Entries By solveig waterfall
February 20, 2015
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Elevation: 14,000'
Good Evening!
We are all doing great here at the Piedra Grande Hut at the base of El Pico de Orizaba. After a bumpy and dusty 4x4 drive, we arrived today around 3:30. Up next was setting up tents and getting our gear together so we could all settle in and enjoy a delicious pasta and garlic bread dinner before tucking in for the night.
It's cold here at 14,000', and everyone is settled in for the night. We had beautiful weather on our climb of Ixta and also on our rest day, but here at camp we are in the clouds and we've been receiving mixed precipitation types of rain, snow, graupel, and hail. Cross your fingers this system moves out and allows us a shot at the summit!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall and the Team
On The Map
February 19, 2015
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
After yesterday's hard work and success, today was spent as a well-deserved rest day for the team in Puebla! We kicked things off with a full night of sleep and a casual start, and folks were free to spend the day exploring what the town has to offer. It was a very relaxing day for everyone, and a few members of the team even went for massages!
We gathered in the evening for a nice dinner at el Mural de los Poblanos, a short walk from the hotel. There we shared photos and reminisced about the days adventures and the climb. Spirits are high, and tomorrow we leave the city for Orizaba.
RMI Guide Chase Nelson
February 18, 2015
Posted by: Chase Nelson, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Elevation: 17,340'
We wanted to let you know that our team reached the summit of Ixtaccihuatl today! Six of our climbers reached the summit. We had good weather today, although it was a little windy up high.
We have arrived in Puebla and it's been a long day. We are looking forward to a good night's sleep and a day of rest and exploration of this great town.
RMI Guides Solveig Waterfall & Chase Nelson
On The Map
February 17, 2015
Posted by: Chase Nelson, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
After waking up to a nice breakfast of huevos Mexicanos at the Altzomoni Hut, we loaded up our packs and departed for our Ixta high camp! We hiked under mostly cloudy skies and chilly weather but were greeted by some sun breaks in the afternoon. Great views all day of Ixta's actively erupting neighbor Popo, as well as the cities surrounding the mountain. We made it to the Refugio with plenty of time for some last minute prep and an early evening. The team is looking good and acclimatized for a summit bid tomorrow, it should be an exciting day!
RMI Guide Chase Nelson
On The Map
February 16, 2015
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Elevation: 12,000'
Good evening everyone!
We are all nestled in here at the Altzomoni Hut, which is subsequently nestled between the summits of Popo and Ixta, just above the Paso de Cortez.
We started off the day with a buffet breakfast at the Mission Tlaxaca, the last in-town meal before the climb. After meeting our local guide Cato and going for an acclimatization hike up the first few hundred feet of the route to high camp, we returned to the hut for rewarding hot drinks and a chips and salsa fiesta!
The rest of the evening has been spent organizing gear, practicing with our crampons, harnesses, and learning to set up expedition tents. We are all excited to get up to camp tomorrow and get our eyes on the upper mountain!
Thanks for following along and we'll check in tomorrow night!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall and the Team
On The Map
congrats Will W. and team on a great climb, keep safe and enjoy!
Posted by: sherril jarosch on 2/18/2015 at 12:12 pm
February 16, 2015
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Elevation: 12,000'
We awoke in Mexico City this morning to clearing skies, warmer temperatures, and relatively quiet streets. Leaving town early on the Sunday morning of a holiday weekend has its benefits!
The team enjoyed a delicious traditional Mexican style breakfast provided by the hotel, and after efficiently transferring our mountain of luggage into the vehicle to go to the actual mountain, we stole a few extra moments prior to loading our bus to make a final run to the closest Starbucks. This last minute luxury is one which instantly triggers my Seattleite soul into an irrepressible mental fist-bump!
We sailed through the streets of District Federal with ease, making quick work of our exit from the metropolitan area. We had discussed the need to "roll with the punches", so to speak, at our evening meeting, as the logistics of traveling in this part of the world can sometimes be an exercise in patience. Soon after we left the city center behind we were met with our first mental challenge of the trip!
Our driver pulled off the highway, jumped out of the bus, and made a break for the nearest field and distant buildings in what at first appeared to be either a desperate trip to get to the restroom, or an oddly-timed opportunity to get in a quick jog...either way we all followed suit and hopped off to snap a few quick selfies and capture the views of Ixta and Popo.
