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Today we left the hustle of Mexico City and drove to the high altitude training facility of La Malintzi for our first taste of the thin air. We hiked through the forest, climbing until we broke above treeline and gained our high point on the ridge of La Malinche at around 13,000 feet. We were strong today and after a little siesta and dinner are bedding down to rest up for tomorrows journey to the Altzimoni hut, our jump off for Ixta.
Buenas Noches and happy birthday to Christian and a big Valentine's Day hug to all the sweeties up North.
Hello everyone,
Right out of camp we were faced with the only significant technical obstacle for this climb. This hurdle is the great Barranco Wall, which rises about 1000ft and looks as intimidating as it sounds. Thankfully, there is a nice narrow trail that weaves its way up and through the wall and all the way to the top. Most of it feels more like steep hiking, but there are a few places that require the use of our hands to help us climb up.
The team did an excellent job of moving steady and allowing a few porters through with their loads precariously balanced on their heads. Which was astonishing to see!
After reaching the top we took a nice break and enjoyed the amazing views of the ice ladened south face and valleys below. The team continued our hike for a few more hours up and down through a few valleys before reaching today endpoint.
All in all, it took only about 4 hours for us to reach our next camp called Karanga, named for the big and beautiful valley which it overlooks.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and Crew
We spent the night listening to a wind play through high camp. It wasn't a strong wind, but it was persistent and if anybody got out of the tent to feel it, it was a cold wind. It had eased considerably by morning and so there was hope that our Christmas gift from the universe would be a nice calm summit day. But no. One look at the summits of surrounding peaks (we can't see Vinson summit from high camp) revealed wind driven and sleekly sculpted cloud caps on everything. It could not be a summit day, but it turned out to be a pretty great holiday. We took it very easy and slow; resting, reading, taking pictures, eating and drinking. No parades, no football, no turkey and no tree. But also no complaints. The weather (in camp and up high) got quite nice as the day went on. We each took walks a couple hundred feet to the west to peer over the edge... a thousand meters straight down to Low Camp, and to see where
Vinson Basecamp might be hiding under a carpet of low cloud, and to gaze out at the endless ice cap.
We have high hopes for tomorrow.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
SUMMIT!
Our first Five Day Summit Climb of the 2012 Season reached the top of Mt. Rainier this morning. RMI Guides Brent Okita and Casey Grom and their teams reported clear skies and moderate winds. They began their descent at 7:30 a.m. and are en route to Camp Muir.
Congratulations to today's team.
Day two is coming to a close. Last night we were sleeping at 10,000 feet and tonight is a whopping 2,500 feet above that. For you math buffs that means the comfy Altzomoni Hut sits at 12,500 feet above the sea. It is amazing the power of acclimating. Last night some of us felt a bit tired and short of breath. Right now after a fantastic homemade dinner by a team of local guides, drivers and porters doubling as gourmet chefs, we all feel strong, relaxed and ready for our big push to
Ixta's high camp sitting higher than any mountain in the lower 48.
We also feel prepared. Today we had a mellow morning which transitioned wonderfully into Mexico's best breakfast at a hotel 25 minutes down the road from the resort of La Malinche. Breakfast is the day's most important meal you know! Afterwards the soothing 1.5 hour van ride helped digest the massive buffet in our guts and landed us in Amecameca where we finalized our food list and met out local staff. By 2:30 we were running through our gear and getting squared away packing and tomorrow's program at the Altzomoni Hut. A nice hour walk brought us to the trail head and back where our chef crew was waiting. The locals really know how to treat their guests. We are very lucky to have them.
In closing the team has reminded me to mention that they all miss their loved ones. I reminded them it is only day two. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. We will touch base from high camp tomorrow.
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
On The Map
We began our summit day on the "princess" mountain of
Ixtaccihuatl with an early alpine start. We left the climbers' hut at 2 am with our headlamps on and darkness all around us. We soon realized this mountain wasn't going to be a " warm up" for the taller
Orizaba to come. After a strenuous climb covering a huge linear distance, we reached the top six hours after starting out from high camp. I was really impressed with everyone's efforts. This climb was a great confidence builder for the group, especially those who broke personal altitude records. During the hike down everyone seemed to be congratulated by the forming of nice foot blisters but all pain was forgotten in Puebla after a few cervezas and a great meal.
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
The
Four Day Summit Climb teams led by
Jason Thompson and
Andres Marin made it to the Summit of Mt. Rainier today. The weather was clear with winds of 25-35 mph. The teams were able to spend some time on Columbia Crest enjoying the views, and are now en route to Camp Muir.
Not much to report from Camp 1, which is to be expected on a rest day. The good weather continues to hold and the team seems rested and eager for tomorrow's move up to
Camp 2. We've been passing the time catching rays (Mark--shirtless!), jamming our iPods, and of course good old fashioned reading. A full day in the tent can inspire some serious restlessness, which we hope will propel us upward tomorrow.
Signing off,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Hi,
Since we did not use one of our weather days while on the mountain, we had the whole day today in
Kislovodsk. After our long push to get off the mountain yesterday, and the birthday celebration dinner that followed, most of us were happy to have a rest day of sorts.
We had to deal with drying and sorting gear one last time so it is ready for our flight tomorrow, and then it was time to get re-connected with the rest of the world since we had been out of touch for the last nine days.
The weather here was beautiful today in town, sunny skies and about 90 degrees. We decided to head down to the pedestrian mall in the center of town to do some shopping, find an ice cream store and stroll through the city park. Being the height of the summer season, there were many people just out enjoying the day. With a few souvenir purchases under our belt, we walked around admiring the different buildings, statues, fountains, and shops.
With our attention turning to dinner, we found a great restaurant right in the middle of the square. We luckily had a waiter who could help us decipher the menu and helped us order an incredible meal. He thought we were crazy with how much food we ordered, but we ate it all. There were three different meat dishes served in a huge bowl with charcoals underneath to keep it warm, fresh salads, and perfectly grilled vegetables. It was the hands-down winner for our best meal in
Russia.
Tomorrow we head to the airport to fly north to
St. Petersburg, the last leg of this journey. We'll check in once we get there.
All the best,
RMI Guides Jeff Martin, Pete Van Deventer, and the Elbrus Northside Team
An easy and slightly surreal day for the team, after so much walking and dealing with discomfort... to be thoroughly inactive, waited upon and flat out comfortable in the luxurious dining tent at
Union Glacier.
The team wasn't visibly anxious to be missing out on exercise, nor did anyone seem worried over whether the Ilyushin airplane would fly on time. We sat, we ate, we concurred. Life is good. There was a persistent and slight breeze blowing all day long at the Union Glacier camp, but the air temperature is so warm (compared to anywhere on
Vinson) that we routinely walked from tent to tent without gloves or jackets, crunching along on well-packed snow.
If all goes well, the plane will fly from Punta Arenas tomorrow and the RMI Vinson team will head back to South America and a victory feast with
Seth Waterfall. I'll stay in to greet the next
RMI Vinson team and get started on a new adventure. Many thanks to those who have followed our trip for the past two weeks. Your comments were passed on to us (we don't surf the web, but we exchange email with
RMI headquarters) and produced many smiles on twelve sunburned faces.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Happy Valentines Day Christian and hope your birthday was fun - miss you!
Posted by: Deb on 2/14/2011 at 1:14 pm
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