Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 17,000'
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 - 8:33 pm PT
With favorable weather for the next few days, we took the opportunity to rest without missing our weather window. We woke up to the sun, and ate a mellow breakfast of oatmeal and poptarts. The rest of the day was spent napping, and adjusting to our new High Camp. With good weather our plan is to climb tomorrow. The rest of the evening will be spent eating an early dinner, filling water bottles, and getting our beauty rest in.
Wish us luck, tomorrow should be the big day!
RMI Guide Nikki Champion
Posted by: Mike Haugen, Jess Wedel, Nick Sinapius, Josh McDowell, Eric Frank, Brian Walters
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
The Four Day Climb June 5 - 8 was unable to make their summit attempt. Strong winds overnight at Camp Muir kept the climbers safely inside the hut. RMI Guides Mike Haugen and Josh McDowell reported sustained winds of 50 mph with gusts in the 60's. The winds have decreased enough to allow the climbers to ascend above Camp Muir to check things out. After their walk, they will return to Camp Muir and then make their descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing the climbers at Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.
Mike/Jess & Team-
Great climb, thanks so much for taking us! The views were amazing, I learned a ton, and you guys made it really fun, and safe! Good luck with the Kautz Route Seminar later this week!
-Bill
Posted by: Y on 6/8/2022 at 10:59 pm
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 17,000'
Tuesday, June 7, 2022 - 11:39 pm PT
Today we had our second birthday of the trip, mine! We celebrated by loading up the heavy packs and making the move to 17,000' Camp. We headed out this morning with clear skies, but low clouds slowly overtook 14,000' Camp and the fixed lines. We remained in and out of the clouds for the entire climb of the West Buttress, with occasional bouts of sunshine and snow. Overall, a beautiful, tough day on the Buttress. Right before dinner time we rolled into 17,000' Camp, where we set up camp and started making water and hots for a late dinner. The next few days of weather look favorable, so I think we'll squeeze the summit in within the next two days. Check back in tomorrow either post summit, or post rest day!
Happy Birthday Nikki! We’re so happy things seem to be going well for the team. Hope Taylor and Emma fixed you dinner last night and let you sleep in a bit:). May the weather gods continue to treat you all well. Go Team! Love, the Wilhelms
Posted by: Tracy on 6/8/2022 at 5:39 pm
Happy Birthday, Nikki! Videos are breathtaking! I can feel the wind and snow from my easy chair! Way to go! Cheers, Jerry, your 3rd level uncle, twice removed!!?
Posted by: Jerry Worden on 6/8/2022 at 4:04 pm
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Jack Delaney, Liam Weed
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Tuesday, June 7, 2022 - 9:46 pm PT
Welcome back to another fine edition of the Denali blog! Today we awoke to somewhat stormy conditions so we hit the snooze and waited an hour for the weather to improve. Once the sky was looking happy we snarfed breakfast and took off towards the 13k cache garden. The first obstacle was the intimidating hill directly out of 11,000' Camp known as Motorcycle Hill, which was no problem as the team zoomed up it. We then turned the corner and surmounted the famous Squirrel Hill (less long and steep but with more exposure). Next we galloped across the long but flat feature known as the Polo Field! We took our last break at the edge of the infamous Windy Corner, which happened to be windless today! Finally after another hour of walking we were at the cache garden. Luck would have it that we found an empty cache hole! We tossed our excess supplies in it, covered it up and turned down hill. In the blink of an eye we were back at 11,000' Camp relaxing till dinner time. Tomorrow should the good weather continue to hold we’ll move to 14,000' camp!
Thanks for tuning in…
RMI Guides Avery, Jack, Liam and the team!
Love this Denali blog- keep them coming - entertaining, insightful and much appreciated! Keep up your great work team - we are all pulling for you!
Posted by: Kim on 6/8/2022 at 1:06 pm
Posted by: James Bealer, Roland Scott, Michael Murray, Bryan Mazaika, Dominic Cifelli, Evan Sather
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI Guides James Bealer and Bryan Mazaika led their Five Day Climb teams to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The teams reached the crater rim at 6:15 am. It's a beautiful day with blue sky and no winds. After taking in the views and getting all the photos the team started their descent. They will return to Camp Muir, pack their gear and continue the remaining 4.5 miles back to Paradise. We look forward to greeting them at Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon where they will celebrate their efforts and good fortune before completing their program.
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Jack Delaney, Liam Weed
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Monday, June 6, 2022 - 11:18 pm PT
Today began with a very difficult decision. Should we eat a full breakfast of cereal and fig bars? Or should we just coffee and charge down hill to the cache where a supreme breakfast awaited? Well the team decided, drink coffee, get cache and then have a relaxing brunch feast. What meal could be so enticing that we would exert ourselves on a retrieval mission with only caffeine running through our veins? Well glad you asked! It was breakfast burritos. Specifically pepper, onion, hashbrowns, eggs, Beecher’s cheese and MOOSE meat burritos. So yes, it was worth the wait. The rest of the day was a mix of napping, snacking, chatting, stretching, reading and card playing. It was an ideal day. Tomorrow we’re heading uphill to cache around 13,000' and along the way we’ll experience a series of classic Denali features! You’ll have to wait for the next update to learn all about them, oooh what a cliff hanger!
Until next time dear reader,
RMI Guides Avery, Jack, Liam and the Team
Well that sounds like a Fantastic Day!! Cannot wait to hear what other gastro delicacies are in store! Michael! Know you are having a Blast! Sending lots of love to you and the Team! Go go GO!! Alicia xoxo
Posted by: Alicia Becker on 6/8/2022 at 7:39 am
Sounds like a delicious brunch and worth the wait. I am happy to hear the rest of the day was also lovely. I can’t wait to learn about the different classic Denali features. Thank you so much for these updates! Sending the entire team all the powerful vibes possible!
Ps- Heather Hart: your CBJD family misses you and are so super proud of you and what you have accomplished. xoxo
Posted by: Janine Paradiso on 6/7/2022 at 7:22 pm
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
June 6 - 4:50 PT
Another beautiful morning for a rest day. Woke up with the sun to a filling meal of breakfast burritos. Weather is looking more optimistic, so we are taking today to rest, prep and pack with the hopes of moving to high camp tomorrow. Otherwise, a generally quiet day at 14 camp.
Hope to check in from 17,000' feet tomorrow!
Keep up the great work Aaron and Lori Stafford. We continue to read the updates as they come through, praying you have a successful and safe expedition.
The Penrose Family
Posted by: Will Penrose on 6/7/2022 at 9:50 am
So anxious for you to summit…and get home. Can’t believe your good weather. What are you doing while resting? Great weekend at TOC. Make your own pizza on the Boardwalk with 4 little pizza ovens going. Eat your heart out Little Caesar’s! Then, a Bocci tournament with Bellinis. It got chilly, so I provided the blankets. All is well with your house. Love you.
Posted by: Emigh Litch on 6/7/2022 at 5:38 am
Sunday, June 5, 2022 - 11:08 pm PT
A snowy rest day in the books. We woke up late to clear skies, and a late breakfast of bagels and smoked salmon. Throughout the day the clouds rolled in, and it continued to lightly snow throughout our entire rest day. We shoveled, napped, snacked and prepped for the next weather window to summit. Weather doesn't look ideal for the next few days, but we will continue to rest and hunker down until the weather allows. Check in tomorrow!
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Jack Delaney, Liam Weed
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 9,500'
Greetings from the bottom of Ski Hill. We’ve been keeping our trend of staying on east coast time (3am wake up Alaska time) in order to keep up with the stock market and take advantage of the cooler temps and firm snow. This morning we packed up all our excess supplies and gear and headed uphill to cache them. Conditions were ideal again as we were able to climb without the aid of crampons or snow shoes. Apparently, granola breakfast was the breakfast of champions because the team crushed it! They marched uphill without tiring and kept cheerful smiles while doing it. The sunrise was incredible and even saw what could be described as a non-traditional rainbow in the distant rains near Talkeetna! We soon climbed past the traditional cache spot around 9,500 and stopped just below the last hill to 11 camp. The only reason we didn’t go all the way was to save the experience of seeing what will be our new home for tomorrow.
The afternoon was spent back at ski hill, napping, relaxing, snacking and trading stories. Some of which seemed too good to be true.
The weather is beautiful and so is the team.
Yours Truly,
RMI Guides Avery, Jack, Liam and the Team
Hey Team!!! What a day! How great to be able to be a tiny part of this experience with you - thank you for sharing! Keep up the great work and positive attitudes! We are all behind you. Go Michael Go! Am with you in spirit bud- Love you!! Hugs all around team- Alicia xoxo
Posted by: Alicia Becker on 6/6/2022 at 7:46 pm
Thank you for allowing all of us on your incredible journey!!!
Sending the most amazingly brilliant positive vibes to you Michael & the whole team!!! Go team go!!! I am so proud of you!! Lots of love to all!!
Aunt Tulip
Posted by: Julee Valentine on 6/6/2022 at 6:58 pm
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Grayson Swingle
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
Poor weather and low visibility kept RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier, Grayson Swingle and Team from reaching the summit on Mt. Rainier today. The team will be spending the morining at Camp Muir and return to Rainier Basecamp in Ashford later this afternoon.
Congratulation on facing this challenge and seeing it through to your full capacity! I hope your descent is smooth. Mother nature is a beautifully powerful force and I hope she sees you safely down the mountain today.
Posted by: Rosemary on 6/5/2022 at 5:07 pm
Dad - hello daddy. how are you doing? your daughter Elle
Posted by: Elle Bolton on 6/5/2022 at 1:17 pm
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Woohoo! Good luck guys!
Posted by: Jerey Wilson on 6/9/2022 at 12:08 pm
Best of luck as you prepare to summit!! Hoping for weather and elements to be in your favor :-) it’s been so fun following along on your journey
Posted by: M on 6/9/2022 at 11:49 am
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