RMI Expeditions Blog

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 - 10:14 pm PT

When we think of Sisyphus, we think of a man cursed to repeat the same arduous task each day with no end in sight. Each day he must think this is it - he has rolled this massive boulder to the top of the mountain, and surely his quest must be complete, right? Yet he awakes each day to the boulder back at the foot of the mountain, only to start again. How tragic! How crushing!

Or is it? In his essay, “The Myth of Sisyphus”, Albert Camus posits that perhaps Sisyphus is not doomed to a life of despair, but is actually a deeply satisfied individual. (Mind you, I have never read this essay and have only a surface-level knowledge of French existential literature let alone Greek mythology, so take this with a Denali sized grain of salt). But consider: this man wakes up each day with a clear task. It’s tough work rolling that boulder but he has some sweet views along the way. Every day he completes his task and must feel satisfied with a day of hard work. He goes to sleep feeling accomplished each night. How many of us can say that we have a clear task each day with no other distractions, a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day, and the delicious feeling of going to bed bone-tired which always produces the best sleep?

Our team made it back to Kahiltna Base Camp today, the last leg of an epic three week expedition. We now wait for skies to clear enough for a flight back to Talkeetna. Although the mountain’s infamous weather system ultimately prevented our team from making a summit bid, we are deeply satisfied with the gifts that The Great One has provided us. We were awed by the austere beauty of the Kahiltna and and vastness of the surrounding peaks and ridges. We were pushed to our limits and learned to dig deeper than ever before; whether it be cramponing on blue ice, being blown around on Windy Corner, struggling with all things altitude, or keeping our extremities warm in -40F windchill. We - a group of strangers prior to May 13 - became not only friends but teammates, encouraging each other in our hardest times, cheering each others’ successes, and cracking the most ridiculous and obscene jokes all day and late into the night.

Climbing Denali/Mt. McKinley has been physically and mentally the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Yet each night I went to sleep in the tent feeling a deep sense of gratitude and accomplishment.

Thank you to our incredible guides (Seth, Jackson, and Ray) for showing us the way, and more - from whipping up breakfast and dinner each day, to performing minor foot surgery, to digging Sisyphusian amounts of snow on the daily, to dealing with all of our client shenanigans. You each have unique gifts that helped me get farther than I thought possible.

Thank you to the rest of the team - the  Dont-nalis :) Shannon, David, Ethan, Will, Juan, and of course my other half Jason. I am deeply grateful to have met and befriended each of you. I look forward to our paths crossing again on this great expedition of life.

Love,

RMI Climber Grace

Wednesday, June 5, 2025 - 9:09 pm PT

Surrounded by a majestic you cannot see morphed into our first true view of the epic beauty that surrounds us. Lord of the Rings minus the hobbits, Gandalf, and everything other than really the mountains. Bad analogy but it’s the best I can do.

We cached at 9,900’ and tomorrow, weather permitting, we enter the gauntlet again to Camp 2. I figured making a list of all the things learned so far might be fairly entertaining for all the loved ones back home.

1. Individual snack bags are the way to go. Shoutout to Bob’s daughter, what a game changer.Sifting through a duffel of snacks in 30 MPH winds and snow hitting you in the face makes the See’s Candy not taste as good.

2. Leave a crack in the tent zipper at night. Humidity is very very real, and a damp tent is far from ideal. 

3. Nobody will beat the chess savage, Connor. I don’t think Magnus Carlson has much interest in a game up here in the Alaskan range. 

4. Falling while skiing naked in Colorado is not a good plan at any point in your life.

5. Some adults use binkies, in public, and carry a car seat we believe for themselves? I am as confused as you are, trust me. Hot sauce is the most essential condiment. And under no circumstances can you only bring one.

6. While in Louisiana triple AAA provides world class home cooked service, local errands included.

7. Hot sauce is the most essential condiment. And under no circumstances can you only bring one.

8. Tea tree oil and baby powder is life changing. Bring it, you will not regret it.

9. While training with your pack remember to wear your harness. Your hip bones will thank you a million times over. Seriously, wear it, as stupid as it may look the pack and the harness are enemies.

10. Be organized. Use every tent pocket imaginable. And always, always put things in the same place. Life isn’t easy up here but knowing where your crap is makes a world of difference.

11. When the guides offer you two bagels take the second one with a smile. There’s a method to the madness, don't ask questions and find a way to get it down. Politely refusing a second bagel is a mistake you will only make once. 

12. When you are going downhill use a sled brake. The friction from the rope keeps the back person from playing sled dodge ball. Bumper cars with a 90 pound sled on a glacier is more reminiscent of bowling, you are the pins and the sled gets to be the ball. 

I almost forgot,you can never bring enough skittles. Sure they freeze, but frozen skittles taste as good as room temperature skittles. The originals only.

Thank you for all the prayers, thoughts, and awesome people to come home to.

We wouldn’t be here without the village behind us.

Love,

RMI Climber Caroline and team

RMI Guides Eric Frank and Joe Hoch led their Four Day Climb June 2 - 5 to the summit of Mt. Rainier today.  They reached the summit shortly after 7 am and reported clear skies and light winds. The teams will enjoy some time in the crater before starting their descent back to Camp Muir.  After a short stop, they will continue down to Paradise and return to Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

PC: Layne Peters & Joe Hoch

After a week of skills training, glacier travel, and expedition-style living, the Expedition Skills Seminar – Emmons team stood on the summit of Mt. Rainier! Led by RMI Guide James Bealer, the team made their summit push in good conditions, capping off a challenging and rewarding week on the mountain’s remote east side.

