Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Friday, June 1, 2018 - 6:21 PM PT
The sun warmed our tents before a majority of the team was up and about this morning. We decided to sleep late and take advantage of some well deserved rest after our climb of Pequeno Alpamayo the day before. Cups of tea and coffee, bread with honey and scrambled eggs with ham rounded out breakfast.
Today was a move day. After breakfast, we slowly packed up our camp and walked back out of the Condoriri Valley to the awaiting Land Cruisers. With our duffles loaded tightly in the trucks and above on metal racks, we quickly drove the 20 miles back out to the highway and headed south toward Zongo Pass, the basecamp for
Huayna Potosi.
The refugio here is a nice change from the tents that we have spent the last few nights sleeping in. Heated rooms, ample storage and electrical outlets seem like a real luxury.
The plan tomorrow is to move up to a hut higher on the mountain to get in position for our climb. The trail uphill is steep, but we will have porters helping with our load and expediting our progress.
RMI Guide Eric Frank
Friday, June 1, 2018 - 4:58 PM PT
Today we awoke to a clear and cold morning in camp and after breakfast we began the hour long climb up
Ski Hill. Taking advantage of the brisk temperature, it allowed us to stay cool and good snow conditions had us walking in just our boots. Walking without snowshoes let us set a good pace to our cache site at 10,200 ft. At the cache, we left some group meals, extra personal food and gas that we don’t need for a few days. After burying our gear, we descended back to camp in bluebird skies, sun and incredible views of the Lower Kahiltna glacier. Soon enough however, the heat of the sun had us retreating back down to camp and into our tents for some rest and relaxation after a hard morning. The menu for tonight calls for some quesadillas, which is most often a favorite meal on the mountain! If the weather holds true tomorrow, we hope to make the ascent again tomorrow and move our camp to 11,200'.
RMI Guide Tyler Jones
On The Map
Friday, June 1, 2018 - 12:00 AM PT
Basically today could be summed up as everything went exactly as planned. It was incredibly calm this morning with a thin cloud hanging across the Polo Field, that suggested things would get warm. We rocked out of camp, and just kept rolling until we walked into
14,000' Camp around 5.30 to see our friends on Mike Walter's team. We set up camp nearby, a compound of sorts, and now we're diving into sleeping bags, hurried there by the chill air of 14,000' and the sudden departure of the sun behind a ridge. Tomorrow we plan to rest.
RMI Guides Pete, Jess, Taylor, and team
On The Map
Today's mixed bag of weather didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm to train in and around the crevasses near
Camp Muir. If anything, we were all smug in the knowledge that we took advantage of fantastic weather when we could to summit and would deal with less than ideal weather for our training.
Even the blisters and sore feet of the climb seemed to go away with our great night of sleep.
I was impressed with how the group really learned the skills to effect a rescue of a partner from a crevasse, then jumped at the chance to get back in the hole to ice climb out. Most even got in seconds on the ice climbs.
Our evening talk in the bunkhouse covered everything from altitude illness, mountain medicine, expedition life,
Denali and
Everest to things better left unmentioned here. I apologize in advance to all of you if your partners on this seminar come home with ambitions to climb more and bigger mountains in the future.
Tomorrow, sadly, is our last day. However, a morning of training will be followed by excitement to get down off the mountain, have a beer and burger and get back to our loved ones and the comforts of home.
It's been a great week and we hope to be able to climb together again sometime soon.
Au revoir from Camp Muir.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
May 31, 2018 - 10:32 pm PT
We just finished up out last dinner (weather permitting) on the glacier. Today we loaded gear on our backs and sleds and moved to basecamp where our group decided to set up tents then take an evening glacier hike to the base of the North Face of Mount Hunter to say farewell to the
Alaska Range. We all feel grateful for the time to learn and explore here. I know for a fact many of our team will be back soon to climb the
Great One.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
May 31, 2018 - 7:26 pm PT
Another beautiful day on
Denali, which we started by singing happy birthday to Chip and we finished by making a no bake birthday cheesecake (we can only do so much at 11,200ft). Along with the birthday festivities, we are really enjoying this stretch of nice days as we move higher on the mountain. Today as we carried a big load of supplies to our cache spot at 13,500ft, we all felt the previous four days of hard work. Everyone climbed in good style but it was clear that it is time for a rest day, tomorrow we sleep in, hang out at camp and catch up on our reading and movies.
Best wishes from Denali,
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
On The Map
May 31, 2018 - 5:28 pm PT
Less than twelve hours after arriving at Kahiltna Base Camp, we woke early, ready for the first leg of our ascent. After quickly breaking down camp and eating an even quicker breakfast, we loaded the last of our gear into our already over burdened expedition sleds and began the walk down heart break hill towards the vastness of the Kahiltna Glacier. The morning was cold and crisp. Perfect conditions for the route to our camp at 7,800 feet. Snowshoes would not be necessary today as the snow was firm and smooth. The skies were clear with only minimal clouds capping the summit of Mount Foraker to the west and a bit of haze blocking our view of
Denali to the north. Our group of hopeful climbers looked like a freight train as our three rope teams chugged along with our sleds in tow towards our objective for the day, moving one step closer to the slopes of the West Buttress. After several hours of hard walking, we arrived in camp at the base of Ski Hill and set up our temporary homes for the next few days. Today was easy compared to what lies ahead, but our group of climbers looks strong and ready for the challenge.
RMI Guide Tyler Jones
On The Map
Thursday, May 31, 2018 - 1:11 PM PT
We woke early this morning and fired up the stoves, intent on moving to high camp today. But as the morning progressed, lenticular clouds formed over the Alaska Range, clouds increased, and we could see winds coming off of the
West Buttress above us . With a good weather forecast into next week, we decided that we'd sit this one out and try again tomorrow. We're sitting in great shape and lined up for the upcoming goo weather window. And spending another night at 14,000' Camp will make our team stronger for our bid up high.
Hopefully our next dispatch will come from High Camp tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
RMI Guide Andy Bond and Team just called from the summit of
Pequeño Alpamayo a 5370 m peak in the Condoriri Group. Andy reported great climbing conditions and beautiful weather. The team climbed strong, and will be starting their descent shorty.
Congratulations Team!
Update: 5:19 pm PT
Hey just letting you know we’re back at camp safe and sound... well fed and ready for some sleep. Long day on a challenging route but everyone is doing great! We’ll update tomorrow with an actual blog post
RMI Guides Eric Frank and Andy Bond
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 - 10:53 PM PT
After yesterday's big effort, it took some snow and evidence of wind at
Windy Corner to decide to take a full chill day at our 11,000' Camp today. Food, movies, books, and naps filled the time, and left little room for anything else. We are feeling good about a move to 14,000 ft Camp tomorrow, and after today, everyone is excited for a change in scenery.
RMI Guides Pete, Jess, Taylor, and team
On The Map
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The angels are watching over of you
Good luck on your next climb
Go Team Frank
Posted by: Tina and John on 6/2/2018 at 9:41 am
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