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100% summit success on Cayambe!

The team is now looking forward to a day of rest and relaxation before heading towards Antisana.

Photos and a more interesting blog forthcoming 

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

RMI Guide Brent Okita and the Mt. Rainier Summit Climb left Columbia Crest at 7:45 am. Brent said the weather was a little chilly with 15 mph winds, sunny skies and some clouds around. Congratulations to today's summit climb team!

The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Elías de Andrés Martos and the Five Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Kel Rossiter reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. On the summit the team enjoyed clear, blue skies. The teams have left the summit and are making their way back to Camp Muir. We will see them back in Ashford this afternoon. Congratulations to today's teams!

Hey, this is Dave Hahn calling from RMI's Everest Expedition. We left Deboche this morning.... The team is now up here at 13,800 feet in Pheriche. We walked through snow today, about four inches of new snow over night. It was a beautiful morning for strolling through the last of the forest that we would be walking in today. We walked over to Tengboche and had an audience with Lama Geshe. He gave us his blessings and greeted us as always very friendly, and had a nice seating with him. We proceeded on our way towards Pheriche, had lunch in Somare and got here, Pheriche, by about 2:30 this afternoon. Everybody's getting comfortable now in the Himalayan Hotel, and enjoying the nice dining room here, under the stars, looking up at Ama Dablam and beautiful mountains all around. We will check in again tomorrow. RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

It's snowing up here! Today was a rest day here in Pheriche, and we went on a short acclimatization hike to 15,500' to take in the views. We set a new altitude record for some and even managed to see Island Peak down the neighboring valley. The weather started clear once again but quickly turned to clouds and even began snowing a little bit right after we made it back and had lunch. At 3 pm the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), which is a very small and seasonal hospital had a talk on Acclimatizing which we sat in on. We wrapped up the evening with another wonderful meal here at the Himalayan Lodge in Pheriche and a few more games of Cribbage. All is well and everyone is feeling well and in good spirits. RMI Guide CaseyGrom and crew

On The Map

Hola del Campo Uno. For those of you who don't "habla español" El Campo Uno is spanish for... The Campo Uno. Our team enjoyed a relaxed morning getting packed up and out of Aconcagua Basecamp despite how eager we were to get this climb underway. We enjoyed perfect weather on our move up and even got to spend some time with JJ and the other RMI crew descending after yesterday's successful summit bid at one of our breaks along the trail. We could hear JJ coming down the trail but couldn't see him until he was right upon us. His full camouflage outfit (including camo expedition backpack) is perfectly at home in the mountain environment. Our team is moving extremely well in large part due to great fitness but also great rest-stepping and footwork. They made short work of the move and even had the energy to write a limerick along the way. Here it is for your reading pleasure: Climbing this mountain is rough, but our team is tougher than tough. Through wind, ice, and sand on the peak we'll all stand because we've all got the right stuff! All for now... RMI Guide Billy Nugent

On The Map

Greetings all! Last night was clear and cold with the freezing level hanging just below our new home here at 14,000ft. Today is all about relaxing though and the team enjoyed a leisurely morning and some of JJ's famous scrambled egg breakfast. Our agenda tomorrow has us carrying a load of gear to cache at Camp I (16,400ft) What this means is that we will ferry a load of gear higher on the mountain and then return back to basecamp to sleep. This will allow the team to better acclimatize while moving much needed food and gear higher on the mountain and consequently making our move day loads lighter. So this afternoon will be spent organizing and packing gear for an early start tomorrow. The team is looking forward to the challenge of heavy packs and higher elevation. Morale is high, the weather is good and we couldn't be happier! RMI Guide Steve Gately & Team

RMI Guide Seth Waterfall and the Four Day Summit Climb teams were approaching the crater rim at 7:29 a.m. PT. They reported very cold and very windy conditions on the Disappointment Cleaver Route. The teams will be starting their descent soon after reaching the summit. RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons aborted their summit bid at 13,200' due to high winds and blowing snow. They are descending back to Camp Schurman.

Today we left Quito and the city life is in our rear view. Yeah, the hotel is nice. Yeah, the coffee shop across the street knows my name and order. Yeah, the eucalyptus steam room is great. But we are here to climb, experience culture, be a little uncomfortable. All those other things are available everywhere else!

So, we turn our sights towards Cayambe. Today, we did one more acclimatization hike to Cerro Fuya Fuya and were once again fortunate to stay dry. Walking around in the high grasslands gave us a chance to breathe some fresh air and continue to work towards the physiological adaptations that will be advantageous for us on higher mountains. Tonight, we are enjoying a lovely rest in a classic Andean highlands hacienda before we head to the lower Cayambe hut tomorrow.

The team is in good spirits after reaching the summits of both acclimatization peaks. I seem to be the only person who is a bit chapped about missing the Super Bowl (once again) because we will be out of cell range. Oh well, I don’t actually care who wins, just as long as all the players have fun.

Anyways, it’s time to call it a night, keep us in your thoughts as we venture higher the next few days. Hopefully to 18,996’ by Monday morning!

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

We had it pretty good on the mountain... but it sure was nice to sleep in beds last night and to take showers this morning. We breakfasted at the Arumeru River Lodge and then hit the road at 8 AM with our drivers/naturalists/guides Francis and Michael. We didn’t do too badly in the rush hour traffic skirting Arusha. Before very long we were out in open and dry country, pushing west into lands dominated by the Maasai tribes. We saw plenty of cattle herds being brought to or from water by Maasai herdsmen in their distinctive Tartan blankets. We reached Lake Manyara National Park a little before midday and popped the tops of our two stretch Landcruisers. We then stood with our heads and cameras out the roofs of the vehicles, looking for what might be hiding. We found monkeys and baboons, of course. But also Cape Buffalo and Elephant families and a hippopotamus momma and child lounging in water lilies a few feet from the road. There were hundreds of exotic birds for Keith, there were distant giraffes for Guillaume. We got a little used to seeing wildebeest and zebra and impala. We looked up in the branches of every tree we came to, searching for lions, but they weren’t available today. As the afternoon went along, the animals -and our expeditioners- got sleepy and so Michael and Francis pointed the Landcruisers toward the cushy Plantation Lodge. We sipped sundowners while watching the sun go down, dipped in the pool and generally lived the good life in this perfectly laid out compound of accommodations and gardens. We got together for a fine dinner -with many noting that it was almost as good as Tosha’s 15,000 ft fare- and we hatched plans for a pre-dawn start in the morning. Best Regards RMI Guide Dave Hahn