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Joined: Jun 2003
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Starting off with the Sorely Missed: Mr. Whitney himself... Doug Thompson Sr.A recent death in the family has him staying home to provide support. Mike Mellin AKA: Speedy.I'll leave it at: an important new job has him staying home. MC ReinhardtKnee surgery gone bad has her staying home. The Zen Master... Shin NimuraFamily is always more important.....Seriously, I said it about a year ago: "Three years in-a-row would make it a tradition," so if you all want to head down next November (Veteran's Day has become the tradition.), let me know. ========================= The remaining cast of characters:We had been as large a group as twelve. Ava Eidenschink AKA: Mouse BKA: Mighty Mouse. Brandon Thorsten Carole ChristiansonThe above three make up Team ABC. Jeff Scofield BKA: ScullyIt's always a mystery whether he'll show up. Me Ryan Bracci[img] http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California...282_KxNh8-M.jpg[/img] Tracie Denton========================= Brandon and Carole are already down in Mexico (Day of the Dead, and all that, just passed) with reports of cold nights and lots of wind. We're all hoping that it settles down in the next few days. Kurt Wedberg and George Dunn are going to be down there with groups at the same time, so we'll have real interesting company at the Huts. AAI is also supposed to have a group down there next week. ========================= All of us carry a bunch of new technology, so expect to see updates to Facebook and Google+... (I'm the most popular Richard Piotrowski on Google right now... whoop de doooo!) You can also look for my Spot Track at the link in my signature below. Ryan Bracci does Spot Casting too. I don't know what the link to his account is. Our climbing days are: 11.06.11 Nevado de Toluca 11.08.11 Ixta 11.11.11 Orizaba Spot also sends Tweets to an account I created called TheHolyKoW. I've got one follower and she's a hooker looking for business via Twitter accounts.....LOL! You can look to: http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/Other/SmugShots/18349894_sN3gGc#1484004103_K4Vv4zN for any random photos I've uploaded to SmugShots from my iPhone. ========================= Maybe some of the rest of the gang can provide links to their stuff... In addition to the Cruiser Route thread by John Shaw that Jeff Scofield bumped, there's also another excellent thread by Kurt Wedberg at: http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/...=true#Post81144========================= Here's hoping for a safe and successful trip for us!
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Have three great climbs! I'll looking for your posts.
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Joined: Jul 2006
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Richard Great Freaking Post!!!!
Doug, Mike and MC, you will be missed! Rumor had it I was going to flake so my Dad Shin is giving me a personal escort to the airport to make sure I get on the plane!
Excited for our trip.
Yeti
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Joined: Oct 2007
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I am sure going to miss our 4 missing compadres. And I don't have any cool technology...just hoping my camera I got will work.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Greetings from Mexico City! See you all down here soon! 
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Richard - I love the post and the pictures!!! It sounds like a great group going - you all will have SOOO much fun!! It's got to be so dissapointing for those who'd been planning on going but had to cancel, but that's life.... and there's always next year's "three-years-make-a-tradition" trip! I think I might try for that one! Have a MOST EXCELLENT trip, and those of us at home look forward to updates and trip reports!  Rosie
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." Albert Pike
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Hi Richard,
I personally delivered the "Yeti" the "Sculley" at LAX this morning. No more "Sculley".
Have a great climb.
Looking forward to your pictures and updates.
Shin
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Thanks Shin. Thought he might not show up without a little prodding. 7 of 9 (wasn't she a star trek character?) of us are waiting for him and Tracie. The fun has ready started..... 
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LOVE this post! I have to say... and doesn't matter the reason... being in the same photo line up with Doug, Mike and Shin... An honor. Thought I'd add a new 'favorite Richard pic' recently taken by Carmen Cendejas on Split Mountain via Taboose Pass to JMT to the summit.  Richard rockin' out on his 'air trekking poles'. Keep on having fun...
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Joined: Apr 2010
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just checked in looks like the descent is on from Ixta, great job! amazing trip...I need to get on it one of these years. Meanwhile here at home, Baldy has a nice white cap on it. Shin, let's go and do something while everyone is away.
Reason has seldom worked because it has seldom been tried.
-Edward Abbey
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Awesome news... And GreenMountainBoy: Orizaba '12!
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Hi GreenMountainBoy,
Yes,let's hike 10064 feet Mt. Baldy this Saturday while they are climbing over 18000 feet El Pico de Orizaba.
If you are interested,please PM me.
Shin
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,428 Likes: 7
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We went 11 of 11 on Nevado de Toluca last Sunday. (Oso and OUR Driver climbed!!!!!)
