Hello from Expedition Skills Seminar Ecuador.
Today we finally packed our duffels, checked out of our nice hotel and headed for the mountains. It may sound a bit confusing that we stood in ankle-deep snow yesterday at 15,200 feet but weren't actually "in the mountains". Strangely enough, yesterday's mountain took ten minutes by taxi to get to followed by two hours of hiking. Not exactly the adventure one thinks of when breaking the 15,000-foot barrier.
Today was a different story. By 8:00am, we were packed and ready to load all 22 duffel bags into Victor's magic bus, point that thing north and drive for three hours toward a large concentration of volcanoes which includes the 19,000-foot Cayambe, famous for being the only location on the actual equator to hold year-round snow. Things started smoothly, picking our way slowly through heavy Quito morning traffic. By 11am we had reached our turn off in the renowned market town of Otavalo. From the main road our plan was to turn off and head up a large extinct volcano to a beautiful crater lake and then hike 2,000' to the sharp summit of Fuya Fuya.
Two miles up the road we ran head on into a sign that read Detour! We quickly asked another driver what the road was like and he responded by saying no big buses could make it to the lake. With some quick phone calls, a bit of luck and some willing participants, we hired two 4x4 trucks, loaded them full of 12 climbers and powered upward. Thirty minutes later we arrived at Laguna Mojando. From the lake, two hours of strenuous hiking brought us to our first Ecuadorian summit. We had light rain and distant thunder but overall very pleasant hiking conditions.
The team did great sticking together reaching the summit in very good style. Although this summit was only 14,000', we still felt the strain and know it will play an important role in preparation for our bigger objective starting tomorrow.
After the hike our trucks returned and carted us back to town where Victor and all of our things were waiting.
Once regrouped, we drove directly to the "House of Sun" or Casa Sol, where we enjoyed learning knots by the fire and had a fabulous traditional Ecuadorian dinner.
Reports keep coming in from the higher mountains of deep snow and abnormally bad road conditions. We have plans around these challenges but it should keep things interesting. Stay tuned for what's to come......
Everyone sends their best to loved ones back home.
Buenas Noches,
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
On Saturday, July 29th at 9:15 pm PST, RMI Guide Mark Tucker called from the Kilimanjaro summit! Please click the link below to listen to the call.
Update 7:44 am PST:
The team is all here at the last Camp Mweka. At about 10,000ft it is very comfortable compared to where we have been recently. It was a tough day and everybody is in tents resting before our last dinner on the hill. Everybody did great and is in good health. More details tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls from the Roof of Africa
May 23, 2017
We took our first full rest day at 14. The winds were moving snow up high, but it was a pretty glorious day here in Genet Basin. We spent the day improving our walls for winds that are forecasted to huff and puff, and also practiced for our eventual trip up the fixed lines. Mike Walter's team challenged us to a jeopardy game this evening, and we're happy to report that we took the prize, with a score of 200 to 0 (though both teams spent a long time in the negative area). We'll see what tomorrow brings.
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Jess Matthews, Jenny Konway and team
Looks like you and the team are doing well, hope you had a good rest day. Seriously though stop being lazy and get to the top of the mountain! Miss seeing you, stay safe, and don’t worry the sky isn’t falling around here without you.
Regards,
TJ
Posted by: TJ Burns on 5/24/2017 at 7:38 pm
Such an amazing experience for you all. I am a friend of Joel Broder’s friend, Susie Okun. She was talking about your hike today and hooked me up with your blog. The pictures are beautiful. You must be having an incredible time! Enjoy and be safe. XO
May 20, 2017
The 11,000' Camp Diner opened for business late this morning, though still before the sun warmed its patrons' bones. The menu had one question: with or without. Bagels and cream cheese with or without bacon. It turned into a beautiful day, and we got some National Geographic worthy photos of Mt. Foraker and the Kahiltna stretching out below us. Lots of naps, reading, movies, and some time catching up with our good friends and RMI Guides Robby and Lucas from Mike W's team rounded out the day. Tomorrow, back to the grindstone, as we move up to 14,000' and dig in. Everyone is looking forward to the good living of 14 Camp.
