Hola Everyone,
Today began much like yesterday. Breakfast in our newly remodeled hotel at 7:30 with the team preparing for the day's activities. But instead of taking a tour of Quito, we stayed close to home and headed ten minutes east of our hotel to the 15,500' Rucu Pinchincha volcano. This mountain gave Quito quite a scare in 1999 spewing large amounts of ash into the air which caused half of this enormous city to be evacuated. Nothing major came of the eruption. So today it is a prefect acclimatizing hike. Because it is only the team's second day in Ecuador, one might speculate that marching from 9,200' to 15,500' first thing might be a bit much. Not the case when a gondola zips you up the mountain side turning what should have been a two hour hike into a 10 minute cruise. We were a bit bummed to have thick cloud cover resting heavily in the valley but we lifted out of the mist at 13,000' and were allowed great summit views of both Cotopaxi and Cayambe, two of Ecuador's most impressive peaks.
Once on the move our team showed their enthusiasm and readiness to climb. Led by RMI's local Ecuadorian Guide Fredy Tipan, we all headed 2.5 miles up a well traveled trail making good time to the mountain's summit. Several members of the group broke personal altitude records. We spent 20 cool and cloudy minutes on top before returning to the cable car. With a rather late arrival back in town, it was decided that a late lunch would set everyone up nicely for a leisurely evening and some much needed rest. We are all looking forward to leaving the city and seeing more of this beautiful country tomorrow.
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
Great group and the pics are really beautiful!! Great job, keep working hard!! Charlie, I like your jacket!!!!
Posted by: simona fioravanti on 12/14/2011 at 5:58 am
It’s great to see you all on your hike. Thanks for sharing the photos and story. Best of luck on Cotopaxi! Do you see any airliners flying right over your heads?
Posted by: Charley Knauff on 12/13/2011 at 1:42 pm
Patience was the name of the game for Ixta. The team awoke multiple times during the night to find various conditions. First snow, then total whiteout, then a menacing cloud cap over the upper mountain. Knowing the patterns of the local mountains we decided to take the cloud cap as our opportunity to climb and we’re rewarded. As we climbed, the cloud dissipated, and team was able to keep ascending under the full moon and cool temps. We reached the summit at 7:50 AM with views of the surrounding peaks and the route we had just ascended. No time to waste though, it was time to descend. We knew of the incoming weather and descended without incident to the parking lot.
Off to Puebla we went to enjoy our much-deserved showers, tacos, and real beds. Great effort by all the team members and we look forward to exploring Puebla tomorrow.
The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Christina Dale and Dominic Cifelli turned at the top of Disappointment Cleaver early this morning. The team had clear skies above, but due to recent winter-like storms, route conditions on the upper mountian are unstable. The team is in route to Camp Muir and will be descending back to Paradise in the early afternoon.
Success!
The gang went to bed with another deceptively improving weather trend only to wake up (for the third time this trip) in the middle of the night to more stormy weather. We decided that since this was our last chance we'd give a hail Mary attempt. After a quick breakfast and some tinkering with gear and backpacks the time came for us to push out. Surprisingly, the winds had started calming down, which heartened the guides at least a little bit. As it turned out, that abatement was indeed only temporary...
We climbed to the edge of the glacier and roped/cramponed up, and after only an hour or two in the elements we were starting to ice up. Somehow everybody kept it together and we continued upwards into worsening winds, winding our way through a jumble of a glacier and then skirting around the massive rock face of Yanasacha. Weather was bad most of the day but after reaching the upper slopes of the mountain we were fully exposed. When we reached the summit (half of us crawling) we were elated but couldn't stay long because of the blastingly continuous 50 mph wind and the fact that were covered with over and inch (yes an inch!) of ice from being in a freezing lenticular cloud all day. The guys were a little beat but pulled it together to descend like champs all the way back down to the refugio. All in all we were out in the storm for a little over 10 hours, managing to bag the summit and safely descend.
