Entries By tatum whatford
August 7, 2024
Posted by: Tatum Whatford, Bailey Servais
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,741'
RMI Guide Tatum Whatford and the Mt. Baker Leave No Trace (LNT) team were on the summit of Mt. Baker at 6:41 am today. The team climbed via the Coleman Demming Route.
This program equips participants with the skills and knowledge needed to achieve an LNT Level 2 Instructor certification, and empowers them to effectively teach and certify individuals in Leave No Trace Level 1 Instructor courses and Awareness Workshops. The terrain covered on Mt. Baker serves as an ideal classroom, offering diverse environments such as old-growth forests, heather meadows, and immense glaciers, allowing us to focus specifically on LNT techniques relevant to alpine environments.
Reaching the summit of Mt. Baker is a great way to end the week! Congrats Team!
Holà from Huaraz!
We arrived back in the bustling mountain city last night after an adventurous egress on the ever winding remote backroads and unexpected road construction. Nevertheless, our bus driver Levian got us back safely despite having to build a few modest bridges over fresh concrete in the process...Always a good time!
Our week in the Ishinca Valley was surely not one to disappoint. Below are just a few captured moments of our last six days spent learning skills and climbing in the heart of the Cordillera Blanca. Tonight we celebrate our hard work and a great team effort on our last night in the mountains before we head back to Sea Level tomorrow as we begin the long journey to Lima.
Salud!
RMI Guides Alan Davis & Tatum Whatford
PC: Alan Davis
July 24, 2024
Posted by: Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 17,782'
The team left Base Camp at 2:00 am and summited
The team left Base Camp at 2:00 am and summited Urus Este at 7:45 am and was back in Base Camp before noon! We enjoyed the day resting in the beautiful Ishinca Valley and lying in the sun near the creeks watching the horses, burros, and cattle graze.
We will check in tomorrow from Huaraz
RMI Guide Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford and Team
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July 22, 2024 - 5:25 pm PT
Rest day in Ishinca basecamp. Woke up as the sun hit the valley and were welcomed into the dining tent with omelettes and coffee. We spent the day at our training crag just down the creek where we practiced more knots, hitches, fixed rope ascension, crevasse rescue, anchor building, and haul systems. Early to bed for a final summit attempt of our last peak of the trip, Urus Este.
RMI Guide Alan Davis
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July 22, 2024
Posted by: Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 18,843
Sunday, July 21, 2024 - 6:15 pm pT
Alpine start had us leaving camp at 0100 in the cold, clear of night. Thankful the winds died down, we walked by the bright moonlight hardly needing headlamps. We reached the toe of the glacier an hour before dawn and began working our way up the icy slopes, hearing nothing but our footsteps and the occasional cracking and popping of the ancient ice shift beneath our feet. We were greeted with a spectacular sunrise that seemed to last for hours and enjoyed the summit of Ischinca mostly to ourselves, save one party of three. After an hour on the top, we made our way down back to basecamp and rested. We feasted on the finest Lomo Saltado in the Ishinca valley provided by Peter’s father Emilio, a retired guide whom is one of the best camp cooks around. With full bellies and gratitude we enjoyed another beautiful alpine sunset and promptly got into our sleeping bags for some good earned rest. Photos to come!
RMI Guide Alan Davis
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July 21, 2024
Posted by: Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 14,348'
July 20, 2024 - 5:45 pm PT
Woke with the sun and some good Peruvian coffee. The winds were quite strong and kept us tent bound initially. We spent the day resting and working on knots, hitches, and rappelling at our campside crag. After dinner it was early to bed for another alpine start as we attempt the valley’s namesake, Ishinca, in the wee hours of the morning.
RMI Guide Alan Davis
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Peruvian coffee definitely sounds tasty!
Posted by: Some guy from Puyallup on 7/21/2024 at 11:53 am
July 20, 2024
Posted by: Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 14,300'
Friday, July 19, 2024
Checking in from the Ischinca Valley Basecamp. We had quite the adventure on the bus, doing a little bridgework to get us in. We arrived at Pashpa around 11:00 am and began our 4 hour approach back to 14,300’ where we set up our basecamp and will be here for the next 5 nights.
