RMI Expeditions Blog

'Un clima raro' -strange weather- has been the theme of our Mexico Volcanos trip.

Though it’s the ‘dry season’ we had a full winter ascent of Ixta, and as we pulled into high camp at Pico de Orizaba with a forecast of a clear calm sky, we instead were greeted by a dark cloud deck streaming over the mountain at what we estimated to be 40+ mph. Not ideal for a 18500ft volcano. 

But Team Mexican Koala has proven quite hearty and as I poked my head out of the tent at 12am, a clear starry sky and a light breeze greeted me. Classic Orizaba!

We left camp with 6 of 9 climbers (something has been working through the group) and as we fought freezing winds and bone-chilling temps it looked like we would pull off a sunny summit!

Having not had a summit view yet, we spent almost 45 minutes on the Orizaba summit taking in the cloudless sky and expansive views of Ixta, Malinche and a sea of other Mexican volcanos. A perfect end to our week! 

Congratulations team Mexican Koala-3 for 3 on summits, and a full week of Mexican adventure!

RMI Guide Joe Hoch

Monday, January 26, 2026

Hello again everyone 

The team had a really nice day here on Kili today, waking to clear skies and a beautiful view of Kili right above camp. We had a light cloud layer which helped keep us cool while on the trail, which was nice as the sun can be quite intense here near the equator.

We started the day waking at 6:30 to start packing up before moving into our dinning tent for a nice breakfast with porridge, fried eggs, toast, avocado and even some fresh fruit, and most importantly plenty of hot Tanzanian coffee. 

We hit the trail shortly before 8am and slowly made our way up the rocky trail with occasional views of Kili above, while sharing the trail with all the porters. 

The trail climbed up a blunted ridge and eventually out of the trees and allowed for some truly spectacular views of the valley below. The team hiked for a little more than 4 hours before reaching out next camp that sits on the Shira plateau, which is the remnant of an ancient lava flow. 

Everyone is doing very well and we are currently relaxing in camp. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Today the team had an early start and left behind our incredibly comfortable lodge as we have headed to the mountain towards the start of the climb. We left around 8 am and drove along the rural country side passing small villages for 1.5 hours before reaching the park entrance called Machame. We also had great views on the drive of Kilimanjaro looming high in the distance, intimidating and exciting at the same time. 

Once we arrived at the park gate we had all of our gear weighed and divided into loads for our 51 porters and other staff to carry before hitting the trail. With everything in order we’ll start our climb slowly make our way up the winding trail that ascends continuously through the thick forest. Thankfully the overhead canopy of the surrounding forest will provide a huge relief from the hot sun overhead. 

We are about to start our 6ish hr hike to camp that sits around 10,000ft and most likely won’t have reception so I’m sending this from the entrance. 

Everyone is doing well and looking forward to starting this adventure. 

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew

After a relaxing morning and filling  breakfast at the Refugio, we packed our bags, bid farewell to our new four legged friends,  loaded ourselves in the bus, and moved one step closer to our first objective: Cayambe.  The day was a scheduled rest day, so naturally we did what all climbers do, we went shopping! We stopped at the outdoor market in Otavalo and shopped for gifts while soaking up some local culture. 

Eventually we made our way to the lower climbers hut.  What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be!  Many of us had mentally steeled ourselves for something more rustic… however we were treated to comfy beds with pillows, WiFi, and a warm stove!  “Glampineering” feels like an accurate description.  After spending a quiet afternoon relaxing and a delicious homemade dinner, we found ourselves huddled around our phones anxiously watching Alex Honnold scale Taipei 101.  Spoiler: he makes it to the top. 

After breakfast Sunday morning, we donned our gear and practiced our skills in preparation for Cayambe.  Once we were all feeling more confident, we packed our bags, climbed into trucks, and headed to the upper climbers hut.   While not as luxurious as the lower one, it again exceeded our expectations.  

 Now, we relax and prepare to begin our climb at midnight tonight, a shared sense of anxious excitement resonates through the team.  Each person is here for their own reasons, but collectively we are focused on one goal: Cayambe.

RMI Climber Erica Kim

Casey Grom here checking in with RMI's 1st 2026 Climb of Kilimanjaro!

All is well here in Tanzania and most of the team arrived late last night after some very long flights (roughly 24+ hrs.).

It’s a pretty short and uneventful drive to our Lodge that is nestled in between Arusha and Moshi and not so far from the base of Kilimanjaro.

