Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Elevation: 15,000'

Hello again everyone. After 5 days of trekking we have finally arrived at High Camp! Today we moved up a few thousand feet and are comfortably sitting just shy of 15'000ft. Despite having made good time to camp our amazing support still managed to beat us and have camp ready once again. We are camped on the southeast side of Kilimanjaro and have a great view of the route ahead as well as the valleys below. Our route ascends up a wide ridge and should be relatively easy for this crew that has done such a great job thus far. Our plan is to wake up at midnight and have breakfast then hopefully start our summit bid around 1am. If all goes well I'm expecting us to reach the summit sometime around 8am.Everyone is in good spirits and excited about the climb. Thanks for all the blog post! It's wonderful to hear from everyone back home and we appreciate all the support. Wish us luck! RMI Guide Casey and Crew

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Chambos,

Call when you get there! : )

Posted by: Jordo on 8/25/2013 at 4:18 am

Hello Bruce, Michael, Katie, Jess and Chris…. and congratulations!!! We have been following closely knowing there is a 7 hour difference. You’re not missing anything here. Have a safe trek down. Cant wait to see that view from the summit. Get a small rock from the mountain as a paperweight. Love you all. Mom

Posted by: Joyce on 8/24/2013 at 8:10 pm

Mt. Elbrus: Seth and Team Tour Moscow

August 24, 2013

Posted by: Seth Waterfall, Pete Van Deventer

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside

Hi Everyone, It's been a fun, if slightly soggy, day in Moscow. The day started with thunder and lightning at sunrise but as we all met up over breakfast the light show subsided. After breakfast we took a nice walk around Red Square and met up with a local tour guide. She took us into the Kremlin and showed us all around the old cathedrals inside. While we were in the Kremlin the skies opened up and it started to rain. We gave everyone the option to bail out and return to the hotel but this crew is tough and all of the stuck it out. After touring the Kremlin some folks wanted to do their own thing for a bit so we split into 3 groups for lunch time. After that we met back in the hotel and reviewed the gear necessary for the climb. Pete and I split up after that and checked out everyone's gears individually. Everyone seems very well prepared with top-notch gear and plenty of mountain food. Everything is lining up nicely for our departure for Mineralnye Vody and Kisklovodsk tomorrow. RMI Guides Seth Waterfall, Pete Van Deventer and Team

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James and Pete…Hello from the hot and humid cornfields of Indiana…Have a great adventure…About this moment Fred is stepping into Ohio River for his Iron Man…Hope to see him tomorrow…Best + bless…Waltero…Be foloing you all along…Godspeed

Posted by: Walter Glover on 8/25/2013 at 4:04 am

Pete and James
Wonderful to see familiar friendly faces climbing together again. Have a safe trip.
Fred K

Posted by: Fred Klingbeil on 8/24/2013 at 5:36 pm

Mt. Rainier: August 24, 2013 SUMMIT!

August 24, 2013

Posted by: Brent Okita, Solveig Waterfall

Elevation: 14,410'

Our Four Day Summit Climb Teams led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Solveig Waterfall reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 6:45am this morning. The teams reported 35 mph winds, and good route conditions. They will spend some time on the summit before starting their descent back to Camp Muir. Congratulations to today's teams!

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Congrats to all my fellow climbers who made it the summit. I enjoyed meeting you all and climbing with you. Also a big thanks to Brent, Sean and Nick for their guidance and professionalism. All the best to you and can’t wait to see the pictures!!

Posted by: Andy King on 8/26/2013 at 8:03 am

Was a great time climbing with you all. A special shout out to my rope team members Harry, Kim, and guide Sean on getting to the top. This was an amazing time with a first class organization. Rick King (yea, one of the Wisconsin King brothers).

Posted by: Rick King on 8/25/2013 at 7:21 pm

Mt. Rainier: Teams on the Summit August 23!

August 23, 2013

Posted by:

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!

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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

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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

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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

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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