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I am happy to announce the Ecuador Volcanoes team successfully assembled in the hotel lobby this morning. They were all a bit late and I couldn’t scold anyone in particular so I plan to run them all a bit harder on our first acclimating climb tomorrow. After our team introduction we all loaded the tour bus and headed north out of Quito to the Mitad Del Mundo, or Middle of the World. Otherwise know as the equator! Here at the museum we were taught how the Amazon tribes shrunk actual heads of people, tiny fish can swim up urine streams into parts of the body fish don’t belong and snakes in the jungle can eat full size monkeys. And of course we learned how shadows tell time, the coriolis effect makes the water spin in opposite directions and gravity is possessed by aliens on the actual equatorial line. The team seemed quite interested in these scientific studies but when we left the museum they were equally as interested to detour from the set itinerary to find some local home brew corn beer called Cheecha that the tour guide said was popular in that area. We did just that, toasting a good trip together with a liquid resembling nothing like we drink back home. At this same restaurant we noticed another local delicacy roasting on a stick. Here it is called Cuy. At home it is widely recognized as guinea pig. Luckily they don’t look as cute once they are cooked. When the Cheecha ran dry we loaded up and headed into the old town of Quito where we saw great views of the city, a beautiful golden church and some of the oldest buildings in the country. Ecuador has an incredibly rich history and diverse population. Getting to see it up close never gets old. After the tour we all gathered for espresso and soccer at my favorite place one block from the hotel. Before dinner we will check some gear then team up for our first official team dinner then retire to prepare for our first official climb. Tomorrow we go to 15,400 feet so stay tuned for the report. RMI Guide Adam Knoff

Hello from Kyajo Ri Camp 1, All is good here, except that we had an extraordinarily windy day, preventing us from moving up to Camp 2. We did, however, take some of our gear to the base of the gullie that provides access to it, as we plan on attempting the summit from here. The sun is shining and the spirits are high! We are going to bed early, so cheer for us on our push to summit our first objective here. Regards, RMI Guide Elías de Andres Martos

We have not had many blue skies this trip and today was no exception. The morning provided some great views of the glaciated mountains in the distance as we climbed up Warmi Huanusca Pass at 13,600'. The rain set in and would come and go as the Team go closer to the cloud forest after climbing the second pass of the day named Runkurakay 13,022'. Today we will join a slew of people hiking the Inca Trail, the team has enjoyed the last 4 days in relative solitude. We took in a few Incan ruins and some members continued to document the floral and avian life that this part of the world offers. Some just took in the views provided when the rain would stop and clouds would lift while figuring out a sequence of ascending and descending the wet Incan steps. Everyone is doing well, resting in their tents at Chaquicocha 9,900' and looking forward to the ruins at WinayWayna and Machu Picchu in the coming days. RMI Guide Mike King

Well, our luck had to run out eventually. We've had a good run so far this trip, but Chimborazo proved to be our match. Our teams turned this morning just under 19,000' due to a variety of compounding issues, but the climb still provided us with over six hours of engaging terrain, from challenging rock steps to steep and firm snow slopes. Although we would have all loved to have reached the top, everyone agrees we made the right decision to turn around early and are all glad to be back down safely, celebrating the successful conclusion of our seminar down south. From a guide's perspective, not summiting this morning provided us all with one last valuable lesson: mountaineering isn't always about standing on top. So much of climbing is learning to recognize when a summit just isn't in the cards and being able to make the conservative call. Chimborazo will be here for a while. We didn't make it this time, but I like to think of that as an open invitation to return again some day down the road. Tomorrow morning we will return to Quito, say our final goodbyes, and fly home to our families. It has been an incredible two weeks, and I've enjoyed getting to know this wonderful group of people. Pretty soon, you'll be able to hear all the stories that never made it to the blog directly from your loved ones. It's been a great adventure! Signing off one last time, RMI Guide Nick Hunt

This is Mike with the Aconcagua team. We had a windy day on our carry to Camp 2 today at 18,000ft. We got a late start hoping the winds would die down, but they never really did. We got a little new snow, the wind was blowing in our faces most of the morning. The team did really well. We are looking forward to enjoying a rest day tomorrow. We'll be tuning in with more information to come. Thanks guys. RMI Guide Mike King

On The Map

After a great day of climbing yesterday, we had high hopes for a summit push today. Unfortunately, the mountain had other plans and the weather kept us in our tents all day as it has been consistently raining and windy. Things are seeming to ease up a bit this evening, and the forecast shows an improving trend. We'll see how the situation progresses, but right now we are hoping to go for the top early tomorrow morning. Either way, we'll be climbing back down through the Fisher Chimneys tomorrow and headed back to the trailhead. Hopefully we'll get a chance to climb up before we climb back down. RMI Guide Mike Walter

The Four Day Summit Climb teams led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Billy Nugent reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Brent reported a gorgeous day with clear skies and winds 25-30 mph on the summit but 15 - 20 mph throughout the climb. The teams began their descent from the crater rim around 7 am and will return to Cam Muir before continuing down to Paradise. The Expeditions Skills Seminar - Kautz led by Jake Beren also reached the summit this morning. At 8:30 am they began their descent and will return to their camp where they will spend another night on the mountain. Congratulations to today's climbers!

Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 2:47 PM PT We had a slight breeze all night and while the flapping fabric was not enough to keep us up the first night at 17,200’, it had several people not sleeping well. The guides got up at 6:30 am to check the wind and weather. Snow was billowing up into the atmosphere and swirling down the slopes that we would need to climb. We pumped the brakes a bit to see what the heat from the rising sun would do to the winds. After a few more hours the snow was still spinning and we decided it was too late to begin a 12-hour summit bid. The early afternoon has us resting in warm tents and taking some laps around camp to force us to breath more. Just sitting in the tent won’t help us get ready tomorrow. Our plan is to get started shortly after the sun hits camp and be on top early afternoon. Everyone is feeling better then when we first got here yesterday and anxious to finish this wonderful expedition. RMI Guide Mike King

On The Map

After a good night of sleep, lots of coffee, and a two hour breakfast the team explored the city of Puebla today. We love this city for its charm, beautiful churches, and friendly people. The hotel we stay in has a huge rooftop terrace that gives us a view of La Malinche to the North, our last climb to the west and our next goal to the east. Yesterday, as we descended Ixta, our group was tired, wind blasted, and hungry so talk of another mountain was not appealing. But, today is a different story, our team is well fed and rested and happy to embark on the next climb. Here are just a few quotes from the group today: "I've traveled to over 50 countries, and Puebla is blowing my mind!" And, "I'm in a great mood!" Yep, we are lucky to have these folks to climb with. RMI Guide Christina Dale

Namaste from Khumjung! We are taking a rest day today in this beautiful village, with a true local feel and direct views of Ama Dablam. After arriving yesterday from Thame, we officially finished our trekking around Gokyo, and our minds are no set to climbing mode. We're spending the day chilling, prepacking, and reviewing a few things before heading up tomorrow towards Kyajo Ri. Stay tuned for our progress up the first of our climbing objectives! RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos