Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Ecuador’s Volcanoes: Walter & Team Explore Quito

June 29, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador

Elevation: 9,350'

Our Ecuador Volcanoes expedition is underway! Everyone (and their luggage) arrived yesterday and the team met for breakfast this morning at our hotel’s café. Today’s agenda involved an informational tour of the historic areas of Quito, Ecuador’s capitol. Angel, our local city tour guide, led us through colonial Quito, and taught us about the history of various churches, the presidential palace, independence plaza, and the large statue of the Virgin of Quito, overlooking the city. The weather was beautiful and we even snuck in partial views of some of our climbing objectives, Cayambe and Rucu Pichincha. Cotopaxi (which is closed to climbing due to recent volcanic activity) also came into view. Next we jumped in our van and headed north to the equator, or “mitad del mundo”, where we visited an ethnographic museum and learned about various indigenous cultures of Ecuador. We straddled the equator, with one leg in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern, as we watched some demonstrations of Coriolis Effect and our position on the equator. We’re off now to sample some Ecuadorian cuisine for dinner! RMI Guide Mike Walter

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Mt. Rainier: June 29th Five Day Summit Climb - SUMMIT!

June 29, 2016

Posted by: Mike Uchal

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Five Day Summit Climb Team led by RMI Guide Mike Uchal reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Yesterday in preparation for their summit attempt Mike and the team enjoyed a short hike to Ingraham Flats. They have had great weather while on the mountain and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise from the top today! Congratulations to today's team!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Ha, fBook challenged, apparently also RMI website challenged…. Will post reduced photos and movies when I land in NH with Wi-Fi, or feel free to email me for full resolution. Y’all were great. Moe

Posted by: Moe on 7/3/2016 at 5:41 pm

Hi guys, you were a great bunch. Got some great photos, and good sliding movies complete with whooping. I just got back to Boston, waiting for bus,

Posted by: Maureen Horgan on 7/3/2016 at 5:36 pm

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Mt. Rainier: June 29th Summit!

June 29, 2016

Posted by: Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guides Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Peter reported a very beautiful morning with clear skies and calm winds. The team has started their descent and are en route back to Camp Muir. Congratulations to today's Teams!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Hi! I have done one day of ice climbing basic skills in Iceland in 2016. I am interested in the 4 day or 5 day rainier summit trip. I was wondering if Ed Viestrus and Peter Whittaker are still taking people up there? if so, which dates?

Posted by: irene on 11/4/2017 at 11:47 pm

Fantastic! Thank you weather gods for the favorable weather. Looking forward to the first hand report.

Posted by: Cheryl McConnell on 6/29/2016 at 9:35 am

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Mt. Elbrus: Waterfall & Team Prepare for Summit Attempt

June 29, 2016

Posted by: Seth Waterfall

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Southside

Elevation: 12,600'

Hi from High Camp on Mt. Elbrus. The weather forecast is looking pretty good for a summit bid tonight! We'll be up around midnight, shooting for a 1:00 AM departure. Today was pretty relaxing with a late breakfast followed by some avalanche transceiver training. Once that was complete we went for a short hike before lunch. After lunch we took a break and then prepped our gear for the summit push. If everything goes as planned we should be on the summit between 6 and 7 AM our time. Hopefully I'll be calling from the top for my next check in. RMI Guide Seth Waterfall

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Denali Expedition: Haugen & Team Return to High Camp

June 29, 2016

Posted by: Mike Haugen, Pepper Dee, Hannah McGowan

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,000'

June 29, 2016 - 1:23 am PT We are all safe and sound back at high camp after an amazing summit day. I am proud to report that all members of our team made it to the highest peak in North America! The day started out cold but Denali was kind to us. It turned out to be a clear and sunny day with very little wind...a rarity on this big mountain. We were just under 12 hours round trip from High Camp including a long time on the top taking pictures and enjoying our success. We are gong to try to get up early and start our decent back to thicker air. Hopefully the weather cooperates like it has over the last few days! Congratulations to the June 14th Denali Expedition Team! RMI Guide Mike Haugen

On The Map

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Congratulations to Phil and the entire team on a successful summit! All that training and preparation truly paid off. You are all an inspiration! Safe trip back home!- Kelly

Posted by: Kelly Tybor on 7/1/2016 at 5:04 am

Congratulations Phil and team! We are so proud of you!

