Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Elevation: 14,410'

RMI Guide Mike Walter radioed in on the Four Day Summit Climb August 20 - 23, 2013, at 7:30 his team was 10 minutes from the crater rim. Mike reported broken clouds below at 6,000’. The team was in the cloud cap with light winds and poor visibility. The Expedition Skills Seminar - Paradise led by Billy Nugent also reached the summit this morning. Both teams began their descent around 8:40 a.m. PT. The teams will return to Camp Muir to repack before continuing their descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing everyone this afternoon at Rainier BaseCamp. Congratulations to today's climbing teams!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

I echo Jean and Rich. Guides were A+—they knew when to encourage and challenge. A great experience—thank you.

Posted by: Ken Keatly on 10/16/2013 at 5:57 pm

I want to personally Thank the BEST Guides ever ! Billy, Robbie and Chase are very professional and have great personalities. We learned a lot on our Expedition Skills Seminar and now have new skills. Thanks again, Jean and Rich

Posted by: Rich Krohn on 8/27/2013 at 7:09 am

Mt. Elbrus: Northside Team Arrives in Moscow

August 23, 2013

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Seth Waterfall

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside

Hello from Moscow. The RMI Mt. Elbrus Northside team has all arrived and the trip is officially under way. We met up this evening for a meet-and-greet and then went out to dinner. The team seems very well aligned as far as goals and expectations for the trip. It was a short night for us as many folks have just arrived in Moscow and, it's raining with thunder and lightning all around the downtown area. Tomorrow we're scheduled to take a tour of the Kremlin and the other sights around Red Square. I'll take some photos and send them on in the afternoon. RMI Guides Seth Waterfall & Pete Van Deventer

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Grom & Team Ascend the Barranco Wall

August 23, 2013

Posted by: Casey Grom

Elevation: 13,000'

Hello again everyone, Day 4 started much like yesterday, luckily for us, with clouds below and clear skies above. Looming above camp was our first major obstacle of the climb, the 1,000' high Barranco wall, the only real technical part of this climb. Looking straight at it one would think its nearly unclimbable but thankfully for us there is a faint climbers trail that bobs and weaves it way via a series of ledges and steps safely to the top. Everyone did fantastic and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and were amazed watching the porters navigate this terrain with their loads still balanced on their heads. Once on top of the wall we took a nice break to enjoy the views and snap a few pictures. The rest of the trail was mostly a traverse with spectacular views of the last few glaciers that cover the southern side of Kilimanjaro. We arrived in camp right around noon and had a quick lunch then retired to our tents for a little rest. All is well! RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

On The Map

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Hey Steve and Brian! Been following your progress all week. If I’m getting it straight, tonight is the night! So good luck and enjoy every minute of it! You guys rock.

Posted by: Dave L on 8/24/2013 at 9:18 am

Chris and Jesse!!
You are almost at the top!!! You go girls! What an awesome journey for the two of you to be experiencing together. Stay strong and enjoy the view! Love you guys and cannot wait to hear about this amazing adventure.
Chris - You sure know how to celebrate your birthday! Woohoo!
Karen

Posted by: Karen on 8/24/2013 at 7:58 am

Mt. Rainier: Teams on the Summit August 22nd!

August 22, 2013

Posted by: Geoff Schellens, Jake Beren

Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Summit Climbs for August 19 - 22, 2013 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. RMI Guides Jake Beren and Geoff Schellens led the teams. Jake reported light winds from the Northwest with winds from the East earlier in the climb. Temperatures were estimated in the low 20s. The teams began their descent from the crater rim just after 7:30 am. They will return to Camp Muir for a short break and then continue to Paradise later this afternoon. We look forward to greeting the teams at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon. Congratulations to today's summit climb teams!

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I’m so happy for you!! Congratulations on your journey. You’re amazing & an inspiration. Can’t wait to hear all about it. Enjoy every moment. YEAH!!!
Jennifer

Posted by: Jennifer on 8/23/2013 at 9:31 am

YEAH!!!! Beaming with excitement for you Heidi! Cant wait to hear about your adventure….and the crevasse crossings. XO. Safe travels down - I hope this accomplishment makes the last few miles to Paradise fly by!

Posted by: Dawn on 8/23/2013 at 9:25 am

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Grom & Team Continue Ascent with New Altitude Record for Some

August 22, 2013

Posted by: Casey Grom

Elevation: 12,800'

Hello All, Today the team was greeted with clear skies and plenty of sunshine above a cloud layer that filled the valleys below Mt. Kilimanjaro. We started the day in similar fashion with fresh fruit, eggs and great coffee, and started our hike in light layers and lots of suncream just after 8 am again. The team made good time climbing up the Shira Plateau which is an old lava flow with sparse vegetation and plenty of boulders. We ascended up to a place called Lava Tower which is around 15,000' and managed to set a few new altitude records for some of the team. Once our high point was reached we descend down into the Barranco Valley where we marveled at the unique giant groundsels and Senecio trees that litter this area. We arrived at camp with all our tents set up and ready for us to move into once again. The team is incredibly thankful for the hardworking support that we have here on Kilimanjaro. Everyone is doing great and looking forward to a much deserved night of rest. RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kilimanjaro crew

On The Map

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Hey Steve and Brian! Been following your progress all week. If I’m getting it straight, tonight is the night! So good luck and enjoy every minute of it! You guys rock.

Posted by: Dave L on 8/24/2013 at 9:17 am

Hey what’s that hat you’re wearing Chambo? WHat a nice bunch of smiles you all have on. Clearly you need more challenge. : )

Posted by: jordo on 8/23/2013 at 8:09 am

Mt. Rainier: August 21, 2013 Summit!

