Entries from Expedition Dispatches

It has been a treat to rest, relax, and learn after a big day on our feet. The morning consisted of learning haul systems, rope ascension, and EARNEST anchors. As the downpour began, we taxied into the town of Cumbayá for lunch of taco flights and quesadillas. We spent a few hours of the afternoon exploring one of the wealthiest suburbs of Quito. The rain continued for most of the afternoon so we headed back to our hotel for dinner of more local Ecuadorian dishes. Everyone is feeling rested and ready for our Cotopaxi climb!

RMI Guide Walter Hailes

The Fellowship of Climbers, bound by their quest to conquer Mount Doom (i.e. Aconcagua), set forth from Camp 1. Sauron (i.e. Ben), the dark lord of the mountain, led the way, his all-seeing eye detecting all possible overhead hazard.

Gollum (i.e. Yev) crept alongside, whispering "precious summit, we wants it, we needs it." Hannah, Jim, and Nick followed, their hearts steeled for the trials ahead.

As they ascended, the winds howled and the scree tumbled. Yet the Fellowship pressed on, driven by their quest to reach the unattainable summit of Mount Doom. At last, they reached Camp 2, weary but undaunted. The vastness of the mountain loomed ahead, but they stood ready to face its windy challenges."

RMI Climber James Loudin

Aconcagua dispatch 2.10.25

After a night of witnessing a spectacular Andean thunderstorm, we awoke this morning to a beautiful cloak of snow on the ground, ~5cm of white magic. We rustled out of our sleeping bags to a warm breakfast, then prepared our packs to carry a load of supplies to Camp 2. Up up and away, we reached our destination at 18,000', in the early afternoon.  We didn't spend long up high -just long enough to cache our supplies - before we flew back downhill to the warmth and comfort of Camp 1. We had a lazy afternoon in the sun filled with eating, sleeping, & hydrating.

Dinner rolled around just in time to fill our empty bellies, then off to bed we went. Serenaded by the roar of the nearby river, we drifted off to sleep. Much needed rest for the big days ahead.
RMI Guide Hannah Blum & Team

The good news, there is a TV at Paine Grande that has the ability to give us some creature comforts like the Super Bowl! 

The bad news, it was broken. 

After some much needed rest the team got up early for what can be a long day. From Refugio to Refugio, it's not too long, but this is our first of two side hikes on the trip. Today, was up the French Valley. What can only be described as Alpine Jurassic Park is up there awaiting. Grand vistas, hanging glaciers, dozens of waterfalls pouring down the cliff side. Breathtaking views of Fortaleza, a towering peak to the east. Unfortunately though, today was the rainiest one yet. And so we battled the deluge, and waterfall on top of the trail to get to those views that were then only teased.  We at least got some glimpses and how could we complain. The historically rainy mountains down here had been good to us so far. 

We took what we could get, scarfed down a quick bite to eat and headed back down to where we took the fork up the French Valley and headed off to our second to last Refugio of the trip. Frances Camp. 

We warmed up our hands and bodies with some tea and cards and are now tucked in the sleeping bags we dreamt about in the downpour. 

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli

RMI Guide Walter Hailes checked in the from the summit of Cayambe at 18,997' today.  The entire group reached the summit in what sounds like great conditions. 

Listen to Walter's voicemail below.

Nice work team!  Congratuations!

The team has safely descended and will enjoy a bit of a rest day tomorrow along with some training.

Three for Three on Mexico’s Volcanoes!

A week of hail storms, dark clouds and lightning was nice and all, but as we drove closer to Tlachichuca and were treated to a stunning view of 18,500 foot Pico de Orizaba backed only by a blue sky, it felt like spring break. 

We were running early and carried that luck all the way up the two hour 4x4 road to Piedra Grande, our Orizaba high camp at 14,000 feet. Dinner was at 4:30pm, and bed time came early at 5:30pm. This allowed us room to at least claim that we’d gotten some good sleep when tents were rattled at 11:30pm. 

As we climbed under a bright half moon with light winds it seemed like cheating. After single-pushing on Ixta what we’d normally do in two days, a simple 4,500 foot climb was coming easy. That is until we hit the 17,000 foot mark and things started to grind. 

