Entries By jess wedel

Good evening from beautiful Guanacos camp!

The sun is setting and it’s a radiant orange and pink sky surrounding our tents. This is our third night here and we are feeling good. Today we carried a load of gear up, up, up to Camp 3 - new altitude record for the whole team at 19,600 feet! The saying of the day was “stress the system, rest the system.” We stressed our bodies moving up to that altitude in the hopes that it will help us on summit day. But before our headaches were too bad, we started downhill back to Camp 2. We got back in the early afternoon and then it was time to rest the system.

We prepared for our summit push with a big talk about what to expect, what to carry, tips and tricks to stay warm and so much more. We know some anxiety is normal as there are so many unknowns as we head uphill but preparing as much as we can helps.  Jack also led us in some improv games where we laughed and joked and that helped too!

Tomorrow we head to Camp 3 with a hopeful summit on the horizon.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the "Skittles" team 

The team is thriving here at Camp 2, acclimatizing at just over 18,000 feet. Spirits are high, and everyone’s feeling strong as we continue to prepare for the next steps on our journey. This altitude is no joke, it can feel like you have the flu or a fever, but with proper rest and acclimation, the team is handling it like pros.

This morning kicked off on a high note—literally and figuratively—with an incredible breakfast courtesy of guides Jess and Jack. They whipped up breakfast burritos that had everyone’s appetite soaring, proving once again that good food can work wonders at altitude.

Of course, camp life always has its quirks, and we have experienced cases of mountain “loud streaming.” For those unfamiliar, this is when someone in a nearby tent decides to play music or watch a movie at full volume without headphones, sharing their entertainment with the entire camp. While it added an unexpected movie soundtrack to our attempts to sleep, we’ve all taken it in stride and had a few laughs about it.

Aside from the impromptu movie soundtracks, the team is doing great. We’ve spent the day packing gear for tomorrow’s carry to Camp 3. The plan is to haul supplies up, then return to Camp 2 to sleep and rest. The next few days are critical as we move higher and prepare for the summit push.

The weather outlook is promising—clear skies and manageable winds—so we’re all excited to get rolling. With strong morale and solid progress, we’re ready for what’s ahead. Stay tuned as we move closer to the top!

RMI Climber Elburz Sorkhabi

Hello friends and family!

The team made a strong move today, climbing from Camp 1 to Camp 2 in great form. It was a challenging push, but everyone handled the route with grit and determination. Now, at over 18000 ft, we’re resting at Camp 2, which will be home for a little while as we wait for the right weather window to move up to Camp 3 and prepare for our summit push.

Camp 2 is buzzing with activity. Climbers from different expeditions are coming and going, creating a lively atmosphere. Despite the hustle and bustle, we’ve managed to carve out a little corner of the camp for ourselves. We made the best (and flattest) tent platforms possible by “reading the green” - I’ll be honest, that’s a new term for me but not for all the golfers in the group!

Of course, space is tight up here, which makes our usual card and dice games a bit of a challenge. Finding a flat spot where things don’t roll away is harder than you’d think! But we’re getting creative and working on a setup that’ll keep the fun going as we rest.

The team is doing great—strong, motivated, and full of positive energy. For now, it’s all about resting, fueling up, and staying sharp. The summit is getting closer, and we’re ready for the next step when the mountain says it’s time. Stay tuned for more updates from Guanacos Camp.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Team

A lovely day out.

After a night of less than stellar sleeping due to gusty winds and adjusting to the altitude we awoke to still skies and lovely sunshine. We ate a quick breakfast and we packed up all the gear we would carry up to cache at Camp 2 (Guanchos 3). The slow trudge uphill was a test and a new highest altitude reached for a majority of the team. Even though the air was thinner by the step we moved smoothly and efficiently. 

Once we arrived at Camp 2, we sorted our gear and lounged about for an hour stressing our bodies to ready them to stay at this new altitude of 18,000'. Tomorrow we will move to up to make this camp our home, but today we followed the tried and true acclimatization method of climbing high and sleeping low. After returning to Camp 1, everyone relaxed for the rest of afternoon and enjoyed the now thick seeming air. After a hearty dinner of loaded mac and cheese it was off to bed for what will hopefully be a more restful night of sleep.

RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the team

Hello!

Checking in from a breezy Camp 1 after a great day on the mountain - everyone is doing well!

We said goodbye with big hugs and lots of encouragement from the incredible Grajales base camp team. Back on the trail with heavy packs, but this time we knew what to expect as we weaved our way through steep scree and rocks. We made it to Camp 1 in about 3.5 hours - almost an hour faster than our carry day which means our bodies are adapting to the altitude well!

We worked together to get the camp set up and Jack and I soon began making dinner. Though we were not alone as everyone on this crew is always pitching in to help in whatever way they can - getting water for tent mates, offering up extra hot drinks - we have each other’s backs out here and that’s a good feeling. Even though the cold wind is blasting through camp, we’re all tucked in and warm in our sleeping bags.  Tomorrow we’ll carry loads and acclimatize up to camp 2 and back down to sleep at camp 1.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Team

Today was a well-earned rest day, and the team made the most of it. After yesterday’s tough carry, a day to recharge was just what we needed. We kicked things off with a short walk to a local bouldering site around basecamp and stretched out our tired legs. The rest of the day was low-key and full of laughs as we hung out together, played cards, and got to know each other even better.

