June 10, 2017 12:07 am PST It was a day of decisions. The team sadly broke apart today, with the main group heading down, and two strong and driven individuals opting to stay on the mountain to give 'er another try. Caught in the middle I was torn between sticking with the two and going for the summit, or sticking with the main part of the team. After anguishing over the decision, I chose to finish off the expedition with the team, rather than lead our two erstwhile members to the top. A sketchy forecast helped me in my decision, and I think my two climbers will have a better chance of summiting with the groups I left them with. They'll be joining Tyler and Jake's teams, who have a bit more time than I to wait for good weather. So here we are, in our tents at 11,200' camp waiting for the night to referee the glacier so we can travel over its frozen surface to minimize the risk of crevasse falls that have been occurring much more than normal lately. It's sad separating from our two teammates, and leaving the mountain without a summit under our belts. For me it's been twenty five trips since I've not summited. But folks are in good spirits. I think we all really appreciate the time we've spent here, the friendships developed, the hard times as well as the fun times. In two hours we awaken for one last day on the glacier. That is, as long as the air service can pick us up in the morning. With any luck, next time I chat with you I'll have had a shower, eaten a big ol' steak and perhaps consumed an adult beverage or two. Good night from 11,200'. RMI Guides Brent Okita, Christina Dale and JT Schmitt

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