August 21, 2013

Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Lindsay Mann, Eric Frank

Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Summit Climb Led By Elias de Andres Martos and Lindsay Mann reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The teams had warm, clear and calm conditions on the climb. They are currently descending and stopped at 12,700’ feet to do some work on the fixed lines before making their way back to Camp Muir. Congratulations to today's teams!

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Woohoo!!!!! Congratulations!

Posted by: Starr on 8/22/2013 at 7:14 am

Great Going. Glad for the weather

Posted by: Diane on 8/21/2013 at 10:56 am

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Grom & Team Enjoy First Night on the Mountain

August 21, 2013

Posted by: Casey Grom

Elevation: 12,200'

Hello all Most everyone slept well last night and we started the day with our wonderful support staff bring us hot tea and warm washing water to our tent this morning. We had nice breakfast of fresh fruit, fried eggs and of course plenty of fresh coffee. We hit the trail today on Mt. Kilimanjaro around 8am and climbed up a moderately narrow ridge that lead all the way up to the Shira Plateau where we traversed into camp. It was mostly cloudy today which didn't allow for many views but did make for some really nice hiking temperatures. The team made good progress today on the rocky trail pausing only for some porters to pass and of course taking a break every hour for water and snacks. We are currently resting in camp enjoying the warmth of the sun and taking in our first views of Kilimanjaro. RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

On The Map

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Hi Chris… It must be so exciting at this point. How are the legs holding out? Im so happy for all of you. Sleep well you’ll need it for tomorrow. Sailing with Rob was a blast and Brian is watching you climb from the beaches in California. Tread on.

Love,
Tom

Posted by: Tom on 8/24/2013 at 3:26 pm

Hey Michael and Bruce,Ttake some good photos so we can enlarge them. Use a tripod and don’t cut off your feet!! Love you and miss you. Stay safe. Love Mom

Posted by: Joyce on 8/21/2013 at 7:03 pm

Kilimanjaro: Grom & Team at Machame Camp

August 20, 2013

Posted by: Casey Grom

Elevation: 9,800'

Hello again everyone. We had a early departure from the Dik Dik Lodge and drove east for about two hours to reach Kilimanjaro National Park. Our drive took us through the rural country side of Tanzania which is full of banana and coffee plantations, markets and plenty of people headed between home and the local water well. It was very surreal to see so many folks who depend on these wells for their water, especially watching them walking with 5 gallon jugs carefully balanced on their heads. Once at the gate we took a short break to sign in and allow our team to arrange all the loads and hire all of our porters for the seven-day climb. Our team started with 11 climbers and quickly grew as we acquired all the support of cooks, waiters, camp crew and porters and we ended up at a total of 68! Just before 11 a.m. we set off on the trail that ascended through the forest and slowly climbed all the way up to just shy of 10,000'. It took the team a little over four hours to reach our camp and everyone did fantastic and enjoyed the hike. The team just finished dinner and are all comfortably resting in our warm sleeping bags- thanks to the hot water bottles our gracious crew prepared for us. Not quite roughing it yet! RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

On The Map

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Hi Chris and Jess,
Love following the climb and your progress ... I can only imagine how awesome it must be. Everything is looking up for you guys ): , haha. Enjoy, stay safe and I look forward to seeing the photos!
Love you guys,
Lorraine

Posted by: lorraine bocci on 8/22/2013 at 7:16 am

Chris - Jess sending extra energy your way—the next 9,000 feet is a breeze…enjoy… you two rock.

Posted by: Bocci clan on 8/21/2013 at 10:13 am

Mt. Rainier: August 20th Teams on the Summit!

August 20, 2013

Posted by: Brent Okita

Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Summit Climb August 17 - 20 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier just after 7 am PT this morning. RMI Guide Brent Okita led the team. Brent reported a gorgeous day with clear skies and light winds averaging 15 mph. The teams will spend some time on the summit before beginning their descent to Camp Muir. After a short rest, the teams will continue to Paradise later this afternoon. The Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons led by RMI Guide Eric Frank reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning shortly before 8 am PT. The team will spend time enjoying the views and then return to their high camp for their final night on the mountain. Congratulations to today's summit climbers!

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Congratulations to the Emmons team on their Summit!! We are thrilled for our son, Jake!!87

Posted by: Mary on 8/21/2013 at 5:02 am

Hooray & Congrats!! Must be awesome!’

Posted by: Ramona on 8/20/2013 at 12:33 pm

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Grom and Team Prepare for the Climb

August 19, 2013

Posted by: Casey Grom

Hello everyone and welcome to RMI Expeditions' fourth Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari of the 2013 summer! The whole team arrived last night after some very long flights and have been comfortably resting here in Africa just outside of Arusha, Tanzania in the wonderful Dik Dik Hotel. After catching up on some much needed sleep we started the day with a nice breakfast of fresh juices, fruits, eggs and delicious bread while watching the local monkeys play in the yard. We then had our official team meeting where we had a round of introductions and discussed the intricacies of our upcoming climb. We spent the remainder of the afternoon packing and enjoy the beautiful grounds of our hotel. We wrapped up the night with an amazing five-course meal that finished with everyone favorite: bananas and chocolate ice cream! Everyone is doing great and we are all very excited about the adventure that lies ahead. RMI Guide Casey Grom and Crew

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Jess… Forget Poppy’s idea about bringing the monkey home for Shorty. Look who’s left with Shorty now. I can see it being the three of us next year when your climbing again. I don’t think so ! Give mom my love and lighten her load for her. Tread on.

Tom

Posted by: Tom on 8/21/2013 at 9:20 am

Chris. And Jess- what an awesome experience!! Thinking about you every day. What a way to celebrate a Birthday! Love you both
MB

Posted by: Marybeth on 8/20/2013 at 5:32 pm