Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Mike Uchal
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Thursday, August 15, 2019 - 8:32 PM PT
We are out of the mountains! It took a little extra time to make it happen. One of the vans apparently broke down on the way to get us, necessitating a return to Kislovodsk for another vehicle, and a few hour delay. The WAS van eventually showed up at base camp and unloaded its inhabitants and gear, and we proceeded to pack the back full with duffels. The river had risen, so rather than be in the van for the crossing, we walked across the nearby fields, crossed the river on a small bridge, and met the van on the far side. The four wheel drive road is always exciting as we sway back and forth with the ruts, and was made even more so by the uncanny resemblance of our vehicle to a clown car with everyone inside.
Though we arrived late to Kislovodsk, we got a delicious dinner at a Georgian restaurant on the central pedestrian mall. Tomorrow we transition back to big city mode, making our way to St. Petersburg.
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Mike Uchal, and team hurry up and wait
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Another big day out in East Africa. It was tough to leave the comfortable Plantation Lodge this morning, but we had things to do and places to see. We stopped for some plain old tourism in the morning--shopping for gifts and souvenirs. Next up was a visit to a Maasai village. The Maasai are famous among the many tribes of Tanzania for holding onto their traditional ways. The villagers demonstrated their chanting and singing. They showed how high they could jump and invited our team to join in the competition. They brought us into the central corral, built of thorny branches and trees arranged in a tight circle, where their cattle are protected from predators each night. After demonstrating building a fire without matches, they explained a little of how their families are structured and welcomed us into their well-built but very small homes made of sticks, mud and dung. Our team tried bargaining for some of the handmade craft pieces the Maasai women were offering and then we got on the road for Tarangire National Park.
Tarangire is a vast park encompassing three parallel river courses. As soon as we were past the giant baobab trees that mark the park entrance, we began seeing zebra, impala and wildebeest in such numbers that we began taking these animals for granted. We got selective, only wanting to slow down for giraffes and elephants. None of us were casual or blasé about seeing a big sleepy leopard draped over the branches of an acacia tree. He or she (there was some debate) was exceedingly beautiful. We spied a lioness watching the world from a camouflaged clump of brush on a riverbank. And we saw many elephant families of mothers with their young ranging from 6 months to a year or two. We watched them feed and rest in the shade, we saw them using their trunks as straws to pull water from underground. We saw grassy savannas and thickets of trees and palms. Essentially we saw wildlife and wilderness from horizon to horizon. When we were deep within the park, we entered Balloon Camp, our lodging for this, our final evening together. We savored an evening watching sunset, moonrise and “bush television” (a campfire) before dinner.
The adventure isn’t finished just yet, we still hope for new discoveries in the morning...but everyone has airplanes to catch at some point tomorrow.
Best Regards,
Dave Hahn
Posted by: Mike King, Josh McDowell
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
It's another beautiful day and the Four Day Climb teams are enjoying clear skies and light winds as well as a full moon last night. The teams reached the summit of Mt. Rainier around 5:30 AM. With the nice weather they enjoyed some time in the summit crater before starting their descent. The team will continue down to Paradise later this day and conclude their program with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp.
Congratulations to all the climbers!
The Mt. Baker Easton Glacier team led by RMI Guide Andy Bond reached the summit of Mt. Baker today. Andy reported beautiful weather and a fun route. The team is en route back to camp where they will spend the evening before descending tomorrow.
Congratulations Team!
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Mike Uchal
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
The mountain time is coming to a close. We managed to get everything stuffed into, tied to the side, or strapped under our packs and split freedom the moraine camp this morning. Loads were heavy, but we were moving with gravity, and we made it to base camp nice and quickly. It's only been a week up high, but after a week if rocks and glacier, the green of plants down low looks like it was done in technicolor. Base camp comes with perks: pizzas, caucasian pies, and cold fantas, cokes, and beers. We took the afternoon to sort gear back into duffels to be better set up for our coming flights, soak feet in the mineral springs, and enjoy a last bit of the mountain. The vans will be here in the morning for us and before we know it, we'll be back in town.
The trip is not over though. Still to come, adventures in Kislovodsk and St. Petersburg.
RMI Guides Pete, Mike, and team we're psyched to be done with boots
Great job Marcky-poo! Cant wait to have you back at my place. Miss you and love you!
