Hello everyone! This is Joe Butler, Vinson guide for Mountain Trip. Our team is in Punta Arenas and enjoying the last bit of civilization before we head to the Ice and work our way to the top of Mount Vinson. We have a very international team, including Joe Cuervorst (Colorado), Sandra Leduc (Canada), Basia Gorska…
Team J.Y. battled a stiff wind today, but they persevered and they are now resting safe and sound in Camp 2. J. Y. reports that today’s ascent was a fairly rough go, but he is feeling well and doing well and staying focused on the goal. The team can view the summit from Camp 2,…
Mountain Trip guide extraordinaire Jacob Schmitz called in a team update today. The team climbed up to Camp 2 at 18,000 feet to cache some equipment and supplies. Jacob reported that it was a bit windy today, but regardless he and J.Y. did very well and felt good, making the round trip in approximately 6…
J.Y. called today from 16,000 feet at Camp 1. The team is doing really well, feeling good and relaxing and enjoying the beautiful scenery. From Camp 1, the team can see the switchbacks that lead up to a pass on the route to Camp 2, located at 18,000 feet. The climb to the pass is…
Jacob called in tonight’s update after he and JY made a trip from Base camp up to Camp 1 at about 16,400′. It sounds like they had a great day, with beautiful weather on the way up and light snow as they descended back to BC. The plan is to spend tomorrow at Base Camp,…
JY called in from base camp this evening after arriving this afternoon and settling in. They’ve trekked for three days and have arrived at the relatively civilized base camp where they will enjoy catered meals in a nice dining tent. It’s a great place to rest, recover, and acclimatize in comfort before moving up higher…
Guide Jacob Schmitz called in to give the report on the team’s progress. In a nutshell, the team continued their hike up the Vacas Valley to camp at Casa Piedra, or “stone house.” Tomorrow they will take a big westerly turn and continue up the Relinchos Valley. Everyone is doing well and the team sends…
This morning, J.Y. and Jacob got an early start from Penitentes and headed up the Vacas Valley. It was a bit cold and windy during the latter portion of the hike, but the weather didn’t slow them down and they made it to Pampas de Lenas in just over five hours. This is the first…
As the days grow shorter in the northern hemisphere, why not chase the sun and head south?!? J. Y. Jones and Mountain Trip guide Jacob Schmitz are headed to the western edge of Argentina to attempt to climb the highest peak in all of the Americas, Cerro Aconcagua. Rising to almost 7000 meters, this peak…
Hello and thank you for following the 2013 Mountain Trip Mount Elbrus expedition. Earlier today we all drove from Azau to Min Vody for our flights to Moscow, with the exception of Jung Mi and Masako, who flew on to St Petersburg. I’m looking forward to spending one or two more days in Russia exploring…