The Emmons Glacier route offers a more secluded and wilderness-based experience compared to the more-traveled routes on Rainier. Over the course of the program, climbers practiced essential mountaineering techniques including ice axe arrest, crampon use, rope travel, crevasse rescue, and glacier navigation—all while camping on the mountain and gradually acclimating.

The team's summit push began in the early hours, moving steadily under clear skies and calm winds. They reached the summit crater with views stretching across the Cascades—proof of their perseverance, preparation, and teamwork throughout the week. After taking time to enjoy the moment and snap some summit photos, they began their descent back toward camp.

Congratulations to the team!

The Four Day Climb with Dave Hahn and Jess Wedel has reached the summit of Mt. Rainier!

The team enjoyed clear skies above a thick marine layer, with just a few clouds lingering to the east—a beautiful day to stand on top of the Pacific Northwest. They have begun their descent and are en route to Camp Muir, where they’ll take a break, reorganize their packs, and then continue down to Paradise.

Congratulations to the team on a successful summit!

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 11:11pm PDT

We left 14 today. Wind and snow. made it to the base of ski hill. Set up camp, had dinner. Hope to continue to the airstrip tomorrow!

Haikus of a Denali Descent 

Downhill we trotted

To the airstrip we plotted

Stopped short at ski hill

Wind blowing so far

Windy corner not that hard

Our team is so strong

Talkeetna awaits

Hopes of flying tomorrow

One more stretch to go

 - by RMI Guide Jackson Breen

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 9:21pm PDT

Hello world! Checking in from camp.

1. Patience is the name of the game up here. We’re soaking in the surroundings — even if it’s continuous snowfall and low visibility. White on white on white. Quiet and peaceful, contrasting with the surreal weather that accompanies this part of the world.

2. We woke up today and had to dig ourselves out of our tents. We wandered into the kitchen tent to get caffeinated and enjoy some delicious blueberry pancakes. Since the weather has taken a bit of a turn, we got the news that we’d need to hunker down here for the second day in a row.

3. Today was different from yesterday in the sense that the wind and snowfall picked up — around half an inch per hour. So, our time outside was limited.

4. We spent some time clearing snow from the gear bags and around the tents, making sure it wasn’t creeping into places it shouldn’t be. A couple of us even began building what essentially became the Great Wall of Snow to protect our tents from the elements.

5. To pass the time, we snacked, practiced tying knots, and, more than anything, had conversations with the team — getting to know each other better, telling stories, and understanding where everyone comes from.

6. Although we all have the same goal, we come from different backgrounds. That’s the beauty of mountaineering — it brings together different souls from different walks of life.

7. Tomorrow, we’re planning to carry some gear and supplies up to around 9,600 feet, then return to sleep at our current camp. Hopefully, the following day, we’ll continue moving upward.

8. Spirits are high, we’re all hopeful, and we’re looking forward to having this beautiful mountain grace us with more of her presence.

- Connor Michalek 

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 8:44pm PDT

If we thought yesterday was weathery, today topped it. After we went to bed last night, we were lulled to sleep by the sound of blowing winds and drifting snow — a soundtrack that carried on through the morning and well into the day.

We had a slow roll into the morning, enjoying eggs and hashbrowns before spending some time shoveling and fixing up the bathroom tent. The rest of the day followed a familiar rhythm: a bit of sport eating, followed by rounds of napping.

Around 5 PM, some familiar faces rolled through camp — another RMI team guided by Seth, Jackson, and Ray. We welcomed them into our cook tent for some hot water and shelter while they thawed out. Once everyone was warmed up, we whipped up a big batch of mac and cheese with bacon bits, then tucked in for the night.

We’re prepping our gear and feeling optimistic about making the move to 11,000 feet tomorrow.

— RMI Guide Nikki Champion & Team

Monday, June 3, 2025 - 7:22 am PT

We awoke to low visibility and fresh snowfall on our tent.  We waited a few hrs in hopes that the clouds would rise and visibility  would improve . We never left camp to start our carry and we are thankful we didn’t because the weather deteriorated more that afternoon and into the evening. While staying at camp we snacked, napped, read and organized camp. We then had some delicious, spicy  burritos for dinner and talked about writing a guide book for hot sauces. 

Shout out to all our friends and family back home!

Best,

RMI Guides Lacie, Dustin, Will and team

Monday, June 2, 2025 - 11:25 pm PT

We woke up to the muffled sound of snowfall on our tents. Once we made our way out of the tents, it was obvious that a challenging morning would be ahead of us. Seeing if weather or visibility would improve enough to break trail back uphill, past our cache, and to 11,000' Camp. After wandering around camp, chatting with all the other guide teams and sipping a cup of coffee. We began breakfast, a mellow morning of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and fig bars. As we ate, we waited to see if weather improved, and waited, and waited some more. Sadly weather did not improve, snowfall just became more heavy and the winds began to increase. Around 10A we officially made the call that it would be a weather day. So everyone made their way into the tents and hunkered down. Movies were watched, books were read, and world problems were solved. Finally around 7P we all came back to share dinner. World famous jambalaya chef'd up by Hannah, and made a game plan to hopefully move tomorrow.

Fingers crossed.

RMI Guide Nikki Champion