We were grateful for the support of the burrows and beautiful Mountain View’s. Tomorrow we will do some training and practice skills while resting at Basecamp.
RMI Guide Alan Davis & Team
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July 19, 2024
Posted by: Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 18,655'
After two nights of being spoiled with plush mattresses and running water in the Llaca Valley Refugio the team put in a full day (16 hours) of climbing and was rewarded with a breathtaking sunrise and perfect weather on the summit of Vallunaraju at 18, 655 ft.
With only a few hours of sleep and some hot coffee and tea, we departed Vallunaraju basecamp with a classic alpine start at 11 pm. After a 3.5-hour approach on a rugged climber’s trail, we donned our boots and crampons and climbed a full pitch of alpine ice—a highlight of the climb. We then meandered through a maze of icy crevasses and steep snow until we gained the col between Vallunaraju’s north and south summits. The beautiful alpine sunrise provided the mental boost needed to gain the summit ridge and ascend the final 300 feet of steep snow to the summit. With only a breath of wind and smiles all around, we took in the views of the greater Cordillera Blanca and got a sneak peek of what’s to come in the Ishinca Valley.
We reversed course and began our descent in the sunshine, looking down at the city of Huaraz where a hot shower and bed awaited us. With tired bodies and full hearts, we were greeted with a bowl of hot soup and tea at basecamp. We then packed up our duffels and headed back to Huaraz via the rugged trail of a "road," thankful for a safe and successful climb.
The team enjoyed a well-deserved rest day in Huaraz, just enough time to unpack and repack duffels. Today, we are headed into the Ishinca Valley where we will establish basecamp for the next five nights. We will be focusing on climbing skills and resting up for more summit attempts.
RMI Guide Tatum Whatford & Team
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July 16, 2024
Posted by: Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 14,600'
Checking in from Vallunaraju Basecamp!
We had an early start from town and made our way up the rugged 4x4 roads to our Basecamp for the next couple nights at 14,600.
Upon arriving, we wasted no time and started our acclimatization approach to the glacier which currently sits at nearly 16,600. Here we spent the afternoon on Glacier travel skills, rope techniques, and arresting a fall. Once back at camp we enjoyed a hot meal of crusted trout and potatoes. Tomorrow we will rest.
RMI Guide Alan Davis
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July 14, 2024
Posted by: Alan Davis, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 10,000'
It was such a treat to again be able to enjoy the bustling coastal grandeur of Lima and watching surf for a night before the next long travel leg. As we arrived by bus two nights ago, we were greeted with our first views of the Cordillera Blanca and the towering giant that is Huascaran. We were welcomed back by the always friendly staff at the Andino Club Hotel. A true climbers hotel with some Swiss roots. It was so great to catch up with our local partner and guide Peter Alvarado as well as some of the other support staff with whom we hadn't seen in a couple years. Tired from multiple days of travel via busses and planes we quickly enjoyed dinner and got settled into our rooms for a full nights rest 10,000’.
Acclimatization has been going well thus far here in Huaraz. Not only have we been sleeping at 10,000', but yesterday, we went for a hike a few hours round-trip walk from our hotel to the "Puca Ventana" or "Red Window" which overlooks the city. Today, we went up to 14,700' on another hike to the beautiful turquoise Laguna which sits in front of the 18,000' "Nevado Churup." Early to bed for some rest and last minute gear shuffling before we begin our trek into the the Lllaca Valley where we will set up our basecamp at around 14,500’ for the next few days as we prepare for our first objective of Vallunaraju.
RMI Guide Alan Davis
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Hi,
Please share photos of your adventure, if at all possible. (The Peru Seminar is one I’ve been mulling over for quite awhile now—the Cordillera Blanca seem absolutely magical to me.)
Posted by: Some guy from Puyallup on 7/14/2024 at 5:55 pm
Way to go Benjamin! We are so happy for you and proud of you!
Posted by: Julie Andrews on 8/7/2024 at 12:44 pm
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