The team had a quick dinner and headed for bed as the time change has us all feeling just a little off and pretty tired after all the traveling.

Today we had a relatively leisurely morning with our official team meeting at 8am, where we did a round of introductions and then discussed the upcoming program for the days ahead. We spent the remainder of the day getting our gear packed up, exploring the grounds of our peaceful Lodge and dodging the gaggle of monkeys that roam the neighborhood.

We wrapped up the evening with another delicious meal and plenty of friendly conversations. Everyone is doing well and excited to hit the trail tomorrow and get a little bit of exercise.

RMI Guide Casey and the Kili crew!

Hi team, it's my turn to write this blog from afar. For say goodby and thank you. I am so happy because we achieved our goal, and I'm not just talking about the summit. In my first blog, I asked myself why we come to the mountains, and I discovered it was to find challenges. Well, Aconcagua was a great challenge for everyone. I met amazing, strong people and a very united group. That's not easy, and we did it. I truly enjoyed the days we shared, guiding and speaking English. I just want to say thank you, and I hope you enjoy the asado and vino in Mendoza. Writing in English isn't easy for me, so it's not a very long blog, but it's from the heart. 

A big hug and after so much adventure, I hope your return to home will be tranqui panki.

Grajales and RMI Guide Batti 

This morning brought more pleasant weather in the form of overcast skies as opposed to yesterday’s endless, torrential downpour. We shoved out of Quito a bit ahead of schedule and were able to complete the four-hour loop hike of Laguna Cuicocha without incident.

Along the way people continued to connect with each other and share knowledge and experiences. On this trip we’ve learned a good deal from each other discussing a variety of topics: geology, biology, medicine, piloting an aircraft and how to keep your worried passengers at ease, as well as countless other topics. A lot can also be learned about a person through their fast-food preferences.

Even as we turn our sights towards Cayambe, we have done a great job of focusing on the task at hand (acclimatization) and taking in some lovely cultural experiences.

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier & Team

After a restful couple nights in Puebla, team Mexican Koala has arrived in Tlachichuca to prepare for our ultimate challenge, 18,500ft Pico de Orizaba!

Yesterday we took advantage of the beautiful rooftop of our Hotel Colonial to do some sunset Snow-School Review, then everyone got to explore their favorite culinary adventures. 

Reports from the mountain are great route, good weather, and cold! 

Wish us luck!

We just got as wet as I can imagine a person can possibly be. It may be dryer standing in the shower. 

Skeptical of the day's forecast (as always in Ecuador), but also based on the pattern that was observed prior to our arrival, we headed into the cloud and rain on Rucu Pichincha. It was one of those hard shells all day kind of days. Actually, the rain let up for one moment, we took the hard shells off and it immediately began raining profusely and never let up. The weather was in fact so wet that the gondola never reopened for our ride down and we took a steep, slippery trail down an extra 2700'. That was honestly pretty neat with water cascading down the trail and by that point, we couldn't possibly have gotten any wetter, so it was nicer to be warm and wet than cold and wet (waiting for the gondola to reopen).

The team was patient, flexible and overall got a decently nice hike in. In a region that doesn't have centralized heating in buildings due to the stable, comfortable weather, our hanging backpacks, jackets and hiking clothes will surely still be somewhat wet in the morning when we depart the hotel and head for our next acclimatization hike. Oh well, everyone is taking it in stride and at a minimum, today was memorable.

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier & Team

Why do we do this?

No showers, marginal nutrition, bitter cold, stifling heat. Don't forget the heavy packs tired legs, strong winds, and thin air. As our minds wander, step after step, I think it's the dichotomies of climbing that keep is coming back. Always yearning for the next far away peak. The calm within the chaos, the humbling yet empowering nature of the mountain, the isolation and the strongest connections a group of people can make. Mountaineering is the greatest team sport I have found in my short but varied 25 years on this earth. People from all walks of life coming together for a common goal. Summit or not it is a fast track to making friends for life. I would be mistaken if I didn't recognize the people along the way who made this journey possible. I am grateful for our team of climbers who were brave enough to try, my fellow guides , Ben and Batti, who supported the team every step of the way, the kind and organized staff of RMI and Grajales expeditions, Shane and Jonny, our friends and families back at home, and most importantly Aconcagua herself. I love this shit.
PLG

- RH (RMI Guide Ray Holt)
P.S. Happy Birthday Andrew!