Ben Luedtke

Mexico's central highlands sit at the intersection of ancient culture and extraordinary mountain terrain, a landscape where colonial towns and traditional markets share the valley floor with some of the highest peaks in North America. This nine-day expedition climbs two of the finest: Ixtaccihuatl at 17,340 feet, whose broad ridgeline and Arista del Sol route approach lead to an airy summit walk above Mexico City, and Orizaba at 18,491 feet, the crown jewel of the Mexican volcanoes and the third highest peak on the continent.

The program builds deliberately. An overnight acclimatization hike on La Malinche, an extinct volcano rising above the Puebla Valley, introduces the team to altitude before Ixtaccihuatl and sets the stage for Orizaba's Jamapa Glacier. The sequence is efficient without feeling rushed, with each objective preparing climbers physically and technically for the one that follows.

What makes this program distinctive is the combination of serious high-altitude climbing and genuine cultural immersion. Mexico City, the Puebla Valley, and the small towns of the country's heartland are not backdrops to the climbing. They are part of the experience, and the program is designed to move through them with enough time to take them in.

Aconcagua pierces the sky above the rest of the Andes at 22,841 feet, the highest point in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres and one of the Seven Summits. It is a mountain that earns every foot of its elevation: the altitude is relentless, the weather is unpredictable, and the approach is a three-day trek through the winding Vacas Valley that gradually introduces climbers to the scale of what lies ahead. By the time Base Camp comes into view, the mountain has already made an impression.

RMI climbs the Guanacos Variation on Aconcagua's eastern side, a quieter and more aesthetic route that sees far fewer climbers than the standard approach. Three successive camps are established above Base Camp, navigating the mountain's sprawling rock moraines and towering snow penitentes on the way to high camp at 19,600 feet. The itinerary is built with acclimatization days and contingency time at each stage, because on a mountain of this altitude, patience and preparation determine outcomes more than anything else.

What separates this expedition from a standard high-altitude trek is the level of support RMI and Grajales Expeditions bring to the mountain. Fresh food and dining tents are maintained at Base Camp, medical staff are stationed on the mountain, and every logistical detail from airport transfers in Mendoza to equipment carried from the US is handled before climbers ever set foot on the glacier. The summit of Aconcagua is a serious objective. The experience of getting there should not feel like one.

At 20,310 feet, Mt. McKinley is the highest peak in North America and one of the most serious high-altitude objectives on the planet. The West Buttress is the standard route to the summit, and while it involves no technical rock or vertical ice climbing, that framing undersells the challenge. Miles of glaciated terrain, extreme cold, sustained altitude above 14,000 feet, and weather that can pin a team for days at a stretch are what define this climb. Above 15,000 feet the route steepens considerably, with fixed ropes on the most exposed sections. This is an expedition in every meaningful sense of the word.

Unlike most guide services operating on Mt. McKinley, RMI does not set a fixed end date for this program. The schedule moves with the mountain: conditions, acclimatization progress, and team readiness determine when the team pushes higher and when it waits. That flexibility is not a convenience; it is the approach that gives climbers the best realistic chance at the summit. Guides monitor performance and altitude response throughout, adjusting pace and plans as the situation demands rather than against an arbitrary calendar.

The West Buttress Expedition is a major commitment of time, fitness, and preparation. Climbers should expect to be on the mountain for three weeks or more and should arrive ready for the full weight of that. The mountain sets the terms here, and the program is built around accepting that.

The Five Day Rainier Climb offers the classic Mount Rainier experience with added time, margin, and flexibility built into the schedule, allowing teams to move deliberately, adapt to conditions, and fully engage with the mountain rather than rushing to meet a narrow summit window. That extra day provides the flexibility to choose the best timing for summit day (especially valuable when weather is less predictable) making it ideal for first-time Rainier climbers and anyone seeking a deeper immersion in one of North America's most iconic glaciated peaks.

The climb begins with a half day orientation at BaseCamp, then a full day of mountaineering school on the mountain, then spends two nights at Camp Muir in the private hut RMI uses — the only guide service with its own shelter there, giving climbers time to acclimatize, refine movement skills, and recover between efforts. Throughout, you climb in small rope teams at a 2:1 climber-to-guide ratio for closer instruction and more individual attention. Before and after the climb, your team is based at Rainier BaseCamp in Ashford, home to the BaseCamp Bar & Grill, Whittaker Mountaineering, and Whittaker's Bunkhouse.