RMI Expeditions BlogRSS

Posts from 07/2012

Mt. Elbrus: Team’s Last Day in St. Petersburg

Posted by: J.J. Justman | July 31, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Elbrus Southside

Its a sad day. Our Mt. Elbrus Expedition is over. I cannot tell you how much fun I have had with both my teams in Russia this year. I have climbed the highest mountain in Europe with old friends and I have made new friends along the way.

Tonight was the perfect way to end the adventure…on the canal waterways of one of the most magnificent cities in the world!

Enjoy a glimpse of the beauty…

RMI Guide J.J. Justman

Sign Up For Elbrus Southside 2012 Email Alerts

---

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Enjoy First Day on Safari

Posted by: Mark Tucker | July 31, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Kilimanjaro

All right you deserve to know.  We have to be honest to all of you that have been following our trip. We have not been roughing it.

Tables and chairs on the mountain, hot water for washing at each camp. Fifty five local staff with us throughout the Kilimanjaro climb. We could carry any or nothing throughout the day.  Fresh foods at each meal. You would have loved it.

Now here we are at the Plantation Lodge with white table cloths and fine china, eating incredible curry chicken and organic garden fresh salad, do not even want to rub in what we had for desert.  All this after an awesome day of game viewing in Lake Manyara National Park.

I feel so much better now that you are in the loop.  Wish I could say that it’s tough surviving here in wild Africa but that would just not be true.

It is a real vacation now after a pretty physical week on the big hill.  There are a few sore and tired muscles but over all the team is in great shape.  We said a sad good-bye to one member of the group as he started his trip back to the USA, he had to get back for work.  We will miss his wonderful sense of humor and great companionship.

Tomorrow we are off to one of the great natural wonders of the world - Ngorongoro Crater.  Where there are so many animals in a small space,  I better get the camera battery charged up tonight.

All is well,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker

Sign Up For Kilimanjaro 2012 Email Alerts

2

---

Kilimanjaro: Seth & Team Arrive Arusha

Posted by: Seth Waterfall | July 31, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Kilimanjaro

Everyone has made it to Arusha, Tanzania!  A few of the team arrived early and the rest of us just flew in.  It’s a loooong trip from the USA!  All of our baggage is here so tomorrow we’ll check the gear and pack up for our Kilimanjaro ascent.

RMI Guide Seth Waterfall

Sign Up For Kilimanjaro 2012 Email Alerts

4

---

Mt. Elbrus: JJ Justman & Team Sightseeing in St. Petersburg

Posted by: J.J. Justman | July 31, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Elbrus Southside

Hello everyone! It is Team Elbrus reporting from St. Petersburg. Last evening we had a great celebration in Cheget. I cannot fully explain how thrilled I am to have climbed with such a great team. We had a diverse group. Our youngest member, Charlotte, is 16 and tough as nails! I had to apologize on summit day because Elbrus wasn’t high enough for her as she casually strolled to the summit. Our oldest team member makes me hope that I will be as strong at that age, especially since I will most likely be guiding into my late 80’s.

We made it into St. Petersburg and we are resting and relaxing in our beautiful hotel near one of the city’s canals. We have a full day of touring this beautiful city. Stay tuned for some great videos and photos of our final day in this fantastic country.

RMI Guide JJ Justman

Sign Up For Elbrus Southside 2012 Email Alerts

3

---

Mt. Rainier: July 31st Update

Posted by: Gabriel Barral, Mike Haugen, Tyler Reid | July 31, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'

Another beautiful day on Mt. Rainier and another summit!  Congratulations to the Four Day Summit Climb!  The team spent some time marveling in the views and great weather before starting their descent at 7:45 a.m. 

RMI Guide Mike Haugen’s Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz checked in from their camp at 13,000’, atop the Wapowty Cleaver.  They are enjoying a perfect day of Crevasse Rescue Training and hanging out in the sunshine.  Mike received the “best weather report”  and they are planning on heading for Columbia Crest early in the morning and hope to meet the RMI Four & Five Day Summit Climb teams on top of Mt. Rainier.

