We are safely back at base camp after our entire team made the summit of our final peak of the trip, Pisco Oeste. Pisco was the third summit of the trip and the team is feeling accomplished with everyone making summits on Ishinca and Urus as well. It was a great effort for the team and the camaraderie put forth to make it a successful trip for everyone was incredible.
While we're all smiles now, this morning was a different story. We woke to thick clouds and light snow falling on our 16,000' high camp. We shrugged it off and began our breakfast routine. By the time we were packed and ready to climb the snow had abated and the clouds showed signs if parting. An hour into the climb and we were staring at beautiful stars and moonlit mountain faces.
For a couple hours we had nothing but blue skies. Then as we neared the top, winds picked up and clouds began to build on the summit. We climbed on bundled up in puffy jackets. On top we were in and out of clouds, the weather parting for summit photos and glimpses of the famous peaks of the Cordillera Blanca, Alpamayo and Artesonraju.
It was an absolutely phenomenal climb and the way down was fast and smooth.
We're grateful for the help of our local guide William, our porters and our astonishing cook Helario, who makes masterpieces out of anything. It's been a great ride and I can't wait for my next opportunity to come back to the 'Blanca!
Cheers!
RMI Guide Zeb Blais
Posted by: Richard Bergey/Bonnie Bergey on 8/18/2016 at 5:38 pm
So glad the clouds parted for the team, blessed! The food sounds fantastic, lucky you are working off the calories. Safe journey back home, can’t wait to hear the stories.
This is Zeb Blais and team checking in from 16,000-foot, Moraine Camp on Pisco Oeste. We had a great day today moving up to camp- pretty leisurely. We are now tucked in, fueled up and ready to make a charge on Pisco Oeste early in the morning. So we'll check in when we get back. Until then.
RMI Guide Zeb Blais
RMI Guide Zeb Blais checking in from Pisco Oeste, Peru.
After a brief layover in Huaraz to shower, shave and eat a few meals at low elevation we're back at it. Today we moved up to 15,300' Pisco Oeste Base Camp.
While we waited for our burros and arrieros to deliver our gear, we took a short detour to Refugio Peru just above our camp. By the time we had finished off some cappuccino and chocolate cake, our burros had arrived and it was time to set camp.
Our camp lies in a beautiful alpine meadow surrounded by the massive peaks of Huandoy, Huascaran, Yanapaccha and our objective, Pisco Oeste. We're primed to pack up tomorrow and move to our high camp before our summit attempt the following day. The team is doing great and we're fired up for our next summit bid.
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
We packed up camp and left the beauties of the Ishinca Valley this morning. Our thoughts temporarily shifted from climbing peaks to hot showers and real beds. Don't get me wrong, we're not getting soft here. We still have an almost 19,000' mountain to climb. But the creature comforts of Huaraz are certainly welcome for a day before we head back to the hills.
Or next target is Pisco Oeste in the Llanganuco valley. We're feeling strong and we're ready for the challenge.
These are a few photos from the last few days in Ishinca. Photos by Zeb Blais. Enjoy.
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
Our team wasn't feeling 100% when we woke at 3:30 this morning, but our team couldn't be held down. At 10 am our entire team was sitting on the summit of Nevado Urus. Zero wind, full sun, incredible views all around.
This team has shown great strength and has supported one another through the entire journey. It was a tough day, but we pushed ourselves and ended up with a spectacular experience and one of the most beautiful summits we've seen.
Tomorrow we will be packing early and heading back to Huaraz.
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
Congratulations on making it to the summit of Nevado Uris. It’s encouraging to hear that, although the team wasn’t feeling 100% early in the morning, you showed great support for one another and were rewarded with an amazing experience! We feel proud and have great confidence in all of you.
Bonnie & Rick
Posted by: Bonnie & Rick on 8/15/2016 at 6:46 am
Thinking of you every day..have a great climb team be safe.
Today the name of the game is rest and relaxation . We're soaking up the sun, enjoying fresh ceviche and accomplishing some technical training.
Panoramic views of Tocllaraju and our next climbing objective, Urus Este, are great encouragement for advancing our rope skills. We worked on crevasse rescue and fixed line travel in the morning, before allowing our brains and bodies a full rest for the remainder of the day.
Tomorrow we'll be up before the sun once again for our final peak in the Ishinca valley. We'll check in again when we return from the climb.
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
After a couple rainy nights, we weren't sure what hand the weather gods would deal us this morning for our Ishinca summit push. When the alarm rang, we zipped open the tent door. We were elated to see blackness punctuated only with gleaming stars - not a cloud in the sky!
Our team got ready after an incredible breakfast of pancakes with banana compote and started walking under a blanket of stars. As we approached the glacier, sunlight illuminated Ranrapalca, the biggest peak to our south.
We transitioned to crampons and tackled the Penitenteied glacier. After an hour of weaving through the rough surface, the snow smoothed out and got steeper on the summit pyramid. The climbing was great and our team navigated the steep final pitch and large crevasse to gain the summit.
The entire team made it in good style! The weather held out all the way back to camp too! Everyone is looking forward to a well deserved rest day tomorrow.
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
Today we trained on the glacier at over 16,000ft below Ishinca Peak. The team enjoyed the day and it was great for our acclimatization and movement skills. The glaciers are very dry at the moment which made for excellent practice with our crampons.
We just got back to camp and were treated to cheese stuffed fried bread with fresh guacamole. Our cook, Helario, is earning his keep and then some! We're resting, digesting and hydrating before an early dinner. Tomorrow we're gunning for the summit of Ishinca .
We'll check back after we return.
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
We are in our tents taking a little break before dinner. About two hours ago hail and rain caught us on the tail end of our training day at Ishinca Base Camp.
Before the afternoon storm we took advantage of our incredible venue to learn knots, anchors, rope ascension and rappelling. The huge glacial erratics just outside our camp provided the perfect place to rappel and ascend on overhanging terrain. Just as we were coiling up the ropes to head back to camp, pea sized hail began to pelt us. We retired to our mess tent where we were greeted with hot chocolate and popcorn.
We're heading back there shortly for dinner, hoping it's as good as last night's feast. Hilario our cook ended dinner with one of the best chocolate mousses I've ever had- it's going to be hard to top that!
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
Ahh how nice it is to finally be settled into a camp in the mountains. The lowlands have treated us well but this is what we came here for! This morning we boarded a bus and said goodbye to Huaraz and began our hike into the Ishinca Valley. Mule assistance kept our packs light and views of the Cordillera Blanca inspired our trek all the way to basecamp.
We built camp in a grassy meadow at 14,300 ft. flanked by our climbing objectives for the coming days. We're enjoying a bit of relaxation and adjusting to our new altitude at camp, before the real training starts tomorrow!
RMI Guides Zeb Blais and Chase Nelson
Well Done to the entire team!
Posted by: Richard Bergey/Bonnie Bergey on 8/18/2016 at 5:38 pm
So glad the clouds parted for the team, blessed! The food sounds fantastic, lucky you are working off the calories. Safe journey back home, can’t wait to hear the stories.
Posted by: Debbie Z on 8/18/2016 at 5:14 pm
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