Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Posted by: Christina Dale, Bryan Mazaika
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI Guides Christina Dale & Bryan Mazaika led their Four Day Summit Climb Teams (August 16 - 19) to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Teams were reaching the crater rim around 7:30 AM PT. Christina reported a beautiful and warm day. The teams will return to Camp Muir and continue down to Paradise. They will end their program with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climb teams!
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
The Plantation Lodge was just too comfortable... we couldn’t leave at the crack of dawn. A leisurely 9 AM departure sufficed. Before leaving the Karatu area, we stopped for some souvenir/gift shopping and a try at negotiating prices. Then we dropped back down the escarpment into the Rift Valley and cruised through the bustling town of Mosquito River. Out in the dry country beyond town, we pulled off the highway to tour a small Maasai village. The residents danced for (and with) us, showed us how to make fire without modernity, and then took us two-by-two into their small houses -built of sticks, mud and dung- to describe the basics of being Maasai. Tanzania has over 120 different tribes, but the Maasai stand out because they are attempting to hold on to their traditional methods. Thus educated and enlightened, we lit out for Tarangire National Park. This park has very different ecosystems compared to Manyara and Ngorongoro. It is made up of arid and expansive forests and savannas cut by three wandering river courses. Impala, gnu and zebra are seemingly everywhere. We began seeing extended families of elephants, including some little fellas less than a year old. We learned to distinguish between male and female giraffes by the shape of their horns. We stopped to look at giant baobab trees and termite mounds and mongoose. We were getting spoiled... the team began demanding to see grizzly bears and tigers too. Actually, just when it seemed we’d go catless for the day, we came upon nine very alert and animated lions, close up. They wandered down to the river giving every impression that they were starting a hunt. In early evening we came to Balloon Camp deep within the park. The friendly staff oriented us to our bush hotel, which included advising us not to walk around without a guardian after dark. There are no fences between us and the critters of Tarangire. We watched the sun go down on our last full day in Africa and then sat for some “bush TV” as they call the campfire. A crew of cheerful and colorful Maasai came to sing, chant, jump and dance as it got fully dark and starry. We then enjoyed a barbecue buffet under those same stars.
In the morning, we’ll start to diverge, as Emily and Phil head off to the Serengeti and the rest of us explore a bit more of Tarangire. Seems a shame to break up the team, but our trip is winding down.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
RMI Guide Eric Frank reported in from the summit of their first peak: Sahale Mountain. Sahale requires a strenuous glaciated climb up the Quien Sabe Glacier and a 300' scramble up a 4th class rock pyramid. Eric reported that the wind changed direction last night and the wildfire smoke rolled back over them; which made for tough, smoky climbing. However, the team is happy with their first successful summit and ready for more.
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Paradise August 13 - 18 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning with clear skies and an overall gorgeous day. RMI Guide Jenny Konway reported that her team members were 100% successful to the summit. This team has spent several days on Mt. Rainier gaining mountaineering skills in preparation for their summit attempt. They have gained instruction and expedition style climbing skills which will prepare them for future expeditions to Denali or other big peaks. Today is the final day of their program. Once they return to Camp Muir they will pack up and continue to Paradise.
Congratulations to the Paradise Seminar team!
Congratulations to the group from Paul’s Aunt Marlene
Posted by: Marlene on 8/18/2018 at 8:34 am
Congratulations! We’ve been watching for this post. Such an amazing experience. Special “Hi” to Paul, Shane, and Ben. Congrats to all of you in the group.
Posted by: Carolyn on 8/18/2018 at 8:27 am
RMI Guide Brent Okita and the Four Day Summit Climb team were approaching the crater rim at 6:40 AM today. Brent reported a windless and gorgeous day. They will spend some time enjoying the views from the summit before descending to Camp Muir and then to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp later today.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climb team!
Congrats to my wonderful family! Hope you have a great time and make many memories!!
Posted by: Donna Burkeen on 8/18/2018 at 3:00 pm
Congratulations to Puja, Brent and the rest of the team for your successful climb to the summit.
