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Alaska Expedition Seminar: Marin & Team Enjoy Spectacular Views While Training

Posted by: Andres Marin, Garrett Stevens, Katie Bono | May 19, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

Today we woke up with clear skies!  After breakfast we shouldered our packs and went for a hike to the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. The Fork offers spectacular views of the North Buttress of Mt. Hunter, South Face of Radio Tower, and the West Face of Kahiltna Queen.  We also learned about snow anchors and glacier travel.  It was really nice to be able to stretch our legs and hike around.  It certainly was a fantastic day.

We also had the opportunity to eat dinner outside enjoying the incredible views.  The weather is looking nice for the rest of the week, so we will be getting around.

Everyone is doing great!

RMI Guide Andres Marin

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Alaska Expedition Seminar: Marin & Team Holding Strong at Basecamp

Posted by: Andres Marin, Garrett Stevens, Katie Bono | May 18, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

It is fascinating how much the weather can test us.  One more day of a strong storm kept us in camp, but we find things to do to keep ourselves busy.

Here is how the day went for us:
Woke up with about a foot of new snow, had to do some maintenance in camp before any items got buried.  Then time to eat breakfast.  Lisa, Kahiltna Basecamp Manager, rallied everybody in basecamp to stomp the runway, then we did a class in avalanche decision making and transceiver and probing work.  After dinner, Akira finished snow blocks to make an arch that marks the entrance of our bathroom.  Impressive work!!!  Now it is time for us to go sleep.

The strong front that is passing should start weakening tomorrow.  High hopes for that.

We all are staying happy and learning from the mountain.

Living the dream!!!!

RMI Guide Andres Marin

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Alaska Expedition Seminar: Marin & Team Train Close to Camp

Posted by: Andres Marin, Garrett Stevens, Katie Bono | May 17, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

As in all expeditions weather always play a big part.  Today we experienced a pretty big storm that will be on the radar for the next three days.  The forecast is calling for 4 feet of total snow fall with winds up to 40 mph.

We spent the day learning basic knots and learning to take care of camp during a storm.  The weather was a big part of today’s lesson.  It has snowed about a foot and is still snowing as I’m sending this dispatch.

We all are staying busy and dry and doing well.  We’ll see what happens over night.  Will keep you posted.

RMI Guide Andres Marin

 

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Alaska Expedition Seminar: Marin & Team’s Snow School on the Glacier

Posted by: Andres Marin, Garrett Stevens, Katie Bono | May 16, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

Today we woke up with a deep blue sky and a 360-degree view.  The team slept well for our first night on the glacier.  After some coffee and breakfast, we all had the experience to try the CMCs which is one of the biggest novelties of the trip.

Once we were well fueled and ready to head out of camp, we traveled over to a slope close to camp and completed our snow school.  Lots of learning and reviewing made for a fun day on the glacier.

All and all a great day!

RMI Guide Andres Marin

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Alaska Expedition Seminar: Andres and Team Fly on to Glacier

Posted by: Andres Marin, Katie Bono, Garrett Stevens | May 15, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

We had the to opportunity to fly today, and get established in base camp. The flight over the Alaska Range was incredible, the group was totally stunned by the views. We built our camp and ate some delicious quesadillas that Garrett Stevens made. Then called it for the day. It is really cool at base camp right now. Time to rest and get ready for a great day tomorrow.

All best,

RMI Guide Andres Marin & The Expedition Seminar Team.

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Alaska Expedition Seminar: Marin & Team Prepare for Takeoff

Posted by: Andres Marin, Garrett Stevens, Katie Bono | May 14, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley

Yesterday we all met at the Anchorage Airport, drove to Wasilla and bought some food before reaching our final destination of the day, Talkeetna.  Once we arrived and settled in, the group had the opportunity to check out Talkeetna and enjoy their great food.

Today we have a super busy day ahead of us.  Breakfast, check in with the National Park Service, pack our gear, and if weather permits, fly onto the Kahiltna Glacier and set up camp. Sounds simple but believe me it is a lot!  We are all very excited for the flight to the glacier.  In my opinion, it is one of the many highlights of climbing in the Alaska Range.

We will be checking in later on.

