Entries from Mount Rainier
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Nick Sinapius, Rosie Hust
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
Well, the walls we built last night turned out to be the right call. Throughout the night, the winds ramped up and snowfall continued. By the time the morning rolled around, our fate was obvious. It was going to be a weather day. With the strong winds and constant snowfall, we all snoozed our alarms and settled into our sleeping bags for a few more hours before a slow morning of scrambled eggs, ham, and English muffins. The day didn't improve much, and being outside was less than desirable, so every one settled into their homes for the day, and moved through a steady rotation of sleep, sport eating, and the occasional tv show. During any lulls, or when we all got a bit stir crazy some shoveling would partake, but most hours were spent in the tent.
We are going to wrap the night up with some Thai curry and rice noodles before heading to bed with the hope to back carry tomorrow!
RMI Guide Nikki Champion
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 12, 2026
Posted by: Ben Ammon, Leif Bergstrom, Simon Kearns, Kat Porter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
The Five Day Climb led by RMI Guide Ben Ammon took a sunrise walk to Ingraham Flats this morning, reaching 11,200'. Unstable snow conditions made their decision to turn around. The team returned to Camp Muir and plans to start their descent to Paradise around 9:30 am. They will return to Rainier BaseCamp in the early afternoon.
Posted by: Joe Hoch, Avery Stolte, Miles Watson, Julian Kral
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,800'
The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guide Joe Hoch turned at 10,800' at Cathedral Gap due to snow instability and potential avalanche danger. The team returned to Camp Muir and plans to start their descent to Paradise around 9:30 am. They will be back at Rainier BaseCamp in the early afternoon.
Posted by: Sam Hoffman, Hannah Billings, Annie Chapman, George Hedreen, Stella Johnson, David Rathbun
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
The Four Day Climb May 13 - 17 reached Camp Muir yesterday afternoon weathering the difficult conditions with smiles on their faces dispite the snow flakes whipping through the air.
Once the team reached Camp Muir, they were treated to clear skies above and a cloud deck below 9,900'. The team was unable to make a summit attempt due to the weather including several feet of new snow causing unsafe conditions. They are descending from Camp Muir and will return to Rainier BaseCamp in the early afternoon.
The Expedition Skills Seminar – Muir Team, led by Dave Hahn, ascended to Ingraham Flats this morning and determined that the new snow along the route lacked sufficient stability to safely continue higher.
The team has one remaining day on the mountain for training and will descend to Paradise tomorrow.
Posted by: Ben Luedtke, Will Ambler
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb, led by Ben Luedtke and Will Ambler, successfully reached the summit early this morning and is now on the descent.
Ben reports cold temperatures accompanied by sustained winds around 30 mph. Route conditions are firm, and skies remain overcast.
Congratulations!
Posted by: Mike King, Sam Hoffman, Ben Thorneycroft, Margo Kerr, Layne Peters, Mac Nolde, Julian Kral
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir May 2 - 7 led by RMI Guides Mike King and Sam Hoffman met for a day of training and gear checks at Rainier BaseCamp and then headed onto the mountain. The team ascended to Camp Muir on Sunday and has enjoyed sunshine and blue skies during their training. Climbers practiced ice arrest, crevasse rescue and glacier travel before making their summit attempt. Today the team launched from Camp Muir with an alpine start, reaching the summit of Mt. Rainier at sunrise via the Ingraham Direct route. RMI Guide Sam Hoffman reported sunshine and moderate winds during their summit climb. The team has returned to Camp Muir where they will spend their final night on the mountain. Tomorrow they will descend to Paradise and return to BaseCamp to conclude their program.
Nice work team!
PC: Sam Hoffman and Layne Peters
Posted by: Ben Luedtke, Nick Sinapius, Celeste Wilson, Erika Barrett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The first RMI team of the 2026 Mt. Rainier season has reached the summit!
RMI Guide Ben Luedtke led the first Five Day Climb April 29 - 3 May. The group met Wednesday for their Orientation and Gear check, completed their Mountaineering School on Thursday and asended to Camp Muir on Friday. Yesterday the team trained near Camp Muir and this morning launched their alpine start. Ben and a small group of climbers reached the summit around 7 am. Ben reported sunny conditions with a light breeze and a beautiful day. The climbers will return to Camp Muir and then continue to Paradise this afternoon. We look forward to celebrating with them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations team!
Our McKinley Prep Course wrapped up a highly successful few days of training in the Edith Creek Basin. The team practiced sled pulling, camp craft, crevasse rescue, and a range of essential alpine skills they’ll rely on this upcoming season during their climb of the West Buttress of Mount McKinley.
A big thanks to experienced lead guides Mike King and Dan May for sharing their knowledge and helping the team sharpen their skills. With a mix of sunny skies and periods of low visibility, conditions provided a realistic preview of what life can be like on the slopes of McKinley—making the training both challenging and invaluable.
Posted by: Nick Sinapius, Julian Kral, Celeste Wilson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
The Paradise Seminar August 22 - 27 led by RMI Guide Nick Sinapius is completing their training and their program today. After several days of training on the lower slopes of Mt. Rainier, the team bumped their camp near Camp Muir yesterday and was ready to put their training to the test. Unfortunately, the weather and route didn't quite cooperate for them to make a summit attempt. The team is now descending to Paradise. They will conclude their program this afternoon with a small celebration of their adventure.
Nice work team!
