Hi everyone. This is JJ Justman and Mike King and Team Mexico. This morning we parted the beautiful colonial city of Puebla. We had a great rest day yesterday in Puebla enjoying a little bit of the good life. This morning we took off and headed to Orizaba, which is where we are right now. We set up camp. We are actually going expedition style, so the tents are up and the stoves are going for some hot drinks. The weather right now is a little little bit cloudy, little bit foggy and a light mist. The weather actually isn't too bad; nice and calm so that's good. Everyone's doing really, really well. We're looking forward to a great summit day tomorrow. Our plan is to have an early dinner, and then wake up and start climbing just after midnight, give or take. It should be a full day for us tomorrow, so stay tuned. We'll give a call, keep your fingers crossed, and hopefully will call you from the summit of the third highest mountain in North America, Orizaba. Thanks for following along. We'll touch base again tomorrow. Bye.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
RMI Guide JJ Justman calls in from Piedra Grande Hut in Mexico.
Hello from Barranco Camp on Kilimanjaro.
We are set up in this beautiful valley with the Giant Senecia trees all around. The crew did great today on our 6.5 hour hike. The day started off cloudy, cold and windy after a little weather system moved in overnight. But by the time we reached our high point at 14,900' the wind was dying and the sun was out. The temperature crept up and up as we descended to camp and it is quite comfortable now. We will relax for the rest of the afternoon and evening and get fueled up for the Barranco Wall tomorrow.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Really enjoying reading about your great adventure! Keep safe and take lots of photos, Andrew and Rachel!
Posted by: Caroline Maryan on 8/9/2015 at 8:11 am
Ancient Chinese Proverb: “Even a thousand mile journey begins with just one step.” Keeping the summit in your sights, take it one step at a time. Take care all! Luv Ya Catie and Rachel! Quite an adventure for a couple of Susquehanna Crusaders who’s origins are the Rock Street Pool in Shamokin.
Greetings from Nevado Copa Basecamp, one of the most beautiful places on earth!(seriously) We all climbed this morning to this idyllic place, and ever since, our eyes have been put on the slopes of this Andean giant that sits before us. All is ready to launch tomorrow towards high camp, and our forecast is telling us we'll have the best weather possible. Everyone is really well acclimated, and the good sports reign amongst the crew. Stay tuned for the progress of the graduation climb of this 2nd edition of our Peru Seminar.
RMI Guide Elías de Andres Martos and team
RMI Guide Brent Okita and all of his climbing team were descending from the Mt. Rainier's crater rim at 6:33 am PST. Brent reported good conditions with some high clouds and winds 15-20 mph. The team will return to Camp Muir, repack and then continue their descent to Paradise.
We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations to the entire Summit Climb team!
Thanks to our guides Brent, Nick, and Blake for all your hard work and kindness. I had a great time, and I know the rest of the team did as well. Your attention to detail, professionalism, and focus on safety really shine through. I look forward to seeing you back on the mountain sometime soon
Posted by: eric benz on 6/30/2015 at 7:57 am
Thank you Brent, for wonderful memories, stories to share and a safe return.
January 25, 2025 – Carry to Camp 1 and Scree Sliding Fun
Today was a big day for our team as we carried a lot of our gear—about 50 pounds each—up the route from basecamp to Camp 1. It was a true test of endurance and teamwork. The route itself kept us on our toes (literally), with plenty of loose scree underfoot to make things tricky. Every step demanded focus, and the weight of our packs reminded us just how serious this climb is.
Despite the challenge, we pushed through as a team, reaching Camp 1 and caching our gear for the days ahead. After all that effort, we headed back down to basecamp, tired but proud of what we accomplished. Sliding down the scree on the descent was a surprising highlight of the day—it’s hard not to feel like a kid again when you’re essentially skiing on loose rocks! Laughter echoed across the slopes as we let gravity do most of the work.
Now back at basecamp, everyone is feeling the weight of the day’s effort (and the packs!). We’re well-tired but in great spirits, ready to take a much-needed rest day tomorrow. Rest is key in a climb like this, and giving our bodies time to recover will help set us up for success as we move higher up the mountain.