We were greeted back at the refugio by Victor, our driver, who had hiked up from the parking lot to hang out. Knowing our ride was waiting down the hill, we celebrated with a quick beer and crammed all of our crap into our packs. A short walk down a scree field brought us to the van which brought us back to civilization in Quito!
The team showered up and hit the town for a fabulous multi-course meal complete with wine and pisco to celebrate properly. Hopefully folks weren't too ragged making their early a.m. flights.
I'd like to thank a great group of guys for making this such a fun and memorable trip (pako's ipa, triple cheeseburgers, two left crampons, pansies, sock boiling, knee taking, etc.) and thank Jaime and Diego for being awesome guides and a pleasure to work with. Thanks again everybody!
Signing off, for now...
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Clear skies and light winds greeted the Four Day Team on the summit of Mt. Rainier. RMI Guide Jess Matthews called in to let us know the team reached the summit at 6:05 am. They spent some time on the summit before starting their descent. The team will be back at Rainier Basecamp this afternoon to celebrate!
While we were expecting a chilly night of sleep, it was surprisingly warm in Pheriche. The colder temperatures rumored in the valley this spring didn't affect us as much as we anticipated, much to everyone's pleasure. Without needing to reach the next village before the weather set in, we took our time at breakfast, going through several thermoses of tea before we headed out for a hike. Leaving Pheriche, we climbed directly up the tall hillside behind town and across a rolling plateau to a ridge running from the higher hills above. Pausing there we had clear views southwards back down the Khumbu Valley towards Tengboche and eventually Namche. To our west the valley continued up further before turning sharply north and into the final cirque of mountains where Everest Base Camp is. To the east ran the Imja Khola Valley, framed at the top by a ring of mountains surrounding Island Peak - the climbing objective for a few of us next week after we visit Base Camp.
We climbed a bit higher up the ridge, eventually stopping in a spot protected from the gentle but still biting breeze. Staying up there for awhile, we looked at the panorama of great Himalayan peaks and giving our bodies the feel for the higher elevations to come. We descended back to our tea-house by midday and spent a few hours relaxing the the sun room - a greenhouse like room built on the second story that heats up quite quickly during the day - before heading next door to the Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic. Volunteer doctors staff the small medical facility here, offering medical care for the local population as well as trekkers affected by the altitude. They gave us a very informative briefing on altitude and demonstrated the use of a Gamow Bag - a portable hyperbaric chamber used to simulate lower elevations.
The team remains in great spirits, managing the newer altitudes well and keeping the trip lighthearted and convivial. Tomorrow we climb further up the valley to the tiny village of Lobuche, sitting alongside the toe of the Khumbu Glacier. It is exciting to be approaching our destination and we are looking forward to the days ahead.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Hey girls - like everyone else I’m amazed by your accomplishments and very grateful for the good weather and good health (so far) you all have enjoyed. What an adventure. Until today I had been just reading Dana Marie’s blog (which is great - thanks for doing that D-M - it has been the highlight of my days), and when Sasha told me everyone was posting on the blog I had no idea of what she was talking about until a client who is thinking about doing a trek sent me the link after I was talking about your exploits. While lacking the color of D-M’s posts, it is great to get the skinny from the guides on what you are doing every day and love the pictures.
Hope you all continue to feel well and enjoy the trip.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Hogan on 3/23/2012 at 6:10 pm
Hi mom! I love u! Hope u r having fun. Miss u!
Love Katie
The climb of Mount Everest has begun. Our team came together in these past few days, flying by various routes and trajectories around the world to Kathmandu, lugging all manner of electronics, insulation and enthusiasm. Good meals and nights of uninterrupted slumber have repaired some of the jet-lag grogginess and disorientation. We've met as a team several times now and have gone over preliminary plans and strategies. Tomorrow we fly into Lukla and begin walking. It is no stretch to suggest that all are looking forward to simply walking. That will be a welcome change from months of planning and packing and wondering about the future.
