camp 1 and today they moved up to Camp 2 (Advanced Basecamp). They called on the radio in the morning and reported that all was well and they called again when they had reached ABC. Melissa made her way through the icefall in the early morning hours, climbing her way from Basecamp to Camp 1. Everyone took advantage of the great weather today.
The team is spread out on the mountain for the next few days but that's neither unexpected nor a bad thing on a long expedition. Our schedules will overlap again soon and we'll all be together and that will be great. But for now it's nice to have a little extra room in the dining tent.
Today was our first day of safari and we headed west to visit the beautiful Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara is a brief stopping ground for many migratory animals and home to more than 300 different birds.
Everyone enjoyed the day cruising around in our safari vehicles with cold beverages in hand while seeing the animals up close and in their natural habitat.
We managed to see a few zebras, Impala and a tons of baboons, plus many elephants up close. The highlight was seeing a very large python high up in a tree canopy. It was an amazing introduction to the incredible diversity of wildlife that Tanzania has and the team is very excited to seeing more animals tomorrow.
We wrapped up the evening with a wonderful meal at our new lodge.
RMI Guide JM Gorum and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning via the Emmons Glacier route. The team will return to Camp Schurman for a final night on the mountain. They will return to Ashford tomorrow.
Congratulations climbers!
For the past two winters I’ve traveled to the south side of the globe to join RMI’s teams on Cerro Aconcagua (Argentina). Despite being a skier and winter-lover through and through, each fall I find myself eagerly anticipating my trip to Argentina. Thanks to the Andes, the cuisine, and the new friends I make there each year, I’ve fallen in love with Aconcagua. Here are the top five reasons I look forward to making the long voyage south each winter:
Mules: Aconcagua is a unique mountain in that it is exceptionally dry. Its base camp at 13,800’ is reached by hiking twenty-seven hot, dusty miles along the Vacas river which sits deep in a rocky and sparsely vegetated valley. We rely on mules to carry our heavy expedition equipment to Base Camp over the course of our trek. The mules, loaded with two or three 30 kilogram duffels a piece, run along the river kicking up dust with the southern flanks of Aconcagua as a backdrop. Unlike horses, which expire quickly without water, the mules can run the 27 miles to basecamp fully loaded in a single morning and make the return trip to the trailhead that same afternoon. The mules are cared for and driven by Herrieros, the predecessors of the iconic South American Gauchos. The Herrieros ride the largest and sleekest mules and wear a traditional red cap that looks like a wool beret. They tie large patterned sashes around their waists and tuck a large, leather-sheathed blade in the back. At night the sashes are used to cover the eyes of the younger or more rambunctious mules in camp while the riders sit around a fire and grill in the Argentinian style. Which leads me to another part I love about an Aconcagua expedition…
Asado: A traditional grill that sits just off the ground. Slow burned hardwood provides the coals to cook large slabs of heavily salted steak. There is simply nothing better than coming down from climbing to a camp dinner of fresh steak and wine. Over our Asado dinner the last night on trail, the team has a chance to reflect and enjoy each other’s company, knowing they’re reaching the end of a successful expedition.
Mendoza: This small city nestled in Argentinian wine country is our jumping off point for all Aconcagua expeditions. Mendoza draws tourists of all sorts: wine connoisseurs, climbers, fly fishers, horseback riders, and a host of others. But all of them find in Mendoza some of the best cuisine and wine South America has to offer. The rise in popularity of Argentinian wines complements a rich food culture that descends from a mélange of European and native cultures. Whatever you crave after three weeks in a tent, whether steak, authentic Italian pasta, empanadas, fusion, or just pizza, you’ll find it in Mendoza. I promise, it will be delicious.
The View from Chopper Camp: So far everything I’ve mentioned about climbing Aconcagua has been about food and culture (forgive me, I love a good meal!). And while the cultural experience in Argentina is undoubtedly one of my favorite parts of the Aconcagua expedition, the view at Camp Two on Aconcagua takes my breath away every time. Sitting below the Polish Glacier on a small ridge at 18,600ft, Camp Two (or Chopper Camp) offers up the first views of the greater Andean range. From Base Camp on up, climbers see Aconcagua towering above them day and night, until suddenly we come around the final traverse into camp and the Andes stretch out as far as you can see: to the north and east toward Mendoza and west all the way into Chile. It is here, at Chopper Camp, that the expedition picks up energy: the summit is close, the final push on the horizon!
The Team: As the old adage goes, it takes a village to climb a mountain, or something along those lines. Aconcagua requires a tremendous amount of teamwork every step of the way. Our broader team includes the mule drivers who make sure our equipment arrives, the porters who help a climber with an especially heavy load, the Base Camp staff who cook us our first dinners, the drivers, expedition providers, hotel staff and numerous others who work with RMI year after year to make sure climbers and guides are cared for along the way. These people become part of our team. They have become friends and mentors and I look forward to seeing them each year. And then, there is our expedition team: the three guides and ten climbers who live together, work hard building camp together each night, eat every meal together for almost three weeks, and learn more about each other in that time than most people learn in a year. This network and the chance to be part of a new climbing team, more than anything else, calls me back to Aconcagua year after year.
