Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Mt. Rainier: The Winter Seminar Tries for the Summit

April 16, 2014

Posted by: Brent Okita, Zeb Blais, Ben Liken, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 10,060'

We left Camp Muir this morning at 4: There was a cap over the summit from the outset of our climb but we were thankful the winds from yesterday evening had abated and hoped the cap would follow suit.45 a.m. in reasonable winds. The team took to heart the lessons learned at yesterday’s climbing school and climbed strong on the upper mountain in deteriorating conditions. I began the route finding effort up the Ingraham Direct but gave way to RMI Guide Zeb Blais as he led the team up to a break at 12,800’. As we switchbacked our way up the mountain, we encountered increasing wind speeds and steadily decreasing visibility. We made the smart and safe choice to call 13,400’ our high point for the day. On our descent to Camp Muir, clouds would billow up from below causing white out conditions followed by periods of visibility. This process repeated continually until we returned to Camp Muir. We’re back at Camp Muir safe and sound. We are looking forward to a low-key afternoon at camp with a siesta and some easy training on the schedule. Signing off for now, RMI Guide Brent Okita

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Zeb led the way for Mariana and I out of Camp Muir on June 20, 2010. He got us up to Ingraham Glacier before returning with climbers. Mariana and I continued to the summit, led by Solveig Waterfall. I will always be grateful to Zeb for his kind and thoughtful pace out of Muir . . . I’ve not seen him since, but want to send a big hello his way and the heads up that I will be forever grateful to him for his efforts that Father’s Day. Thanks, Zeb!!!

Posted by: Josephine Johnson on 4/17/2014 at 9:58 pm

Thanks for keeping my guys safe and sound! Think warm thoughts! Hugs to Mike and Steve

Posted by: cathy on 4/16/2014 at 7:59 pm

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Mt. Everest: The Team Prepares for the Next Phase of the Expedition

April 16, 2014

Posted by: Billy Nugent, Dave Hahn, JJ Justman, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 17,575'

Hello out there. Billy here checking in for the rest of the gang after another day deep in the Khumbu. Not much to report on another rest day here, other than the fact that the NCell tower began sporadically working today after nearly a ten-day outage. Our team was starting to go crazy... I mean it was like camping back in the 90's where you were in a deep black hole. Anyway, clear skies this morning meant more helicopters buzzing basecamp as a film production crew has been ferrying tons of equipment up valley. The rumor is that they'll need more than fifty flights to get all of their gear in, we're all looking forward to it! Regardless, we're rested and ready for the next phase of our climb which involves an early wakeup dress rehearsal for tomorrow. It's the last step before we begin our first true rotation up the mountain. All for now, will check in again tomorrow after another romp through the icefall... RMI Guide Billy Nugent

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Casey Grom - just checking in on you. Just read about the avalanche and of course I immediately thought of you. Be safe.
- Janel
Posted by: Janel Miller on 4/18/2014 at 5:43 am

Posted by: Janel Miller on 4/18/2014 at 7:04 am

Nicole & Team sending blessings and prayers up to the top of the world. Thinking of you all, all those who left families and friends behind. Praying you are all safe, warm, healthy, and in good strong spirits.

Posted by: Tatiana on 4/18/2014 at 5:08 am

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Mt. Everest: Mark Tucker and the Climbing Team Summit Kalapathar

April 15, 2014

Posted by: Mark Tucker, Dave Hahn, JJ Justman, Billy Nugent

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 17,575'

Summit... of Kalapathar! The team took on Kalapathar, and had a great payday of views galore. Nice weather for most of the day. The Sherpa team also benefited from weather as they are nearly done with all the makings of Camp 2. One comment from a Sherpa that it was very hot in the Khumbu Icefall. Seems ironic. The climbing team is gearing up for a possible early morning test run in the Icefall. We'll keep you posted. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

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Is everything ok? Our news said there was an avalanche on Everest. Please let us know if it didn’t
affect you.

Posted by: Jean Kumler on 4/17/2014 at 9:11 pm

Hi Kara
I’m back home. Had a really nice time in LA. Was 85 there—-came home to 35 in Cleve. Your trip is looking amazing and beautiful and cold and challenging.
So glad it’s going well. Keep up the good work everyone
What an awesome experience.

