Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Elevation: 9,600'

Sunday, May 8, 2016 - 9:39 p.m. PDT Today the team learned that not everyday can be blue skies filled with unicorns. We woke early this morning, fighting the temptation to stay in our warm cocoons, to a complete whiteout. Everything that came in contact with the atmosphere grew a layer of frost overnight and we could barely see more than 10 feet in front of us. But we brewed up, ate a quick breakfast, and began the waiting game. We would need full VFR (visual flight rule) conditions to venture onto Kahiltna Dome but alas the weather never improved. After some tent time the team went out to investigate some ice fall debris fallen from the east face for some classroom sessions. The biggest block, close to the size of a two-car garage, provided some fun ice climbing routes. We hope to wake up tomorrow to better weather in hopes of giving the Dome one last shot before heading back down stream. Goodnight from the great white north! RMI Guides Leon Davis and Mike King and team

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Aagh shame, Rogan, but you might as well experience the good as well as the bad. Pity you missed the unicorns . At least you have team leaders who can make the best of the weather to teach you other things in the classroom sessions. Just keep happy and warm.
Lots of love and hugs, mom xx

Posted by: Daphne Carew on 5/10/2016 at 2:09 am

Hi Dave - Hope all is well and the white out is over. Keep staying safe!
Love Cathy and Nick

Posted by: Cathy Grotjahn on 5/9/2016 at 2:25 pm

Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Camped at 11,000’ on West Buttress

May 8, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla

Elevation: 11,000'

May 8, 2016 - 9:05 am PT We are writing from our new home for the next few nights, 11k on Denali's West Buttress. We has splitter weather today and made slow, but efficient progress up the Kahiltna Glacier. Now we're in our sleeping bags after setting up camp, rehydrating, and watching the sunset. Tomorrow, we plan to return down the Kahiltna to retrieve the cache of food and fuel we left there yesterday. Thanks for checking in. RMI Guide Mike Walter and the team

On The Map

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Great to hear of your progress. Keep up the good work all. David, the birds and fish are fed, pond pump is working, plants are watered, lawn is mowed, storm windows are not down…missing you molto!

Posted by: Nancy Hines on 5/9/2016 at 7:23 pm

Hi Rogan and rest of the team.

I saw this quote some time ago, and it reminds me how much respect I have for you all.

“I suggest going out to the nearest pub and getting completely, and utterly, wasted. Make sure you smoke at least 1 pack of unfiltered Camel’s. Get the full ashtray, pour a drink in it and then pour the mixture into a water bottle.
When you get home (ideally around 3:30am) stick the vile mixture into your freezer. Put on your best goretex and thermal layer. Climb in. At 5:30am, get out, drink (chew?) the mixture and go run the biggest flight of stairs you can find. Run until your heart threatens to explode.
Your dehydration caused by the alcohol should adequately simulate what you may experience at higher altitudes. Your lung capacity should be sufficiently impaired by the smokes to simulate a oxygen poor environment. The freezer episode should adequately replicate a bivy. Drinking the booze/butt mixture should simulate your lack of appetite…..
Oh — once your finished your workout, go to work (to replicate the long walk out).”
- Greg Hamilton suggesting an altitude training methodology.

To be honest, I am more than a little bit jealous. Enjoy every step and every moment, even when it’s tough.

Pieter and the Nel family from Cape Town, South Africa

Posted by: Pieter Nel on 5/9/2016 at 2:42 am

Alaska Seminar: Davis & Team Camped Near Kahiltna Dome

May 7, 2016

Posted by: Leon Davis, Mike King

Elevation: 9,600'

May 7, 2016 - 8:31 pm PT Good evening everyone, The team is hunkered down here at 9,600' camp near the base of the east face of Kahiltna dome. It was a fine warm day to drag our loads out of 7600' camp and set ourselves up for an attempt on the dome tomorrow morning. Lots of snow here off the beaten track so we are going to have some work to venture up the east face. Our team of four paired themselves down to one tent in order to lighten the load and sleep a bit warmer at night. Early to bed for us and an early rise in the morning. Hope everyone at home is warm and comfortable. RMI Guides Leon Davis & Mike King

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Hey Kevin,
We are following you. Looking for photos. It really looks beautiful on the mountain. Way to cold for me. It’s 83 here in GA.
Stay safe. Keep warm. Can’t wait to hear about your trip.
Love ya.
Lori and Chuck.

Posted by: Lori Pesta on 5/8/2016 at 3:38 pm

Adelle van zyl..hi there. Happy mothers day..may you have at least another one. Have a piece of cake and coffee up there. Everything us cool here but not as cool as Dinali. Looking for “selfies” of you and your old mountain friend or at least a spare Eskimo that you might run into on the mountain. Live you lots. Love from the Mornay family and Jaco family who are with Rina at the momeny.

Posted by: Mornay on 5/8/2016 at 1:18 am

Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Hit the Ground Running

May 7, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla

Elevation: 7,800'

Friday, May 6, 2016 - 11:19 p.m. PDT Our Denali expedition has hit the ground running. After flying on to the Kahiltna Glacier yesterday, we took advantage of good weather and traveled up glacier for 6.5 hours to our first camp at the base of Ski Hill at 7800'. Light snow started after we had camp set up, and continued through most of the night. When we woke up, there was only an inch of snow and temps were warm. After a delicious breakfast of smoked salmon and cream cheese on bagels, we loaded up our packs and sleds and headed up to 9400' to cache a load of fuel and food before returning to camp. All is going well, and we're hoping to move camp to 11,200' tomorrow. We'll keep you up to date. Thanks for checking in! RMI Guide Mike Walter and the team

On The Map

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Well done so far, Rogan and team, I wish I was eating bagels and salmon, enjoy! Keep warm and hope the weather just gets better every day! Love you lots, mom xx

Posted by: Daphne Carew on 5/9/2016 at 1:54 pm

David W hines -
having a wonderful mothers day, full of great barbecue ribs chicken sausage mess you and tim stay SAFE

mom

Posted by: ann hines on 5/8/2016 at 11:55 am

Alaska Seminar: Davis & Team Betting Against the Forecast

May 6, 2016

Posted by: Leon Davis, Mike King

Friday, May 6, 2016 - 9:40 p.m. PDT We held our breath this morning peering outside the vestibule, expecting to see a foot of snow and nothing else. Instead we found an inch of new snow and a cloudy glacier with low visibility. We enjoyed a pancake breakfast and packed as much gear as we could without taking the tents down. By late morning the cloud ceiling rose just high enough for us to see and that was good enough. By one o'clock we we walking down Heartbreak Hill with enough supplies to last four days. It was a beautiful quiet walk up the main flow of the Kahiltna and by 4:30 we were at the base of Ski Hill making camp next to Mike Walter's Denali team and a group of soldiers. Our crew is strong and looking forward to moving camp tomorrow to 10,000 ft, provided we can double down on our bet that the weather forecast will prove wrong one more time. RMI Guide Leon Davis

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Alaska Seminar: Davis & Team Train in a Crevasse

May 6, 2016

Posted by: Leon Davis, Mike King

Elevation: 7,300'

Today the seminar team had a fine time learning and drilling crevasse rescue techniques. Colder today than the previous few, we bundled up and traveled a few minutes from camp to a nice staging area above a deep blue hole. The team first drilled pulling a snow-filled duffel out before practicing with a live load. Everyone got the opportunity to experience the inside of a crevasse as well as pulling a teammate out of one. Clouds are starting to build over Foraker as a southwest flow moves it's way into our area and by late morning, silence filled the arena that hummed with the activity of planes flying into Basecamp. Before dinner we rigged our sleds and packed some gear for our anticipated move from BC and up the Kahiltna glacier tomorrow. An early and quiet goodnight from the expedition skills seminar. RMI Guide Leon Davis

On The Map

Denali: Walter & Team Flying Onto Kahiltna Glacier

May 5, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla

Thursday, May 5, 2016 - 10:17 a.m. PDT The RMI Office received word that RMI Guide Mike Walter and the May 3rd Denali Expedition has departed Talkeetna enroute to base camp on the Kahiltna Glacier. The team boarded K2 Aviation's Otter planes round 9 a.m. local time for their 45 minute flight into the Alaska Range. The RMI Denali climbing season is officially underway!

On The Map

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Alaska Seminar: Davis & Team Reach Summit Ridge of Radio Tower

May 5, 2016

Posted by: Leon Davis, Mike King

Elevation: 7,300'

Wednesday, May 4, 2016 - 10:29 p.m PDT Today the team went out to stretch their legs and explore the various corners of the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. We left camp early in the cold, biting air of morning and made our way up to a basin on the north side of the Radio Tower. Recent snow made for a lot of trail breaking to gain the north ridge. After crossing the bergschrund, we found the ridge to be very steep, firm underfoot, and very exposed. Our options were limited with the gear we had and the nature of the potential consequences. So we made the summit ridge our high point and descended to set up some fixed line work and anchor building. The team is in good spirits, eager to learn, and attentive to their well being. Tomorrow we explore the inside of a crevasse to see how deep the rabbit hole really goes. RMI Guides Leon Davis and Mike King

On The Map

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Mike Walter & Team Kick Off the RMI Denali Expedition Season

May 4, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla

Wednesday, May 4, 2016 - 9:01 p.m. Here we go! Everyone's travel arrangements worked out brilliantly the past couple of days and we all met in Anchorage yesterday afternoon and drove north to Talkeetna, a quaint little climbing village and the gateway to the Alaska Range. This morning we had an early orientation meeting with the National Park Service in Talkeetna where we discussed the route, leave no trace practices, and some of the history of Denali climbing. Then, after brunch at the historic Talkeetna Roadhouse, we spent the rest of the day at K2 Aviation's hangar checking our equipment and packing for our expedition. After a long day of sorting gear and weighing packs, we are confident that we are ready for out expedition on the West Buttress of Denali. The plan is to fly in to Base Camp on the Kahiltna Glacier tomorrow morning, weather permitting. From there, we'll be busy climbing for the next few weeks towards the apex of North America. We will be sending dispatches via satellite interface, and will try to make that technological magic work on a daily basis. Thanks for following along! RMI Guides Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla and the Team

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It was so wonderful to hear from you this morning, Tuesday 10th. You sound good and in high spirits. We are all so very proud of you and we are thinking of you everyday. Dont give up. Remeber - “Go Large”

chat again soon, lots of love, hugs and kisses from all of us xxx

Posted by: melanie on 5/9/2016 at 9:55 pm

To Dave:
Go Guy !!!! Be Safe!!!!!
Love Jon and Grammy.

Posted by: jon hines and grammy hines on 5/7/2016 at 9:46 am

Alaska Seminar: Davis & Team Build Up Camp at Kahiltna Base

May 4, 2016

Posted by: Leon Davis, Mike King