Entries By mike walter
With a pre-midnight alpine start from the Cayambe climbing hut, we woke to a starry sky and light winds; all systems were go. We had a quick breakfast, got geared up in the hut, and were walking by midnight. The weather was perfect for our climb and so were the mountain conditions, with firm (but not icy) snow for efficient cramponing. The climbing was varied: rock scrambling to reach the glacier, gentle glaciated slopes, a steep 200’, 45° headwall, and a narrow summit ridge. Six hours later we were all standing on top of Cayambe, at 19,000’ that lies directly on the equator. We enjoyed great views of Cotopaxi, the Ilinizas and Antisana to the south, and Cotacachi and Imbabura to the north. We spent a half hour on top, high-fiving, hugging, taking pictures, and even singing.
As we descended, winds increased and clouds were rising from the rain forest to the east. Soon a nasty-looking lenticular cloud formed over the summit. But our timing was perfect; we were well below this by now and smoothly descending back to the climbing hut. In less than an hour after arriving at the hut we were packed up and loaded into four-wheel drive vehicles and headed back to the hacienda Guachala for hot showers, delicious food, and comfy beds. Tomorrow we’ll head back to Quito for the night.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
RMI Guide Mike Walter sent a brief note to let us know the team has reached the summit of Cayambe, 18,997'. They will send a full report after their climb.
Congratulations to the team!
On The Map
We woke to light snow and strong winds, but after a leisurely breakfast and a few hours of relaxing it cleared up. We took advantage of the clearing and hiked to the glacier to practice climbing with ice ax and crampons. Now, back at the hut, we'll rest after lunch in preparation for our summit bid tonight.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Last night we hit the sack early and rested long and hard in the tranquility of our rural Ecuadorian hacienda. The quiet and darkness of the mountains was a welcome contrast to the past couple of nights' hustle and bustle of the city. The fireplaces in our rooms didn't hurt either.
This morning we explored the work famous Otavalo market and now we are heading up to the Cayambe climbing hut.
We'll sleep there the next two nights and, with an early alpine start, attempt the summit tomorrow night. The weather has been good and looks favorable for an ascent. We'll keep you posted.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
We left Quito early this morning and headed north towards our main objective, Cayambe. Today’s agenda, though, was our second acclimatization climb up Fuya Fuya, an extinct volcano that rises up above 14,000’. Fuya Fuya rises up from the beautiful crater lake, Mojanda. The climb started with a hike up a trail through high altitude grassland that got steeper with every step. Just shy of the summit, the climb got even steeper and involved some fun rock scrambling to get to the top. The weather was good, but cloudy, with intermittent views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. After a steep descent we were back at our vehicle and headed to Guachala, our hacienda for tonight. Tomorrow we will visit the market in Otavalo and then head up to the climbing hut on Cayambe where we’ll spend two nights and hopefully grab a summit.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
We set out early this morning for our first acclimatization climb. The day started with a gondola ride from Quito to ~13,500’. Then the fun began. We headed west on a well-defined trail that followed a ridge on the shoulder of Rucu Pichincha. As the hiking continued, the trail got steeper and the air didn’t get any thicker. After a couple hundred feet of rock scrambling we arrived at the summit of Rucu Pichincha (~15,700’). Views were sporadic as clouds moved in and out. When the views were there, though, they were stunning, looking down on Quito almost 7,000’ below. The weather was pleasant and we spent a decent amount of time relaxing up top. Then we retraced our steps and rode the gondola back to town. Now, back at our hotel, we’re cleaning up, resting, and packing for an early departure tomorrow to head north towards the town of Otovalo where we’ll tackle our second acclimatization hike, this time to an ancient volcano called Fuya Fuya.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
Our Ecuador trip is up and running, and we spent our first day in country visiting the Equator and an ethnographic museum where we learned about the various diverse cultures of the country and were able to simultaneously stand in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Afterwards, we travelled to southern Quito to visit the old town, or colonial area. Here we toured Independence Plaza, the Compania de Jesus church, and walked the streets of old town, learning about Ecuador’s history. After a fun, educational, and jam-packed day, we’ve got some down time before dinner. Tomorrow we’ll get up early and go on our first acclimatization hike up Rucu Pichincha, a 15,700 ft. volcano that towers over Quito.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
June 13, 2017
Posted by: Mike Walter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb, led by Mike Walter, reached the summit at 8:20 a.m. With a cloud deck around 8,500ft, the weather was sunny and no wind for the climb. The team is working their way down the mountain and we look forward to congratulating them this afternoon!
June 5, 2017
Posted by: Mike Walter, Robby Young, Lucas Haaland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 348'
I just wanted to touch base with everyone that has followed our expedition. We flew off of the mountain yesterday, June 3rd, and we're working our way back to our normal lives.
We reached the summit on June 1, the first guide service of the season to step on top of Denali! The weather could not have been better, and we took advantage of it by spending nearly an hour on top of the highest point in North America.
We endured lots of weather during our trip, but we endured and got it done. It was a super rewarding summit with dedicated climbers.
We're already planning our next trip!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
June 2, 2017
Posted by: Mike Walter, Robby Young, Lucas Haaland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 17,000'
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June 2, 2017
Hey guys, it's Mike Walter checking in early Friday morning up at High Camp on Denali. We had a successful summit yesterday in beautiful weather, barely a breath of wind, nott a cloud in the sky, great views. We got to spend nearly an hour on this on top, and everyone returned back to camp safely. We have the stoves fired and we are going to pack up here shortly and start our movement downward and hopefully be back in town tomorrow. We will be in touch and keep you posted.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
RMI Guide Mike Walter checks in from 17,000 ft Camp after summit bid.
On The Map
Congrats Mark! Get down safely and enjoy some town life now!
Posted by: Tom on 6/2/2017 at 6:55 pm
What an awesome experience! Thx to Mike, Leah, and Caleb. You guys are awesome. Enjoyed meeting everyone on our climb team.
Posted by: Andy H on 6/14/2017 at 1:22 pm
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