Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Our departure this morning was earlier than anyone wanted, but gave us plenty of time at the Moscow International Airport to sort out our numerous duffels, get everything checked, and have a quick breakfast and coffee before we boarded. The flight to
Kislovodsk was uneventful (as they all should be), and soon we were blazing down the road in a minibus towards our hotel. While the team did some food shopping and relaxed, the guides made a trip to our outfitters to grab some stored gear. We got the special treatment, returning in a Russian jeep!
We've had dinner, checked through our gear, and are ready for bed and a departure for the mountain tomorrow morning.
Best,
RMI Guides
Pete Van Deventer,
Mike Uchal, and team
Today we woke to African birds singing in the trees and dik diks and monkeys roaming the garden-like grounds of our hotel. We got down to the business of preparing for tomorrow’s departure. But it was a leisurely business, to be sure. A morning meeting gave us the chance to get to know one another and to understand how we’ll tackle a 19,340 ft mountain together. A round of gear checks followed and the team then got into packing, sorting and organizing. We checked the weight of our bags after lunch and a bit of free time followed.
Kilimanjaro broke through the clouds in early afternoon and many of the team climbed the observation tower on the hotel grounds to get a view. Some walked into the nearby village of Usa River to stretch their legs and some napped away the jet lag. We gathered for a fine dinner together and laughed through a few shared stories and misadventures. We’ve got the morning planned out -departure at eight, Kilimanjaro awaits.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
RMI Guide Mike Walter and his team are on the summit of Mt. Shuksan. They climbed the
Fisher Chimneys and then the southeast ridge to the summit. The team will descend back to their high camp to stay for the night.
Congratulations to the team!
Our
Five-Day Mt. Rainier Climb reached the summit this morning.
RMI Guide Alan Davis called in from the crater rim and reported clear skies and a beautiful day of climbing. The team will descend back to Paradise this afternoon.
Summit!
RMI Guide Jake Beren and his team reached the top of
Mt. Rainier, the highest point in Washington! The team enjoyed blue skies and warm mountain temperatures. After spending time on the summit, the team is currently on their descent to Camp Muir.
The trip has just begun, but we’re already declaring success! Each and every climber -and that would be eleven of us- made it from the far flung corners of the United States of America to the outskirts of
Arusha, in the heart of Tanzania, without missing a flight or losing any luggage.
A fair percentage of the team goes by the name Mike, or Robert or Dave -which made introductions pretty easy. Since all are sleepy after such extensive travel, we haven’t gone much beyond introductions yet. Tomorrow we’ll get to the nuts and bolts of prepping to climb
Kilimanjaro. Tonight it was all about getting settled at the Arumeru River Lodge and getting some rest.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
The team assembled in Moscow yesterday evening for the start to our
Elbrus Northside adventure. We kept things brief, as many of us were working off the affects of many hours of transatlantic flights, and headed out for a nice dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Moscow River. This morning it was time to kick it into tourist gear and explore some of the historical architecture in and around the Kremlin. We met our tour guide Victoria in a bustling Red Square and joined the queue to file through Lenin’s Tomb to see his body. We emerged from the darkness to cross Red Square and enter St. Basil's Cathedral. The building is actually made up of 11 individual churches, all connected, that were built and dedicated to a variety of saints; some local heroes of Moscow, and some of the Eastern Orthodox religion. After a quick swing through the GUM department store, we swung around the walls of the Kremlin to the entrance and filtered through the main gate. Inside, buildings from a variety of time periods, some dating back to the Czars and emperors, some built during communism, house a variety of museums, assembly and concert venues, and current Russian government offices. Of interest to us were the five cathedrals towards the back of the Kremlin. Cathedrals that were used for the coronation of emperors, to hold the remains of royalty, to be the head of the Eastern Orthodox religion, and to be the location for royal baptisms, weddings, and other major events.
Our whirlwind tour of cathedrals concluded, and we wandered into the old city for lunch, before making our way back across the Moscow River to our hotel for a little free time. We got together this evening for another delicious meal atop yet another Moscow building, this one themed around mushrooms and all of their unique flavors. We’ve only just gotten off the planes it feels like, but early tomorrow, we’ll be back on the road to the airport, headed for
Kislovodsk, our departure point for the mountain and our objective. It will feel good to be closer to the hills, and to the rhythms of climbing that we're accustomed. We'll check in tomorrow from Kislovodsk.
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
RMI Guide Eric Frank and the
Mt. Rainier Summit Climb team reached the summit just after 7:00 a.m. The weather is nice with blue skies and winds between 15 - 20 mph. The team is currently on top enjoying the views before they begin their descent back down the mountain.
Awaiting to board our planes that will eventually bring us home and to the loved ones we've been away from for two weeks we're all excited yet sad to see our big adventure come to an end. That our team is breaking apart is even sadder. We've come to know and appreciate one another to no small degree. Sharing life as closely as we have, and with such warm, generous souls, is a special experience. Plans to climb together again are thrown up and we'll see if they stick. I know right now we'd all like to get back together.
As I reflect back on this trip I'm reminded why I've chosen this career and am thankful for the opportunities that have come my way. This trip has been extra special because of the people on it. They are the reason I continue pursuing my craft and livelihood. Thanks team, and thanks to everyone following us on the blog.
Until next time!
RMI Guide Brent Okita
PS As for our last safari, our morning revealed only a few hundred animals, not the thousands we saw yesterday. But, it was a short day to allow some shopping and relaxing before our flights. A nice way to end
The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guides Mike King and Alex Halliday reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team reported clear, calm and beautiful Skies. The team just departed from the crater rim and are en route back to Camp Muir.
Congratulations team!
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Good luck and we look forward to following the climb. One question on the Russian truck, it appears to be held together by tape?
Posted by: wendy kolosar on 8/6/2019 at 9:27 am
Godspeed Pete and friends.
PS: Aconcagua + Rainier book in composition..
Fun reliving dat. To find a publisher now,,,,
Posted by: Waltero Glover on 8/6/2019 at 8:01 am
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