Posted by: Lindsey on 8/15/2019 at 10:09 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
It was cloudy and cool at Plantation Lodge when we set out at 7 this morning. And it was cloudier and cooler still when we reached the rim of the giant collapsed volcano that we intended to spend the day inside of. We each had jackets or sweaters on as Fabian and Godson brought the Landcruisers down the steep and exposed road into the Ngorongoro caldera. We began seeing wildlife immediately. Herds (big herds) of wildebeest, zebra and Cape buffalo. We went on the prowl, looking for big cats and rhinos. This would be our only opportunity to see black rhinos... but we came up empty on that score. Those guys were a little too shy to come into range of our binoculars. We did see some cats -big and small- there was a serval cat and there were some lions. We got a look at a lioness staring intently through the grass at some unsuspecting buffalo. And ultimately we saw two full grown male lions lounging on what turned out to be a sunny afternoon. We saw hippos and elephants and secretary birds and bustards. There were hyenas and jackals and vultures. By day’s end, we were barely turning our heads to see gazelles as they’d become too run of the mill and common. We saw plenty of other Toyota Landcruisers -it is high season for tourism after all. We crisscrossed the crater and bounced over darn near every dirt road, still standing with our heads out the tops of the vehicles at 5 PM trying to see every last critter and geological wonder we could. Finally we escaped the caldera and came home to our comfy hotel. We watched the sun set and the moon rise, had a relaxing and reminiscing outdoor happy hour before a fine dinner in the dining room.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Brent Okita, Avery Parrinello
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb August 11 - 14 reached Columbia Crest, the highest point on Mt. Rainier, just after 7 AM. RMI Guides Brent Okita and Avery Parrinello led their teams on a beautiful, beautiful day with light winds. After enjoying the views from the summit, the teams began their descent from the crater rim. Once back at Camp Muir they will take a short break and then continue down to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's climbing teams!
Congrats Edd!! I’m so excited for you, albeit a bit jealous that I didn’t get to see what you did! I hope it was an amazing experience! I can’t wait to hear all about it. Thinking I need to try again & hope the weather will cooperate.
Posted by: Julie Frisbey on 8/14/2019 at 8:51 am
Posted by: JT Schmitt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons August 10 - 15, 2019 led by RMI Guide JT Schmitt made their summit attempt today after several days of training on and off the mountain. Firm and steep conditions on the route today prevented the team from reaching the summit. The climbers enjoyed testing their climbing skills on challenging terrain. They are now back at Camp Schurman and will continue training. Tomorrow they will break camp and return to the trailhead and back to Rainier BaseCamp.
Always smarter to stay safe. Now just wasn’t the time. Mountain will always be there.
Ya may not have reached the summit but you all had an experience many will never get a chance to have.
Not to mention the knowledge to pursue future endeavors.
Hi 5 folks.
Its still a damn solid accomplishment. Some folks cant even get off of the couch so I tip my hat to all of ya
All about the journey not the trip.
Posted by: Loco Raindrops on 8/15/2019 at 5:12 am
Sorry to hear this. I know they worked really hard and must be extremely disappointed.
Posted by: Jenni on 8/14/2019 at 7:53 pm
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Beds are a wonderful invention. That seemed to be the consensus view shared over breakfast at the Arumeru River Lodge this morning. Leaving for Safari was certainly easier and more casual than leaving to climb Kilimanjaro was. We drove west through Arusha starting just after 8 AM and after all the traffic and stoplights it was a relief to break into the open countryside beyond the city. Our two Landcruiser drivers are also our two naturalists and guides. Godson and Fabian began educating us on Tanzania in general, on the Maasai Tribe (since we are passing through much Maasai territory) on trees and animals and geography.
It took the morning to reach Lake Manyara, our National Park for the day. We popped the tops on the cars and stood hanging over the edges with cameras and binoculars in hopes of seeing exotic critters. We weren’t disappointed. There were Cape Buffalo and a few shy elephants. There were giraffes and wildebeest and zebra. Storks, pelicans, flamingos, vultures and ibis. We saw monkeys and baboons. Folks liked the hippos out rolling in lily-covered wallows, yawning and grunting and flipping their tails.
After a great picnic lunch, we drove a few more rough dirt road laps through forest and the lake shore and then in late afternoon drove out of the park and up the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley to our hotel -the Plantation Lodge. The contrast with our dusty camps of the past week could not be greater. Plantation is a beautiful garden surrounding with tastefully constructed and furnished rooms. The dining room and bar are comfortable enough, with such friendly service, that a few of our team are now considering simply living here indefinitely. They can do that after tomorrow though, because we’re going out exploring again... Ngorongoro Crater is calling us.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Our entire Mt. Baker reached the summit via the Easton Glacier at 8:15 this morning! The weather has been great and the route is in good condition. Everyone is doing well. We are back at camp and will be packing up to head to the trailhead shortly.
RMI Guide Hannah Smith
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Congratulations to Caleb and the entire crew!
Posted by: Ann on 8/16/2019 at 6:09 am
Great job! We can’t even see the mountain today so glad you got up it! I am excited to see the pictures!
Posted by: Lena on 8/15/2019 at 11:59 am
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