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Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Happy Thanksgiving from Patagonia! The RMI Vinson team has assembled, there are three of us. Under normal circumstances, it is a little bit of a big deal to successfully negotiate and navigate through airlines and airports to reach Punta Arenas, Chile complete with climbing equipment, ready to take on Antarctica. In this pandemic year, it is a really big deal to accomplish such a feat. We’ve been testing constantly and jumping through bureaucratic hoops in order to travel safely internationally. And now we are almost there. Today, our gear will be collected and weighed and packed on the jet. We hope to fly to the Ice tomorrow, but we will hear more later as to current weather and what is possible. These last few days, Rajat and Mark and I have been walking the streets of Punta Arenas (in masks), flashing our “mobility passes” to get into restaurants, and tracking down last bits of essential gear. We’ve had some good walk and talk sessions along the shores of Magellan’s Straight, gazing out at Tierra Del Fuego and a million wind-driven waves. We hope that today is the end of our hotel based “testing period” to ensure nobody brings the virus to Antarctica.
Best Regards
Pretty smooth day all around. Considering that in other years it has taken weeks to get from Punta Arenas, to the Ice and then to Vinson, we are mighty lucky to have done it all in a day. And for that, it wasn’t even a stressful day. No angst about whether we were going to go or not… no waffling weather or closing window for flying. It was just a day of green lights from the get go.
We left the hotel at 6 AM and there wasn’t too much slack time out at the airport. There were eighty of us, dressed in quite the variety of colorful cold weather gear and fancy boots. We mingled and had mini reunions with old and less old acquaintances. And then we trooped on out the gate to board our plane. Things are different this year! We used to ride in cargo and troop transports… this year we walked into a shiny Icelandic Air Boeing 757. And it was nice and nobody was fighting over the mask mandates. I have to say though, that a little bit of the cowboy feel to flying to Antarctica is now gone. It was a lot like going from Seattle to Denver or Dallas. Time to watch movies or sleep. The pilot put the wheels down on Union Glacier’s ice runway at 12:45 PM just like he’d been doing it forever. We bundled up and came down the stairs. It was a remarkably fine day for November. Our faces and fingers weren’t in danger of freezing as we milled about on the ice, snapping pictures. Then we got on board a souped up van with great big wheels and were chauffeured over to Union Glacier Camp. It was comfortable there and we were immediately warned not to get too comfortable. The plan was for the three of us to be on the first airplane out to Vinson. There was time for a tour of camp and a hot and hearty meal in the dining tent and then we loaded into a ski equipped Twin Otter for the hop out to Vinson. After 45 minutes and another perfect landing - this time on the snow strip of the Branscomb Glacier at 7000 ft of elevation- we were walking around in our new and beautiful home at Vinson Base Camp. This was around 4:15 PM. The work began. Lots of camp building and digging and sorting gear and getting settled. We didn’t eat dinner until after 9 PM, which didn’t matter too much, the sun was quite strong making our dining tent comfortable. Not all eighty passengers on the 757 were Vinson climbers, but there are six different guided groups out here as of today to kick off the first climbing season since the pandemic began. Now it is 12:30 AM, still with good sun, but time for bed.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn calls in from Advanced Basecamp.
On The Map
RMI Guide Dave Hahn checks in from Vinson Basecamp.
CH
Good luck and have fun.
Bruce
Posted by: Bruce2 on 11/21/2011 at 10:10 am
Hey Cheryl! We’re rooting for you here in Beaver Creek and will be thinking of you Wednesday, opening day!! See you soon! xo, lin
Posted by: Lin Bercher on 11/21/2011 at 9:29 am
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Avery Parrinello
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Elevation: 19,348'
Good morning,
I am happy to report that on a beautiful morning the team made the summit of Cotopaxi. Sunny skies and light winds made for great climbing conditions. The local guides have departed and the team is headed back to Quito for an afternoon of relaxation and a celebration dinner. This trip has thrown some curveballs, but I'm proud of the team for sticking with it and being flexible along the way. Everyone, regardless of whether they went to the summit of Cayambe or Cotopaxi did a really fine job pushing themselves towards goals they have worked so hard for. Cheers to this team!
Thank you for following along with our blog and please continue following the final RMI Ecuador trip of the season which starts next week!
RMI Guides Dustin, Avery and Team!
Awesome!! Sunny Summit!!!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 2/4/2022 at 3:45 am
Congrats all! Great to see that mountain summited
Posted by: Sam on 2/3/2022 at 12:50 pm
Posted by: Alan Davis, Matias Francis, Tatum Whatford, Tyler Meyers, Brian Walters
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb August 5 - 8, 2022 led by RMI Guides Alan Davis and Matias Francis reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The teams reported windy conditions. They left the crater rim around 5:20 am and as of 7 am were at the top of Disappointment Cleaver on their descent. Once back at Camp Muir the teams will have a quick break before continuing the remaining 4.5 miles to Paradise. They will then conclude their program this afternoon at Rainier BaseCamp.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Congratulations! A question: I wonder if the trip leaders know what the winds were like on summit day (Mon Aug 8)? I too submitted (independently with my climbing partner) and we experienced persistent winds throughout but also gusts at Disappointment Cleaver that felt quite stiff. Might your own team(s) have a sense of how high the winds actually were (as opposed to forecast)? Thank you,
Posted by: Larissa M on 8/10/2022 at 3:11 pm
Congratulations to the whole team for summiting, but I would like to give a special “Bravo” to my wonderful husband who reach the summit!! So proud of you Stéphane!! You did it!!!!
Posted by: Annie Quinal on 8/8/2022 at 8:01 am
On The Map
Fantastic Li! You’re getting closer & closer! Love Dean
Posted by: Dean on 12/9/2011 at 6:11 am
What a great achievement! Congrats to my brother Charlie and the whole team!! IT is awesome to see photos and get these updates.
Posted by: Annmarie Eldering on 12/7/2011 at 7:52 am
Papa - Everyone looks great. Hope your climbs are all they would be. Keep up the great work! We miss you. Michael and Gracie
Posted by: michael and gracie on 12/6/2011 at 6:25 pm
Posted by:
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Cho Oyu
A message from Miami- To my husband Joe- I love you and wish you a Happy Fathers Day! - My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. Happy Day and Weather to you all. Be safe. Evelyn
Posted by: Evelyn on 6/17/2012 at 7:06 am
Way to GO Dan!! We are following your progress and send our prayers via west winds. Our best to all our Sherpa friends who helped us out at Base Camp Everest this year- we had a wonderful time. Mark- Khumbu Masters?
Posted by: Elsie Bemiss on 5/1/2013 at 6:38 pm
Congratulations Dan on your new milestone. More to come!
I’m trying to keep track of Base Camp trips up and back. What will be the roundtrip total? Five?
-Larry Seaton
Posted by: Larry Seaton on 5/1/2013 at 5:31 pm
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