All best,
RMI Guide Andres Marin and the Alaska Expedition Seminar

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Aconcagua: Nugent & Team Celebrating Back in Mendoza

Posted by: Billy Nugent, Garrett Stevens, Mike King | February 18, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua

Hey All!

Checking in one last time here from Mendoza where our intrepid crew has just checked in at our hotel, dusty and stinking from 15 days on the trail. After our rough awakening at Camp Cólera and rallying “lights and sirens” style to save our camp we had a relatively uneventful walk down to Basecamp where we were greeted by the great staff at Grajales. Then there was yesterday’s walk from Basecamp to Pampa de Leñas which is normally a bone-crusher, this time it was all gravy after our battle up at Cólera. The herrieros (mule drivers) at Pampa de Leñas treated us to a delicious asado that was mostly beef tenderloin, salted and grilled over wood coals! The crew was very appreciative after so many days of hard work. After sleeping out under the stars last night, today saw another seven miles of easy walking til we hit the road and loaded up for our shuttle to Mendoza. We are certainly tired but, again, very psyched on our accomplishment and intend to spend the next several days enjoying Argentine cuisine and wine. The gang is even going to head out on a group winery tour in a couple days since we’re kinda stuck here with our early arrival from the mountain. Lotsa love from way down south, signing off…

RMI Guide Billy Nugent

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Aconcagua: Nugent & Team Safely Back to Basecamp

Posted by: Billy Nugent, Garrett Stevens, Mike King | February 17, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'

Hey everyone, Billy calling checking in again. Had a really rough day coming down the mountain yesterday, but everyone made it down in one piece. We got back to High Camp with nice weather and then the weather just kinda gradually turned for the worst through the evening. And by about 5 In the morning, we were fighting about 80 mile an hour gust of winds just battling to keep our camp in one piece. And at first light, around 6:30, we pretty much had to get out of the tents and we’re just battling hurricane force winds and to get everybody’s stuff together and we got everything out of Camp Cholera.  Moved on down to our Camp 2 and reput up tents and cooked breakfast and filled water bottles and recuperated from the hellish evening.  And after that everybody walked on down to Basecamp last night and we enjoyed an awesome steak dinner, courtesy of the great Basecamp staff at Grajales. We are all geared up, everything’s been loaded on mules and we’re now headed for Pampa de Lenas and tonight will be our last night on the trail and tomorrow we are headed to Mendoza.  We’ll check in one more time tomorrow, after we’ve made it safely to the road.  Ciao, ciao.

RMI Guide Billy Nugent

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Aconcagua: Nugent & Team Reach Summit!

Posted by: Billy Nugent, Garrett Stevens, Mike King | February 15, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 22,841'

11:39 a.m. PST Billy Nugent & Team called and they are safely back at High Camp.  It has started snowing so they are packing up and heading for Plaza Argentina.  The team is doing great and they will send an update when they get there.

Hey everybody, I am checking in for our Aconcagua crew giving you guys a call from the summit.  We are [broken] clear skies [broken] and 100% of our crew on the summit.  We are all giving hi-fives, taking pictures and just looking around kind of in awe.  I’ll give a call when we get back to camp safe and sound but until then, ciao ciao.

RMI Guide Billy Nugent

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Aconcagua: Nugent & Team Going for the Summit

Posted by: Billy Nugent, Garrett Stevens, Mike King | February 14, 2013
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Aconcagua
Elevation: 19,600'

Hey everybody, this is Billy checking in for Mike King and Garrett Stevens and the rest of our crew. We are at high camp on Aconcagua at about 19,600 feet and we made our move up today. And we’re gonna be hopefully taking a crack at the top tomorrow. Because it is the only weather window that we have. There is a wind event that is coming on that is supposed to blow 75 miles an hour at the summit for the next 5 or so days out in the extended forecast. So our chance is now. We’re hoping things are going to lighten up for us right now. Kind of a little bit crappy here at [Camp] Cholera. Fair bit of blowing snow and about 20 mile an hour winds maybe gusts of 30 to 35. But yeah, keep your fingers crossed, and we’ll give you guys a call in a little bit and let you know how it all went down. Ciao.

RMI Guide Billy Nugent

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