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Like all good mountaineers, it’s okay to be lazy. Two summits in three days, our group enjoyed a much deserved rest day in La Paz. We shopped, we ate and we slept as we get ready for our third and final peak
Illimani.
The rest day also came at great time, as it was a rainy day in La Paz bringing a fresh coat of snow to the mountains. We’ll enjoy a nice dinner tonight before heading back into the mountains tomorrow!
RMI Guide Andy Bond
RMI Guide Jake Beren and the
Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning via the Kautz route.
Jake reported clear skies on the summit. The team will spend some time on the summit before making their descent. The team will spend one more night on the mountain before descending off the mountain tomorrow.
Way to climb!
We had a successful day today, with everyone climbing strong to reach the summit of
Rucu Pichincha (~15,700 ft) on our first acclimatization climb in country. We had great weather with perfect temperatures for climbing, and good views throughout the day.
After a quick cab ride from our hotel, we rode the gondola to ~13,500 ft and then began climbing up the flanks of Rucu. The well graded trail eventually gave way to some steeper switchbacks and then some 3rd class scrambling to the summit.
It was a high altitude record for many of our climbers. We hope to keep breaking those records over the next few days once we get onto Cayambe and Cotopaxi.
Tomorrow morning we’ll pack up and leave Quito, heading north for another acclimatization climb up the ancient volcano Fuya Fuya.
Thanks for checking in. We’ll keep you up to date.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
Greetings from Tambopaxi Lodge,
Today we took a full day to rest our weary legs and heal our slightly sun burnt faces. After a breakfast with a view of
Cotopaxi a few of team members went horseback riding while the rest of us drank coffee and swapped stories from our Antisana climb. The riders got all dressed up in Ecuadorean ponchos, cowboy hats, and alpaca chaps. We then wasted no time getting to our next activity...... A four course lunch. We did manage to get in some training in during the afternoon but were easily distracted by views of the mountain and galloping wild horses.
We look forward to a good night of sleep because tomorrow there will be no such luxury. Tomorrow we will be up and at 'em around 10 pm to ascend our final peak,
Cotopaxi.
Everyone hear wishes their special someone at home a very happy Valentine's Day!
RMI Guide Ben Liken and Amigos
As the expedition draws to a close, the days come flying by in a blur. After a big descent to
Aconcagua Base Camp with heavy packs, we fell into our sleeping bags and got one of the best nights of sleep of the trip. The group chose to fore go setting up tents and laid out sleeping bags in the big dining tent, and for the first time in many nights, we didn’t spend the whole night listening to the wind slap at our tents. We woke in the morning, caffeinated up, and did a hasty pack job of the our duffels for the mules. We grabbed our day packs, light once again, and started off down the mule trails, retracing the paths we had walked two weeks earlier (ironically, most of the group didn’t remember much of it and was convinced that we were exiting a different way). While our packs were light, and our hiking shoes a lot more comfortable than our boots, the nearly 15 miles of rocky trail walking took about ten hours, and by the end, everyone's dogs were far beyond barking.
Fortunately, the amazing arryaros were waiting at Pampe de Lenas, with the fire already started and meat on the grill. The team feasted on more carne than we could possibly eat, especially with the shrunken stomachs that result from two weeks of high altitude living. Once again, we chose to fore go the tents, and everyone unrolled pads and bags on the ground and watched the Southern Cross trace its arc across the canyon rim. We woke early, and though everyone was feeling the previous couple of days, the motivation to finally reach the park entrance and be done trumped all of the physical discomforts. Three and half more hours brought us to the tree-lined aqueduct that signals the final stretch to the end of the long trail. We grabbed our dust covered bags from the mules and loaded a shuttle to Mendoza. With a quick stop for another huge meal, we were in Mendoza by evening, showering off the weeks of dust.
We wrapped up the trip with another great culinary experience at El Patio Azul de Jesus Maria. We feasted on a traditional Argentinian parilla (bbq) with boundless different cuts of meat cooked slowly over a wood fire. Malbec was plentiful for washing the meal down, and was the perfect way to refuel after weeks up the mountain. Most of the group will spend the next two days in Mendoza, planning to explore the shops, rest by the pool, and perhaps tour a few vineyards, before we return to winter time in the States.
We would like to thank the whole team for the incredible team work that they displayed throughout the entire trip, the camaraderie, and the effort that each and every one put out. This was a group that was a pleasure for the guides to work with. Finally, I’d like to thank Alex and Juan for kicking ass the entire trip. The whole trip was a pleasure all the way around, and we’re already looking forward to next year!
Thanks,
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
Hello from
Lake Manyara National Park. Today most of the team headed out for some game viewing while two of our members went directly to the hotel. One of them was feeling under the weather.
The rest of us have been on the road, looking for animals, at Lake Manyara. It feels great to be toasty and warm after being cold on Kilimanjaro. Most everyone has legs that are still a little tired from the climb so it's also a treat to ride in the safari vehicle.
Tonight we'll overnight at the beautiful Plantation Lodge and tomorrow we head to the famous Ngorongoro crater.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
This is the Aconcagua team checking in from Camp 1. Last night we got more snow at Basecamp, not too much, but enough to get the camp completely white when we left this morning. The landscape was unique so we didn't miss the opportunity to take lot of pictures. The group did a great job climbing to C1 today, it took us 4:30hs to get here and everybody is feeling strong. Right now we have started the stoves and will enjoy a nice dinner with vegetarian couscous in a little bit.
Our plan for tomorrow is to carry to our Camp 2 (also known as Campo Lama, because of the remains of a helicopter Lama that crashed there a long time ago).
We hope that everybody there is enjoying the progress of our team, we will keep sending updates!
RMI Guide
JJ Justman and the Four Day Summit Climb team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier under cold and gusty conditions. The team began their descent shortly after 8:00 a.m. PDT. On their descent, the team will stop at Camp Muir to rest and repack before continuing their descent to Paradise. They will return to Ashford and
Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations!
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.
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 - 9:33 pm PT
We arrived at 17,000' Camp this afternoon and are winding down for the night. Plans to climb tomorrow if winds allow.
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier
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Denali Expedition, May 12, 2024
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Enjoy your day of rest
You all deserve it
I told Dad I think you get your sense of adventure from me
Thought you could use good laugh
Love you both
Mom and Dad
Go Team
Posted by: Tina and John Zabinski on 6/5/2018 at 5:01 am
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