Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Nicole De Petris, Ellison Boord, Cal Seeley, Mitch Valaitis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Five Day Climb June 3 - 7 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. After training and climbing the last few days the teams put their training to work. The climbing teams enjoyed some time in the crater before starting their descent around 8:30 am. From the crater rim, RMI Guide Dave Hahn reported a perfect day with no wind and beautiful conditions. The teams will return to Camp Muir and then continue their descent to Paradise later today.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,800'
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 - 11:11 pm PT
The RMI team lead by RMI Guides Andy Bond, Jack Delaney and Joey Manship thoroughly enjoyed the K2 flight in to base camp this morning. The views were spectacular! We began our climb for a short distance down hill before beginning the arduous journey with heavy packs and full sleds up what we referred to as Blister Hill. The team made excellent time and established our camp at 7,800 feet elevation on the flats at the base of Ski Hill. As the clouds rolled in and a light snow began to fall we enjoyed delicious burritos and looked forward to a well deserved nights rest.
Climber Jeff Ebeling
Looking forward to following your progress Take lots of pictures Andy.
Steve
Posted by: Steve Kickert on 6/7/2023 at 6:25 pm
Great to hear day 1 was a success! We wish the best of luck and best of weather! -Love, Jeff’s family! ❤️
Posted by: Jill Ebeling on 6/7/2023 at 1:04 pm
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Roland Scott, Lacie Smith, Sam Marjerison
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
After a full week of training on the lower slopes of Mt. Rainier the Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier. RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli said the Kautz route was in awesome shape. They left the crater rim around 9:30 am and will return to their camp for a final night on the mountain. The skills acquired will help these climbers pursue more advanced climbs like Denali, Aconcagua, or Mt. Baker North Ridge.
Congratulations team!
Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 - 9:53 am PT
The weather is cooperating and we're taking off to the Alaska Range and landing on the Kahiltna glacier! Our next update will be via satellite messenger and the climb will have started!
Bon voyage!
RMI Guides Andy Bond, Jack Delaney and Joey Manship
Best wishes for a safe and successful team!
Posted by: KATHERINE GRAHAM on 6/7/2023 at 5:26 am
Praying for great weather, a safe climb, awesome memories, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and a summit!
Posted by: Michelle DeMers on 6/7/2023 at 4:10 am
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Devin Guffey, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
Hello readers,
What a day, what a day. We woke again to snow and all you can see, white. The forecast didn't call for all this snow and white but it's what we got for 36 hours straight. Hope wasn't lost and the team enjoyed a group activity of stomping out the runway. It didn't look like we would fly but we would at least be ready for those planes. The hours went by and no change. Surely we would spend another night at basecamp...then all of a sudden the clouds started to lift. There was a bustle around camp...planes were coming. The team having done a few false alarm pack ups was dialed. In less than 30 minutes we were fully packed up waiting next to the airstrip for our plane. It is a whirlwind experience to be one second in your sleeping bag on the mountain and the next loading a plane to take you off. In no time we were back in civilization, stinky, tired, and a few shades darker from the sun. A long shower, a hot meal not cooked over the XKG stoves, and a mattress you don't have to blow up later, we are new people. It's been an amazing trip full of ups and downs and always lessons learned about ourselves. We are grateful to be back safe and already look forward to our next adventures.
Thanks for following along! Till next time,
RMI Guides Hannah, Devin, Erika, and Team
Thank you for helping to keep molly and the rest of the team safe. She had nothing but glowing praise for all of you. Very much appreciated!!! It sounded like a great adventure.
Thanks again!!!!
Posted by: Todd Wardwell on 6/5/2023 at 2:51 pm
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Lauren Macklin, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
Here's one more haiku,
The otters finally flew
We have made it back.
After a few long days sitting and waiting in our tents at Basecamp, K2 Aviation was able to make their way up glacier to come and grab our teams and sneak us back to Talkeetna last night.
We unpacked all the group gear, took our first shower in a long time, and got to enjoy a hot meal not prepared by an RMI guide.
After a long and challenging trip, we were all very thankful to make it back to land safe and sound.
Until next year!
Nikki
Congratulations on a safe return, Matt and team! Looking forward to hearing your stories and seeing your pictures, Matt!
