Entries from Locations
We were treated to another clear morning -above Machame Camp at least- there was a sea of clouds below, but that didn’t bother anybody. We enjoyed a 7:15 breakfast and by 8 AM we were ready for walking. John, the lead guide on our local staff, formally introduced us to the fifty man team of porters, cooks, tent builders, waiters and guides helping to get us up
Kilimanjaro. The team sent us off with a song as everybody clapped and danced along.
The trail started out immediately more steep and rugged than yesterday’s route. We gained altitude quickly in a forest of giant heather. Ultimately we reached a ridge crest and followed it for several hours, still steadily gaining height. The final hour involved a traverse out to the left where the hike became a mild scramble requiring good hand and footholds on the rock. We reached a high point at around 12,900 ft as we turned a corner onto the Shira Plateau and then it was an easy downhill stroll into camp at 12,600 ft. We reached
Shira Camp near 1:00 in the afternoon and so had most of the afternoon for resting, eating and drinking. As with yesterday, things clouded up by midday and this time we had brief rain showers in the afternoon, which just made it a little easier to nap inside the tents. The clouds melted away by evening and we were treated to a fine sunset and great views of 15,000 ft Mt. Meru off on the western horizon.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
After two days spent on the mountain the Five Day Climb reached to summit of Mt. Rainier early today. RMI Guide Jess Matthews called in as the team was on the descent. The team has had great weather while on the mountain, and everyone has climbed strong. They will return to Paradise this afternoon.
Congratulations team!
The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guide Steve Gately reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Steve reported clear skies and a light breeze. They are on the descent and will be back to Camp Muir in a few short hours.
Congratulations Team!
Hannah Smith called in by SAT Phone this morning to let us know that the entire team had reached the summit of Mt. Baker via the
Easton Glacier route. She reported excellent warm weather and a great route. The team has begun their descent and will return to town today for showers and a fresh meal.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
From first light this morning at the Arumeru River Lodge,
Kilimanjaro could be seen towering in the distance, free of the normal cloud cover. The purists in the group maintained that the air was still "a little hazy" but the rest of us were simply thankful for the view and the chance to start our climb without rain in the air and mud on the trail. We’d finished breakfast and the “duffel shuffle” by 8 AM and so we loaded up on our bus for the 90 minute ride to the park entrance. The team stayed alert for the ride, alternating between staring at the rapidly growing mountain on the horizon and watching the Tanzanians beginning their day in the towns and villages along the highway. The bus began to climb as we drove up through banana and coffee plantations at the base of the big volcano. At the 6,000 ft Machame Gate to the park, we hopped out and got ready for walking. We were on the trail in perfect conditions at 10:40 AM. Freddy -one of our most experienced local guides- led the way and set the pace. We followed, marveling at the thick and lush forest. Eventually, in the early afternoon, cumulus clouds formed just above us and took away the sunlight that had been sneaking down through the foliage. The air got quite humid and although we were climbing steadily and getting into cooler air, we each did a fair bit of sweating. We took rest breaks each hour or so and in about five hours time we rolled into Machame Camp at nearly 10,000 ft. The team was a little amazed at how much work had been done by our support staff in building camp and making things comfortable and easy for our arrival. We enjoyed afternoon tea and ultimately Chef Tosha’s excellent dinner in the dining tent. The clouds cleared away and we came out to find a display of stars and moon and Milky Way that far exceeded the home view many of our team have access to. Day one went just fine in every way.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
We made it to the mountain! We got up this morning, had a last cafe breakfast in town, and loaded the YAZ vans for the trip to
Elbrus-Northside Basecamp. The YAZ is the itinerant vehicle in rural Russia, and
Mike Uchal's next car. Styled like a Volkswagen van, but diesel, four-wheel drive, with nothing but the basics inside, they are built to bounce, bump, splash, and grind their way over terrain, generally at what feels like a fair amount of speed. That's exactly what we did this morning. Our drivers Igor and Yuri deftly maneuvered us over the rough four-wheel drive track that leads to base camp.
Upon our arrival, we quickly erected our small city of tents, went for a walk to stretch our legs, dodged into the tents to hide from a passing rain shower, and covered up a delicious dinner of chili.
Tomorrow, we'll move a load of things up to the camp on the moraine at 12,000'. We'll be in touch afterwards!
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
On The Map
After a week of training learning alpine mountaineering techniques preparing for future expeditions like Denali and Aconcagua, the Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier. The team had an early alpine start from Camp Schurman and worked their way up the Emmons glacier and are now standing on the summit of Mt. Rainier! They will spend some time on top enjoying the clear skies and views before starting the descent back to camp.
Congratulations to today's Team!
The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guide Casey Grom reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team reported beautiful clear skies, but breezy. They have started their descent and are working their way back to Camp Muir.
Congratulations to today's team!
Our departure this morning was earlier than anyone wanted, but gave us plenty of time at the Moscow International Airport to sort out our numerous duffels, get everything checked, and have a quick breakfast and coffee before we boarded. The flight to
Kislovodsk was uneventful (as they all should be), and soon we were blazing down the road in a minibus towards our hotel. While the team did some food shopping and relaxed, the guides made a trip to our outfitters to grab some stored gear. We got the special treatment, returning in a Russian jeep!
We've had dinner, checked through our gear, and are ready for bed and a departure for the mountain tomorrow morning.
Best,
RMI Guides
Pete Van Deventer,
Mike Uchal, and team
Today we woke to African birds singing in the trees and dik diks and monkeys roaming the garden-like grounds of our hotel. We got down to the business of preparing for tomorrow’s departure. But it was a leisurely business, to be sure. A morning meeting gave us the chance to get to know one another and to understand how we’ll tackle a 19,340 ft mountain together. A round of gear checks followed and the team then got into packing, sorting and organizing. We checked the weight of our bags after lunch and a bit of free time followed.
Kilimanjaro broke through the clouds in early afternoon and many of the team climbed the observation tower on the hotel grounds to get a view. Some walked into the nearby village of Usa River to stretch their legs and some napped away the jet lag. We gathered for a fine dinner together and laughed through a few shared stories and misadventures. We’ve got the morning planned out -departure at eight, Kilimanjaro awaits.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
I check these blog updates almost daily! I know RMI and Rainier have a lot of climbs throughout the season but it would be interesting for sure to write maybe a bit more of the Rainier climbs. Maybe a great story from a guide or climber that was told. A crazy food that was brought up on the mountain. Ask the guides who are working the climb to share a bit more. It could be Steves 10th Rainier summit or another important summit for another guide on the team. Food for thought from a lover of climbing blogs. Thank you
Posted by: Darren Chromey on 8/7/2019 at 11:24 am
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