Personally, I can't wait to be walking. Katmandu is always an exciting place for a climber to visit... but most of us wouldn't want that visit to be any longer than is necessary when Everest is the goal. There is too much chance for getting sick either from taking in smoggy air or dodgy food. There is still charm to this huge city, but it isn't wise to go hunting extensively for that charm just now. Katmandu is struggling these days; the electricity is only on a third of the time and so there is a nearly constant background noise of hotel diesel generators throbbing away. People are nervously recounting a winter devoid of moisture and the resultant severe water shortages they are now dealing with. As usual there is uncertainty over Nepali central government effectiveness and concern for how worldwide financial troubles will impact the country.
Walking in the countryside will be perfect. We won't think just yet of the dangers of the Khumbu Icefall or the winds that might scour the Lhotse Face. We'll put off worrying over Hillary Step traffic jams and jet-stream meanderings. Instead we'll set off walking through lush forests and fertile farmland through the villages our Sherpa teams live in. We'll get talking some and walking more and we'll get away from cell phones and email. We'll try not to trip or step in goo... we'll take pictures of distant mountainsides and close-up flowers and our lives will get simpler than they have been for some time. I'll speak with Erica and Ed Dohring; my clients, and will explain how this ten-day trek can be the perfect way to prepare for a big climb. I'll try to tell them what I can of the Sherpa culture and the mountain history. Perhaps I'll get to introduce them to a few famous climbers along the trail. I'll mug for the cameras, as our team tries to capture our First Ascent gear being rolled out on its maiden voyage in the great mountain range.
I'll try to stay healthy, warm and dry... simple.
Since the earthquake I have been mostly holed up at Annapurna Base Camp. After the quake I couldn't let go of my desire to finish what I've started with Annapurna. I'd put in so much focus and taken on so much risk to be in a position to make a nO's ascent, especially as a team of one. But the reports of the destruction and hardship kept flooding in. Then one morning I could feel myself having let go of Annapurna and my interest shifted to seeing if I could get out of here to assist the people of Nepal. So that's it, my Annapurna expedition is finished.
Yesterday I went back up on the mountain to pull my cached equipment at Camp 1. I have another cache at Camp 3, but it's unsafe to go that high on the mountain now, so I'll be abandoning that cache.
I've teamed up with a few other Americans here in Nepal to work with a NGO affiliated with the UN. The plan is to meet up in Pokhara, then head out from there with equipment and jeeps supplied by the NGO. My first hurdle is it get out of base camp and down to Pokhara; which is easier said than done. Naturally, the government here has commandeered all the helicopters for rescue efforts. But we flew into base camp in helicopters for a reason, the trek out is sketchy. The US embassy has offered to airlift Americans out of remote areas, but I'm fit and able so I intend to walk out on my own. Tomorrow morning I and some others from the Annapurna Base Camp will be attempting this trek. We're headed for Pokhara. Once we arrive there, I'll meet up with the other American climbers. Our current directive from the NGO is to access some of the remote villages in this region and to report back on their situation, conditions, and immediate needs. Hopefully this will help expedite resources to the people in need.
RMI Guide Alex Barber
Alex, it’s nice to know you’re safe. Better to climb for another day. Just like you to walk out on your own. Be safe and let me know if and when you’re back on Rainier - would love to climb with you (even if it’s only 15K ft). Godspeed, my friend.
Hi, this is Brent along with Leon and Lindsay calling from 17,000’ camp on the West Buttress here on Mt. McKinley.
We have just gotten up to our high camp here today after a grueling but a great climb in which everyone climbed super well. Right now it’s about 10 o’clock and the guides are just getting into their sleeping bags after getting dinner and filling up water bottles and all that good stuff.
Currently the conditions are pretty good, a little windy just 20 mph winds. We are in a bit of a white out, a little snow blowing but not too bad.
