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The big event today was the establishment of Camp III at 24,000 ft by our Sherpa team. Nima and Tsering were part of a rope-fixing effort composed of Sherpas from a number of different teams. This was the second day of fixing lines on the Lhotse Face and although things seem to have gone well enough, it will still be a few more days before the route is good all the way to the South Col at 26,000 ft.
Casey Grom and Rob Suero got up early at Camp One this morning and made quick work of the route to ABC. After a few hot drinks there, they motored on down to Basecamp, arriving in time for lunch. Michael Brown spent his first "rest" day in BC editing and sorting the images and footage he'd collected over the past four days up the hill, while Leif Whittaker and I simply rested, ate and drank the day away. Scott Jones and Chad Peele also seemed content to take things easy today. Mark Tucker sorted gear, made plans with the Sherpa team and hiked toward Pumori to stretch his legs. Seth Waterfall is back in camp this evening after a quick run down to Pheriche.
Monday, July 5, 2021 - 1:05 pm PT
We're still hanging at 14,000' Camp, amid snow, wind, and very limited visibility. We're hoping for a little break in the weather so that we can pack up camp and head down around Windy Corner and start our descent. The weather isn't having any of that, though. At this point we're comfy and safe at camp and there's no reason to force a descent into terrible weather. As eager as we are to get to Kahiltna Base Camp, it is not a pressing matter because planes cannot fly (much less land on the glacier) in this weather.
We'll keep you posted on our predicament.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Good morning everyone.
Guess what? We're at high camp! We traveled at night today to take advantage of the colder temps and to avoid the thawing ice that, when hit by the sun, might naturally shed some pieces.
Climbing the "Canaleta" (gully) at night, with a heavy pack is no joke. We're talking steeper and harder terrain than the standard route on Denali, with no fixed lines and at Aconcagua height!!! Our team is kicking butt.
We're now camped and settled in for the day, in hopes of good weather tonight to go for the 900 meters that separate us from the top of the
Highest Glaciated Peak in the western Hemisphere.
Follow along!
RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos
The team had a relaxing and slow morning at
Vinson Basecamp. Many commented on how good it had been to sleep well and warm once again. Life at Basecamp seemed a million times easier than it had before we climbed the mountain. However, yesterday's predictions and proclamations that we'd shuttle from airplane to airplane and from continent to continent... were overly optimistic. We did succeed -in late afternoon- in catching a twin otter out of VBC. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and so the high mountains of the Sentinel Range were spectacular whereas they'd been cloaked in murk when we flew in. Union Glacier camp was even cushier than VBC, naturally, and so nobody expressed great frustration when it was announced that the Ilyushin 76 would not be coming today due to deteriorating weather. We're plenty happy for the moment, sitting in chairs and eating food that guides didn't cook. The gang wouldn't mind flying tomorrow though... We'll see.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Christmas came early today, but instead of reindeer we mounted mules and forded the mighty Vacas river at dawn. Then we made our way up the Relinchos valley, gaining the most elevation of the trip so far. The team did great moving up this Tatooine like landscape underneath ten thousand feet of mighty
Aconcagua visual splendor. It was a beautiful walk and and excellent way to spend the holiday. Knowing we've got a rest day coming up doesn't hurt either!
Pulling into Basecamp we were greeted by the familiar faces of friends from Christmas' past, Ana and Griselda our hostesses with the mostesses who made an excellent dinner to celebrate our arrival. After a spectacular sunset the team has turned in for a well earned night of rest.
Merry Christmas and Happy Festivas from all of us here in the Andes!
RMI Guides Jake Beren, Mike King & Steve Gately
On The Map
We all enjoyed a restful, relaxing, and rejuvenating day off at the Chilcabama Eco Lodge just outside the Cotopaxi National Park. The Hacienda sits at about 12,000', which after our summit on
Cayambe feels like sea level!
Our team took advantage of the thicker air with a variety of afternoon activities. Some of us participated in a cribbage tournament, some took naps, a few motivated folks went for a scenic jog, and we all spent time wandering the property taking in the beautiful plants and wildlife.
During the pre-dinner hours we discussed packing strategy and the game plan for
Cotopaxi, and are excited and prepared to tackle our next objective tomorrow.
Wish us luck!
RMI Guides
Casey Grom and
Solveig Waterfall
On The Map
Another day closer to the one we fly on... But not noticeably. The weather in Punta Arenas -which is not the problem for flying to Antarctica- was just slightly ridiculous today. Rain and snow showers alternated with sun and wind bursts, over and over again. We still got in some great walks, going south to the wreck of The Lord Lonsdale... a great hulking steel square rigger, beached and evocative of bygone eras. We sampled coffee shops and dining spots. We waited patiently. Conditions at
Union Glacier are not yet good... But they will be soon enough and we will go climbing.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Hello again from the 11k camp on
Denali!
We decided to take another day to rest and acclimate to the altitude. We spent most of the day lounging around, reading, listening music, napping, and telling lies, all the while getting stronger for our forays up higher.
The weather was cloudy, cooler, and windier today, and a trace of snow fell overnight. But as I lie in my sleeping bag typing this dispatch, a cloudless sky sits above us. We're hoping for good weather tomorrow so we can carry supplies up to around 13,600'. We'll stay in touch.
RMI Guide
Mike Walter & team
The Four Day Summit Climb July 2 - 5 led by Chad Peele reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. It's a beautiful day with light winds, warm temperatures and clear skies. The team began their descent from the crater rim at 8:30 a.m. en route to Camp Muir. They will return to Paradise later today.
RMI Guide Casey Grom led the Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz July 1 - 6 to the summit today. The team reported great route conditions and a beautiful day on the mountain. This six day seminar will return to their high camp at approximately 10,000' for their final night on the mountain. The group will finish their training and descend to Paradise tomorrow afternoon.
Congratulations to today's summit teams!
This morning we packed up our bags, checked out of our hotel, and headed north. The first stop was at La Laguna Mojanda, a high alpine where the trailhead for our second acclimatization hike is located. We drove through clouds and rain to get there, but when we arrived we where above the clouds and could see the day's hiking objective, Fuya Fuya. Fuya Fuya is a peak that is situated on an ecological reserve, north of the town of Otovalo. The clouds moved in and out throughout the day, and we climbed up through the high-altitude grassland with periods of rain, hail, and wind. The most challenging part of the climb was staying on your feet, as the volcanic soil became quite slippery in the rain. The final 200' of the climb included a fun rock scramble to the summit. Everyone did great, and rose to the challenges that the weather presented.
Now we're warm, dry, and comfortable at the beautiful hacienda San Luis. A big dinner and a good night's rest is on tap for tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll head to the Indigenous town of Otovalo, and spend a large part of the day enjoying the world famous Otovalo Market. After a leisurely day at the market, we'll head to the climbers' hut on Cayambe for the night. We'll spend two nights there during our summit attempt.
Ciao for now,
RMI Guide Mike Walter
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Thinking about you Aaron!!! I love you! Love, sissy
Posted by: Emilee on 7/6/2021 at 2:44 pm
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