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Wednesday, January 24, 2018 Todos han cumbreado (everybody summited)! The group was a bit apprehensive last night as the clouds were dancing in and around camp, but we woke up at 1am to mostly clear skies and made our bid for the top of Ixtaccihuatl in 6mph, -4C weather - doesn’t get much better than that. The sun rose right as we began our final ascent stretch, shedding dramatic light on the Martian like landscape with Popocateptl puffing volcanic smoke in the background. We all celebrated on top under the sun and above a thick undercast. Upon return to high camp we swiftly packed up and made our way back down in a graupel storm before reaching our van, celebrating (again) over beers and sandwiches, and making the drive to our hot showers and warm food in Puebla. Tired and happy, RMI Guides Jessie, Walter & the team

On The Map

Greetings from Antarctica. Sure enough, we got the call during breakfast to be ready for flying. It wasn’t a “hurry up and wait” morning though, more a “slow down and wait” type of deal. We got picked up from the hotel before 9 AM but it wasn’t until about 11:35 AM that we lifted off from Punta Arenas. The weather picture was fairly complicated today and it took some strategic thinking to figure just when it was appropriate to commit to a flight. Four and a half hours in the cargo bay of a four-engine Russian jet was made endurable by comfy airline seats and “Pretty Woman” playing on the big screen -with subtitles- (the IL76 is a noisy ride). The captain brought us through somewhat murky conditions to a perfect landing on the blue ice runway of Union Glacier. It was cold, windy, cloudy and a little raw with blowing snow. A perfect Antarctic day, actually, but we didn’t spend much time taking pictures down at the runway. A souped-up van with big tires took us on an ice road over to Union Glacier Camp where we were warmly welcomed and given a briefing and tour. After a great bowl of soup and an excellent dinner, we ventured out to build our tents. No flights to Vinson tonight, due to the sloppy weather. Nonetheless, it was a very pleasant evening of chatting with other climbers and adventurers from a dozen different countries and of catching up with acquaintances from mountains far and wide. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

Our team is assembled, or bags are packed, and we are ready to climb onboard the airplanes and take off! We spent today going through all of our gear, packing and repacking our bags, and sorting lunch food. With all of the details dialed in, we're going to eat what is hopefully our last dinner in town for a few weeks, and catch some zzz's. Tomorrow with any luck, we'll board the planes first thing for one of the highlights of the trip: the stunning flight into Kahiltna Base Camp. We'll be in touch! RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Robby Young, Josh Maggard, and team

Friday, July 4, 2014 - 9:43 AM PT Hello from the summit of Nevado Urus at 5,497 meters! This is Elias and the crew, we are on top and enjoying the views of the Cordillera Blanca. We had a nice day and are enjoying our time up here. Everybody's doing well and we will be checking in tomorrow on our rest day. We are blown away by the lakes and the glaciers and the summit we are seeing. Are we guys? (team cheering). I don't know if you heard them but they were cheering. That's all for now, we'll be checking in later. Bye. RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos

Tomorrow begins the 21st chapter of my personal McKinley saga. It’s late and I’m kind of all packed up. Funny how after all these years of leading these expeditions the excitement just builds as I approach the date when we begin the trip. That day is tomorrow, when the other guides, Leon and Maile, and I fly up to Anchorage to meet the group and begin the expedition. Both Leon and Maile are veteran McKinley guides. Leon guided with me two years ago, and Maile cut her teeth last year on her first trip. I’m pretty lucky to have these two guides working with me. Not only do they both have prior Denali experience, but they are great to work with. And it goes without saying, one of the key things to a successful, fun expedition is how folks get along on a trip. For three weeks we will be working hard, struggling at times, dealing with a sometimes uncomfortable and unforgiving environment. So the people we are literally tied to, day in and day out, really make or break a trip. I know a fair number of the climbers on our trip, though not everyone. But that is also part of the fun of these expeditions: getting to know a group of people on a pretty intense level. I’m looking forward to it! Reflecting on the relationships forged on these climbing adventures I just need to look back a few hours ago when I received an email from a team mate from my 1991 Everest trip. We noted that it was our 20th anniversary this week of our summit of that mountain. A different time in mountaineering history, to be sure, but what’s certainly not lost is that sense of companionship, team work and whatever else happens within a group of climbers when they set off to climb a big mountain like Everest… or Denali. Perhaps even more meaningful was another email I got today from a climber with me last year who just ‘called out’ to wish me all the best for my upcoming climb. His outreach reminded me again of just how special these trips are. I guess I’m feeling pretty darned fortunate to be doing what I’m doing. RMI Guide Brent Okita