RMI Guide Tyler Reid and the Expeditions Skills Seminar - Emmons are beginning four days on the northside of Mt. Rainier where they will gain valuable mountaineering skills and try for the summit later in the week. They will make their first camp tonight at 7,500’ on the Inter Glacier.

In the North Cascades, RMI Guide Mike Walter and team reached the summit of Forbidden Peak via the West Ridge.  They described a beautiful and warm day.  The team descended to their camp in Boston Basin and will complete the walk out to the trail head tomorrow morning.

Congratulations to all the team’s that reached the summit today!

4

---

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Getting Ready for their Safari

Posted by: Mark Tucker | July 30, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Kilimanjaro

We had an easy hike out of Kilimanjaro National Park this morning.  After such a full day on the mountain yesterday, it was just a walk in the park today. A nice lunch was prepared for us at the Mweka Gate, which is the exit point from our route in Kilimanjaro National Park. Had a nice send off with our local staff with singing, dancing and gifting for the great service we had throughout the trip.

After our celebration dinner it is now time to repack for the next part of the adventure…. SAFARI here we come! 

RMI Guide Mark Tucker

Sign Up For Kilimanjaro 2012 Email Alerts

1

---

Mt. Rainier: July 30th Summit!

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Solveig Waterfall | July 30, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'

RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer led the Four Day Summit Climb July 27 - 30 to the summit of Mt. Rainier today.  The Five Day Summit Climb July 26 - 30 led by Solveig Waterfall also topped out this morning.  The teams reached the crater rim around 6:30 a.m.  They reported clear skies, light wind and chilly temperatures.  They were able to enjoy the view from the summit for 1 hour before beginning their descent.  The teams will return to Camp Muir and then continue their descent to Paradise later this afternoon.

Congratulations to today’s teams!

2

---

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Safely Back to 10,000’ Camp

Posted by: Mark Tucker | July 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 10,000'

Mark Tucker checking in from Tanzania here at our last camp on this trip of Kilimanjaro.  We are all down safe and sound; good spirits and good health.  What a day! Beautiful summit, chilly and windy.  Hopefully you got that message from the top. We pushed our way down to 10,000’, so a 9,000’ descent. Everybody’s feeling it. Ready to go to sleep. A great meal.  Looking forward to getting up pretty early and getting out of here. Have a nice celebration and take care of our fabulous local staff that has been providing us with this great service. I’d love to think we could do it without them but we’d be here for a couple of months. Everybody back home, all your friends and family are in great shape. Everybody did a fantastic job of doing what they could on the mountain. We’ll check in after a good night’s rest.

RMI Guide Mark Tucker

On The Map

Sign Up For Kilimanjaro 2012 Email Alerts

5

---

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Summit!

Posted by: Mark Tucker | July 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 19,340'

Darned if I’m not standing on the top of Africa!  Here on Uhuru Peak with the team. Everybody’s looking good.  A little beat up but not so bad; no issues.  We’re taking a few shots. It was a cold and windy one. Man, freezing, all layers on. But these guys know how to climb, they demonstrated it. They all did it with great style and impeccable technique. We’re looking forward to a safe descent and back to that high camp sooner than later.  All is well, we’ll check in again later.

RMI Guide Mark Tucker

On The Map

Sign Up For Kilimanjaro 2012 Email Alerts

1

---

Mt. Rainier: July 29th Update

Posted by: Dave Hahn | July 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'

Congratulations to RMI Guide Dave Hahn and the Big City Mountaineers’ Summit for Someone team that reached the Mt. Rainier summit!  With good weather and route conditions, Dave and his team spent some time on top before starting their descent at 9:45 a.m.  They are working their way back to Camp Muir and will finish their celebration of today’s accomplishments at Rainier Basecamp this afternoon.

3

---

More Entries