Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Sunday, June 9, 2019 - 3:47 PM PT
The calm and mostly clear weather continues to give our Team great windows to get our gear, food and fuel moved up Denali. This morning we got a good start with cold temperatures to avoid being out in the heat. The temps dropped slightly as we climbed motorcycle hill then squirrel hill and onto the lower polo fields (actual names of these landmarks, not hypoxia kicking in). Despite the steep aspects and heavy packs the Team crushed the difficult carry and was rewarded with a sunny and warm not so “Windy Corner” of
Denali’s West Buttress. We could see teams moving up towards the fixed lines out of 14 Camp and got a chance to talk with RMI guide Robby Young as his team was headed up the fixed lines. The grand scale of the Alaska Range has kept people mesmerized along with the constantly changing scenery as we climb higher. We will rest for the remainder of the day and there’s bound to be more laughter once people get a nap in. It’s been a great group and trip so far. Tomorrow our plans are to pack up camp and move to 14,200’ and get our base camp hang dialed in so we can take advantage of the next favorable forecast window.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
Sunday, June 9, 2019 - 1:42pm PT
RMI Guide Mike Walter checked in via SAT Phone from camp on the
Easton Glacier of Mt. Baker. The team reached the summit this morning and enjoyed an almost 4,000' ski descent off the top of Mt. Baker. The team plans to spend a little time in camp recovering before they pack up and head to the trail head where they will return to town for a successful post-climb dinner!
Congratulations!
Saturday, June 9, 2019 - 10:08 PM PT
Hello world,
Checking in from
14,000' Camp here on Denali. All is well. Today, was all about one thing...supreme chill! A true rest day was enjoyed by all here at Camp under sunny skies and no wind. It was truly a glorious day to be in the Alaska Range. We were up and attem at 9:30am for a bagel, cream cheese, and salmon feast. Breakfast rolled into Gin Rummy, then into sun tanning, then into ‘Hot Drinks Poker’ and right into Buffalo Chicken dinner. It was just what the doctor ordered for this team today. Tomorrow, if the weather allows, it’s back to business. We hope to carry some food, fuel, and gear to the upper mountain tomorrow; probably to Washburn’s Thumb above 16,000’. The weather looks to remain nice for the next few days so we’re cautiously optimistic that we might be able to spend some more time on the upper mountain in the near future (knock on wood). For now, the sun is behind the ridge and we’re tucked in the sleeping sacks. We’ll check in with you all tomorrow.
RMI Guides Robby, Nick, Joe and Team Poker Face
On The Map
The
Four Day Climb June 6 - 9 led by
RMI Guides Andy Bond and Chris Ebeling worked hard this morning breaking trail to reach the crater of Mt. Rainier. They topped out just before 8 AM and were greeted with high winds on the summit. The team will return to Camp Muir and continue their descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Nice work team and congratulations!
Hola from Ecuador!
Today we started our day with a team meeting where we did our usual round of introductions to get to know each other and then discussed the game plan for our upcoming 10 day adventure here in Ecuador.
After the meeting we headed out on the town to
explore this beautiful historical city with our local and very knowledgeable tour guide Angel. We first headed to the southern part of Quito to a big hill called La Panacia that over looks this beautiful city, then continued on foot exploring the historic district.
We then headed north to visit the Equator from which Ecuador gets its name, stopping by a museum that had a pretty interesting collection as well as some unique tests that attempt to prove it’s the actual middle of the world.
We wrapped up the evening with dinner at a nice restaurant where we enjoyed getting to know each other better.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Ecuador crew
Saturday, June 8, 2019 - 7:39 PM PT
Guess who’s back? We are. We’re back at
High Camp. A place I never really thought I would find myself twice over the course of one Denali trip. The Precision Strike Summit Team (PSST) made quick work of the move back up here. We are a well oiled machine by now. Other teams yell various commands when passing anchors on the fixed lines: “stop!” “go!” “climbing!” “what?” “did you say go?” “huh?!” We climb in silence now, like panthers, sure of each others actions without having to verbalize them. We made it to 17,000' Camp and moved right back in to our old tent platforms, so that made things efficient. We’re currently all chilling out in the tents, rehydrating, and waiting for dinner. The views are great, but we’ve already spent four days looking at them, so nobody is terribly preoccupied at this point. Here’s hoping tomorrow is another calm, clear day.
RMI Guide JM Gorum
On The Map
Saturday, June 8, 2019 - 3:42 PM PT
We had our first active rest day today. The weather forecast called for a calm night with increasing clouds and possible precipitation through the day. The air was still when I woke at 5 am to check the weather. After a salmon and cream cheese bagel breakfast we set off down hill with our sleds strapped to our backpacks. The goal was to carry all of our cache from 9300’ to 11,200’. The Team did exceptionally well and we managed to beat the heat of the morning for all but the last hour. The afternoon clouds are coming into camp and creating a greenhouse effect where the UV comes through the clouds and reflects off the snow then gets bounced back by the clouds making for a hot day in camp. People have their sleeping bags clipped on the outside of the tent for a more ideal napping environment. So long as the weather continues this pattern we will wake early and carry food and fuel around Windy Corner in preparation for our camp move to 14,200’ in
Genet Basin. Even though we have been moving lots of weight up the glacier for four days, the Team is happy and enjoying the beautiful scenery here on Denali. Thanks for following along.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
At high camp, I had a dream about eating cheesy hash browns and eggs. This morning, that dream became a reality. We ate breakfast burritos, lunch burritos, and dinner burritos. We lived a life of luxury that was not possible at 17,000 feet.
We also came up with a plan for the coming days.Tomorrow, half the group will walk out towards base camp and a flight towards Talkeetna. The rest of us will stay here at 14 just in case we have a summit window within the next few days. The forecast is calling for light winds this weekend, which has us hopeful. Regardless of what happens, we will certainly be eating more burritos.
RMI Guide JM Gorum and Team
Friday, June 7, 2019 10:18 PM PT
Greetings all!
A beautiful sunny day, finally! We woke to sun and were only interrupted by some quick snow showers during the dinner hour. We were able to fully complete our move to 14k Camp this morning by heading back down and retrieving our cache at Windy Corner at 13.200’. We were up and at em early and were back at Camp a little after noon, in time to nap and rest, and finish up our day with some fixed line practice.
Tomorrow, we’ll rest! It’s an important rest day as we continue our acclimatization process in preparation for our future travels to upper reaches of this grandiose mountain. We’ve got big plans for big meals, big naps, and possibly a trip to take in the views at the ‘Edge of the World’. We’ll report back and tell you all about it tomorrow! Til then, good night!
Robby, Nick, Joe and Team Pebble Beach
The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Mike Haugen and Hannah Smith reached the top of Disappointment Cleaver before winter like conditions and a snow loaded trail forced them to turn. Mike reported that the team is on the descent just reaching Ingraham Flats en route to Camp Muir.
Congratulations to Today's Team!
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Please tell Allan Oliver that Emily and I are thinking about him and can’t help but be super impressed that he is doing this! Amazing! Chris
Posted by: Chris Beecroft on 6/10/2019 at 12:49 pm
Hi Mike and team,
I couldn’t find y’all in the registry. Gorem and team coming down, while your behind Nick, et al. So happy for all to get better weather. What’s on the menu? And, how about a shot of Foraker please. Windy corner looks gnarly! Have fun, and step safe
Posted by: Susan Moore on 6/9/2019 at 7:47 pm
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