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Alaska Seminar: Return to Talkeetna

Posted by: Jason Thompson | May 12, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

After a great training seminar in the Alaska Range and a few days waiting out the weather at Base Camp, RMI Guide Jason Thompson and team have returned to Talkeetna.

The team awoke to clear skies and anxiously awaited the sound of aircraft over head.  They weren’t disappointed.  Everyone is back in Talkeetna looking forward to warm showers and a meal they don’t have to make themselves.  They will be transferring to Anchorage later this afternoon.

Congratulations on a safe and successful week!

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Mt. McKinley: Walter & Team Enroute to Base Camp

Posted by: Mike Walter, Pete Van Deventer, Maile Wade | May 12, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

The May 8th Mt. McKinley Expedition led by RMI Guides Mike Walter, Pete Van Deventer and Maile Wade is now en route to Base Camp.  The weather in Talkeetna was clear this morning and the team headed for the K2 Aviation hanger.

Good luck on your expedition!

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Mt. McKinley: Walter & Team Make Most of their Talkeetna Time

Posted by: Mike Walter, Pete Van Deventer, Maile Wade | May 11, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

We spent the day waiting for our weather window to fly on to the glacier, but two feet of snow at Base Camp last night and continuing snow through today have so far prevented us from making it on. Rather than idly twiddling our thumbs, we decided to make the best of a warm dry hanger and practice our crevasse rescue skills and self rescue systems. Everyone is feeling better about their systems after a lot of practice and playing with knots and tricks. We still have one and a half hours to go before the planes are grounded for the night, increasingly it is looking like tomorrow morning is more likely for flying. Hopefully our next post will come from there glacier!

Best,
RMI Guide Peter Van Deventer

Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with us today, and we were unable to fly in to Base Camp once again. While it seems as though the weather is improving, the conditions were not conducive to flying; no planes left Talkeetna today with the intention of trying to land at Base Camp. We took advantage of the down time today and did some dry-land review of crevasse rescue. There were also some pretty competitive games of ping pong going on this afternoon in the Hangar as we waited on standby for the weather to clear. We’re all eager to fly, but we understand that climbing Denali requires patience. Hopefully we get a break tomorrow and can fly in to Base Camp and establish ourselves on the mountain. In the meantime, we’re enjoying Talkeetna.

Cheers,
RMI Guide Mike Walter

On The Map

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Alaska Seminar: Lots of New Snow at Base Camp

Posted by: Jason Thompson | May 11, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

Well the snow continues to pile up. Our storm board is reading 68 cm of snow in the past 36-hour period. The wind has been picking up, intensifying the storm. Turns out, this storm is a little bigger then they first thought.

We spent three hours this morning digging out our tents and the cook tent. We’re all staying busy here on the glacier, experiencing the other part of Alaska, the weather.

Well not too much else to report, hopefully we’ll be off the glacier sooner then later.

RMI Guide Jason Thompson

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Mt. Everest Expedition: Sherpa Team Moving Supplies on Upper Mountain

Posted by: Dave Hahn | May 11, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Everest
Elevation: 17,575'

Hey Dave Hahn calling from Mount Everest. We’re at Base Camp. Our Sherpa team, Lam Babu and the guys are rested at Camp 2 today. They hope that they are going to put in a carry of gear and supplies up the South Col tomorrow. Early tomorrow they will try to reach 8,000 meters. The climbing team, we’re still taking it easy at Base Camp trying to keep our activity level up hiking, and visiting with friends and playing games. The weather forecast is still for a little bit higher winds to come in the next couple of days. There is not any effort at the moment between the climbing teams, the various climbing teams around us, to prioritize between going to the summit. That will come after those winds spike up and then we hope those higher winds leave the mountain and give us some better conditions. So it will probably all going to be happening after the middle of the month. A little bit of waiting time at Base Camp but not bad for us. Bye for now.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

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Mt. McKinley: Weather Keeps Team Walter in Talkeetna for Another Day

Posted by: Mike Walter | May 10, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

Good evening from Talkeetna. The weather didn’t cooperate with us today, and we were unable to fly in to Base Camp. The snow and clouds never lifted from the Kahiltna Glacier, making it impossible to fly planes into the Range.

