June 26, 2014 - 9:40 pm PT
We set out Tuesday morning to move up to 17k when circumstances both unfortunate and out of our control forced us back down to 14k camp. We made the wise mountaineering decision to forgo the summit for another time and begin the arduous trek back to Denali's Basecamp. We made it back to Basecamp around ten yesterday morning and were disheartened to hear that although clear here, the planes were not flying because of weather between here and Talkeetna. We set up camp and made the best of being stuck in the Alaska range.
Although we thought our adventure was winding down, we woke up last night to over a foot and a half of snow threatening our tent. We shoveled around camp for over two hours helping other teams that had tents collapse. When the snow finally slowed down this morning, we had collected well over three feet! Although it was fun to see that much snow, it also meant we needed to put on our snowshoes to stomp down an entire runway filled with nearly waste deep, wet snow. The weather never really cleared today, but we are hoping that we will not receive as much snow tonight and the weather will be clear for flight activity to resume tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Haugen and Team "The Ocho"
Mike and Josh,
Thank both for leading Bruce on such a great trip!
Posted by: Mom and Dad on 6/29/2014 at 6:35 pm
I’m so sorry, you guys—but I know you made the correct decision based on what you were facing—I was watching the local weather for Denali via the NOAA feeds and I’m very glad to hear that you’re down & safe! That’s all that matters in the end!
Posted by: Susan Matthews on 6/27/2014 at 10:26 pm
June 26, 2014 - 9:33 pm PT
Hey this is Billy checking in from 17K on Denali, again, where we are still pinned down by the weather. Today is our second storm day. We actually had some sort of blue skies and clearing and some hope on the horizon but things closed back in here. They are calling for high pressure to build over the mountain this weekend. If we get up tomorrow and it looks promising, we might take a crack at it or we might be sitting tight until Saturday. Last night was definitely one of the most ferocious storms I have had to battle up here in Alaska. We were definitely up all night digging out tents with feet and feet of snow and very, very strong winds- 70 miles an hour. For our chance for it, we have tons of food and fuel, and we just need the weather to cooperate. And that's all for now.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
June 26, 2014 - 6:37 pm PT
The entire team woke up at 2 am to a winter wonderland. With wind blowing and snow stacking the team had to wake up, strap on their boots and grab our shovels. What was a nice camp with all tents visible to each other some 30 feet distance, is now a maze of deep trenches leading blindly to six-foot deep pits, each holding a team member's house. Approximately 40 inches of snow fell by morning in camp, completely covering our posh tent.
Currently the snow continues to fall. A call on the satellite phone to the rangers at advanced base camp at 14,000 ft told us that five feet of snow had fallen there. Some loose snow avalanches were observed on south facing slopes around camp-- a reminder that winter is still upon us on Denali. We have had mixed results with the accuracy of the weather forecast, however in the extended outlook a high pressure system may be headed our way later this weekend and early next week. It is times like these that test the will and patience of any Denali climber. Thank God for Lindsay's Cosmopolitan magazine.
RMI Guides Adam Knoff, Lindsay Mann and Andy Hildebrand
The Four Day Summit Climb Team led by Win Whittaker and Kel Rossiter climbed to Ingraham Flats this morning (11,200'), but due to snow, high winds, and poor visibility they were unable to reach the summit of Mt. Rainier. The entire team is safely back at Camp Muir and will be starting their descent back to RMI BaseCamp shortly.
Congratulations to today's Team!
Well, we earned this one. We woke up early, at 10:30pm, to eat 'breakfast' and don our climbing clothes. At first it was warm and calm at the hut; soon it was foggy with light rain. We weren't sure what to expect. The first hour was dry and very warm. The last hour to the summit was anything but. On our ascent of Cotopaxi, we climbed through various intensities of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow. The winds picked up in third hour of our climb, and were persistently strong and gusty, strong enough to make us work even harder to maintain our balance. Our climbers were as persistent as the winds though, and eight hours after starting out we were standing on the summit of Cotopaxi (19,347')! The summit celebrations were short-lived because of the weather. After a tiring decent, we were all back at the parking lot, safe and sound, twelve hours round trip.
For the bulk of the climb we were all covered in rime ice; our ropes looked like frozen fire hoses, and we were glad to have helmets on when a flapping jacket hood would clock you from behind. We gave up any semblance of a view from the summit for the opportunity to test our merit in full alpine conditions. And we came away with no more than a few blisters and some tired climbers.
