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Our first Aconcagua team along with their guides reached the Summit of Aconcagua at 22,841' earlier today!
RMI Guide JM Gorum called in to happily report that the team reached the top, and have safely returned to camp. The team had absolutely perfect weather on their summit day, and everyone climbed well! The team is resting and refueling at camp. They will descend to Basecamp tomorrow where thicker air awaits!
Congratulations Team!
Not so much change today. Clouds and murk. We still got up and came to breakfast smiling. We engaged in a vicious scrabble showdown, spewing two-letter-words and bingos. After lunch we marched out into the falling snow and slight breeze. We cruised the now-familiar 10k loop, on foot. It took about two hours with the new snow a little squishy -like beach sand- underfoot. Despite the cool conditions we each warmed up pretty thoroughly. There was still time for resting and mingling with the other inmates before dinner. Afterward, we played a few more games and talked a bit more about the weather. Some went to see a movie about overwintering on the
Antarctic continent. Most folks are optimistic that we’ll get a break from winter tomorrow.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer and Hannah McGowan led their Four Day Summit Climb teams August 29 - 1 September to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Pete reported light winds and clear skies. The teams enjoyed the views from the summit before starting their descent.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
The
Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Brent Okita reached the top of Disappointment Cleaver today. Due to route conditions the team was unable to travel any further up the mountain. The team will spend some time at Camp Muir before descending back to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's team!
Our longest day yet saw us climbing to a high point of 15,200', an altitude record for most of us. Thankfully, ours was a gradual ascent of the
Shira Plateau until Lava Tower (15,200'), which made our progress a little easier than it could have been.
Dropping 2,000ft to Barranco Camp at 13,000ft is allowing us to feel pretty darned good here at camp and giving us a perfect acclimatization program.
Upon walking into camp our mountain staff greeted us with a couple of wonderful folk songs. Not only are they talented singers, but most notably, everyone is incredibly nice, generous and they all bend over backwards to make us feel welcome.
The challenge for our group, and all climbers here, is to just deal with the altitude and keep from getting a gut bug. So far so good. 'Pole pole' is the oft heard refrain in Swahili reminding the world, or at least the folks climbing Kili to 'go slowly.' And that we are, to great effect.
To say that this is an outgoing and social group would be an understatement, but perhaps that can be expected since we're all family. It's fun hearing the roars of laughter coming from the mess tent as folks play a round of cards before turning in for the night.
Tomorrow, the Barranco Wall, a steep one and a half hour climb that should be fun and exciting for us. Not technical, but the steepest climb we've done yet.
It'll be a shame leaving the Barranco Valley, with its steep walls hanging spectacularly above camp, but on we climb towards the summit.
Next up, the Karanga valley.
Good night,
RMI Guide Brent Okita
On The Map
Hi from Huaraz! The team started its adventure in the Cordillera Blanca today with our classic hike up to Lake Churup at 4200m, just shy of Mt. Rainier's summit elevation. We had a beautiful day that prompted great views of the mountains. We had a leisurely afternoon, enjoyed a great team meal and arranged our duffels for tomorrow. We'll be writing next from our camp on our approach to
Alpamayo basecamp tomorrow.
Have a great night,
Elías de Andres Martos and team
The team woke this morning after a few showers last night to clear skies. Our first obstacle of the day was to cross the
Vacas River. Having to get an early start for our big day and it still being very cold, we opted to ask the Arrieros to ferry us across on their mules. One by one the team slowly accumulated on the other side of the river until only myself (
Steve) remain. The Arrieros waved me over to my mule and I jumped onto the back of the animal. Just at that time something spooked the front mule (there was three tied together) and all three took off in a sprint, first through the river and then turning there attention up valley. At the time it was actually quite comedic as I tried to calm the lead mule from the center position. It became clear that he wasn't going to give up until I got off his back. So I began looking for my exit and humming the Indiana Jones theme song to myself when I swung one leg over the mule and leapt off to the side. The mules stopped and we reunited with their cowboy. I rejoined the group and we all had a good laugh! The team is now all settled into
Basecamp (13,800ft) after a fantastic trek into the high country. Everyone did well with the workload and the new altitude. We'll enjoy a well deserved dinner tonight, prepared by our wonderful basecamp staff, and look forward to our first rest day of the trip tomorrow! Thanks again for following. More to come tomorrow!
Adios,
RMI Guide Steve Gately
On The Map
Greetings from "Ice" Camp... Barafu in Swahili. We reached the
15,000 ft high camp on Kilimanjaro a little after 11 this morning. It took us less than three hours to come the two miles and 2000 vertical feet up from Karanga. It was a quiet and calm night for us in Karanga and the morning was windless and sunny. For the first time during our climb, there wasn't a shred of cloud on Kibo and no sign that the air was moving around up there either. The ocean of bright white cloud below us stretched from horizon to horizon with only 16,000 ft Mt. Meru standing out like an island to the west. By the time we'd come into Barafu, puffy cumulus was blocking out the sun and disguising Kilimanjaro's upper slopes once again. We settled in, had lunch and then met with Freddy, Tadey, Filbert and Eric... our all star local guide staff. We talked over the plan for an Alpine start... Up at 11:30 tonight, breakfast at midnight and set out for the top at zero-dark-thirty. The guides gave helpful advice and encouragement and then we retired to the tents for an afternoon rest. We'll do an early dinner and turn in for some final rest. Big day tomorrow and everything is looking perfect for climbing.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
It was a beautiful day here on
Elbrus.
We had a normal start to our day with breakfast in the hotel and then loaded up all our climbing gear and drove to the base of the ski lift where we rode not one, not two, but three gondolas to reach our new home for the next few days and happens to sit at just over 12,000ft. It's rather comfortable up here, as our outfitter has taken a few shipping containers and converted them into simple bunk rooms that sit atop some makeshift skis so they can be moved. Creative to say the least!
Once we got settled into our new home we headed uphill on another acclimatizing hike and reached about 13,500ft before returning to camp where our wonderful cook Dasha had a nice hot lunch waiting for us.
We spent the remaining of the afternoon relaxing, walking around and just enjoying the views of the Caucasus Mountain Range.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Hi Everyone!! First, the entire team wants to say hello to family and friends back home. Today we spent all day traveling to St. Petersburg, the coolest city in
Russia. Needless to say, we are tired. However, the team is going to celebrate our first night here by going to one of my favorite restaurants, Jerome’s, a “French-ish” restaurant. Yes, French! We have eaten plenty of authentic Russian cuisine. Tonight, the team is going to kick back, relax and enjoy the “white lights” of St. Petes!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Congrats and Happy New Year to the team!!
Posted by: Karen Weis on 12/31/2017 at 9:18 pm
What an awesome way to end one year and start another
So proud of you all
Joe Parrinello
Posted by: Joe parrinello on 12/30/2017 at 9:17 am
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