We were all suited up and ready for show time this morning, but our plans got put on hold. We waited around all day, hoping that the weather would lift and let us begin this adventure. We have all spent countless hours training and preparing for, and dreaming of, this climb. And we’re all excited to see this adventure start and our dreams come to fruition. But we also know that this is a long expedition, and we must be patient. For now, we’ll enjoy the creature comforts of life for another night…a good dinner, a warm bed, and a hot shower.

We’ll touch base again tomorrow.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

On The Map

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Alaska Seminar: Waiting for a Weather Window

Posted by: Jason Thompson | May 10, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

There was about two feet of new snow last night at Kahiltna Base Camp.  It is currently snowing and visibility is low.  We are in standby mode and playing cards with our one set of 48 cards. 

It turns out the little snow storm from yesterday is lasting into today. We are waiting for some clear weather and our flight off the glacier. The thunderous vibrations of avalanches somewhere off into the thick clouds are pretty cool canceling out the wind and the snow battering the tent. Everyone has had a great time, but most are ready for some beers.

Signing out from the land of positive vibrations.

RMI Guide Jason Thompson

On The Map

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Mt. McKinley: Mike Walter & Team in Talkeetna

Posted by: Mike Walter, Pete Van Deventer, Maile Wade | May 10, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

Yesterday was the first full day of the 2012 RMI Denali season. After a great team breakfast at the historic Talkeetna Roadhouse, we headed to the National Park Service for our pre-climb orientation meeting, followed by a full day of packing and sorting our gear at the K2 Aviation hangar.

We’re all excited for this trip to start, and optimistic that we will be able to fly on to the Kahiltna Glacier today. There are some clouds in the sky, and a little precipitation in the forecast, so we’ll see if the planes are able to fly or not. Hopefully our next dispatch is sent from the glacier…either way, we’ll keep you posted.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

On The Map

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Alaska Seminar: Climb of Mt. Frances

Posted by: Jason Thompson | May 10, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,200'

Hello once again. We went out to play today in the Alaska range. Our objective was Mt Frances which sits just north of the base camp. We are camping at 7,200 ft, Mt Frances sits at 10,450 ft. We left camp at 8 am in the cold morning air, the sun was just coming around the south buttress of Denali to touch the north buttress of Mt Hunter.
Our climbing involved a glacier approach via what some people refer to as rackets or otherwise snowshoes. We then transitioned into our crampons and went climbing up a super fun 1,200 ft chute. We climbed up steep snow surrounded by beautiful Alaskan granite and pitched things out a few times, where we gained the East ridge.
The views from the ridge and summit offered glimpses of some amazing features in the range. Masioli’s tower sticks out in plain site as does the south face of Denali.
Our problem today was that the views quickly disappeared. Some weather came in and it began to snow.  We began our descent and five rappels later we were back on the glacier. Everyone did great and had a super fun time.
The plan is to fly off tomorrow back into Talkeetna.

A very successful trip up here in Alaska.
RMI Guide Jason Thompson

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Mt. Everest Expedition: The Waiting Game

Posted by: Dave Hahn | May 10, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Everest
Elevation: 17,575'

Resting at Base Camp is a little bit of a deceptive phrase.  It is 17,300 feet, and rest (even after weeks spent here) is hard to come by.  The more days we spend here, the less restful it seems.  But waiting and patience have always been part of the Everest climbing season.  It is a gentle reminder that we are here climbing on the mountain’s terms rather then our own.  And the terms are dynamic.  We have been looking closely at the weather every day, while also watching the conditions on the upper mountain slowly evolve into something more favorable for our summit bid.  Yesterday our climbing Sherpa headed up to Camp 2, with their sights set on getting the higher camps built.  I just heard the fast Nepali words come over the radio; they are back safely at Camp 2 after building a suitable Camp 3.  It is all shaping up, but of course for us, this means only a flicker of light in the tunnel of a summit push.  There is still a considerable amount of resting and waiting to be done. So now it is slow days of rebuilding our Base Camp tent platforms, card games, books and walks around the area. The team is doing well, everyone is happy and thankful to be waiting at the feet of a giant and watching carefully for the right time to climb.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

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