- Melissa Arnot
- Alex Barber
- Gabriel Barral
- Jake Beren
- Zeb Blais
- Katie Bono
- Anne Gilbert Chase
- Sean Collon
- Leon Davis
- Elias de Andres Martos
- Cody Doolan
- Paul Edgren
- Mark Falender
- Leah Fisher
- Eric Frank
- Steve Gately
- Josh Gautreau
- Thomas Greene
- Casey Grom
- Dave Hahn
- Walter Hailes
- Tim Hardin
- Mike Haugen
- Andy Hildebrand
- Mike Hinckley
- Joe Horiskey
- Nick Hunt
- Tyler Jones
- J.J. Justman
- Levi Kepsel
- Mike King
- Adam Knoff
- Katy Laveck
- Ben Liken
- Josh Maggard
- Paul Maier
- Linden Mallory
- Lindsay Mann
- Andres Marin
- Jeff Martin
- Erik Nelson
- Billy Nugent
- Brent Okita
- Logan Randolph
- Tyler Reid
- Dave Reynolds
- Kel Rossiter
- Geoff Schellens
- Shaun Sears
- Garrett Stevens
- Jason Thompson
- Mike Tomlinson
- Mark Tucker
- Mike Uchal
- Pete Van Deventer
- Alex Van Steen
- Ed Viesturs
- Maile Wade
- Mike Walter
- Seth Waterfall
- Solveig Waterfall
- Peter Whittaker
- Win Whittaker
- Bryson Williams
- Dan Windham
- Robby Young
Entries By jason thompson
Alaska Seminar: Ready to Tackle Kahiltna Dome
Posted by: Jason Thompson, Eric Frank | May 19, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 9,600'
Hello all. We moved our camp up to about 9,600 ft. Temperatures were perfect for us during the walk. It just started to get hot as we pulled into camp. Everyone did great today. We built a fortress of a camp constructed with cohesive blocks of snow. We used them for walls around our camp to shield us from the wind.
Light snow began falling this afternoon but we are hoping to wake up to blue skies and stable weather for our climb on Kahiltna Dome tomorrow.
That’s all for now.
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Alaska Seminar: Team Moves to 7,800’ Camp
Posted by: Eric Frank, Jason Thompson | May 18, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,800'
This morning we woke to clear skies and chilly temperatures. After warming our hands with breakfast and hot tea or coffee, we packed up camp and tied into our ropes to leave the basecamp area. The goal for the day was moving to 7,800’ camp on the main flow of the Kahiltna Glacier. We enjoyed pleasant temperatures and excellent conditions on the glacier, enabling us to make the trip in just under five hours. As one of the first teams to arrive for the day we were able to move into some pre-dug tent platforms. The peaks surrounding us are shining in the sun and shimmering blue ice is all around. Quite the view from our new home.
The weather forecast is great and we are looking forward to our next few days.
RMI Guides Eric Frank, Jason Thompson and the AK Seminar team
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Alaska Seminar: Enjoying Training in Nice Weather
Posted by: Jason Thompson | May 17, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'
Well today we began our day a little earlier than usual. We elected to go for a little glacier tour this morning and with how hot its been during the day the cool temps felt nice. We went to the base of Annie’s Ridge and had a little glaciology talk from a rad location. On the walk back we saw a big ice fall release on Mt. Foraker which was lovely, they are always impressive no matter how many times you see them.
We chilled out this afternoon hiding from the afternoon sun. We regrouped for a crevasse rescue station. Everyone is sending and building mechanical advantage systems to haul climbers skyward. We are also organizing our gear for a move tomorrow up towards Kahiltna Dome which sits at 12,525’. If the weather plays nice, hopefully we will be back in 4 days.
On The Map
Alaska Seminar: Training at Kahiltna Base Camp
Posted by: Jason Thompson, Eric Frank | May 16, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'
Well hello all.
Last week temperatures were frigid. I am happy to say today was downright balmy. We’ll take it.
We spent our entire day today going over some critical information. Laying the ground work for crevasse rescue. A lot of information was downloaded and everyone seemed to grasp the concepts. Knots, anchors, rappelling into a crevasse, self extrication from a crevasse were some of our topics on this beautiful day.
Kahiltna Base Camp is getting busier by the day. More and more climbers are showing up to head up Denali, other friends are finding success on various routes on the Mini Moon Flower and the North Buttress of Mt Hunter with this current stretch of superb weather.
Word on the street is temperatures are about to get really hot the next few days. We will let you know how that plays out.
Everyone is doing great and says hello.
RMI Guide Jason Thompson
On The Map
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Alaska Seminar: Team flies to Base Camp
Posted by: Eric Frank, Jason Thompson | May 15, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,200'
Hello from the Alaska Range,
We departed Talkeetna this afternoon and the flight onto the glacier was spectacular, no one was disappointed. We quickly set up our camp on the SE fork of the Kahiltna Glacier and are beginning to adjust to glacier living. The weather is splendid.
We are looking forward to beginning our training tomorrow and will let you know how it goes.
On The Map
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Alaska Seminar: Program Recap
Posted by: Jason Thompson | May 14, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'
Our time in the Alaska Range finished wrapped up just a couple of days ago. We had an extra 2 bonus days in the mountains. Our fly off date was set, but the weather determines our true fly off date. The snow began to fall the night before our scheduled departure date, it kept snowing for the following 2 days. Veteran climbers stated that this had been one of the biggest snowstorms, at Base Camp, that they could remember in the past
7 years. Over 3 ft of snow fell in a little more than a 36 hr period. We woke up on Saturday morning to crystal clear skies, soon the planes began to fill the skies. Everyone at base camp looking for a flight out spent the previous evening stomping out the run way for the planes. Still, when the planes landed it was obvious how deep the snow was for the planes. I think the pilots were getting faceshots, as the snow was hitting the windshields of the planes. We all arrived back in Talkeetna in the early afternoon, on Saturday.
The week consisted of lots of information being uploaded and downloaded to a very enthusiastic group of climbers. Us guides were very impressed with how much information this group of climbers soaked up. Topics covered a wide variety of mountain tactics, how to simply live comfortably in an environment that was cold and snowy, how to set up a camp, crevasse rescue, snow and ice anchors, climber responsibilities, avalanches and rescue, ice climbing and the list continues.
Everyone had a great time experiencing the Alaska range. Ideas have already been hatched for future trips to visit Little Switzerland, the Ruth Gorge or other objectives around the base camp area, from members of this group. Climbing around the Kahiltna base camp area offers a great experience for your first time to Alaska. Hopefully we will see you up here soon.
Everyone is on their way home now but memories will last a long time of this very special place.
Thanks again from Jason, Andres, Anne Gilbert and RMI
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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!
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.
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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.
On The Map
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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