The team is doing fantastic—strong, motivated, and full of camaraderie. With every step, we’re getting closer to our goal, and today was a big step forward. Stay tuned for more updates as the adventure continues!
While the lower elevations around Mt. Rainier have cloudy skies and a bit of rain this morning, the Four Day Summit Climb July 31 - 3 August enjoyed blue skies and sunshine for their summit climb. The team reached the summit this morning with light winds and were able to spend some time on the crater soaking in the views before beginning their descent around 7 AM PT. The cloud deck remains at around 7,500' but hopefully it will clear about before the team gets to that elevation this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climb team!
The winds up high were moving.
Snow trails off the mountain into the air.
We're snug and cozy at 14K with plenty of food and fuel,
So we sit and watch the tails of a mare.
This small verse sums up our day. We looked up, saw winds moving snow around up high, and decided to do the prudent thing and sit tight at 14K Camp. We're ready to crack when conditions line up, but until then, some igloo building, heads up, and sunbathing are plenty to keep us happy and occupied.
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Jess Matthews, Taylor Bickford and team
Last night we slept to the sound of heavy rain, and this morning we awoke to the sight of heavy rain. We decided to let it subside before heading out on our acclimatization foray. Luckily it did, and we were able to get the blood flowing above 10,000' with a little help from a chairlift. The clouds partially broke for a moment in time, and we were treated to our first glimpse of Mt. Elbrus. We are ready to go set up shop on its lower flanks starting tomorrow, and most excitingly put skis on our feet. Stay tuned...
RMI Guide Tyler Reid
Today we visited the famous Ngorongoro Crater, and considered by many to be the 8th wonder of the world. The crater is what remains of a once massive volcano that erupted and collapsed on itself, leaving behind a giant caldera that's almost exactly 100 square miles. Every time we've visited the crater it's been excitingly different, and today was the same.
We were able to see many lions, some close enough that they actually stopped to smell the tires of our Safari vehicles. However, we were safely inside our vehicle, yet it was extremely exciting to be so close!
As we made our way around the Ngorongoro crater we saw tons of other wildlife, zebras, Cape buffalo, wildebeest, jackals, Giselle, countless raptors and many other large birds. It was quite a day to say the least, and I'm certain one that won't be forgotten by anyone.
We wrapped up the day with a visit to a Maasai village just outside the crater rim. The Maasai people are a nomadic tribe that have lived here for more than 500 years among the wildlife, while raising the cattle that sustain them. The team spent time visiting the homes of these kind and gentle people, with tour guides who shared their history and way of life.
We finished the evening here at the plantation lodge and are looking forward to what tomorrow may bring as we head to Tarangire National Park.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
Another good day of African hospitality. We ate so many crepes at breakfast I figured the Land Cruisers were going to have a tough time hauling this load of intrepid bush game viewers in and out of the Ngorongoro Crater. The clouds engulfed the crater rim all morning making for a cool game drive to start. Also creating a surreal atmospheric event of tumbling clouds down the walls and dissipating before reaching the valley floor. It looked so much like Jaws Maui Hawaii breaking on a 200 foot day. I was longing for my what surfers call a "Rhino chaser" surfboard, specially made for large swell waves. I can't believe I didn't pack some wax. How ironic, for in fact that was the main focus of today the elusive Black Rhino. During the hunt for the Rhino so many other creatures got in the way that camera batteries were getting drained quick. Thank goodness for the back up battery. We returned to the lovely Plantation Lodge in the early evening to enjoy the fabulous grounds we call home for one more night. No crepes tonight but another four courses of fine dining will have to do. Maybe waffles in the morning to mix it up before we head to our next National Park, Tarangire. All is well with the team. Having a gas, wish you were here.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Really enjoying reading about your great adventure! Keep safe and take lots of photos, Andrew and Rachel!
Posted by: Caroline Maryan on 8/9/2015 at 8:11 am
Ancient Chinese Proverb: “Even a thousand mile journey begins with just one step.” Keeping the summit in your sights, take it one step at a time. Take care all! Luv Ya Catie and Rachel! Quite an adventure for a couple of Susquehanna Crusaders who’s origins are the Rock Street Pool in Shamokin.
Posted by: Phil & Lois on 8/9/2015 at 6:35 am
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