Posted by: Barbara McKay on 6/29/2016 at 3:09 pm

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Peru Seminar: Elias & Team Arrive at Ishinca Base Camp

June 28, 2016

Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar

Elevation: 14,300'

So there we were, moving into the "Blanca". A few hours of hiking brought us to the mouth of Quebarada Ishinca. With "burros" hauling the big part of our load, we arrived in style to Ishinca Base Camp, home for the next 7 days. Unsettled weather only allowed brief glimpses of the ice-cloaked, jagged "rajus" above. If our senses weren't already overstimulated enough, we sat down to a dinner of fresh trout at 14,300'. Stormy skies passed leaving us with a magnificent sea of stars highlighted by the Southern Cross. Until tomorrow, "buenas noches". -Spanish climbing word of the day; la cumbre (the summit) RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos

Mt. Elbrus: Waterfall & Team Train on the Mountain

June 28, 2016

Posted by: Seth Waterfall

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Southside

Elevation: 13,000'

Its a storm day for Team Elbrus. We actually had good weather this morning and got out to do some more practice with the ice axe and crampons. We then moved into self arrest practice. By the time we finished that it had started to snow and then that turned to rain for a minute. The wind really kicked up for a few hours after that and we had a real storm for a while We all hid from the weather and watched a movie this afternoon. Thanks to Brett for supplying the iPad. It's about 5:30PM now and there's not much wind and some sun at camp. The upper mountain is covered in a large cloud and it looks like there are more clouds moving our way. Because of that we have decided to stick to our original plan and go for the summit either tomorrow night or the next. I'll check in again tomorrow. RMI Guide Seth Waterfall

On The Map

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

You guys are great!! Its so much fun to watch your progress…..Cant wait till I get the news that you’ve reached the summit and are on your way down! I wonder how long it takes to get down???Carol

Posted by: carol Latz on 6/29/2016 at 7:22 am

go john go

Posted by: Jill on 6/28/2016 at 12:41 pm

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Mt. Rainier: King & Team Summit via the Emmons Route

June 28, 2016

Posted by: Mike King, Christina Dale, Megan Budge, Joe Hoch

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Five Day Emmons Climb led by RMI Guide Mike King reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning via the Emmons Glacier Route. It's a beatiful day with little wind and clear skies. After spending some time on the summit the team started their descent around 6:30 am PT, they will return to high camp for their final night on the mountain. Congratulations!

Mt. Rainier: Four Day Summit Climb & Emmons Team on the Summit

June 28, 2016

Posted by: Walter Hailes, Mike King

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

We have teams on the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning! RMI Guide Walter Hailes led his Four Day Summit climb to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Walter was approaching the crater rim just before 7 am and reported a beautiful day with light winds. Congratulations to today's climbers!

Denali Expedition: Hahn & Team Make a Carry to 13,300’

June 28, 2016

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Ben Liken, Bridget Belliveau, Hannah Smith

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

June 27, 2016 - 11:08 pm PT Another murky day, weatherwise. It was snowing lightly when we checked things at 6:45 AM, but it was calm and there were hints of clearing in some of the cloud layers stacked above us. We got up and had a slow and substantial breakfast as we watched the skies. With a few patches of blue showing, the decision was made to go on up for our carry. We left camp at about 10:15 and were promptly surrounded again by calm and listless clouds. It was a relief to be spending a day without our sleds and to be in crampons instead of snowshoes. The terrain, beginning with "Motorcycle hill" right out of camp, was steeper than any of the ground we'd covered to date, but that was nice too. We all felt a bit more like climbers with ice axes in our hands at last. The team wound up and across "Squirrel hill" to get to the lesser angled "Polo fields" below the end of Denali's West Buttress. At least we think those were the granite walls of the Buttress... we couldn't really see very far up it in the clouds. Conditions stayed windless though, so we pushed on to Windy Corner. Nobody seemed disappointed that it wasn't living up to its well-earned reputation. We cached the provisions we'd been carrying there at about 13,300ft, digging a big hole and burying it all to keep the ravens from attacking. Then it was an easy and uneventful hour back to camp with light packs and still not much for views. We were down by 4PM and taking naps and sipping water by about 4:30. Tomorrow is a rest day, so we are less concerned than usual by the continued light snow and ever-present murk. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Remember Kathleen “the pain is only weakness leaving your body”.We are Keeping track and living vicariously through you. Good luck on the weather and making the summit! Annette and Ed

Posted by: Annette and Ed on 6/29/2016 at 10:00 pm

Dave H: Thanks for the wonderful posts! It’s fascinating to follow the team’s progress daily - murk or not. Congratulations to all of you for your hard work so far. Cheering for you from afar!

Posted by: Julia on 6/29/2016 at 5:51 am

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Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Ecuador’s Volcanoes: Walter & Team Explore Quito

On The Map

Mt. Rainier: June 29th Five Day Summit Climb - SUMMIT!

Mt. Rainier: June 29th Summit!

Mt. Elbrus: Waterfall & Team Prepare for Summit Attempt

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Haugen & Team Return to High Camp

On The Map

Peru Seminar: Elias & Team Arrive at Ishinca Base Camp

Mt. Elbrus: Waterfall & Team Train on the Mountain

On The Map

Mt. Rainier: King & Team Summit via the Emmons Route

Mt. Rainier: Four Day Summit Climb & Emmons Team on the Summit

Denali Expedition: Hahn & Team Make a Carry to 13,300’

On The Map

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