Posted by: Kathleen George on 6/5/2023 at 9:15 am
Posted by: Steve Gately, Avery Parrinello, Mike Bennett, Charlie Harrison, Evan Sather, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Five Day Climb June 1 - 5 led by RMI Guides Steve Gately and Avery Parinello reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The team enjoyed some time in the crater and reported a very pleasant climb although a bit cold and windy. They started their descent from the crater rim at 8 am and will return to Camp Muir for a quick stop before continuning the remaining 4,500' to Paradise later today. Their program will conclude this afternoon with ceremony at Rainier BaseCamp.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Congratulations! So proud of you, Brandon! ❤️
Posted by: Cynthia on 6/5/2023 at 10:04 am
Go Kaylee!! I’m Kaylees dad and we are cheering her on from Houston!! Thanks guides for the great job you are doing!!!!
Posted by: Andy Bergman on 6/5/2023 at 9:33 am
Posted by: Mike Walter, Abby Westling, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
Sunday, June 4, 2023 - 11:33 am PT
Well, Denali didn't disappoint, nor did it ever relent, but we've wrapped up a safe and successful expedition. Stormy weather bookended our trip, delaying flights both onto and off of the glacier. Not to be outdone, we endured snowy and windy weather throughout the trip, taking advantage of the sunny days in between to climb and get into position for a calm and warm (albeit cloudy with no views) summit day.
Our team was elated to see K2 Aviation's de Havilland Otters approaching Basecamp to pick us up. As excited as we were to get to town, there's always a little sadness watching the beauty of the Alaska Range, our home for the past twenty-three days, disappear underneath the wings of the ski plane.
Thanks for following our adventure. Now we're off to climb in the Cascades!
RMI Guide Mike Walter and team
Just want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone there. Rich is back in Thailand, just got done reading his journal. FaceTimed with him earlier, he had a lot to say about Mike being a beast lol. Thanks Mike for taking care of my son. A very proud mom down here, so glad he got to the summit. Bad weather seems to prevent him from summiting, so this was awesome.
Enjoy the Cascades.
Posted by: Kim on 6/4/2023 at 4:14 pm
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Henry Coppolillo, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
Saturday, June 3, 2023 - 9:28 pm PT
After a another day of waiting, false starts on packing and taking down our tents, and some general finger twiddling, we suddenly got the very positive news that K2 had launched all four of their otters to come get us yesterday evening. The trusty planes hit the runway in quick succession, not unlike a military drill and we were loading duffels, packs, and sleds with excitement. We went on the slide down the runway one more time and we were off, airborne for Talkeetna. The flight out was a bit bumpy and we dodged clouds through the Alaska range to get home. It was quite evident how hard the pilots had worked to come get us.
We landed in Talkeetna and disembarked to the fragrant smell of plants, technicolor hues of leaves and grass, and gratefully removed our boots and traded for flip flops. And just like that, we had reached the end of the expedition and achieved our ultimate goal - to come home whole. We gathered at the Denali Brew Pub for a celebratory dinner and poked our head in the historic Fairview Inn for a touch more celebrating.
This morning we dried our gear, repacked bags for flights home, and got ready to head our separate ways. There is a strong bond that develops sharing tents and some trials over 23 days on a glacier. It's bittersweet to move on, but we do so knowing that this team came together in a way that made everyone stronger, they stretched to meet all of the many challenges we faced, and we came back successful. From Henry, Tatum, and myself, we would like to thank all of our team sincerely for being so strong, fun, and patient, and many thanks to everyone's families for the support and for following along. This is a long strange trip that none of us will soon forget. Flight plan closed.
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Devin Guffey, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'
Saturday, June 3, 2023 - 9:14 pm PT
It's us again,
We woke to snow and it hasn't stopped since. Needless to say no planes came to pick us up. Morale is holding but we are getting a bit antsy as a team. There has been lots of laying down. Backs are sore, legs restless, minds are going stir crazy. It's only been a couple days but our exit is so close. Tomorrow may be better for weather, so fingers crossed its clear in Talkeetna and clear here so we can hop on that plane and get some much needed showers.
Till than we lay once again in our sleeping bags listening to the pitter patter of the snow.
Holding strong,
RMI Guides Hannah, Devin, Erika, and Team
Hey Bethany. Know you are ready to roll… maybe call an Uber! Mom is good for it! I will venmo the money.
Love M❤M
Posted by: Jan L. Gray on 6/4/2023 at 12:26 pm
Happy to hear y’all had a perfect day for the summit! Can’t wait to hear how it was Travis!
Posted by: Ryan on 6/9/2023 at 6:37 am
Glad to hear everyone made the summit on a good weather day. Congrats to Travis! Looking forward to hearing stories and seeing some cool photos.
Godspeed on a safe return to all!
Posted by: Scott S on 6/8/2023 at 6:35 am
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