Until tomorrow,
RMI Guides Pete, Jess, Jenny and team
Keep up the hard work Jordan! Pinnacle is excited for your journey, big climb ahead, we know you can do it! Should’ve taken the dogs ;)
Posted by: Chris Streno on 5/22/2017 at 6:13 am
Great to have a rest day- hope you able to keep warm and get some reserve sleep in the tank. How thoughtful of the climbers to rise early and deliver breaky in bed to the guides - tales from the dreamtime ! Hope the weather holds for the hard slog ahead -safe climbing to you all - with kind thoughts P and V.
Posted by: Philip and Vonne Calvert on 5/21/2017 at 10:02 pm
Hello once again everyone.
We have arrived back in the digital world after another very enjoyable safari. We spent yesterday touring Tarangire National Park which is known for its elephants, in fact, it has more per square mile than any place on earth. And I can easily say it didn't disappoint! We saw hundreds if not thousands of elephants and even managed to take a break with a family, while some of them slept. There were plenty of other animals too- giraffe, zebra, hartebeest, bush bucks, Nile monitor, and many others. It was very surreal to be so close to them, and we were simply amazed at the abundance that were near the river, which runs though the park.
We never did see the cheetahs, or leopards, but perhaps that had something to do with all the lions we saw.
It's been a memorable experience for everyone and it's going to be sad to part ways with such a great bunch of folks. But now it's time to head home and share the stories.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kilimanjaro/Safari crew
It's all coming together now. We made our final preparations today here in the town of Usa River Tanzania, located at the base of the tallest mountain on this continent. Myself and eight hearty souls are taking on the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro starting tomorrow. It will be tough to leave the luxury of our lodge but the team is fired up for the adventure ahead. A very nice group of folk have started to bond here in the lowlands and and a tight nit team is just a few days and thousands of feet uphill.
Early tomorrow morning we will leave for the trail head and start our climb to the "Roof of Africa".
Stay tuned,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
The Mexican Volcanoes team got an early start this morning, and by 10am we were above the Mexico City fog and enjoying the mountains around us. A two-hour drive brought us to the high altitude resort of Malintzi, a collection of rustic cabins with million dollar views of the valley below.
Towering above Malintzi is the peak, La Malinche at 14,640ft. Recent storms have covered the upper flanks of the mountain with snow and as we hiked uphill this afternoon we noticed more and more snow. Eventually, around 13,300 ft, we felt that we had gone far enough and decided to head downhill.
Back in Malintzi we enjoyed an incredible dinner of carne asada.
Thanks for following along on our adventure.
RMI Guide Geoff Schellens
Yesterday our exodus from the beating heart of Mexico City brought us to the cloudy base of La Malinche, an extinct Volcano and site of our first foray to altitude. The clouds stayed saturated with moisture, but didn't really unleash on us for the bulk of the hike. We were able to make it to around 12,500 feet before the wet cloud was accompanied by some wind and it became clear that we weren't going to get much benefit by soaking ourselves for a few hundred feet more of elevation. Keeping things civilized, we returned to our cabin in the hills for a little R&R, some gear sorting and a nice fire after dinner. The team is doing great and we are now enjoying a fantastic breakfast next to a waterfall before getting rustic on Ixta. The weather looks to clearing up a little and just in time! Keep those fingers crossed for some good weather for our team and we will check in from high camp on Ixta!
RMI Guide Jake Beren
Hello from Moscow -
Our second RMI Team has gathered in Moscow to begin our trip to Mt. Elbrus. New beginnings for me and a new adventure for all. Today we had a beautiful sunny day here in Moscow and spent the morning exploring the beautiful sites on a great city tour. Check out the video to see what we saw!!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
RMI Guide Roland Scott checked in this afternoon to let us know that he and his team reached the summit of Mt. Baker. The team is back at Sandy Camp where they will rest up before descending to the trailhead tomorrow.
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Pongezi Annie & Phillip!!! The view looks amazing.
Have a great adventure!
Posted by: Åsta on 7/30/2017 at 8:03 pm
Congrats & Way to Go to everyone on the team for summiting Kilamanjaro!!
Glad to hear it was a safe trip!
Hope you all will have lasting memories of this trip.
- Mike Gary (Kevin’s brother)
P.S. Happy belated birthday, Kevin! :)
Posted by: Mike Gary on 7/30/2017 at 7:34 pm
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