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RMI Guide Jake Beren calls in from the Pico de Orizaba summit.
On The Map
Posted by: JJ Justman, Dave Hahn, Billy Nugent, Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest
Elevation: 17,575'
On The Map
Nicole and team. We are so thankful that you and the team are safe and praying for the missing climbers.Your family are all sending you strngth and love. We love you so much Nicole, please take care of yourself. Spoke to dad, brothers, cousins, and we are praying for your safety. Aunt Mimi is with me now. Your loving Aunt Ginny
Posted by: ginny marasco on 4/18/2014 at 11:59 am
Nicole Lobiondo: Wonderful to hear you are all safe and staying confident. You are in great hands and praying for you all. You got this! Love, Nicole
Posted by: Nicole Howard on 4/18/2014 at 6:50 am
Hello again everyone,
Things are good here on Kilimanjaro and the team is doing great!
Today started like the last few, beautiful, and clear and then slowly clouded up as the day went on.
We left camp a little later today to allow the many porters to hit the trail before us as we had our only major obstacle right out of camp. This obstacle is the great Barranco Wall, which rises about 1000ft and looks as intimidating as it sounds. Thankfully there is a nice narrow trail that weaves its way up and through the wall and all the way to the top. Most of it feels more like steep hiking, but there are a few places that require our hands to help us climb up. The team did great and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. After reaching the top we took a nice break to enjoy the beautiful view. We spent the remainder of the day relaxing in our camp and solving many of the world’s problems!
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili Crew
Posted by: Linden Mallory
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Southside
RMI Guide Jake Beren calls from the summit of Pico de Orizaba.
On The Map
Posted by: Mike King
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
We got an early start after breakfast today. Eventually we made a short stop in Amecameca for some last minute provisions and a light lunch before riding up to Paso de Cortez where the park entrance for Ixta resides. We opted for a five mile hike instead of riding the bus on the bumpy road. While the hike was mostly on a gated dirt road we enjoyed the rolling grassy hills and scattered pine trees. Afternoon clouds had built up and we were able to see the lower portion of our climbing route.
We’ll spend the remainder of the afternoon setting up tents and getting our gear sorted for the move up to our high camp tomorrow. The Team is doing well and hoping for Popo to put off some ash plumes for some good photos. We will check in tomorrow from high camp.
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Mike King, Dominic Cifelli
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday morning we woke at Vinson high camp and finished the “day” around a campfire in Miami, Florida.
We packed camp on another cold but beautiful Antarctic morning and started climbing downhill at 11:30 AM. Getting down the steep “fixed rope” section was the tricky part, but we managed it without great difficulty and pulled into low camp at 1 PM. We switched gears, pulling off crampons and rigging sleds for the lower angled glacier walk to Vinson Basecamp. There were some low clouds about and a forecast for more to come, so it wasn’t certain that we’d be able to fly out. But we didn’t think too much about that as we walked the amazing walk down the Branscomb Glacier to VBC. We pulled in at 4 PM… minutes after Russ landed his ski equipped Twin Otter. We were greeted at VBC with fist bumps, champagne and COVID tests. We did the duffel shuffle into the plane and shared a last cocktail with the top notch ALE staff. Bidding Scott and Hannah goodbye, we loaded up and flew to Union Glacier. Our timing being perfect, as always, we showed up at 6:30, just in time for an excellent dinner -sitting in chairs at a table in the comfortable dining tent. By then we knew our Bombardier jet was inbound and so we simply extended dinner for a few hours to sit and talk and mingle with the other adventurers. Nimsdai, the great Nepali climber and expedition leader, walked in fresh off a plane from the South Pole, and regaled our team with accounts of skiing the “Last Degree”
The “Global” landed at 11PM on the blue ice runway as we watched and cheered. We took our last steps on the glacier and up the ramp to the luxury of the plane. Within minutes, Sniggy transformed from Vinson climber to Pilot and lifted us off the Ice. In less than four hours we were back to Punta Arenas, but only to refuel and say goodbye to Ed Viesturs -who stayed behind for a planned second Vinson climb. The team toasted Ed as we flew through the South American night. By early afternoon we were in Miami, Florida and welcomed “home” by Sean “Stroker” Gustafson. Stroker -the famous F16 pilot and former Vinson climber- had us out to his place for a memorable evening of jet skiing, fishing, and fabulous dining. Stroker’s family made us quite comfortable and welcome around a campfire to finish the “day”. The team told stories of mountain climbing and space travel. We laughed and plotted future adventures long into the night. It is rare to end an Antarctic journey with a campfire in the sand, but I highly recommend that you try it.
Best Regards
On The Map
Hey Steve and Brian! Been following your progress all week. If I’m getting it straight, tonight is the night! So good luck and enjoy every minute of it! You guys rock.
Posted by: Dave L on 8/24/2013 at 9:17 am
Hey what’s that hat you’re wearing Chambo? WHat a nice bunch of smiles you all have on. Clearly you need more challenge. : )
Posted by: jordo on 8/23/2013 at 8:09 am
RMI Guide Linden Mallory on the team departure from Everest Base Camp.
I miss you so much! These pictures are beautiful! I wish iwere there with you. I couldn’t do the climb right now, but you could rent me a helicopter driver! I am going over to Seattle on Friday the 15, and will be at the airport Saturday morning to greet you! ONE MORE WEEK!!!!!!!!! I love you! Sweet man
Posted by: Deb McLaughlin on 4/7/2011 at 11:17 pm
Tim,
Lay off those cigars so you can make it to the top!
Wish I was there!
Rick
Posted by: Rick on 4/5/2011 at 6:40 pm
Guys had a great time, so much so I’m booking for Mexico. I want to make sure JJ brings the fat finger ascender just for me…
Posted by: Louis on 6/11/2012 at 2:31 pm
We had a fantastic time learning mountaineering skills and hanging out in the hut at Camp Muir. What a great group of clients and guides! Thanks to JJ, Dan, Tim, Katey, and Alex for teaching us so much. You took a newbie and got me well started on a great obsess,er,uh, hobby! Thanks to Nick for suggesting the trip, and every body for keeping it fun. I hope Zeek’s goose grows her feathers back in time for the next trip!
Posted by: Jim on 6/10/2012 at 3:18 pm
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