_____ Katrina Bloemsma hails from the mountains of Colorado, but now calls the Pacific Northwest home. She guides in Washington on Mt. Rainier and the North Cascades, and further south, on Aconcagua. An avid skier and climber, Katrina can be found chasing deep snow and warm rocks when she isn't guiding.
Casey Grom and team checked in from Everest Base Camp. They arrived there yesterday under stormy skies and cloudy conditions.
Today, the sun was shining and the team spent some time hiking around Base Camp and posing for photos in down suits. Everyone got to experience life at 17,575' complete with a shower at Base Camp.
Tomorrow the team will start their descent heading back down the Khumbu Valley.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
Well...I've always said, "the hardest part of any expedition is just getting to the mountain". And that certainly is the case for my second team here on Aconcagua.
We have everything from missing bags to missing half of the team. Well, they're not missing just really late due to Tormento de Estados Unidos 2014!
However, all the team members are in Argentina. Half the team is in Penitentes and the other half is in Mendoza. We will all join up tomorrow and begin the journey.
We want to congratulate the recent team under Garrett Stevens on their recent summit. We are at 100% expedition success. I feel a trend coming on.
Stay tuned for another exciting adventure with me, Mike "the lion" King and Steve "fresh outta da" Gately.
RMI Guides JJ Justman, Mike King & Steve Gately
Wishing Diane, Randy and Denise better travels in the Andes then the trip down from Detroit and Miami along with marvelous weather. I hope Michigan and Utah gets all of the snow and cold weather instead of hitting your adventure!
Take care!
Bonnie
Buenos Dias from Plaza Argentina! Today the team is enjoying a well earned rest day after long stretches of travel and three big days of walking. After breakfast we took a leisurely stroll to get the blood flowing and had a soup for lunch. Now mid siesta, we will spend the afternoon packing for our carry to Camp One tomorrow and going through our cursory check with the Base Camp doctors. It's definitely another hot one and we may be in for an early carry tomorrow to try and beat some of the heat. Hope everyone is doing well back home!
RMI Guide Jake Beren
Well since I’m clueless about mountain climbing I assumed you be climbing all the time and now I see walking and hiking are part of the adventure…and heat! Cool…well I mean hot. Have fun be safe; we’re all looking forward to hearing about this adventure, Bill. Breakfast Club via Dav’ne
Posted by: Dav'ne Stahley on 12/27/2013 at 9:20 am
Great to hear your voice. I keep reading of 100-degree weather in Buenes Aires—surely, it can’t be that hot up above!?! Power on, team.
Hi Everyone!
We are enjoying a relaxing evening here at the beautiful La Casa Sol near the city of Otavalo.
We left the comforts of Quito this morning and headed into the mountains (where many of us actually feel more comfortable!) for our second acclimatization hike. As we watched the city disappear in the rear view mirror we traded well paved roads for cobblestones and washboard. The van bumped along, and our driver skillfully negotiated the hazards of rural driving... while we all fought the urge to hold our breath and cross our fingers. Maybe we should have, because our luck soon ran out and Friday the 13th delivered us a logistical sucker punch.
With a loud crack, our vehicle let us know it was done going uphill for the day. A dislodged cobblestone had broken the axel and stopped us, quite suddenly, in our tracks.
Fortunately, our group has the perfect easy going attitude, and after getting the baggage and van transfer sorted out, we shouldered our daypacks and set off for some slightly more oxygenated exercise. Nearly three hours and five miles later we arrived at the trailhead!
One of our local guides, Esteban (nicknamed Topo), had been busy reorganizing our logistics while we strolled, and he and a few others arrived to our rescue shortly thereafter in shining Toyota Hilux's.
Delivered safely to our hacienda we enjoyed a delicious dinner and are now all busy packing our gear and getting organized and prepared to tackle our first big objective. Wish us luck as we travel towards Cayambe tomorrow!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall
The Four Day Climb May 16 - 19 led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Hannah Smith climbed halfway up Disappointment Cleaver before conditions required them to turn around. Hannah's team climbed to Ingraham Flats and worked on some ice climbing. The teams descended to Camp Muir and will be packing up and starting their descent to Paradise later this morning.
Seth,
I bumped into Solveig on the way up to Muir on Saturday. She was her usual smiley self in a lime green puffy and pink vest. Couldn’t miss her!!! She told me you were off to Elbrus. Lucky you! One of these days I’ll get myself on a travel adventure with RMI and hope you are the guide! Hope to catch up when you sit still long enough. Cheers, Jo
Posted by: Josephine on 8/20/2013 at 4:17 pm
Seth, thank you for your daily updates. I know Mark Miller had a great time and what an experience for you all. Thanks to RMI for their help in us that could not to. Cornelia Miller
Posted by: Cornelia Miller on 8/19/2013 at 11:29 am
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