RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer & Tyler Reid radioed from the crater rim of Mt. Rainier at 7:04 am. Their Four Day Summit Climb Teams were going to start their descent shortly after. Tyler reported nice weather with winds from the SW and a cloud deck at approximately 8,000'. The teams will return to Camp Muir and then continue their descent to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climbers!
Hey, it's Billy here checking in on the expedition seminar here on the Sulphide Glacier on Mount Shuksan. Our team hiked up from the trail head today all the way up to the base of the glacier and put in a camp on a very, very dry Mount Shuksan. We actually camped a little higher than we normally would because the lower glacier is down to bare ice and it's impossible to dig tents platforms. We are still within our permitted zone so all is good with the National Park Service. We are hanging out, chewing on food and relaxing after a long day of hard work. I will check in tomorrow after a day of training, and let you guys know how it went. So long for now.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
RMI Guide Billy Nugent calls in from the Mount Shuksan seminar.
So great to hear you all are making it up the mountain! Praying for a safe climb that continues to be fun and rejuvenating. Shoutout to my friend Jeremy - you got this!
We reached the Mt. Baker summit at 9 a.m. PST! Although we had lots of smoke from wildfires, we had clear skies at the top. Our descent is going well and we will be at the trailhead later today.
RMI Guide Zeb Blais
The Mount Rainier Summit Climbs, led by RMI Guides Elias de Andres Martos and Jake Beren, called in at 7:38 a.m. The first teams began their descent from the crater rim at that time and the second teams followed at 7:53 a.m. The guides report a little wind from the WSW but all-in-all, good weather.
Congratulations to today's summit climbers!
Congratulations to Elizabeth and her BCM climbing partners - thrilled that you were able to summit and that you had such great weather! Thanks to your RMI guide for keeping you safe. Have a joyful decent.
Mom and Dad
Good morning everyone. This is Eric Frank calling from the top of Mount Shuksan. We just climbed the Sulphide Glacier Route. Everything is going well. We walked up in the fog yesterday and didn't have much visibility, but this morning was beautiful. We woke up to starry skies and had a nice climb up the glacier, and a great climb up the final summit pyramid. We are going to hang out for a few more minutes, and then make our way back down and rest, relax and hopefully get a nap in this afternoon. Take care. Bye.
RMI Guide Eric Frank
RMI Guide Eric Frank calls from the Mt. Shuksan summit!
RMI Guides Brent Okita & Geoff Schellens led their Four Day Summit Climb teams to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The teams were able to spend about an hour enjoying the views on the summit. They began their descent from the crater rim just before 8 am. They will return to Camp Muir to rest and repack before continuing down to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's teams!
The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guides Tyler Reid and Pete Van Deventer reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Pete reported clear skies, a light breeze, and warm temps. The teams began their descent from the summit at 8:25 am. We look forward to welcoming them in Ashford this afternoon.
Congratulations!
Hi, this is RMI Guide Zeb Blais and team checking in from Boston Basin, our camp for Sahale Mountain. Earlier this morning we summitted Sahale under perfectly blue skies and low winds. Our team was strong all the way up and all the way down. We are enjoying the sunshine up here in the North Cascades.
As I wrapped up this trip, I couldn't help but remember the last time I visited Ixta. I was guiding a man in his 70's up. He was making the trip on his own. The extraordinary thing: he was on a lot of medication, he had a stint placed in his heart and a piece of his lung removed. His effort was impressive. We made four different expeditions, increasing the number of O2 bottles used during the ascent.
When I’m on climbs like the one I just finished, I’m also reminded of my mission to be an ambassador for the sport (and to keep people smiling even when they are hurting). I want people who join me, especially when it’s their first time climbing, to be challenged, but not to be destroyed because it’s too tough. The trip I just finished was with a great group—novices, but an enthusiastic crowd for sure. Everyone checked their egos at the airport when we landed and fully embraced the journey. We also developed a shared responsibility that bonds us on the climb and I think long after it’s over.
In the end, these climbs can change people’s perspective on life and things back home especially when the conditions are extreme. What happens on the mountain, combined with that disconnect from the daily grind, is essentially a recharging through depletion, fed by the beauty and simplicity of nature along the way, as well as the experiencing of different cultures. The once-in-a-lifetime climb is more than just the trip itself. It’s the memories, and the gratitude we develop for being healthy enough to experience something so amazing, yet take on something totally out of our comfort zone. It’s also stepping back when we are home taking nothing for granted.
I remind everyone I work with to remember it’s not about the summit, it’s the entire experience that matters—that’s what will fill their tanks months after they’ve unpacked and settled back into life. This group—they fully embraced that notion. They didn’t grab for just a slice on the mountain—they went for the entire pie. I love introducing newcomers with that kind of get-it-done attitude to this sport. These guys accepted the challenges that came with it and had a laugh doing so.
I’m fortunate to have great clients and work for a great company like RMI. Both remind me, and I hope by reading this reminds you (and my latest team!), to get out there and do something big every day. Mount Rainier is the perfect intro for climbing novices. It allows curious people to stop wondering and get out there and try something—and to share something really cool with family and friends. And remember that guy in his 70's? He didn’t tackle Mount Everest, but his conquest was equally butt-kicking. Ixta was his Everest. Any mountain, or challenge for that matter, can be an Everest-sized achievement.
Great job team!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
This is one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever read about the philosophy of alpinism. Thank you Mark!
Posted by: Wolf Riehle on 8/20/2015 at 4:51 am
Mark did an unbelievable job getting us as far up Orizaba as we got, and then letting us make the call on whether we wanted to push for the summit late in the day. We opted not to for safety (and a few other reasons,) but Mark made sure to put the whole thing in context for us, and did so brilliantly. It’s never about the result, but about the climb.
The Four Day Summit Climbs led by RMI Guides Mike Walter and Mike King reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning and were leaving the crater rim at 7:09 am. Mike King reported light winds and overall a beautiful day. The teams will be back in Ashford later today.
Congratulations climbers!
Great job everyone!
Posted by: Troy Harrington on 8/25/2015 at 5:46 pm
Congratulation Pete + team…How many Rainier summits now - Gadzillion !...Regards from cornfields of IN amigo…Waltero
Posted by: Waltero Glover on 8/25/2015 at 1:37 am
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