Posted by: Jean Kumler on 4/17/2014 at 6:33 am

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Mt. Rainier: RMI Guide Brent Okita Checks In as the Seminar Ascends to Camp Muir

April 15, 2014

Posted by: Brent Okita, Zeb Blais, Ben Liken, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 10,060'

We had a great day for making our way to Camp Muir yesterday. Blue skies and just enough wind to keep us from over heating. Everyone did well! Camp Muir will be home through Friday. The next few days we'll be training around Camp Muir. It's going to be a fantastic week! RMI Guide Brent Okita

Mt. Everest: Rest Day for the Team at Everest Base Camp

April 14, 2014

Posted by: Dave Hahn, JJ Justman, Billy Nugent, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 17,575'

Today was a well-timed rest day. Following our recent daily pattern, it was sunny and calm in the morning and snowing and socked in by noon. The team took the chance to wash up and get clean during the sunny hours, and then hunkered down within the tents for the afternoon. The much talked about Everest Basecamp WiFi hotspots and 3G cell coverage have both been dysfunctional in the extreme of late, bringing the teams back virtually to the 1990's in terms of connectivity... roughing it. Yesterday was a very popular day for Puja ceremonies and so the drab moraine rubble we call home was transformed by a vast spiderweb of interconnected colorful prayer flags streaming from the numerous chortens. Tomorrow, our Sherpa team is geared up for a carry to Camp II while the climbers have a conditioning hike to Kalapathar in mind. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Luv You! Take care we are with you everyday and are so proud of you. Go for it Nicole and team!!!

Posted by: Mimi on 4/15/2014 at 5:53 pm

Nicole Lobiondo: Sounds like a great day of rest. I am sure you are seeing many amazing things and views. Big hug!!! Nicole

Posted by: Nicole Howard on 4/15/2014 at 6:36 am

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Mt. Everest: Team Continues Training

April 13, 2014

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Billy Nugent, JJ Justman, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 17,575'

Today the team went uphill in a few big ways. The Sherpa team carried loads all the way to Camp II (ABC) at 21,300 ft before returning to base while the climbing guides and climbers geared up and traveled to the first ladders in the icefall route. It takes about 90 minutes or so to reach those lowest ladders, but we figure it was pretty good practice. The "trail" involves a lot of crampon work up and down endless ice ridges before the actual fixed ropes begin. The fixed lines take a little getting used to when it comes to passing intermediate anchors in steep and awkward spots. Then we started encountering the much anticipated ladders, the first few this season being short and simple. But we continued on until we hit a slightly longer set of ladder sections tied together and bridging a pretty deep and dark crevasse. The team took turns tip-toeing across the rungs and from time to time just standing back to watch Sherpa climbers dance effortlessly across in their descent from a hard day of work. Descent from that big and worthy crevasse a little over 18,000 ft was pretty good training all in itself. The team moved better and better as climbers got accustomed to the routines of "arm-rappels" and clipping past snow and ice anchors. We reached the crampons-off point just as the daily afternoon snowstorm began, but that meant we were only ten minutes from camp. Once back in our home away from home it was an easy afternoon of lunch, games, naps and good conversation. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

RMI Guide and Base Camp Manager Mark Tucker checks in with an update on the Mt. Everest Expedition.

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Sending nothing but good vibes your way Spenny boy!

Posted by: Danny on 4/15/2014 at 12:37 pm

Nicole Lobiondo: Tracking you every day and thrilled to hear the team and you are going great. Stay warm and enjoy every minute. Love, Nicole H

Posted by: Nicole Howard on 4/14/2014 at 6:36 am

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Dhaulagiri: RMI Guides Spend a Night at Camp 1 and are Back in Basecamp

April 12, 2014

Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Jake Beren, Geoff Schellens

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Guide News

Elevation: 15,584'

Hello, this is Dhaulagiri climbing team on Saturday, April 12th. We have come back to base camp. We had made a move to Camp 1 and spent last night up there. We were forced to move down because of the bad weather. However that was pretty much the plan after moving up there and caching some gear and spend at least a night for acclimatization. We have about a foot of snow at base camp and we got about 1 1/2 feet at Camp 1 last night. Looks like the trend is going to be like that for the next couple of days and we are going to wait it out down here. We'll keep you posted on the move. So far the "mountain of storms." We will see what happens. Hope everyone is doing well and we'll check in later. RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos

Elias de Andres Martos calls in from Dhaulagiri Basecamp.

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STAY SAFE, my brave caballeros!

Posted by: nsb on 4/18/2014 at 11:35 am

Elias: Fingers crossed that you and your team get some good weather in the coming days. Hang in there!!!