We went 8 of 8 today on Ixta. Kurt's group of 7 also had a successful summit day. (Ava and Carole sat out the climb Oso guided our group.)
There were like a million Federalis (sp?) from mid-mountain down to La Jolla. Ava and Carole have some fun photos of themselves with guys with BIG guns.
BTW: Abbas and Abraham are the other two (Friends of Doug's. Shin probably knows them as well) that make up our group of 9.
BTW 2: Scully was worse than an expectant father last night. I guess that's what happens when you talk trash weeks before a climb. He was still trying to shake the nerves all the way up.
BTW 3: Doug will love that we split up at the summit with the intention of meeting up at the top of the Ayoloco Glacier. That didn't happen and Ryan, Brandon and I lost track of his friends, Tracie and Scully. (Oso was with them, so it was no big deal.) We ended up descending different routes, but met back up at La Jolla.
We're in Puebla now and will head towards Orizaba tomorrow.
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BTW 4: Ixta is a whole lot easier when you're not chasing RG up the mountain, but I'm still finished with it. BTW 5: Ask Carole about the Gypsies we had staying with us up there... Here are some highlight photos, starting with a shot of Abraham and Abbas...   Wasn't there a recent thread on cows in the Sierra?  Ixta.  Ixta.  Popo.  The gang on the Arista del Sol.  Looking "down" the Arista del Sol.  The gang traversing the belly.  Traffic jam on the Arista del Sol. We met Kurt's group heading down a short way below the summit crater.  Ryan and Brandon approaching the "Cross" highpoint. There is some controversy about the summit of Ixta. [img] http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/photos/i-sSGK32s/0/S/i-sSGK32s-L.jpg[/img] looking down at a couple of groups on the belly glacier. [img] http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/photos/i-ZHbZ72r/0/S/i-ZHbZ72r-L.jpg[/img] Carole and Ava left us a sign of their presence. It also works as a tribute to a missing member.
Last edited by Richard P.; 11/09/11 03:17 PM. Reason: Added captions via iPhone. Don't have a power cord for my net book.
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I want to be there! Congrats on Nevado de Toluca and Ixta! Congrats to Kurt's group also. Thanks for keeping us posted... And tell Scully to chill. Remind him that Orizaba is not the biggest climb of his life. The next one is.
Last edited by m.c. reinhardt; 11/09/11 01:43 PM. Reason: just saw the M C :)
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Wow, that’s a whole bunch of Vibram on the Volcanoes  Congrats RP, Kurt and their respective crews. 2 down - one to go, WoHoo  Cool photos, thanks for sharing. Looks like you’ve got more snow on Ixta than last year. Richard, you’ll have to forgive Scully. He’s picked up a lot of Boston bad habits and trash talk at the gym, just ask Shin and Ryan Any word on Miguel and Popo? Good luck on Orizaba. Give my regards to Oso, Maribel and their staff, they're great! Don’t forget to get your Orizaba t-shirt and poster this time.
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Good Luck Everybody.
Great pics too.
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
John Muir
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Nice work everyone, both groups, I'm like MC I want to go do these now. Yeti and Tracie, proud you two made it on both, hoping you go three for three - all those crazy sub 2 hour Baldy Summits you have Rick, Shin and I set you up for paid off. Cannot wait to see everyone's pictures on the return. Thanks RP for keeping us posted, pictures are sweet - thought I did something big today by leading Ellen up Leatherneck/East Ridge to North Ridge on San Jacinto but now I'm humbled by everyone making it successfully to the summit of those volcanoes Niccccccceeeeeeeee
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I imagine the sun rises quite early when you are above 17,000 feet. Here are a couple of Richard's Spot tracks from this morning transfered to google earth. Almost there, Good job to all, be safe.
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Six of us made the summit of Orizaba, led by Oso. Congratulations to Oso, Abraham, Brandon, Ryan and Tracie for completing the Three Volcano Week! (Oh yeah, I did it too!) Here are a few photos:  Me hanging with a dangerous motorcycle gang...  We could still be in a bar drinking...  As close as I could get to the full group...  Awesome dawn sight!  Some of Kurt's group...  Nearing the summit crater rim...  Tracie, Brandon and Abraham nearing the summit.  Brandon, Abraham, Tracie, Oso and Ryan on top of Mexico!!!!!  Heading home...  Kurt's group reaching the crater rim.========== We've had limited access to the Internet while down here climing, so I'll just say thanks from the group for the kind words/comments/etc... There'll be much more to say after we get home and settle back in to a normal life... Big thanks to Oso... It was great seeing George Dunn and Kurt down there... This was a classic week! Again, congrats to all for the success climbing this week in Mexico.
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