January 18, 2012
![](http://www.mountainguides.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/jungle-.jpg)
Nearing the first camp (about 10,000 feet, which is about timberline on Kili) the size of the trees shrink and you are hiking through a beautiful moss jungle!
January 18, 2012
Nearing the first camp (about 10,000 feet, which is about timberline on Kili) the size of the trees shrink and you are hiking through a beautiful moss jungle!
January 17, 2012
We received word from Josh Tapp early this morning. The team is safe & sound in Mendoza, where they continue to wait for one member’s bag.  In the meantime, they spent yesterday packing food and checking gear, followed by an evening enjoying the local sights and sounds.
Today they’re lining up all necessary documents to move forward. We’ll be hearing from them again soon – stay tuned!
Becky Kjorvestad
January 17, 2012
Our Veterans have another wonderful week climbing ice in and around Ouray, Colorado! Read on!
“Imagine an expedition with excellent climbing and access to a hot springs on the trip. No, I’m not talking about going to Ecuador and lounging in the Papallatca spa at the end of the trip. That trip only has one day of hot springs. What about FIVE DAYS? The Ouray Veterans program gives you a great chance to up your climbing skills and you have the opportunity to sit in a hot springs EVERY DAY! Â For those of you who haven’t been to Ouray, just try it. For those who have and are ready for the Veterans program, you need to join us next year. Why? Because it’s the PERFECT adventure vacation.Â
How can you not enjoy yourself on a trip like this? Our typical day: get up in the morning… have a cinnamon roll at the Artisan Bakery or a breakfast at Backstreet Bistro… head to the park with truly enjoyable guides with a great sense of humor… climb all day and end it by coming back to Mouse’s Chocolates for a strong coffee… spend an hour in the hot springs… join everyone for a beer and dinner at any of the great restaurants in town (Buen Tiempo, Ouray Brewery, O’Brien’s Pub, Bon Ton)… finish up the night with a visit to Mouse’s for an Ice Climber candy or Turtle sundae. Talk about AWESOME. The climbing is fantastic, but so is the surrounding experience. I’m always a little worried on climbing trips that I’ll come back tired and not having relaxed. However, every day in Ouray on the Veteran’s program was very relaxing – in additon to challenging.
So, what about the climbing? Our week was awesome! The veterans program really lets the climbers focus on how they want to push themselves. There were four of us: Catherine, Marc, Stacey and I along with guides Justin Merle and John Race. By the end of the week, we were a full team. We started out climbing Water Ice 2-5 in the park then quickly picked a backcountry goal outside the park. It was awesome to do my first multi-pitch route – Dexter Slabs – which was south of Ouray 2 miles towards Ridgway. Then we did some leads and mock leading inside the park and finished on the last day near the Skylite area about 4 miles outside the park on Camp Bird Road. Some of the great out of park routes we chose included the Senators, Chockstone’s Chimney, Slip Sliding Away and the Ribbon (yes! It was in this year!) Talk about a great five days of climbing!
Be warned though, you’ll have to fight me for a spot next year if you want to join for the Veterans program… I’ll be there for sure!”
 By Cale Hoopes , Ouray Veteran
January 17, 2012
Eben Reckord called to check in at 10am PST. The group has elected to take a rest day today.
Tomorrow (Jan. 19) they will carry to Camp II and return to Camp I, and on the 20th, they will likely take a rest day.
The plan at this point is to move to High Camp on the 21st, and if all goes according to plan their earliest summit day would be January 22. This, of course is all subject to the weather and the strength of the group and may change at any time.
For now, progress is going well and according to plan!
George Dunn
January 17, 2012
Eben called in yesterday afternoon with an update on the team; they have successfully moved to Camp 1 @ 15,000ft on Aconcagua.
It is breezy and cold, but clear and the team is happy and healthy. Today they’ll carry to C2.
All is well.
George Dunn
January 17, 2012
Craig John and the entire Kili team have arrived in Moshi to begin preparations for the climb. All bags have arrived too! Nice to start things off smoothly. After a tour of Moshi, the team made final packing decisions and hauled their duffel bags one last time before handing them off to the porters. From here on up, “light is right.” Everyone is excited, and we are ready to kick off another great year on the mountain. Tomorrow they’ll drive up to the Machame Gate to begin their climb. Everything is in place! Stay tuned….
Adam Angel
On the way to Machame Gate. (Photo by Adam Angel)
January 15, 2012
Things don’t always go as planned, if they did this job would be boring.
Aconcagua
Eben called in with good news on Aconcagua, despite the recent snow, they were able to make their carry to C1. Tomorrow they’ll make the move and establish camp, tonight it’s back to Plaza Argentina for what everybody hopes is a better nights sleep.
Josh Tapp called in from Mendoza. He’s preparing for our next Aconcagua expedition. He’s one duffel bag short, but it sounds like the airlines are straightening things out.
Mt. Rainier
Greg makes it all the way from Antarctica without a hitch and what happens…? You guessed it, a storm on Mt. Rainier that forced the park to shutdown uphill traffic at Longmire. No worries, the Denali Prep crew hung tight here at HQ and did some training. Sled rigging, crevasse rescue (self-extraction), rope travel with sleds, etc. Probably easier to digest this stuff in a controlled environment anyways. Tomorrow they’ll head up to Paradise for the remainder of the program.
Ecuador
Phil called in yesterday to report that all is well in Ecuador. Their acclimatization continues today with a hike up Pasachoa (13,780ft). Then it’s off to our favorite little hacienda – Tierra del Volcan ( Volcano Land) which sits at just about 12,000ft -a perfect place to sleep and continue the acclimatization.
Tye Chapman
January 13, 2012
Ecuador
Phil called in from Otavalo. The team enjoyed some urban acclimatization with a tour of Old Town Quito. Remember Quito sits at roughly 10,000ft so just getting around town is an adjustment. After their tour they loaded up and made their way to Otavalo, but not without a quick stop at the Equator (see photo). This evening they’ll check out some local weavers in a small town called Peguche. Tomorrow they’ll visit the Otavalo Indian Market.
Argentina
Eben dropped us a line from Aconcagua Base Camp (Plaza Argentina). All is well, though the precipitation theme continues. About an hour of snow fell this afternoon followed by some lightning and thunder; the sun also made an appearance. Their job now is to rest up and prepare for the climb. Burritos tonight and rest day tomorrow.
Chile
Greg’s route from Antarctica to Mt. Rainier continues. He’s made it to Santiago and if all goes to plan he’ll be in Seattle tomorrow afternoon, Ashford tomorrow evening and on Mt. Rainier Sunday morning.
Tye Chapman
January 12, 2012
We received a voice mail from Greg late last night (3am in Antarctica) as they were boarding the IL-76 bound for Punta Arenas, Chile – “We’re coming home”. Schedules are hard to keep given the nature of the terrain, but this time it all went according to plan.
After a quick siesta Greg Skyped in from his hotel room to say that all went smoothly – just a long flight. They’ll clean up and head out for one last dinner to celebrate, then it’s time to jump on another long flight.
No rest for the weary… we’ve got Greg booked on our next Winter Seminar here on Mt. Rainier which starts Sunday. We figure 18 hours is plenty time for Greg to get things in order before he heads back into the field.
Tye Chapman
January 12, 2012
Eben called in this afternoon from Casa de Piedra, their second trekking camp en route to Plaza Argentina. All is well though it did rain a bit today which is quite unusual for Aconcagua. And even more unusual was the hail they received at camp. Neither bout of precip lasted much longer than 10 minutes, but it was an anomaly nonetheless.
No green peppers were reported lost today.
Tye Chapman