I'm proud of our Ecuador Volcanoes team for climbing hard all day today...we were the only team on the mountain today, and we even got a summit! Now we're en route to Quito, anticipating hot showers and well-deserved cervesas (with maybe a nap or three thrown in there) before meeting for a celebration dinner tonight. Great job team!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
So proud of you Matt!! Sounds like a week of accomplishments that pushed you all!! Enjoy a hot shower, get some rest & will see you at airport Friday night!! Love you & Congrats to all of you!!
Mom & Dad
Posted by: Jodi on 6/26/2014 at 5:03 pm
Way to go Shobita, cannot wait to hear more from you
June 25, 2014 - 11:35pm PT
A rainy and grey morning in Talkeetna didn't stop our team from a seven o'clock breakfast meeting at Talkeetna's great Roadhouse. We were primed and ready for our important orientation at the Talkeetna Ranger Station at 8:30. Our climbers were honored to have Roger Robinson himself give the presentation. Roger has been climbing Denali and rescuing Denali climbers for close to four decades now. Then it was out to the K2 Aviation hangar where we spread out our gear and got down to the nuts and bolts of figuring out exactly what to bring on the climb and what to leave behind. It took much of the afternoon to sort gear and to get it all weighed, inventoried and ready for flying. So it became an "indoors" day, which was just fine. Rain kept falling and there was precious little flying going on out at the normally bustling Talkeetna Airport. The team got together finally for what we hope will be our last dinner in town for some time. It was a fine feast, but we'd just as soon be on climbing rations when supper time rolls around tomorrow.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
June 25, 2014 - 10:42pm PT
Here I sit in my tent
Wondering where the day went
A rest day at eleven camp for the team
With people in and out of their dreams
Mike Haugen and troupe passed through
Delivering a pee bottle to Adam -- woohoo!
For breakfast we had chocolate and pb pancakes (booya!) While we watched the snow flakes. For now the wind is pretty strong, and hopefully we won't have to shovel all night long.
RMI Guides Adam Knoff, Lindsay Mann and Andy Hildebrand
June 28, 2014 - 10:27pm
Hey, it's Billy calling in from 17 Camp on Denali. Today was not summit day for us. We woke up to some inclement weather that's been steadily working all day with winds gusting near 70 miles an hour or so. We build up pretty solid, fortified camp and everyone's sitting tight and holding on. Winds from the storm are supposed to give way to nicer weather in the next couple of days so we're just sitting tight with our fingers crossed. We'll call and check in tomorrow, to let you know if we got up there. That's all for now.
Billy Nugent checking in from 17,200' Camp on Denali
Eric: 70mph winds…OUCH…flapping tent syndrome….use the ear bud skull cap combo to keep from going insane! Trust tomorrow things calm down. U.P.
Posted by: Paul on 6/26/2014 at 4:03 pm
Been checking the blog nonstop to see if you guys had made any progress! Not to worry, keeping our fingers crossed that the weather clears up and you will be able to make a successful summit bid! Keep up the great work! Miss you Dad and Michael! xoxo
For any of you soccer fans up there: the Men’s US soccer team advanced to the knockout round about an hour ago (despite a loss to Germany). #MURICA
Posted by: Katie Freedman on 6/26/2014 at 11:32 am
The Four Day Summit Climb of Mt. Rainier led by RMI Guides JJ Justman and Mike Soucy stood on top of Columbia Crest this morning. JJ reported that the teams were in and out of a cloud cap all morning but enjoyed light winds and pleasant conditions on the summit. The teams will descend to Camp Muir where they will pack up and refuel before making their way to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them in Ashford this afternoon.
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz led by RMI Guide Zeb Blais also reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. They enjoyed a light breeze while on the summit. The team will descend back to high camp for the night and will return to Ashford tomorrow.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 10:07 AM PT
The Ecuador team is back at Cotopaxi's high camp. All is well.
Thursday, June 26, 2014 - 7:01 AM PT
RMI Guide Mike Walter checked in this morning from the summit of Cotopaxi!
We look forward to hearing from Mike again once the team is safely off of the mountain.
Congratulations team!
Congratulations Shobita and to all the members of your team!! Not only did you summit, but you did it in some very brutal conditions. Great job. I guess now you’ll enjoy some great food.
Randy
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Mike and Josh,
Thank both for leading Bruce on such a great trip!
Posted by: Mom and Dad on 6/29/2014 at 6:35 pm
I’m so sorry, you guys—but I know you made the correct decision based on what you were facing—I was watching the local weather for Denali via the NOAA feeds and I’m very glad to hear that you’re down & safe! That’s all that matters in the end!
Posted by: Susan Matthews on 6/27/2014 at 10:26 pm
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