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"Hard weather says the old man. Wrap me in the weathers of the earth, I will be hard and hard. My face will turn rain like the stones." Cormac McCarthy
In our efforts of acclimatization our team enjoyed frosty wet winds, an in-depth tour of the grand interiors of a cloud. Our climbers bedazzled in rime; hooded migrants iced for a birthday. Happy birthday Nate! The summit of Volcan Malinche reached and no grand views but the middle floors of our gaseous estate. Soggy and satisfied we descended through scree, sand, and mud. Lungs and legs the better for it. Welcomed by the quadrupedal locals back to our interim homes at La Malintzi, we find the sub cloud world refreshing and rewarding. Another feast at 10,000 feet. Another cozy night in beds and cabins. Onward now to Iztaccíhuatl. Vamos viajeros.
RMI Guide Will Ambler
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes November 8, 2025
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Posted by: Mike Walter, Robby Young, Lucas Haaland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,200'
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On The Map
Thanks for the update! Glad to hear all is well. Keep up the good work everyone, and remember the power of meditation, David!
P.S. The wheelbarrow is now full of gray, moldy peanuts, being nibbled on by squirrels who are sneaking into the garage…what should I do?
Posted by: Nancy Hines on 5/8/2017 at 9:09 pm
Way to go Rue and team!!!! #beastmode
Cheers,
Cindee
Posted by: Cindee on 5/8/2017 at 7:14 pm
Darlene shared your photos and it looks gorgeous. I’ve been to Quito. Got bad case of food poisoning at a hotel there. Denny’s niece lived and worked there ten years and is married to a handsome Equidorian. Good climbing!
Posted by: Mary Jane stiles on 1/8/2017 at 2:38 pm
Sounds like you are having a terrific time, stay safe and have fun
Posted by: Darlene on 1/7/2017 at 10:31 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Ben Liken, Bridget Belliveau, Hannah Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
On The Map
Best of luck Team 8, everyone from Texas to Grand Cayman is cheering for y’all and we’ll be watching as you make your way to the top! Safe climbing and enjoy the ride David Schnautz, love ya long time!
Posted by: Sondra Schnautz on 6/23/2016 at 7:29 pm
KirkMan - Proud of you Bro! Miss you already!
Posted by: Charles Holliman on 6/23/2016 at 2:51 pm
Antisana sounds like a heart pumping adventure! It really is a day to day puzzle, isn’t it! I can’t wait to hear Justin describe this trip from a medical point of view.
Sending the team the best of wishes for another exhilarating and safe climb. Thanks for sharing!!!
Sharon and Tim Halls
Posted by: Sharon Halls on 1/15/2016 at 8:54 am
On The Map
Michael….Merriest Christmas. Raining cats and dogs in Atlanta. Will make Christmas morning breakfast when you and Abby visit in the spring :) Love, Mom and Dad
Posted by: Diana King on 12/26/2015 at 5:53 am
Posted by: JJ Justman, Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 16,400'
RMI Guide JJ Justman calls from Camp 1 Aconcagua.
On The Map
Yeah! Wishing you all continued success. This is a wonderful way to end 2015 and be ready for new challenges in 2016. A special good wish and high-five to our nephew Chris. We are sooo proud of you! Prayers for you and the team…and a bit of the Christmas Cheer to warm you up. Say “Hi” to Santa! Love, Aunt Cindi and Uncle Roy
Posted by: Cindi Burrell on 12/15/2015 at 5:30 am
Great job on the move, in those conditions. The views only get better from here on. This is JJ’s mountain, and sounds as if you have a very strong team. Special shout out to Chris and John, and wishing only the best for all of you!
Posted by: Peter rogers on 12/15/2015 at 2:37 am
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 348'
Wednesday May 14, 2025 - 8:52 pm PT
Our first full day in Alaska greeted us with a beautiful and crisp morning. Today was a day of packing and repacking, prepping for the weeks ahead. While at time tiresome, we were laying the groundwork for a successful climb. By the end of the afternoon, bags were packed, food checked, and our team organized into our two flights. Excitement is high as we hope to fly to basecamp tomorrow.
All the best- RMI Guides Seth, Jackson, Ray, and team.
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Everyday is a grind, but the ending will be amazing, keep pushing! Remember each moment!
Posted by: Josh Durkiewicz on 5/15/2025 at 9:12 am
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
This morning we awoke up to a beautiful, crisp bluebird morning. A stark contrast to yesterday afternoons snowstorm. We broke camp while the moon set behind the mountains, packed our gear, enjoyed one last base camp meal in our heated dome. Over breakfast we shared a some good laughs about our epic Farkle battles, shared irritations, and how wonderful it must be to fly fish in Patagonia.
We bid farewell to the base camp crew with lots of hugs and encouragement. It’s impossible to overstate how incredible the Grajales team is. Their warmth, attention to detail, and love of this mountain are contagious. In addition to saying goodbye to the people who have supported us for the past few days, we said goodbye to WiFi, electricity, and our heated dome. All small sacrifices for the adventure that lay ahead. The team’s energy is high and everyone is excited for our move to Camp 1.
We started up the mountain, through a glacial gully which lead to a field of glacial debris that I can only imagine is what the moon looks like. We quickly smoked our besties on the way up, which admittedly felt satisfying. We day dreamed of polar plunging in the glacial lakes as we passed by and felt like we were on another planet when we navigated the human sized penetentes. The final push was steep, loose and challenging. Nothing this group couldn’t handle though!
We reached camp just before 1pm and were treated to our tents already put together. I want to give a HUGE shoutout to the porters who ferry our gear up the mountain and help make this experience possible for us. After getting organized and completing our camp set up we relaxed and soaked up some of the beautiful mountain sun.
As the afternoon waned, the temperature cooled and retreated to our tents. Only the promise of Ben’s handmade stew could draw us out. The only thing better than the stew was the conversation on proper blue bag techniques.
Walking through this remote region of our beautiful planet today was nothing short of awe inspiring. I’ve always felt awe is a word that is commonly overused for moments that are often under deserving.
True awe arises as you stand amidst these towering peaks, feeling both insignificant and deeply connected to the vastness of this place. It is in the shared silence, the towering cliffs, the shimmering snow and glaciers, the penitentes, and the endless expanse of sky that you realize the sheer majesty of these mountains. The camaraderie of this team amplifies this feeling, as each step toward the summit becomes a collective triumph, driven by trust, an appreciation of group suffering, a bit of good natured ribbing, and mutual encouragement. Awe is not just about the mountain’s scale but also about the resilience of the human spirit, the raw beauty of this place, and the profound sense of gratitude for being part of something so much larger than ourselves.
RMI Climber Erica Kim
New Post Alerts:
Aconcagua Expedition January 8, 2025
Go Erica! I’m enjoying reading everyone’s posts about the climb; what an amazing experience you’re having. Keep climbing, you’ve got this!
Posted by: Nancy King on 1/18/2025 at 12:35 pm
Still enjoying every moment of this marvelous adventure! Thank you for sharing. BIG HUGS
Posted by: Yolanda Deveaux on 8/11/2017 at 6:34 pm
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