Entries from Expedition Dispatches
May 9, 2017 10:19 pm
Today was action-packed as we rotated through a series of skills sessions. Sled rigging, avalanche awareness and practice beacon searches, and a more realistic and elaborate crevasse rescue scenario made for a
full day of mountain skills. About mid-day we even had the pleasure of clear skies for the first time in a couple days. Dinner burritos and fruit pie to top it off!
RMI Guide Jessie Poquerusse
On The Map
The first program of the 2017 Mt. Rainier season reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning!
RMI Guides Brent Okita and Solveig Waterfall led their Five Day Summit Climb teams from Camp Muir to the summit. Brent reported clear skies with windy conditions. Both teams began their descent shortly after 7 am. They will return to Camp Muir and then continue their descent to Paradise.
We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations to the
Five Day Summit Climb teams!
May 9, 2017 - 6:26 pm PT
Yesterday's light snow increased in intensity over night and turned into a full on powder day today. We woke to dig out the tents around 4:30 am an they were nearly buried again by 10 am. We have received over three feet of snow overnight and it is continuing as I write this.
So, we spent the day resting and enjoying one of our favorite rest day activities:
digging out camp.
We actually needed this rest day, so the snow comes at an opportune time. We would like it to stop though, so we can make our carry to Windy Corner tomorrow. Right now that doesn't seem to be the case, but better weather is forecast for later in the week.
Everyone is doing well and enjoying some down time. We'll let you know what tomorrow brings.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
Our acclimatization climb to
Ingraham Flats went well today with beautiful weather. What a view of the mountain. Our guide training team went to the summit and prepped the route for us, so we should be in good shape for our climb tonight.
Let's hope the wind and weather hold for us. I think it will.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
Today was off to an early start! After a quick breakfast, we stretched our legs heading up glacier to the base of Radio Tower and beyond to the cirque at the base of the East ridge of Frances, where we chatted about glaciology, route planning and navigation. Menacing seracs and at times nearly white-out conditions made the teachings come to life. After heading back to camp and a quick break, we learned and reviewed basic knots and hitches to get us ready for session 1 of basic crevasse rescue. We put to use our anchor building tactics from the previous day and spent the afternoon doing basic rescue drills. Cozying up to burritos was a great end to a long day.
RMI Guide Jessie Poquerusse & team
We slept in this morning and then enjoyed a breakfast of bagels, cream cheese, and smoked salmon. Then we headed back down glacier to retrieve the cache we left there two days ago. It was a warm day with light snow and no wind. Now that we have all of our supplies with us at 11k, we'll start to strategize our move to the upper mountain. The next move for us is to carry supplies up around
Windy Corner and establish a cache at around 13,700'. We're still not sure if that will happen tomorrow or if we will take our first full rest day. Weather will certainly play a role in that decision. We will let you know what we decide and touch base tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
May 7, 2017 - 8:40 pm PT
Success on day 2 of the Alaska Mountaineering Seminar - Expedition! We started out the day going over the bread and butter of mountaineering, including snow walking, using and traveling with crampons and practicing self arrest. We then progressed into learning about and building snow anchors. After a short rest, the calm morning gave way to snow flurries, which gradually picked up as we learned and began to build a wall or our camp--earning our dinners! Overall, it was a full day of review, learning, and work and we're all happily in bed resting ready for our first jaunt onto the glacier tomorrow.
RMI Guide Jessie Poquerusse & team
On The Map
I'm writing this dispatch from our new home at 11,200'. Everyone did great on our move today, hauling our sleds and heavy backpacks up 3,400' from the
base of Ski Hill. The weather started as mostly cloudy, then transitioned to white out conditions where you could not differentiate sky from glacier. We flew on instruments most of the day today. There was also snow and drifting snow that made the climbing even more challenging. Everybody climbed strong and came into camp in style.
Tomorrow we sleep in and rest a little bit and then head back down to 10,300' to retrieve the cache that we left there yesterday. It should be a much easier day than today.
We'll check back tomorrow to let you know how it goes.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
May 6, 2017 11:18 pm PST
We had a very successful day today, carrying a load of supplies up to around 10,300' where we buried it under a couple meters of snow so that the ravens won't dig it up. Then we returned back to our camp at the Base of
Ski Hill (7800') for the night. After a good hot dinner, we've all retired to our sleeping bags for well earned rest. Tomorrow we are hoping to move camp up to 11,200'. We'll let you know how it goes.
RMI Guide Mike Walter & Team
Some people spend the day after Cinco de Mayo in bed nursing a hangover. We spent it by packing gear, trading street shoes for climbing boots and flying onto the
Kahiltna glacier. Our team arrived prepared and by 2 pm we were stomping out camp on the hill overlooking the airstrip. The team worked quickly and here we are ready for bed at 8 pm. Great weather today and great views of the surrounding peaks.
Tomorrow we will begin our skills training and fortify camp for some potential weather moving in.
RMI Guide Leon Davis & Team
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Hey Robby,
Given the down time at 11K, hope you found a cribbage partner. Looking forward to seeing your pics when you get back. Good luck to you and the team.
Art
Elevation 644’ !!
Northbrook, IL
Posted by: Art Muir on 5/10/2017 at 10:00 am
Hi Mike, Thom, Todd and David, I am so regret I missed this time. Best wishes for you guys with a good weather window. Dr. David, don’t bend your phone again and shoot some great pictures. I have been thinking what you guy’s schedule this year. I am so jealous!!
Be safe and good luck!!!
Lei from Albany, NY
Posted by: LEI WU on 5/10/2017 at 7:35 am
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