More good news from Antarctica landed yesterday! Our team reached the summit of Mount Sidley, 14,058 ft (4,285 m), yesterday. A massive congratulations goes out to:

• Beata R.G.
• Dawid M.
• Shuvam C.
• Shahad A.

And back on Aconcagua, our team took a rest day at Camp 2 today and enjoyed a massive taco dinner. CTSS guide Ty let us know that everyone is happy, and we aren’t one bit surprised after experiencing Argentinian hospitality and cuisine. The team also shared a few images from their climb to Camp 2 yesterday, images below from climber Jarmila:

Our Ecuador Volcanoes team has started arriving in Quito, and the climbers who opted into our Pre-Expedition Acclimatization & Skills Trainingwill be kicking things off tomorrow with gear checks, a visit to the equator, and a ride on the Teleférico Quito (cable car). The sightseeing around Quito is not only educational and cultural, but it’s also highly strategic and supports acclimatization for all of our climbers. Quito sits at about 9,350 ft (2,859 m), and the cable car will take them to about 12,943 ft (3,945 m). Once our additional team climbers are on the ground in Quito, they will also have a chance to check out the equator and take the cable car.

Over the weekend, we anticipate that climbers doing acclimatization and skill training will trek to a new highpoint around 14,000 ft (4,267 m) and participate in a comprehensive snow school and mountaineering training near Antisana National Park before reuniting with the rest of the team.

This Pre-Expedition Acclimatization & Skills Training add-on is great for climbers who need a little hit longer to acclimatize, prefer a more gradual approach, or are beginners who would like to get up to speed before the expedition officially starts.  

Also in South America, our Aconcagua team continues to move up the mountain. Today, they arrived at Camp 2 and will take a rest day tomorrow before moving to Camp 3. Once the team hits Camp 3, they will start eyeing summit windows and dialing in final preparations to stand on the Roof of the Americas. We will keep you posted as summit bids near.

Photos from the Aconcagua team:

Our Aconcagua team is officially at Camp 1 (16,318 ft / 4,974 m) and well on their way to the Roof of the Americas. Our teams took an intentionally slow, deliberate pace to reach Camp 1, ensuring everyone had ample time to acclimatize to the high altitude. Tomorrow, the team will move gear to Camp 2 (approximately 18,000 ft / 5,500 m) before returning to Camp 1 for the evening.

And our team in Antarctica is still celebrating their success on Vinson today as they wait at Union Glacier for their flight to Punta Arenas. With the extra downtime, CTSS Guide Mike Bennett shared a few photos with our team:

Our summit bonanza continues in Antarctica with more success on Vinson. A massive congratulations to:

• Michelle C.
• Keith B.
• CTSS Guide Mike B.

On Friday of last week, this private team of climbers got into position at Vinson High Camp. After a rest day on Saturday, the team made their summit bid on Sunday. They hit the summit in great time, leading the charge up the mountain, which meant the team had the summit to themselves for over an hour! CTSS Guide Mike Bennett let us know that everyone was doing well and they had made it back to Vinson Base Camp with a ski plane ready to whisk them off to Union Glacier.

Also in Antarctica, our Mount Sidley team moved from Union Glacier to Sidley Base Camp after a few weather-related delays. As is true with all mountains, but especially true at the bottom of the Earth, the weather and the mountain conditions are truly in charge.

And finally, our Aconcagua team is also making moves up the mountain. Over the weekend, the team carried gear to Camp 1. Today, they are taking a rest day at Plaza Argentina Base Camp before officially moving to Camp 1. These carry days and move days are strategic for our climbers to help with acclimatization. This allows the team to climb high and sleep low before officially moving up in elevation, thereby helping the body better acclimate to the new high point.

Images below from CTSS Guide Mike King and climber Jarmila

Happy Friday! Here’s the latest from our team on Aconcagua:

Today, the team arrived at Plaza Argentina Base Camp, marking a major milestone along their climb to the Roof of the Americas. CTSS Guide Mike King shared that the team saw many guanacos and enjoyed a breeze that kept temperatures moderate. The team was welcomed to camp with pizza and drinks, and now they are resting easy in their tents and enjoying a little bit of downtime.

Looking Ahead: Tomorrow, the team will take a rest day before starting rotations on the upper mountain. Here is a preview of their anticipated schedule:

• January 17: Rest day at Plaza Argentina Base Camp
• January 18: Move to Camp 1 with gear
• January 19: Carry to Camp 2 and return to Camp 1
• January 20: Move to Camp 2 with gear
• January 21: Rest day in Camp 2
• January 22: Move to Camp 3
• January 23: 1st potential summit day

And a quick reminder that the team is doing the 360 Route, which means after their summit bids, they will descend to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp, fully circumnavigating the mountain.

Photos from CTSS Guide Mike and Climber Lexi

Another great day in the mountains for our climbers! Today, January 16th, we’ve had two teams hit the summit. Here are the details:

Our Orizaba Express team turned their attention to Iztaccíhuatl (5,230 meters / 17,160 feet) over the last few days, and today, they made their summit bid. We are proud to share that we had 100% on top, and this crew below hit both objectives: Pico de Orizaba and Izta.

A massive congratulations goes out to:

• Marc M.
• Chelsey M.
• CTSS Guide Juan M.

On Kilimanjaro, it was a tough summit morning with wind for our Rugged Luxury climbers, but we also had 100% on top. The entire team watched the sunrise over Africa with a champagne toast, beating the crowds and rocking up in true Rugged Luxury style.

A massive congratulations goes out to:

• Dan A
• Kimberly L
• Chris N
• Julie N
• Caroline P
• Mark W
• CTSS Guide Dr. Brenton S.

The team is already back in Arusha at their 5-star hotel. With our Rugged Luxury program, climbers are whisked from a lower camp (weather dependent) all the way back to the base of Kilimanjaro. This exclusive descent offered the team a breathtaking aerial view of the glaciers, ridgelines, and the route they just completed. Now it’s time for some rest, relaxation, celebrations, and, of course, signature African Safaris!

Here are a few reflections from the team:

“The best part of the day, other than the summit, was wishing the incredible Tanzanian crew thank you and goodbye – as the helicopter plucked us from Barafu Camp and 30minutes later dropped us in the tropics of Arusha and back to the Legendary Lodge!”

– Caroline Pemberton

“It was fantastic to be back guiding again this week. This morning at 0533, my team of six from Rugged Luxury Expeditions was the first to summit Mount Kilimanjaro for the day. We had the summit to ourselves as we basked in the sunrise on the roof of Africa. After being whisked away from High Camp in our own private helicopter, we are now recovering in luxury in Arusha before heading to the Serengeti tomorrow for safari.

We had an amazing week of fine dining with 3-course gourmet meals as well as luxurious camping, daily hot showers, and daily massages as we made our way up the mountain.

I’d especially like to thank our dedicated porter team, without whom this expedition would not have been possible. Your support, enthusiasm, and merriment were absolutely fantastic and were a highlight of this climb! Thanks also to the RLE head office and logistics team, as well as the chefs, waiters, massagers, and local guides.

It’s these luxuries that make every meter of elevation gain a pleasure knowing what awaits at camp!”

– CTSS Guide Dr. Brenton Systermans

Images from Caroline Pemberton, Dr. Brenton Systermans, and Mark Watson