November 24, 2013
My Sunday morning started with a call from Ecuador. Luke reported 100% success on Cayambe, weather good and the team’s heading for the hot springs of Papallacta to celebrate. Works for me.
Phil Ershler
November 21, 2013
The team’s being lazy today. Oh well, I guess they earned it. We put them up at the Hacienda San Augustin last night. The hacienda’s owned by an old friend and noted for amazing food and the ambiance of being surrounded by original Incan walls. Nice. Luke sent us a photo from last evening.
Today’s a rest/clean-up day and they’ll squeeze in a visit to a locals market in the town of Saquisili. Another night at the hacienda and then it’s back to work.
Check out the photo Luke sent of the team on the summit yesterday.
Phil Ershler
November 20, 2013
Cotopaxi. Note the hut with the yellow roof.
Cotopaxi is cold in the morning, especially when it’s clear. However, when there’s minimal wind, it’s not nearly as bad. Just heard from Luke. The team is back at the hut! Good morning, good snow, good weather, team did a good job and they had a good summit. 10 fingers and 10 toes still had by all!
They’re furious throwing stuff together and heading for the Hacienda San Augustin. Way too nice for a bunch of scruffy climbers but they will be impressed. They’ll be dining tonight surrounded by the original Incan walls at the hacienda.
Congratulations, team. Luke will get a photo of the crew to us as soon as he has wi fi this evening. Nicely done, guys.
Phil Ershler
November 17, 2013
Luke and team have had a busy weekend down in Ecuador. Saturday morning was fun, with a visit to the world famous Otavalo Market. Nice introduction to the handicrafts of Ecuador. The crew was in Quito by early afternoon. Packing/prepping/last minute shopping and a nice lunch were the order of the day. Dinner was in Old Town, on a street called La Rhonda. This is one of the oldest streets in Quito. The area used to be pretty “rough†but it’s now been renovated and is a nightly hot spot these days.
Sunday morning saw an early departure from Quito to the home of my Ecuadorian partner, Romulo Cardenas. Romulo’s wife, Patricia, had made the team a lovely (and early) breakfast so they could get an early morning start up Pasochoa, another acclimatization hike. About 3000 vertical feet make for the perfect climb at this stage of the trip. Less than 3 hours up, maybe an hour and a half down and they were off to the Hacienda Tierra del Volcan. This beautiful working ranch is located right at the base of Cotopaxi, at about 12,300’. Perfect place to spend 2 nights prior to their climb. Sunday night dinner was family style at the hacienda. They do seriously nice meals.
Monday the group heads to the refugio on Cotopaxi, and above, to get in more acclimatization and a refresher of the mountain techniques needed for Cotopaxi.
Phil Ershler
November 16, 2013
A content group (Austin Shannon)
IMG Guide Austin Shannon checked in over the weekend:
“The team got back into Mexico City just after noon on Saturday. They’d spent the night after climbing Orizaba with the Reyes family in Tlachichuca.
After a good breakfast, they hopped into the vans and drove back to Mexico City. They had the afternoon to relax, do a little more strolling around the city and then all got together for their final dinner as a team.
Flights back to the States were early Sunday morning. Most will be back at work on Monday. Maybe a little tired, even a little sun tan but hopefully flush with the satisfaction of reaching a great summit, learning about another country and making some new friends.Â
Austin Shannon
November 15, 2013
Ecuador season is off and running. IMG Senior Guide, Luke Reilly is at the helm. As always, he’ll be working with my friend of 3 decades, Romulo Cardenas.
The entire team arrived late yesterday and spent their first night at the Hacienda Guachala. Since everyone and their luggage got in without issue, they headed to Otavalo this morning, passing the equator and getting back into the northern hemisphere. With lots of available time today, a first acclimatization hike around Cuicocha, a local crater lake, was in order. Staying tonight at the Hotel Otavalo, eating pizza in town and squeezing in a visit to a local weaver friend, Jose Cotacache. The famous Otavalan market is tomorrow. My guess is that more than a few Christmas presents are going to get purchased.
They’re off to a good start.
Phil Ershler
November 15, 2013
Pico de Orizaba
I have a sage partner who has a great expression about the weather – “good weather always follows badâ€. Spot on. Just got off the sat phone with Austin. As we predicted, skies cleared and the stars sparkled last night as the team was preparing for their summit attempt on Pico de Orizaba. No precip, no wind. The storm which had kicked their butts on Ixta left just the right amount of new snow on Orizaba. Perfect cramponing conditions the entire way. The normally tricky ‘labyrinth’ was simply great, fun cramponing.  Their patience and persistence were awarded this morning with a spectacular summit of Orizaba. Probably won’t get a lot better than this.
Team is already back at the Piedre Grande Hut and trucks are being loaded. Won’t be long before the team will be back at the Reyes compound in Tlachichuca, with a beer in one hand, towel in the other and fighting for the first shower. They’ll enjoy a great dinner with the Reyes family this evening and sleep like logs. The return to Mexico City is tomorrow.
Quote of the day by Calvin Coolidge – “persistence and determination alone are omnipotentâ€.
Phil Ershler
November 14, 2013
A stormy Ixta a couple days ago. (Austin Shannon)
Spoke with Austin this afternoon. The team and he are ensconced at the Piedre Grande hut on Orizaba, at about 14,400 ft. Skies aren’t clear yet but the winds have stopped and so has the precip. An inch or two of snow around the hut but that’s not bad. Forecast is still for even better weather tomorrow. We’re hopeful that when the guys wake around midnight that they’ll see stars up above.
We’ll know sometime tomorrow whether or not the weather gods smiled on the team.
Phil Ershler
November 13, 2013
Mexican countryside (Dustin Balderach)
Well, Austin, Dallas, Cato and team got their rear-ends kicked on Ixta. Storms are quite unusual for this time of year in Mexico but not unheard of. At high camp, winds were 50 plus with higher gusts. After a couple of broken tent poles and enough hours of horizontal sleet, the gang said ‘this is stupid’ and got the heck out of there. They retreated to the safety and security (and dryness) of the Altzamoni Hut for the night. Winds stayed high throughout the night but now weather is improving and forecast is good.
Heading to Puebla today. They’ll regroup and then head to the village of Tlachichuca and Pico de Orizaba. It’s time for the weather gods to give the team a break!
Phil Ershler
November 11, 2013
Popo and Ixta as viewed from the air
IMG Senior Guide, Austin Shannon, called in a couple of times over the weekend from Mexico City. Austin and Dallas Glass have a group of 9 climbers with them and have started our first Mexico trip for the season. The guides flew down on Friday, a day early, to do some shopping and packing. The team arrived on Saturday. Everyone on schedule and with all their luggage. Their first group dinner together was Saturday night, near the hotel. Our driver/van met them Sunday morning and they were off. Since 1976, we’ve worked with the Reyes family in Mexico. The brothers, Gerardo and Luis, their father, Francisco, and their Uncle, Amador, have been the premier service helping foreign climbers get around Mexico and providing 4-wheel transportation/support/lodging/etc. It’s like why would we work with anyone else? Gerardo is a general surgeon, to boot. Talk about having a great insurance policy! There are less expensive ways to run a Mexico trip but there isn’t a better way to run a Mexico trip. With a full group of 9 climbers, we’re also joined by one of our favorite Mexican guides. Two guides from IMG and one from Mexico makes a great combination.
Anyhow, the team had a good acclimatization hike yesterday and spent the night at their hotel in Amecameca. Today, they’re off to the Altzomoni Hut and a carry to about 15K. Group seems strong and excited. What more could we ask?
Phil Ershler