Of course, rest days aren’t just about relaxing. We also took care of some camp chores to set ourselves up for success tomorrow. Laundry being taken care of around camp, and gear was shuffled and repacked as we prepped for the move to Camp 1. After feeling the weight of yesterday’s packs, everyone was eager to pare down and lighten the load wherever possible.

The team is in great spirits and feeling ready to tackle tomorrow’s move. Rest, good company, and a bit of laughter really are the perfect combination to recharge after hard days on the mountain.

RMI Climber Tom

January 25, 2025 – Carry to Camp 1 and Scree Sliding Fun

Today was a big day for our team as we carried a lot of our gear—about 50 pounds each—up the route from basecamp to Camp 1. It was a true test of endurance and teamwork. The route itself kept us on our toes (literally), with plenty of loose scree underfoot to make things tricky. Every step demanded focus, and the weight of our packs reminded us just how serious this climb is.

Despite the challenge, we pushed through as a team, reaching Camp 1 and caching our gear for the days ahead. After all that effort, we headed back down to basecamp, tired but proud of what we accomplished. Sliding down the scree on the descent was a surprising highlight of the day—it’s hard not to feel like a kid again when you’re essentially skiing on loose rocks! Laughter echoed across the slopes as we let gravity do most of the work.

Now back at basecamp, everyone is feeling the weight of the day’s effort (and the packs!). We’re well-tired but in great spirits, ready to take a much-needed rest day tomorrow. Rest is key in a climb like this, and giving our bodies time to recover will help set us up for success as we move higher up the mountain.

The team is doing fantastic—strong, motivated, and full of camaraderie. With every step, we’re getting closer to our goal, and today was a big step forward. Stay tuned for more updates as the adventure continues!

RMi Climber Elburz Sorkhabi

 

Today, we acclimatized at base camp. We woke up and indulged in a delicious breakfast of yogurt, fruit, pancakes, and cheese bread. 

Afterwards, our amazing guides Jack and Jess took over our Grajales dome to organize our group gear into piles for each of us to carry to Camp One tomorrow. Comprised of bottles of white gas, ingredients for our mountain meals, and miscellaneous other items, us climbers packed our backpacks with our group gear and as much of our personal gear as we could muster.

In the early afternoon, all seven of us met with the base camp doctor. She assured us we were acclimatizing beautifully and ready to push on up in altitude! Many of us watched downloaded movies while lounging and napping in our tents throughout the afternoon before pre-dinner bananagrams. 

Dinner was delightful, as always. Our Grajales staff Carla brought us soup, lentil and beef stew, and a s’mores-like parfait for dessert. 

Packed, fed, and rested, the team is headed to bed, prepared to take on another spectacular mountain day tomorrow! 

RMI Climber Anne Bradford 

Friday, January 24, 2025 - 2:48 am

Hola!

We awoke early in the morning with the beautiful southern hemisphere stars shining above us. I attempted to point out constellations like the southern cross. Odds are I have lied to everyone because my memory for constellations is as bad as my Spanish. The day starts out with the team stylishly dressed in various water shoes for the crossing of the braided streams of the glacially cold Vacas river. This ice bath for our feet and calves is stronger than any cup of coffee. Everyone is now very much wide awake. Then we begin our slow but steady ascent up the Ralenchos valley. I will not bore you with all the fine details of the stunning geology, the panoramic views of Aconcagua and various sightings of adorable guanacos. All you need to know dear reader is that the trek was hard but we suffered well surrounded by incredible beauty.

Do you remember when you came home from college for the first time and your mom kept hugging you and then made all your favorite foods but like way too much? Our arrival at Plaza Argentina was just like that. We spent the rest of the afternoon waddling around camp getting settled in while taking many deep breaths as our bodies adjusted to our new altitude of nearly 14,000 feet. Finally after another incredible dinner provided by the always stellar Grajales staff, everyone was ready for sleep. It was a long day. 

RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the Sassy Six (Anne, Bill, Chris, Elburz, Jess and Tom)

P.S. they don’t know I call them that

Today was just all-around lovely!

We woke up with the sun, packed our tents and headed to breakfast. We have discovered this wonderful thing called Dulce de leche and now we smother all of our toast in it.

We hit the trail on our way to our next camp, Casa de Piedra. We weaved up through the valley for 10 miles today - always keeping our eyes out from Guanacos. Just when we were convinced we might not get a glimpse, we looked up and saw three majestic Guanacos staring right back at us. Yay!

Soon after, we popped up over a little hill and saw the yellow and white dome tents of our next camp. Just before we walked into camp, we were greeted with our first views of "The Stone Sentinel", Aconcagua.

Tomorrow we’ll head to Base camp where we can’t wait to greet our fellow RMI climbers who stood on the summit today.

RMI Guides Jess Wedel, Jack Delaney and the Magnificent 7.