Entries By Elias de Andres Martos
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Robby Young
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 10,000'
Hi from Huaraz,
Official Day 1 of the expedition started this morning with an excellent acclimatization hike to "Puca Ventana" some 1,800ft above town. Good weather and better views, made a great morning for the team. If any of us doubted the hike made the heart pump enough blood to start triggering the acclimatization process, we found a stopped car in need of a jump to start, so we proved to be good Samaritans, and give the guy a push.
Some delicacies afterwards and a gear check to make sure we got what we need starting tomorrow, and we called it a day. A relaxed evening packing and enjoying the local food and fantastic facility of our hotel, is taking us to bed excited to start the journey into the Ishinca Valley first thing in the morning.
Our next post will be via our satellite phone, untill we come out to go to Copa.
Best regards, and stay tuned!
RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Robby Young
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 10,000'
Hi from Huaraz!
The team united in the morning at our Lima Hotel, and shortly after, we jumped on our private bus, en route to Huaraz. From hours along the Pacific Coast, to the extensive land lots covered on drying chili peppers and corn, being baked by the sun, a visually stimulating drive greeted us as we started to go up the Conococha Pass. With 1 1/2 hours left of our bus drive, we got a first glimpse of the Cordillera Blanca, with Huascarán reigning amongst the clouds, and the Pastoruri Massif a mere stone throw from our "bladder emptying" stop in the 14K ft vicinity, right at dusk (yep, it's winter here, and it gets dark early).
We met Peter, our local outfitter and third guide completing the guide team. Dinner and bed time. All is great so far!!!
RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz June 17 -22, 2016 led by RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The team had a very full day and were safely back to their high camp around 4:30 pm PT. Tomorrow is the last day of their program so they will break camp and return to Paradise.
We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp tomorrow and hope they enjoyed their time on Mt. Rainier.
Congratulations Kautz Seminar Team!
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
The Alaska Mountaineering Seminar - Alpine led by RMI Guides Elias de Andres Martos and Chase Nelson were able to fly off the Pika Glacier yesterday evening during a break in the weather. Despite the weather, the team had several great days of climbing including successful climbs of Lost Marsupial and the Middle Troll.
Congratulations climbers!
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
June 11, 2016 - 10:29 am PT
WOW!!! What a day we had yesterday. Indescribable fun and challenge on "The Middle Troll", the main of the rock spires towering above the Pika. The weather held, just as it did for "The Throne" two days prior, we were able to sneak a super classic climb in.Splitter crack climbing 1200 feet straight above camp, while wearing only a base layer and seeing the ski-equipped planes land on the glacier beneath us, are only some of the surreal experiences the team had. Everyone faced an individual technical crux at some point on the route (the Middle Troll's South Face), but everyone was up for the task and the reward of the most radical view from the summit was attained.
Today we're waking up, yet again, to another snow storm that is presumably going to limit our activity. We'll make the most of it. Hoping to fly out tomorrow as scheduled, our next post will be greeting you all from Talkeetna.
RMI Guide ElÃas de Andres Martos and team.
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
June 10, 2016 - 12:12 am PT
And back to the tents... Rain kept us at camp today, with the exception of a few hours in the afternoon. We spent that time learning and reviewing more rope skills, and talking about staying motivated for a climb tomorrow. Our hopes are on the South face of the Middle Troll, the main formation that reigns over the Pika glacier.
Stay tuned.
RMI Guide ElÃas de Andres Martos and team
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
June 9, 2016 - 1:28 am PT
And... we climbed the "Lost Marsupial", on The Throne. Stellar route, stellar scenery and stellar crowd. It is hard to describe what it is to be atop one of these formations, surrounded by the longest glaciers in North America, the tallest peaks in the Alaska Range, and the best views in the world. Nobody around for miles, and a sense of insignificance directly proportional to the size of our accomplishment. Our two rope teams climbed and descended synchronized, like a well oiled machine, and pitch after pitch, rock, ropes, snow and gear were one with our climbers. Magic enough? More tomorrow.
RMI Guide ElÃas de Andres Martos and team
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
June 8, 2016 - 12:12 am PDT
And...The sun shined upon us! What a day we had. Full session on the Munchkin Formation practicing alpine climbing transitions, lasted from morning to evening. Another gourmet dinner brought us to bed time with the sun still on the horizon. We're ready to tackle our first objective here in Little Swiss. Tune in tomorrow to see how it went.
RMI Guide ElÃas deAndres Martos and Team.
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
June 7, 2016 - 12:10 am PT
Yep, patience is an inherent component of alpine climbing. Patience for weather, patience for conditions. Little could we do today with about 1 foot of snow in the last 24 hours. We spent the morning digging camp out, and then made the most of the afternoon with a thorough session of rope skills at camp. A break in the weather motivated a tour of the Pika later, which for about 1 1/2 hours, kept us around its eastern perimeter, below the formations of "The Trolls", which we aspire to climb soon. A hearty dinner of pasta and steak (that's how we roll on the Alpine Seminar) brought us back to warmth, while the laughter was a constant because of the funny music played out of Chase's phone (Will promises to do the Michael Jackson's moves of Thriller after our first summit).
Expectant to see what the weather will bring us tomorrow,
RMI Guide ElÃas de Andres Martos and team
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Greetings from the Pika!
Our trip started yesterday with a true alpine lesson; learning about weather Windows. Heavy rain in Talkeetna meant snow on the Range. Patience and trust in what's beyond our control (that being our K2 Aviation staff) delivered a landing opportunity in the only feasible hour of time frame possible all day. Close to dinner time, we found ourselves digging our campsite for the week. The day today came with plenty of snow, so we have been trying our best to remain dry. The now timid features around us, soon will come into full view, and we'll be able to tell you more. In the meantime, we're not in a bad place to enjoy good food, review some skills, and feel the magic of the Alaska Range.
RMI Guide ElÃas de Andres Martos and team.
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Greg - so glad the weather is better! Have a great time!
Posted by: Abby on 6/8/2016 at 12:46 pm
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