We are up here now, the forecast isn’t for horrible conditions but not bluebird, perfect conditions either. And that’s ok for us because we wouldn’t mind a rest day after our big climb up from the 14,000’ camp this morning.
We’ll be waking up early to check the weather just in case we have a perfect day. If that’s the case and there’s no wind then we are going to go for the summit tomorrow morning. So wish us luck on that. Otherwise we’ll be here and we have plenty of supplies to last us through any storm that might come our way.
That is all from 17,000 foot camp.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
RMI Guide Brent Okita checks in from 17,000 ft on Mt. McKinley
17.2K so far! How quickly you’ve done this! SO proud of the whole group. Cant believe that you may actually have a shot at the summit so quickly! Wishing you the best of weather and warm sleeping bags for the night! Missing my nightly conversations with Pea! Enjoy the view from the top of the US Kristen and then come home safe and sound! Love you.
Posted by: Timothy Kelliher MD on 6/4/2012 at 6:55 pm
It was again very chilly this morning as we packed up our bags and prepared to leave our teahouse in Namche, but as soon as we started hiking the steep steps that lead out of Namche warmed us up quickly. The first few hours of the trail traversed along the hillside beyond Namche, contouring along the steep slopes above the river far below. Occasional stupas with prayer flags streaming for their gold topped spires dotted the ridge lines we traversed. The trail was bustling with activity; trains of yaks carrying loads to and from the villages higher up the valley plied the narrow path along with children heading to school, trekkers, and the average Khumbu "commuter" walking between the villages. It was another crystal clear morning and the views of Everest and it's neighboring mountains were incredible.
Finally reaching the end of the traverse in the village of Kyangjuma, we paused for some tea, much to the delight of the local Sherpani women selling jewelry along the side of the trail. With our packs a bit heavier, we descended through the pines to the river crossing at Phunki Tanga, a small village of only a few buildings sitting at the base of our big climb for the day. The trail from there ascends through pine forests, rhododendron trees, and into junipers in a seemingly endless series of switchbacks. The southern exposure of the hillside is fully exposed to the midday sun and we were soon very hot, hiking in t-shirts and shorts - a drastic change from the cold temperatures of the morning. We settled into a steady pace, slowly ticking off the switchbacks one by one, until all 1800' of the climb lay below us and we created the ridge into the village of Tengboche. Tengboche is dominated by the large monastery overlooking the center of the village, and equally by Everest and Ama Dablam which loom largely in the distance. A breeze was blowing down from the valley above and we quickly pulled on our warmer coats as we passed the monastery's front gate.
In Tengboche we treated ourselves to a slice of apple pie at the local bakery before descending the other side of the ridge a few minutes to our next tea-house in the village of Deboche, tucked away in the forest of rhododendron just below the monastery. The team is acclimatizing well and everyone felt strong today on the trail, easily navigating the trail while keeping up the light hearted jokes and banter which has become the norm on the trail. We are sending our best to everyone back home and appreciate all of the comments and good wishes left on the blog.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Another great day for the Team. Should we worry that any of you may convert and stay behind in one of those beautiful Buddhist monastaries? Good luck on your next hike to 14,000’. It’ll be a piece of cake for his team!
Posted by: Hugh on 3/20/2012 at 2:54 pm
Hi Guys! The students at UCLAN University in the UK and are currently in the process of producing a musical courtesy of richard taylor and roger haines about the history, trials and tradgedies of climbing mount Everest. We would all first like to say how inspirational you all are and think its an amazing thing you are doing!!! We just wondered if anyone can tell us how big the top of summit actually is? BEST WISHSES AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!! X X X
Great group and the pics are really beautiful!! Great job, keep working hard!! Charlie, I like your jacket!!!!
Posted by: simona fioravanti on 12/14/2011 at 5:58 am
It’s great to see you all on your hike. Thanks for sharing the photos and story. Best of luck on Cotopaxi! Do you see any airliners flying right over your heads?
Posted by: Charley Knauff on 12/13/2011 at 1:42 pm
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