Entries from Alaska Seminar
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 6,500'
Good morning from The Ruth Glacier.
Thirty hours of straight precipitation that started pretty much as we got to camp after summitting Mt. Dickey, kept us in our tents all day yesterday. The rain only turned into snow as the temperatures dropped with the night. We're currently waking up to a couple inches of fresh, heavy wet snow. But we are very happy! The name of the game was to stay dry and to eat good food; steak with quinoa and stir fried vegetables was an insuperable rest day dinner.
Stand by to see what the weather brings today.
Corell, Lucy and Elias
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Lucas Haaland, Luke Wilhelm
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 7,300'
Sunday, May 26, 2019 - 9:37 PM PT
Snow fell from the sky all day today. A wet, heavy snow. Sounded like rain pitter pattering on the tent. It made for a great background noise for afternoon siesta. But the snow didn't stop us from more learning. Today's topics were anchors and crevasse rescue. We did practice rounds on flat ground by our tents of making a 3:1 pulley system to haul out a fallen climber. Next time we practice we will be able to practice in a crevasse. Very exciting. We will see what tomorrows weather will bring and roll with what ever mother nature throws our way. As for now, we will fall asleep to the sound of snow falling onto the tent, which sounds like the snap crackle pop of rice krispies.
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 6,500'
Sunday, May 26, 2019 - 8:16 AM PT
Hello from the Ruth Glacier Base Camp.
What a great day and climb we had yesterday. Our climb of Mount Dickey went well and while better accomplished over 2 days, we had to single push it in order to nail the weather. Saved by the bell, we pulled back into camp as the rain started, and it's been coming down ever since. Double reason for a well deserved rest day today. We'll enjoy a good steak (and I'm not kidding) meal and revisit our climb that provided arguably the best views of the Alaska Range.
Regards, Lucy, Corell and Elías
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Lucas Haaland, Luke Wilhelm
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 7,300'
Saturday, May 25, 2019 - 9:31 PM PT
Good evening all. We crawled out of our tents today to clear sunny skies. A perfect day to take a walk and learn some skills. After filling our bellies with bagels and cream cheese, we learned about rope travel. The best way to learn is to do, so we took the learning on the road. After a short stroll we came across a perfect place to park it for the day and learn different techniques to walk efficiently and also how to self and team arrest. Our day finished with a lesson on knots and hitches as the clouds descended and snow flurries danced from the sky. It looks like some weather might be moving in, but that's alright. We will just learn about defending camp and how to stay occupied in our tents. Crucial skills on big mountains.
Nighty night,
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Lucas Haaland, Luke Wilhelm
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Friday, May 24, 2019 11:03 PM PT
There is nothing better than starting your day with a pancake bigger than your face and your morning commute on an otter plane. The clouds stayed at bay and we were able to fly on to the Kahiltna Glacier. The views are mesmerizing. Words cant explain how beautiful it all is. We gathered are things from the plane, said goodbye to our pilots, and settled into camp. Excitement continues to grow for what is to come in the next week. But for now we are snuggled into out tents ready to catch some Z's.
Talk to you all tomorrow,
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and Team
Happy to hear you made it to the glacier. We’re excited to hear what you learn.
Posted by: JShears on 5/25/2019 at 6:06 pm
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Lucas Haaland, Luke Wilhelm
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 348'
Thursday, May 23, 2019, 10:36 PM PT
Good evening lower 48, it is us up here in the northern state of Alaska. The team gathered this afternoon in the Anchorage airport with a high stoke level for what is to come in the next ten days. The next ten days will bring beautiful views of pristine glaciated terrain that will be our classroom for learning the skills needed to do a Denali Expedition in the future. We made our way to Talkeetna, the launching pad to Denali and are all getting use to the 24-hour light as we settle into our hotel. Tomorrow will be a busy day of packing and shuffling gear so we can hopefully fly onto the Kahiltna Glacier.
Keep your fingers crossed for blue skies,
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Saturday, June 9, 2018 - 9:26 PM PT
Good afternoon again from Little Swiss! We had a great second day on the ice, reviewing more skills, and getting ready for our first climbing objective tonight. We ventured to the top edge of this Pika Glacier, overlooking the tundra, and spent quite some time getting familiar with the transitions and rope work on snow, as well as checking potential routes for later in the program.
We have switched to a night schedule, so we can move efficiently during the coldest hours of the day, as it has been scorching hot here. We are waking up shortly after midnight, and heading down glacier for a mixed steep snow-rock climb. Stay tuned for more!
RMI Guide Elías de Andrés Martos
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Alaska Seminar
Good evening from the Pika Glacier, on the Alaska Range! We had a great first day of activity today. We had a late afternoon flight in yesterday, and the pertinent camp building marathon. Today, with blue skies, we ventured down Glacier to the "Hobbit's Footstool" rock formation for practice; besides some rock climbing-cragging, we reviewed a lot the rope systems that we'll be implementing in the upcoming days. Everyone enjoyed their time on the glacier and rocks, but the hit today was definitely the steak dinner.
We're now headed to bed, waiting for a better day of fun on this incredible area of the Alaska Range!
Regards RMI Guide Elias and the Alpine Climbing Team.
Tell Hugh his mom says be careful
Posted by: Peggy on 6/9/2018 at 1:17 pm
Posted by: Christina Dale, Lucas Haaland, Alex Halliday
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 348'
Friday, June 1, 2018 - 6:33 PM PT
From the top of Radio Tower to the bottom of the crevasse on the Kahiltna, your guides; Christina, Lucas, and Alex thank the Alaska Seminar team for bringing a sense of humor and awe to the 9 days spent together. We are now off the ice and onto burgers and brews.
Posted by: Christina Dale, Lucas Haaland, Alex Halliday
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 7,300'
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
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Is it cold and snowing up there? What do you do when you are stuck in your tents because of bad weather?
Posted by: C_shears on 5/26/2019 at 7:02 pm
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