To our delight, our driver returned, with tools and additional man-power, and we soon discovered we were not being abandoned, but rather beginning the process of repairing a punctured tire.
After an hour of relaxing roadside, we re-boarded and continued toward La Malinche, eagerly anticipating stretching our legs on the slopes of the long-extinct volcano. Once we arrived here at the La Malitzi Resort, we quickly moved into our Cabanas, organized our day packs, hit the trail, and hiked at a casual pace ascending to our high point of just over 12,000ft.
Back at the resort just before dark, we are enjoying a beautiful sunset here at 10,000ft, awaiting our dinner reservation and a hot shower to wash off the trail dust.
Tomorrow we head to Ixta to continue the acclimatization process and prepare for our first summit bid in a few days!
Buenos Noches!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall and the Team
February 15, 2015
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Hi Everyone!
Chase and I have been in Mexico City since last night and spent this afternoon grocery shopping and sorting equipment in preparation for the start of our program. Climbers arrived throughout the afternoon and evening, and by 9:00 PM we were a complete team around the dinner table at the Holiday Inn here in the Zona Rosa.
We spent the evening discussing logistics, gear, and getting ourselves prepared to hit the trail, starting with our first acclimatization hike tomorrow. We are all excited to leave the sounds of the city behind and get into the mountains! Our first objective will be an afternoon stroll on the flanks of La Malinche.
Thanks for following along and we'll check in again tomorrow evening!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall
September 6, 2014
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,127'
Hi! This is Solveig checking in after a successful summit day on Mt. Shuksan. We left camp just before 5 AM this morning and enjoyed perfect weather all the way to the summit. The team climbed strong and we made it round trip in a little over eight hours, with a nice rest on the summit. Our plan is to relax in the sun here in camp and begin our descent early tomorrow morning.
Thanks for following along!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall
September 5th, 2014 - 4:10 pm PT
Hi Everyone!
This is Solveig checking in from our camp here on Mt. Shuksan. We arrived in camp yesterday evening and enjoyed the sunset over dinner and hot drinks before crawling into the tents for a well-deserved rest. It took us the majority of the day to climb the 3,700' to camp and everyone did great carrying big packs and working hard in the heat.
We awoke this morning to warm temperatures and clear skies, and even clearer views of the surrounding Cascade Range. After we reached sufficient levels of nutrition and caffeination, we set off up the Sulphide Glacier to begin our day of technical training. Our morning was spent revisiting basic mountaineering techniques and by early afternoon, we transitioned to practicing moment skills on rock and and belayed climbing and rappelling.
Back in camp our team is relaxing and rehydrating in preparation for our summit bid early tomorrow morning. Wish us luck and we'll check in again after we return to camp tomorrow!
RMI Guides Solveig Waterfall, Leon Davis, Garrett Stevens, and team
Way to go boys! What’s next?
Posted by: Jeanne on 9/7/2014 at 4:43 pm
Good Luck and Congratulations for all you have accomplished so far!!!! Looks GREAT!!
Posted by: Anne and Mike on 9/6/2014 at 12:30 pm
September 1, 2014
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall, Leon Davis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,127'
RMI Guides Solveig Waterfall, Leon Davis and team reached the Mount Shuksan summit! The summit was a nice reward after weathering a storm that dumped 4" of rain on them at the beginning of their climb. Today, no precipitation as they made their way to the top. The team is currently on the descent back to camp and will hike the rest of the way out tomorrow morning.
Congratulations!
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Shane,
We wouldn’t recommend trying to reach the hut by car. The road is very rough, and especially in wet conditions, can be extremely muddy. Clearance is an issue on the road, so a 4x4 vehicle would be a necessity.
Posted by: RMI Team on 11/3/2016 at 12:08 pm
Hi,
I was wondering if it is possible to make it up to the Piedra Grande hut by car. I have been on plenty of 4x4 roads in a car and am a pretty experienced 4x4 driver, so just being a 4x4 road doesn’t tell me too much. Just curious if a car is even possible, doesn’t matter how well I know how to drive if the car cant clear certain sections. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Posted by: Shane on 10/31/2016 at 11:25 am
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