Chris Palmer

Posted by: Chris Palmer on 4/13/2014 at 6:37 pm

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Mt. Everest: Sherpa & Guide Teams Check Out Camp 1 as Climbing Team Acclimatizes on Pumori

April 12, 2014

Posted by: Dave Hahn, JJ Justman, Billy Nugent

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 17,575'

Hey, this is Dave Hahn calling from Mount Everest. We're still doing voice dispatches. We don't have internet connectivity yet. There is hope that we'll have it in the next couple of days if they fix the cell tower down valley. Things are going well up here. Our Sherpa team and our guide team went through the Icefall yesterday. Some of the first to go through the Khumbu Icefall for this season. We went to Camp 1 and came back down yesterday morning. All was well. Today the climbing team, went to Pumori Camp 1. Pumori is one of the beautiful mountains around base camp. Of course we didn't go for the summit of that; it would be pretty technical. But going up to Camp 1 was good exercise and got us up to some altitude. It wasn't the best day for being out in the hills. It was kind of snowy and gray but we made a good outing out of it. And then had an easy afternoon back here at base camp, so everything's going well. The base camp is filling up. Lots of teams coming in now. So it's getting a little bit more like regular Everest season by now. All for today. We'll keep in touch. RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Dave Hahn calls in after first time this season through the Khumbu Icefall.

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Nicole Lobiondo: Looks amazing and great job with Camp 1!!!! Go Nikita. Love you. Nic

Posted by: Nicole Howard on 4/14/2014 at 6:33 am

How exciting Nicole! Please return safely. Love Auntie Woo

Posted by: Cheryl Moothart on 4/13/2014 at 4:39 pm

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Mt. Everest: Mark Tucker Checking in after the Puja Ceremony

April 10, 2014

Posted by: Mark Tucker, Dave Hahn, JJ Justman, Billy Nugent

Categories: Expedition Dispatches

Elevation: 17,575'

Hello! Mark Tucker checking in from Everest Base Camp. We had a wonderful ceremony today. The puja altar was just as beautiful as it gets. A wonderful day. Just a real, pretty ceremony. Everybody in attendance and we all had a good time. So we packed up a lot a loads. We have our whole Sherpa staff heading up the hill to carry all the necessary provisions to get a great Camp 1 established. And our three super guides, Dave, Billy and JJ, are going to go get their feet wet and check on the route and check on the camp and get things looking up-to-snuff for the rest of the western team. We will do some maintenance down here- a little bit of hiking, maybe a shower day. We have plenty to do to prep ourselves for the near future. We are going to be up real early and get these boys off to work on their commute to Camp 1 tomorrow. So all is well and like I said, we had a really nice day. We'll check in tomorrow. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls in after the puja ceremony.

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You guys got Four Loko’s in Basecamp?

ROADHOUSE

Posted by: Horatio C.B. on 4/11/2014 at 1:45 pm

Best of luck and prayers for the safety of all. Be careful and have fun!! And don’t bet Tuck in cards!!

Posted by: Bill McGahan on 4/11/2014 at 10:42 am

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Dhaulagiri: RMI Team Making Progress on the Mountain

April 10, 2014

Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Jake Beren, Geoff Schellens

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Guide News

Elevation: 15,584'

Hello, this is the Dhaulagiri climbing team calling from basecamp on Thursday, the 10th of April. We have been here now for a few days. We made some progress on the mountain. We've moved a couple of caches almost to Camp 1. We have had a few peeks of the mountain, in between a couple of severe storms that have fallen upon us. We were pretty close and a move to Camp 1 has been made. The four of us have acclimatized to that elevation, and we will try to push out there tomorrow and spend a couple of nights. The weather forecast looks favorable to us for the next couple of days. The weather here has been a little weird with really clear mornings and snowstorms pretty much every afternoon, so that has been a little interesting. We are enjoying ourselves pretty well here. Everybody is very healthy and in good spirits. We'll try to make some progress and spend our first night at altitude. We'll keep you posted with more once we make that move. We hope you are all doing very, very well. Regards from Nepal. RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos

RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos calls in from Dhaulagiri's Basecamp.

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JAKE!!!!!

Posted by: Mike Poutiatine on 4/10/2014 at 9:59 pm

Daily I am wearing a Tibetan-sourced St. Christopher-like disc to keep you all well and energized for the climbs ahead. These postings mean the world to me—keep them coming and POWER ON.

Posted by: nsb on 4/10/2014 at 4:56 pm

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Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Mt. Rainier: The Winter Seminar Tries for the Summit

Mt. Everest: The Team Prepares for the Next Phase of the Expedition

Mt. Everest: Mark Tucker and the Climbing Team Summit Kalapathar

On The Map

Mt. Rainier: RMI Guide Brent Okita Checks In as the Seminar Ascends to Camp Muir

Mt. Everest: Rest Day for the Team at Everest Base Camp

Mt. Everest: Team Continues Training

On The Map

Dhaulagiri: RMI Guides Spend a Night at Camp 1 and are Back in Basecamp

Mt. Everest: Sherpa & Guide Teams Check Out Camp 1 as Climbing Team Acclimatizes on Pumori

On The Map

Mt. Everest: Mark Tucker Checking in after the Puja Ceremony

On The Map

Dhaulagiri: RMI Team Making Progress on the Mountain

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