But just as things were getting tougher with the elevation, Orizaba gave us all the classics. An amazing sunrise, the pyramid mountain shadow and finally the false summit with only a short walk to the true summit. 

We all stood on top of the highest point in Mexico and third highest point in North America in the warm sun with barely any wind. 

A great finish to a strong trip by all our climbers! 

RMI Guide Joe Hoch

Sunday, February 9, 2025, Day 10.

It was a bright and beautiful morning. We sat in silence, slurping our coffee, and enjoying the last bites of our final basecamp breakfast. Our last for the foreseeable future. We embraced our basecamp staff members with smiles on our faces and set out to begin our official climb on Cerro Aconcagua. "¡Buenas Suerte!" they said, as we waved goodbye. "¡Hasta luego!" we said, as we know we will get to see them again.

As we journeyed up the trail to Camp 1, we could still feel the cool breeze from the early morning freeze. It wasn't long, however, before the high altitude sun warmed us. It was another tough day getting to our destination, but we arrived in high spirits and indulged in some much needed rest. We again witnessed a stormy spectacle as we ate tasty bites for dinner. Now we're settled into the warmth of our sleeping bags, excited to see what all the hooplah is about at Camp 2 tomorrow before returning to Camp 1 for another night.

RMI Guide Ben Luedtke & Team

Yet another day for the books on our trek. After a long day yesterday we were all sore, sleepy, and appreciative that the big day was behind us. The unfortunate part is the the back end of this trip tends to feel like a bit of a whirlwind due to the shear amount of things at our disposal to see. So another early morning it is with the breakfast bell ringing at 6:30 AM. 

After our delicious meal at Refugio Grey we walked about 10 minutes down to the waters of Lago Grey and onto the catamaran to buzz past the icebergs and towards the long Grey glacier we ogled yesterday. We rappelled into a couple of ice caves and spent the morning traversing the glacier and taking in the unbelievable weather and views. 

We still had to get to the next Refugio though so after lunch, we hit the trail and enjoyed the vistas along the ridges that our morning glacier had carved years and years ago. 

We are now at Paine Grande, the biggest Refugio on the trek and a taste of civilization in this vast vast wilderness. Tomorrow we’re hoping for the weather to cooperate for our trip up the French Valley, but it’s supposed to rain. We can’t complain too much though. It’s been unbelievable so far. 

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli

Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 2:57 pm PT

We are excited for our first glaciers in Ecuador.

A fun, bumpy 4x4 ride delivered us to the climbers hut where we unpacked and settled into the penthouse suite. That is a nice way to say we had to haul all our gear up a bunch of stairs and everyone was breathing heavy.

After moving in, we refreshed our walking and cramponing techniques on the rocks and dirt just above the hut.
We also met the rest of our guide team, Carmelo, Jorge and Gustavo who joined us for dinner. They are warm and friendly and quickly becoming part of the team.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner of quinoa-potato soup, followed by chicken and rice. We are getting to bed early in preparation for our early start tomorrow.

RMI Guide Walter Hailes

We have arrived at Refugio Grey!! 

Today is one of the hardest days of the trek, certainly the hardest of the “O” portion of the trek. That meant that getting up before the sun, scarfing down our warm breakfast that was mostly coffee, and heading out and up up up. We ascend right out of the gate up a muddy and thin trail as we navigate the last bits of the forest before the tree line. The bitter Patagonian wind woke up before the sun too and was there to greet us as soon as the trees left us. 

Wind, cold, rain, snow, but never too much of any. We persevered up the John Gardner pass and over to the other side of the circuit. And my goodness was a view. People are often asking if the glaciers they are looking at are part of the Patagonian Icefield but one good look at the Grey glacier from the pass and it’s clear to all. As dark as the eye can see right and left is rugged, broken, beautiful glacier. 

7 more hours of a big descent plus the traverse along the glacier brought us to the Refugio we’re at tonight and although there were no games tonight, there will be plenty of good sleeps. 

Tomorrow we continue to Paine Grande, the biggest Refugio in the park and the perfect spot to maybe catch a Super Bowl moment or two! 

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli