Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Posted by: JT Schmitt, Matias Francis, Jackson Breen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Tuesday, May 24, 2022 - 7:42 pm PT
What a day it was today! We were able to cache at 13,500 ft. The winds were calm all day, and the clouds were only below us, which created a sense of floating through the sky as we carried out gear up the mountain.
Now we are back at 11,000' Camp, all safe and sound!!
RMI Guide JT Schmitt and the RMI team
Posted by: Mike Walter, Abby Westling, Henry Coppolillo
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
We woke to a cold, clear sky this morning and fired up the stoves with hopes of climbing up to High Camp. Real time communication with friends currently at High Camp, and updated weather forecasts kept us grounded, though. The current wind and an increasingly windy trend are keeping us at our comfortable camp at 14,200' today. We continue to rest and acclimate as we await favorable weather for our foray up high. Spirits are high and we are optimistic that we will get our shot soon.
Until then, we are lounging in the sun, reading, listening to music, and hanging out--all part of the expedition experience. We will keep you updated on our status. As we patiently wait for our chance to move higher, we are happy to be in the mountains.
RMI Guide Mike Walter & Team
Been keeping up with the updates - I am excited and proud of this crew and this climb. You’ll move up the mountain soon and we are all on the edge of our seats for it!
We are cheering you all on! (Love you, Abby!)
Happy and strong climbing!
Posted by: Rae on 5/25/2022 at 6:18 am
An outstanding experience that is for sure. Hope your reasonable weather is coming soon. Stay safe and enjoy the wait. Always thinking of you
Posted by: Anne on 5/24/2022 at 8:06 pm
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Bryan Mazaika, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,000'
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier and the Kautz seminar team called 11,000’ their high point. This morning, Dustin reported that high avalanche conditions would keep them from climbing. Despite the route conditions, the teams enjoyed beautiful weather on their ascent, great views of Mt. Rainier, and were able to use their time to train and learn glacier travel techniques, anchors, and more to prepare them for their next big adventure!
The team will conclude their program tomorrow with a celebration at Rainier Basecamp.
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Leif Bergstrom, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,000'
Monday, May 24, 2022 - 10:39 pm PT
We woke up hopeful to take a jaunt up the fixed lines this morning. The sky was clear above and it was nice in camp. As we fired the stoves and the sun got nearer to rounding the ridge though, we started seeing large plumes of snow jetting of the summit plateau, then 17,000' Camp, then the whole ridge and the top of the fixed line. It was really nice in camp but we made the decision it wasn't a day to go up into the wind and pivoted instead to walking across the basin to The Edge of the World (our British friends call it The End of the World). From there the basin plummets to the Northeast fork of the Kahiltna, some 6000' feet below. We got glimpses of those views but a cliff was rising up from the Glacier obscuring the full magnitude of the place. We were back by early afternoon and took a siesta. Some built a card table out of snow blocks and played eucher until they couldn't feel their backsides. We'll look again in the morning hopeful to make the trip up the fixed lines if conditions allow.
RMI Guides Pete, Leif, Erika, and team
We really appreciate your everyday news.
Here’s some advice I got from my granddaughter as she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro:
You climb and go for the summit for your ego.
You climb and take every step for your soul.
Much love, John and the team, Mom
Posted by: Barbara J Corona on 5/25/2022 at 11:12 am
Hey guys, hope everyone is doing well on the mountain. Ask Carl if he packed his magic cards. Wish you all a great weather window on your ascent to 17 camp! Best of luck to all. Ron
Posted by: Ron Jackson on 5/25/2022 at 7:41 am
Posted by: JT Schmitt, Matias Francis, Jackson Breen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Monday, May 23, 2022 - 6:10 pm PT
Today we awoke to a world of synchronized visual perception, everything was the same milky white, the sky, the ground and the thin cover of frost draped over all the man made intrusions on this arctic alpine environment. Quite a stark contrast from the last few days of around the clock blue skies.
Despite the lack of visibility we still prepared to carry our gear as if the weather wasn’t part of the equation, hoping the eternal Alaskan summer sun would penetrate the trillions of suspended water molecules, and provide us with the conditions so desired to continue the task of climbing this mountain.
Unfortunately that didn’t happen soon enough, so we decided to use our time in the next most productive way, resting. The team enjoyed letting our bodies recuperate and help red blood cell counts climb after four days of work.
Tomorrow we will see what the mountain sends our way and keep you all posted!
RMI Guides JT, Matias, Jackson and the RMI team
Enjoy the rest little gomie :) Back to work tomorrow!
Posted by: Pat Breen on 5/24/2022 at 2:38 pm
Enjoy the rest day!!
Posted by: Nestor Davidson on 5/24/2022 at 9:15 am
Posted by: Brent Okita, James Bealer, Daniel May, Augi Fleer, Nick Sinapius, Jenna Burkey
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Five Day Climb May 19 - 23 led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and James Bealer reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning around 8 am. The team reported windy conditions and don't intend to stay too long on the summit. This is the first RMI Team this season to reach the summit. The group will return to Camp Muir for a short break and to re-pack their gear. Then they will continue their descent to Paradise and return to Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Great effort. Sorry for falling over and dropping my ski pole (to be fair, I feel I corrected both in epic style…). Guides to die for.
Posted by: Simon on 5/25/2022 at 8:14 am
Fantastic! I’m on the 4 day 2nd/3rd next week. Great job!
Posted by: Anthony zuccaro on 5/23/2022 at 9:22 am
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Erika Birkeland, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,000'
Sunday, May 22, 2022 - 11:33 pm PT
After a solid bit of work yesterday, and due to the team going the extra mile on the carry day and going all the way to 14,000' Camp, today was a full blown rest day. We waited for the sun to hit the tents, brewed up coffee and made brunch burritos, and spent the day enjoying the fine weather. We spent a bit of time this evening refreshing our fixed line skills to prep for an initial trip up the headwall. That might be tomorrow, or we might wait, weather depending.
RMI Guides Pete, Erika, Leif, and team
Thank you so much for the beautiful photo and news. Hope the good weather holds out as well as
your bodies, minds, and spirits. Can’t wait to hear all the stories. You all are in our prayers. Mom/Barbara
Posted by: Barbara J Corona on 5/24/2022 at 7:41 am
Any euchre tournements up there Stu?
Posted by: Jay Kessler on 5/23/2022 at 8:41 am
Posted by: JT Schmitt, Matias Francis, Jackson Breen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Sunday, May 22, 2022 - 10:15 pm PT
Back carry day.
Today was a little more relaxed than the last few, although we still got up early to beat the heat. We walked downhill to retrieve our gear from our cache, with commanding views of Foraker and Crosson. We were back at 11,000ft Camp by 11 in the morning and spent the rest of the day eating pancakes and reviewing mountaineering skills.
Weather permitting we hope to cache as close to 14,000' camp as we can tomorrow!
Thanks for following along.
RMI Guides JT, Jackson, Matias and the RMI team
Woop woop! Awesome work everyone and lots of love to Sam and Clare!
Posted by: Caleb Huntington on 5/23/2022 at 1:39 pm
Amazing photos. And glad for the sunshine and great progress. Houstons are glued to the blog!
Posted by: AMY HOUSTON on 5/23/2022 at 9:38 am
Posted by: Mike Walter, Abby Westling, Henry Coppolillo
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Sunday May 22, 2022 – 3:21pm PT
We're enjoying another rest day in Genet Basin at 14,200'. The weather is pretty agreeable down here: light cloud cover and calm wind. Lenticular cloud caps have formed over Denali and Foraker, indicating higher winds aloft.
Our team is in a good position, rested, acclimated, and with a cache established up high. Now we're on standby for a favorable weather window to allow us to move to high camp and have a shot at the summit. The forecast is not terrible, but there are a series of disorganized low-pressure systems moving in from the NW. We're optimistic that there will be a break between systems and well get some good climbing weather.
Until then, we're comfortably enjoying the views, the rest, the snacking, and the comradery. We'll keep you posted on our status as we monitor the weather trends and receive forecast updates. We'll be in touch again tomorrow.
Hope the weather clears and wishing everyone the best. Godspeed for a safe ascent to the peak. I know Mr. Corona has several great stories to keep moral high :)
Posted by: Carlos Coro on 5/23/2022 at 12:26 pm
Posted by: Mike King, Grayson Swingle
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
Avalanche concerns kept our Four-Day teams, led by Mike King and Grayson Swingle, from leaving Camp Muir yesterday. With the recent spring storms comes lots of fresh snow and greater risk for slides.
Despite the loaded snowpack, teams enjoyed a beautiful, clear day for their breakfast and descent back to Rainier Basecamp yesterday afternoon.
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Great to hear!! Sam you’re crushing it!!
Posted by: Ramsay Bader on 5/25/2022 at 8:30 pm
Great job everybody! Thinking of you every day and hoping you’re having a great climb. Love you Clare and Sam!
Posted by: Kathy Huntington on 5/25/2022 at 3:08 pm
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