Posted by: Meena and Jay Telikicherla and Indie on 8/18/2018 at 7:51 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
We did another alpine start and another climb up the side of a volcano. But this time we got up to a fine pre-dawn breakfast in a comfy dining room with a roaring fire and rode up the side of a collapsed volcano in Toyota Landcruisers. That was all under heavy cloud and a little rain. By the time we’d ridden around the crater rim and dropped down in, we were out of the clouds and into a world of wildlife and wonders. Before very long we were looking at a pride of nine lions up close and personal (before the day was out, we’d seen around 26 different lions). We saw herd after herd after herd of wildebeest, zebra and Cape buffalo. Gazelles bounded and abounded. There were just a few solitary elephants here and there. In the morning we spied a rhinoceros off in the distance. In the afternoon we went on a wild rhino rumor race... chasing across the crater along with half the other Toyotas in Tanzania to see a supposed rhino who apparently dropped down and went to sleep out of sight. As consolation, we had high times with hippos in a number of places. Many of the team said their favorite part of the day was encountering two lionesses simply walking past the cars on their way to who-knows-where. We had an excellent and very relaxing picnic lunch while watching hippos, birds, buffalo and zebras. At about 4 PM, Ibrahim and Edson steered the Landcruisers up a crazily switchbacking exit road and we left the conservation zone and got back to our garden of a hotel to take things a little easy before dinner.
Tarangire is tomorrow.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Steve Gately, Ben Liken
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guides Steve Gately and Ben Liken reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 7 am today. Steve reported light winds, warm temperatures, and the smoke haze is starting to clear. The team spent about an hour on the summit enjoying the views before starting their descent.
Congratulations to today's team!
Looks like the Alabama gang had success, congrats
Posted by: Don Baggett on 8/17/2018 at 12:43 pm
Way to go Mike and team
Good luck on the descent.
Posted by: Angela on 8/17/2018 at 9:12 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
We loved our Kilimanjaro climb... but each and every night of it was spent sleeping on a tilt in one or more directions. Last night at the Arumeru River Lodge, we were on the level. Consequently, there were a bunch of relaxed smiles at breakfast this morning to go with all the clean hair and shaved faces. At 8 AM we met our Safari guide/drivers -Edson and Ibrahim and loaded up the Landcruisers for an adventure. We started out by heading west through the outskirts of Arusha. As we got away from Mt Meru’s flanks, the clouds got thinner until we were out in dry and open land under clear skies. We passed many herds of Maasai cattle tended to by small boys in tartan blankets. Even before reaching Lake Manyara National Park, we spied a few giraffes eating acacia trees near the highway. Once in the lush and green park, we began seeing wildlife almost immediately. Logan got the coveted “first pumba” prize for spotting a tusky warthog digging up lunch. Unexpectedly a small gang of Cape Buffalo kicked up dust as they charged across the road. A few minutes later, we saw our second of the “big five” with a memory of elephants eating their way through the thorn trees. There were troops and flanges of baboons everywhere we looked. After a great picnic lunch with superb starlings singing in the branches overhead, we encountered a tower of giraffes, a bloat of hippos, and a dazzle of zebras. Along the way, there were silver-cheeked hornbills, a small implausibility of gnus and a herd or two of impalas. We looked high and low for big cats but they eluded us today. Perhaps tomorrow. In late afternoon we drove out of the Rift Valley and into the highlands. It was a great pleasure to pull into the meticulously manicured grounds of the Plantation Lodge near Karatu. We enjoyed cocktails and appetizers as the light faded and the stars came out... then we moved inside for a fine dinner to celebrate Phillip and Emily’s fourth wedding anniversary.
Ngorongoro Crater tomorrow.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,127'
RMI Guide Elias deAndres Martos and Team reached the summit of Mt. Shuksan via the Fisher Chimney route early this morning. The team started their ascent from Lake Ann, scrambled to the base of the Chimneys and worked their way up the 3rd and 4th class rock, reaching the Sulphide Glacier moving up the steep snow, ice, and rock to reach the Summit Pyramid. The team is on their descent and will spend the night at Lake Ann this evening trekking out in the morning.
Congratulations Team!
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz team with RMI Guide JM Gorum slowly worked their way up the Katuz Ice Chute today, but route conditions on the Wapowety Cleaver did not allow the team to climb beyond. The team in on the descent working their way back to high camp. The Team will spend the evening on the mountain. Tomorrow morning will be spent wrapping up their mountaineering skills training, and they will descend to Paradise in the afternoon.
Congratulations to today's team!
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Shoutout to all the Montreal climbers from a Kansas prairie flatlander! Way to go Molls!
Posted by: Beth on 8/19/2018 at 11:27 am
Congratulations! I’m very glad for all of you and I’m particularly proud of my daughter Marie-Laure.
Posted by: Louise Côté on 8/19/2018 at 9:58 am
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