Winter 2018 Briefs and Bits
Kili 2018, Porters and our new PDF
With much growth in 2017, we are proud of our recent recognition, as Alpine Ascents was highlighted in Outside Magazine for our Senior-Guide-led Kilimanjaro Expeditions. We also received a record number of great evaluations from our 2017 climbers! Accolades don’t come easy these days and we share the credit with our local African staff. In turn, we have been able to supply educational funding for our African guides and along with help from one of our 2017 Kilimanjaro groups, purchased 63 pairs of new hiking boots for the staff. Happy guides make us all
happier and we are proud to be one of the longest standing Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project members, working to ensure high standards of compensation and working conditions. A special thanks to Kili climbing team “The Trailblazers” for making the new boots for all both idea and reality!
For those who prefer general information in PDF format, our new Kilimanjaro flyer is an easy and quick read, celebrating the unique flavor of this program. Take a look and enjoy:
Treks in Peru –
Macchu Picchu and Beyond
The famed Inca trail is really a series of trails and for those who enjoy the rigors of hiking combined with a love of history, we travel to the spectacular Lares Valley via these ancient roadways, as part of our new Sacred Valley Trek . Sacred Valley Trek via the Inca Trail/Macchu Picchu: Newly researched and unique to Alpine Ascents, this hike through the Sacred and Lares Valleys and cultural tour explores the elements that make Peru one of the world’s truly unique destinations. Like the history
and hiking combinations we find in Nepal, the mix of world-class hiking in the Andes coupled with visiting Inca and Andean ruins makes for an incredible journey. After an exploratory trip this fall, we are excited to offer the Sacred Valley trek which ends in the famed ruins of Macchu Pichu. It’s a chance to immerse oneself in both the architecture and stunning landscape of Peru where nights are spent in excellent lodges. Salkantay Trek: For those who prefer time in the high mountains, our tried and true Salkantay Trek brings you the best of trekking in the shadow of Peru’s
towering peaks with overnights in small boutique mountain lodges. The final leg travels one of the most iconic Inca trails, arriving at Macchu Picchu on foot! Need Help Deciding Between these Excellent Offerings? In short: The Sacred Valley has shorter hikes and more exploration of ruins. The Salkantay has longer trekking days, is more remote (less villages), and travels over high mountain passes.
Whether you had the opportunity to trek with Alpine Ascents to Everest Base Camp or this is your first time to Nepal, a journey to Mustang is not to be missed. Mustang is a remote and unique destination encompassing ancient Buddhist culture, high altitude trekking and the chance to join an ancient monastery festival. If all that doesn’t pique your interest, this trip will also be led by famed guide and explorer Peter
Athans. He will share his discoveries of ancient Buddhist burial caves found in the region. This is a rare opportunity and may be a one-time offering! Nova Sky Tombs documentary, with Peter Athans.
Summer Programs – Summit Baker
or better yet, gain some skills with a course
With many of our Rainier summit climbs full for next summer, we do have places on most of our mountaineering school programs (all with summit climbs) still available. Why just attempt the summit when you can learn the basics of glacier mountaineering and still attempt a summit? After taking one of our courses, many climbers feel confident to go out and attempt glaciated peaks on their own! We have also added a number of Mt. Baker departures, sister mountain to Rainier. Learn more about why Baker is at least as exciting as Rainier – see our Baker page for the article Baker vs. Rainier.
Featured Summer Trip –
The Great Peaks of Bolivia
This summer we feature a new itinerary and guide for our Great Peaks of Bolivia program. The Cordillera Real range is one of the more overlooked areas; a hidden gem with magnificent climbing – a quick walk through our slide show says it all. Join guide and Bolivia expert Rachel Molstad for a fantastic climbing and cultural experience. Details at:
Cybercasts From the field –
Antarctica, Aconcagua and more
Aconcagua: The South American climbing season is underway! Our first climb of the season is poised to summit and with another wave of expeditions about to depart Mendoza for the mountain shortly. If you are interested in learning more about this and other expeditions, be sure to follow our cybercasts. Get the day by day from the team (everything from meals to moves) and follow their progress up the mountain. Check out great expeditions such as Antarctica’s Mt. Vinson and the rest of our offerings on our main cybercast page!
Preparation has begun for our annual climb of Mt. Everest. This year we have two trekking teams traveling in before the climbers; a lifetime experience in its own right! We still have spaces on our Everest Trek that departs on March 22 (see details at Everest Base Camp Trek). This trek will be led by Eric Murphy who is also scheduled to guide on our Mt. Everest climb directly following the trek.
Everest Base Camp. Ben Jones.
We are thrilled to announce that the most accessible 8000 meter peak is now open to climbers. Once again, the climb will be led by the Alpine Ascents Himalayan team and guide Ben Jones. Cho Oyu is a fantastic Himalayan climb open to all those who have completed Denali ( or similar) and want to climb one of the world’s 8000 meter peaks. Cho Oyu is also the classic pre-Everest climb, a chance to test ones limits at high altitude. We depart end of August and you can find all the details at:
As spring approaches, we are rapidly filling our spots for 'The Great One,’ Alaska’s quintessential big mountain expedition. We look forward to chatting with those interested in signing up or would like assistance obtaining the prerequisite training and climbs. As always, we look to have highly qualified team members. We are happy to send our “Prep for Denali” flyer, you can find all details at:
Added in 2017, our 'not-just-a-gear-blog' is a great resource for climbers, discussing issues from knot tying to tent care as well as interesting bits on all things climbing.
Summer International Calendar
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