All is well here on Mount Everest. Most of the climbers are up at Camp 2, tomorrow the last wave will make a push up to Camp Three and back to Camp Two for acclimatization if weather and route conditions allow. If all goes well all teams will be safely back to BC by Monday. Thanks to Jim Whittaker and his Sherpa climbing partner Nawang Gombu for paving the American way to the summit on this day 47 years ago.

Today, the Five-Day Emmons Climb team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier via the Emmons Glacier Route! Led by RMI Guides Jackson Breen and Bailey Servais, the team camped on the Inter Glacier before making their final push from Camp Schurman.

They’ll descend tomorrow and celebrate their incredible achievement at Ashford Basecamp.

Checking in with RMI's Kilimanjaro Climb!

All is well here in Tanzania and most of the team arrived late last night after some very long flights (20+hrs). It was a short and uneventful ride to our Lodge that is nestled in between Arusha and Moshi and not so far from the base of Kilimanjaro. The team had a quick dinner and headed for bed as the time change has us all feeling just a little off and pretty tired after all the traveling.

Today we had a leisurely morning with our official meeting at 9am, where we did a round of introductions and then discussed the upcoming program for the days ahead. We spent the remainder of the day getting our gear packed up, exploring the grounds of our peaceful lodge and avoiding the marauding
gang of monkeys that occasionally visit.
Vervet, Blue and Colobus are the 3 different species that are found close by.

We wrapped up the evening with another delicious meal and plenty of friendly conversations. Everyone is doing well and excited to hit the trail tomorrow and get a little bit of exercise.

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew!

Greetings all, The gangs all here and our adventure in Peru is officially underway! The first hurdle of the trip has passed; which is to make it to Peru with all of our climbers and all of their bags. We even made it out of the big chaotic city of Lima in excellent time yesterday morning and set our sites on the beautiful town of Huaraz. It took us about 8 hours to get here, but the ocean views, and then the mountain views keep us entertained for the long bus ride. As soon as we crest Conococha Pass at 12,600’, we’re treated to some incredible views of the glaciated peaks of the southern Cordillera Blanca as well as the Cordillera Huayhuash. What a site to get us pumped for some climbing! We’re now in Huaraz at my absolute favorite hotel in the world, Hotel Andino. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner here last night and got a great nights sleep. Today, it’s all about gear, an acclimatization hike above town, and some good eating. We’ll tell you all about it later. Thanks for checking in. RMI Guide Robby Young and Team Alpaca Steaks

Heather and Brian saw the Lunar Eclipse last night, just before midnight. A few of us ventured out between 2 AM and four, but it was a done deal. Nothing to see except a big moon and stars and planets and a mountainside full of glaciers and snowfields glowing in the dark. The light show continued when we met for coffee at 6:30 with the last of the moon in the West and the first bit of sun in the East turning Kibo’s cloudcap orange. We got walking at 8 AM in excellent cool and clear conditions. The terrain was easier on this day, and the path was plenty wide as we gradually gained altitude. We kept track of the changing vegetation as we climbed, going from sage-like brush mixed with juniper in the heather and moorland zone to the sparse and spare grasses and mosses of the alpine desert zone. Philip led the team past their previous high points to set a bunch of new altitude records at the 15,200 ft lava tower. There, after a leisurely lunch right up close under Kibo’s steep cliffs and ice fields, we began our descent-ultimately into the extraordinary gardens of the Barranco Valley. Clouds overtook us for a time, but as we pressed onward and downward we earned clearing skies again and striking views of the giant mountain, the giant senecios, and the giant lobelias. Our staff treated the team to a rousing rendition of the beloved Jambo song as we came into our 13,000 ft camp. After seven hours on the trail it was time for some comfortable afternoon lounging in the tents. Chef Bruno cooked up yet another amazing mountain dinner and we ate like kings. We all stood still for a few minutes coming out of the dining tent to ooh and ahhh in the dark. The planets and stars were joined tonight by the lights from the town of Moshi, twinkling down below. Best Regards RMI Guide Dave Hahn