Day two in Mexico was very successful. We climbed to 13,400 feet for our acclimatization hike on La Malinche then made it back to the cabins at the old Olympic training facility for time to shower and lounge on the grass. For dinner we had sizzling cactus and steak served on hot coals. The group is healthy and happy and starting a game of counting stray dogs. Off to Ixta tomorrow!  Here's a photo of lounging in front of La Malinche.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
Saturday, February 18, 2017 8:35 pm PT
This is Mike with RMI's Mexico Volcanoes trip. All the climbers arrived in Mexico City with luggage and enthusiasm. We had a nice team dinner and got to know each other a bit. From here we will leave the sprawling grasp of Mexico City for the scenic and rolling country side of La Malinche. Tomorrow's plan is to have an acclimatization hike to stretch the legs and lungs so the Team is prepared for our first objective, Ixtaccihuatl 17,340'. We'll check in each day and update those back home.
RMI Guide Mike King
The team arrived to Base Camp early afternoon and in the commotion of celebrating, showers and packing for the mules we forgot to check in. We are heading for Pampa Las Lenas in a few minutes. The walk will retrace our first two days of the Trek and will culminate with an asado dinner and another beautiful night sleeping under the stars. The team is eager to get back to town and looking forward to lighter backpacks. This dispatch will conclude our expedition. We had amazing weather and a great group of climbers! Thanks for following along.Â
RMI Guides Mike King and JM Gorum
This is Mike, JM and Mauricio letting you all know that the Aconcagua Summit Team is back safely at Cholera. We had a warm morning but due to a 20mph wind most of the day, we climbed in our parkas and warm pants. The route was desolate considering 100+ people went up on Thursday. We got to take in the magnificent South Face along with hundreds of glaciated Andean peaks.
Team members are hydrating, eating and napping. The summit day is always difficult but the route conditions make a sizable difference. We were fortunate to have snow and frozen scree/mud for the majority of the Gran Traverse and Canaleta which makes for a more direct and cramponable route. Yes, We just made up 'cramponable'; we are at 19,600' with five camp stoves cranking out memory reducing gases.
Tomorrow we head back to Base Camp to de-rig the climb and transition to trekking mode. Steak, red wine, empanadas, laundry mats and pool time is what preoccupies our minds.
"La Montania abrio sus puertas para nosotros" - Mauricio
Congratulations on the effort and reward. Hope all arrive back safe. Kevin please fill any space in your pack vacated by food with snow. Our winter here has been abysmal since you’ve left and the snow is badly needed for the Nordic trails.
JV
Posted by: Jan Vanderdonk on 1/14/2017 at 6:45 am
Congratulations to you Kevin, your guides and team for this extrodinary achievement. BZ
Posted by: Lloyd &smart;-Lou Graham on 1/14/2017 at 6:22 am
This is Mike with RMI's Aconcagua Team 2. We are currently standing on top of the tallest mountain in the Western and Southern hemisphere. The team did great, we reached the top in 7 hours from High Camp. We are going to hang out just for a little bit and then head on down. We have about 20 mph cold winds all day. The team is ecstatic and we will check in from Camp once we get back down from the top. Thanks. Bye.
RMI Guide Mike King
RMI Guide Mike King calls from the summit of Aconcagua.
Wow! What a calm and relatively warm night at 18,000'. The Team got it's last good night for sleep before moving to 19,600' where sleep is hard to come by. We took a little over three hours to move up here, the Team did a fantastic job keeping the guides pace and working on their breathing. The phrase we are using is, "if you don't sound like the Little Engine that Could, you'll perform like the Little Engine that Couldn't".
We will rest and eat some dinner before beginning our summit attempt in the early morning. Fingers crossed and well wishes for our Team. It will not be easy but hopefully the Team can grit their teeth and find a happy place tomorrow. The next time you hear from us, should be on top of the highest point in the Western Hemisphere.
Thanks for following along.
RMI Guides Mike King, JM Gorum, Mauricio and the team
This is Mike and JM checking in from our Camp 2 after a good carry to Cholera High Camp located at 19,600'. The camp gets its name from the wind that swirls around and attempts to destroy your camp.
The Team took in fantastic views of the Andes and enjoyed some warmer temperatures after yesterday's cold and blustery conditions. There is some sort of an Andean hawk that has been hanging out taking people's Oreos.
Quite and calm in our tents, an update you might be tired of reading but the Team is taking every moment of available rest to apply towards summit day.
Tomorrow we move up to Cholera and will keep our fingers crossed for accurate weather reports and a trail of compacted snow to the top of the Southern Hemisphere!
RMI Guides Mike King & JM Gorum
Hello from Camp 2 -
Our team has now ascended to 18000' and set up camp. We had a slow roll out of camp thanks to a bit of wind gusting overhead. We decided we might enjoy a little later start to the day, so we hung around until about 10:30 to let the sun warm things up and push those pesky winds farther east.
The Team felt the push to 18k and the gusting winds, grey skies and colder temps didn't make for a lot of conversation. Now tucked in at 18,000' the Team is sport eating and resting in their tents. The winds have calmed down and the sun is baking the tent fabric, this creates an optimal napping microclimate.
We miss you all and are jubilant to be in a position for summiting on the 13th.
Warmest of regards,
RMI Guides Mike King, JM Gorum & the team
Weather day here at Camp 1. The team got it's first experience with the Aconcagua wind last night. The wind builds above us in the Ameghino Col to the point it sounds like a large set of waves hitting shore. You then hear the wind racing down towards our camp, suddenly bracing in your tent, the poles flex and fabric gets bead blasted with little rocks and dust. An eerie calm follows only to hear the wind building up again. Now repeat for 16 hours.
Two down days in a row has the natives getting a little restless. Some will pace, some play cards and some will ask, "So this is mountaineering?"
Tomorrow we will get a late start to allow the wind to dissipate before our move to Camp 2. Despite the restless energy all team members are doing great and the guides couldn't be more pleased with how everyone is acclimating and working together. All our best to everyone back home!
"Estamos como queremos"
RMI Guide Mike King
The team is wrapping up a successful rest day here at Aconcagua Camp 1, 16,400'. The guides know it was successful because while we know the team was restless and at times lacking for entertainment, no one came over and told us so. Light winds in camp after a gusty night, which left several people sleepless until the calm and warmth of the early afternoon.
We took the opportunity to send down trash and items carried up but deemed 'not necessary' for the climb with Mauricio, our Argentine guide.
Tonight we will dine on mashed potatoes and cheese burritos while we discuss the weather report and the expedition itinerary. Right now there is a weather window 1/11-13 with light summit winds when compared to days previous.
The team continues to stay strong with good appetites and getting sleep where they can! The evenings have provided spectacular heat lightning across the Vacas Valley as clouds build and are held at bay.
We might move up to Camp 2 tomorrow or burn a weather day depending on the wind. Regardless, thanks for following along and eat some fried chicken for us, preferably a Bojangles Cajun Fillet Chicken Biscuit with egg and cheese for those south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
RMI Guide Mike King
Kudos to all!! Continued safe travels.
Posted by: Betty (Art's sister) on 1/16/2017 at 5:08 am
I’m looking forward to seeing my husband via chat once you guys get back to town! Be careful and enjoy your last days on Mt. Aconcagua!
Posted by: Lena Davis on 1/15/2017 at 11:00 pm
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