Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Posted by: Casey Grom, Nikki Champion
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb Teams led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Nikki Champion successfully reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning! They started their descent from the crater rim a little after 7:00 am, they will enjoy some breakfast during their short break at Camp Muir before descending to Paradise and arriving back at BaseCamp this afternoon.
They reported some slight winds but, overall, a beautiful morning to be on top of the mountain!
Congratulations on an incredible achievement climbers!
Posted by: Ben Luedtke, Stella Johnson, Margo Kerr
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Monday, July 21, 2025
Hiya everybody!
Welcome to Glacier Peak, follow along at your own risk. Today was day 1, but we kept it simple. The day consisted of wrapping up our travel, arriving in the small town of Darrington, WA and completing our gear check and orientation for the beginning of our grand adventure. For some of us, this will just be the next major volcano in WA, and for others, this will be our 5th and final WA volcano! Woot woot! Tonight, we pack, unpack, and pack again making sure we have all the essentials. Tomorrow, we start our hike to Camp 1 at White Pass. Hold on to your seats as we venture into the deep wilderness of WA to attempt our hand at one of the coolest volcanoes around.
RMI Guide Ben Luedtke and Team
Tuesday July 22, 2025
Camp at White Pass
Our first day on the trail and we hit the ground running. Just kidding; we walked delicately through beautiful, lush forest, over rough, rugged terrain, and pranced among the wildflowers. It's all true, but today was a hot, long, and difficult journey to reach camp at white pass. Donned with heavy packs and all the snacks, we enjoyed a less dusty trail than usual thanks to the peaceful rain from last night. After our long day of friendly conversation, Marmot sightings, the fresh smells of mountain air, and beautiful views of the surrounding area, we enjoyed our first camp dinner huddled around our stoves and were very happy that we packed our head nets for the bugs. As we crawl into our sleeping bags for some well-earned rest, we can't help but glimmer with excitement for what comes next. Tomorrow, we head for high camp and training for the big summit day. Stay tuned in case the marmots attack...or become our cuddle buddies in the night... they're hard to read.
RMI Guide Ben Luedtke and Team
Expedition Skills Seminar – Kautz Update:
Led by RMI Guide Tatum Whatford, the team made a strong push up the Kautz Route on Mt. Rainier, reaching an impressive altitude of 12,900 feet. Facing the technical challenge of the Kautz Ice Chute and incoming cloud cover, the team made the prudent decision to descend back to camp.
They’ll spend one more day on the mountain refining their mountaineering skills before returning to Rainier Basecamp in Ashford, WA.
Great effort by all involved!
Posted by: Joe Hoch, Layne Peters, Fitz Elder
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,786'
With a forecast of thunderstorms and heavy rain by afternoon, we set alarms for a 12am start. Under a starry sky and with perfect climbing conditions we made great time!
The weather started to come in just as we summited around 7am, but we snapped a few photos just as the clouds closed in.
Heavy rain on the tents last night was the perfect white noise for some solid rest.
RMI Guide Joe Hoch & Team!
Posted by: Seth Burns, Avery Stolte
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Early this morning, our 5-day climb led by RMI Guides Seth Burns and Avery Stolte reached the summit of Mt. Rainier!
The team reported moderate winds, mostly cloudy skies, and cool, pleasant temps—a perfect alpine morning.
They’ve begun their descent and will spend the night at Camp Muir, with plans to return to Paradise by mid-afternoon tomorrow.
Huge congrats to the entire team on this incredible achievement!
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Hannah Blum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
Monday, July 21, 2025 4:37pm PDT
100% summits on the Coleman-Deming route. We summitted just after 9am and got back to camp before the rain!
It's been a chill afternoon waiting out rain showers in the tent and intermittently napping.
We plan to descend in the morning.
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier & Team
RMI Guide Jess Wedel and custom climbing team reached the summit of Glacier Peak yesterday evening just in time to watch the sunset from the top.
With the forecast for the next couple of days looking rather grim, the team took advantage of the good weather and made their summit bid on the second night of their trip, after a successful climb the team returned to camp in the early morning for some much needed sleep. They will spend today at Glacier Gap camp and descend to the trailhead for the conclusion of their trip tomorrow morning.
Nice work team!
Posted by: Jack Delaney, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Five Day Climb, led by RMI Guides Jack Delaney and Leif Bergstrom, reached the summit of Mount Rainier this morning, marking a successful ascent despite the cloud cover below. The weather was favorable, with clear skies overhead, and the team made the most of the opportunity, choosing today for their summit attempt as forecasts predict rising winds and rain tonight. After celebrating their success, they began their descent from the crater rim just after 10 am. The team will return to Camp Muir for a well-deserved rest before tackling the final 4,500-foot descent to Paradise tomorrow.
Congratulations climbers!
Congratulations to Leland and the entire team!!! Have a safe trip down to Paradise!
Posted by: Emily Hardcastle on 7/20/2025 at 7:32 pm
.jpg)
On July 18th, the RMI team, led by guide Henry Coppolillo, successfully reached the summit of Forbidden Peak, completing the climb via the renowned West Ridge route.
The journey began with a picturesque trek through the North Cascades’ alpine meadows, immersing them in the region's rugged beauty. To prepare for the challenging summit push, they trained on the iconic Sharkfin Tower, sharpening their skills and refining their techniques. With an early alpine start on the 18th, the team navigated glaciers and rocky terrain to reach the top of this stunning peak.
Nice Work Climbers!
Posted by: Joe Hoch, Mitch Valaitis, Jack Ritterson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
On July 18th the Mt. Baker Easton Climb summited all climbers and guides on a sunny, windy morning around 9:30 am. We had been climbing with a forecast of possible rain in the afternoon, but the building clouds cleared for us at the top of the mountain for some great views.
Just as we returned to the tents around 2 pm, the sky opened up. Nowhere better than a dry tent after a summit to watch the rain pour down.
- RMI Guide Joe Hoch
Congratulations Climbers!
Jess, Thanks for putting up with all my complaining, and keeping me from throwing in the towel with 1000 feet to the summit. What an amazing sunset summit. Truely breathtaking. Best wishes on your next adventures!
Posted by: Brian Dury on 7/23/2025 at 10:08 am
Thanks for an amazing trip Jess!! I’ll never forget that sunset summit!
Posted by: jason tonn on 7/22/2025 at 7:26 pm
View All Comments