RMI Expeditions Blog
Posted by: Robby Young
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Greetings all,
It’s been a whirlwind of a few days following our summit of Pisco on Friday. From the summit of Pisco onwards, we’ve been on the move, starting with a descent to Huaraz, a quick turn-around of packing, followed by a great celebratory dinner at our favorite Peruvian restaurant, Encuentro. Check out the photo of the feast that ensued, with props to Trey for going for the customary Peruvian dish, Guineau Pig (Cuy). He even ate it like a Peruvian, but we’ll omit a few details for our sensitive readers.
A long bus ride back to Lima on Peru’s Independence Day put us in position for our long overnight flights back stateside. I just landed in Los Angeles, and other members of the team are doing the same in other cities across the US this morning. It’s amazing how quick it feels between the time we’re standing on the summit of our final climb, and the time when we’re heading through customs in a blurry travel haze.
Our time in Peru, while it’s physically concluded, it’s a place that will certainly have a permanent impact on all members of our team. The mountains are very much unique on this planet of ours. The climbing is exquisite, the sunrises are the best in the world, the food rich, and most of all, the people are unbelievably welcoming and kind to us visitors. A big THANK YOU goes out to our guides and local staff down in Peru, including Alvorado Adventures guides William and Alfie, long time co-guides of RMI down in Peru. As well as our exceptional chef Emilio and his assistant Roger, who’s 5-star cooking was such a huge part of our experience and our success.
That’s all until next season. Thanks for following along blog fans. Enjoy a couple pictures from our final summit!
RMI Guide Robby Young and your favorite ESS-Peru Team
Posted by: Brent Okita
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Our long summit day yesterday was rewarded with a deep, well deserved slumber last night. It was good to be back in the thick air of 10,000', but our return to the rain forest seemed relatively abrupt after having spent the last five days in the arid conditions up high on Kilimanjaro.
Camp was abuzz with activity early this morning as the staff from all the teams awoke on this last day with the anticipation of returning home, taking showers and seeing loved ones overwhelmed any desire to sleep in. As per tradition, we were bid farewell by our mountain staff with song and dance. Amazing voices and an appreciation for each other was obvious as the team went back and forth between chorus and lead singing, performing some traditional Tanzanian songs.
The hike out to the trailhead was quick as this strong cast of climbers grew stronger with every foot of elevation lost. Our last mountain lunch - a traditional Tanzanian meal - was taken at the trailhead before our 2+ hour drive back to our hotel. Showers were foremost on our minds to wash the seven days of dust, sweat and Kilimanjaro dirt off our selves.
We'll be celebrating tonight at dinner, enjoying each other's company before starting off on our next adventure, the safari. Unfortunately, we'll be losing Darren from the group as he'll be flying back to loved ones and life back home.
So... next up we'll be reporting from the wilds of Africa. The stuff we've marveled at on TV or the National Geographic.
Until then,
RMI Guide Brent Okita
Congratulations!! I can’t imagine what everybody had to go through to Summit. I hope everybody found what they were looking for on that mountain. My heart goes out to everyone , And to you Mary,wow you are something else.LU .
Posted by: David Workman on 7/29/2019 at 10:43 am
The Five Day Climb led by RMI Guide Alex Halliday reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The team experienced good weather and a good route for their climb this morning. The team left the summit crater of Mt. Rainier shortly before 8:00 AM. We look forward to seeing them in Ashford this afternoon and hearing about their time on the mountain.
Way to climb!
So proud of you tab. Can’t wait to hear all about it. Love you
Posted by: Candace on 7/30/2019 at 8:19 am
Tabz, you are amazing!! Way to go!
Posted by: Daisy on 7/30/2019 at 2:10 am
With good weather and a good route, RMI Guide Dave Hahn and the Four Day Climb reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The team began their descent from Mt. Rainier's summit crater around 7:30 AM. They will descend to Camp Muir to rest, refuel, and repack before continuing their descent to Paradise. We will see them in Ashford later this afternoon.
Congratulations climbers!
Well done…! Very proud of everyone ! Thanks to all who helped. See ya soon.
Posted by: don miller on 7/29/2019 at 9:58 pm
Posted by:
Categories: 50 Years of Climbing
RMI Guides Adam Knoff and Dave Hanning with Mark Icuss at Camp Protection on Mt. Rainier. Photo: Courtesy Mark Icuss.
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In honor of our 50th Anniversary, we are featuring stories of first climbs. Stories from guides and stories from climbers. Today we are excited to share Mark Icuss' story of his first climb: Mt. Rainier. Twenty-one years ago, Mark's life changed forever when a friend asked him to climb Mt. Rainier. Would you like to have the story of your first climb featured on our blog? Find out more!
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Twenty-one years ago a friend posed a question to me after a session at the rock gym. "Dude, you want to climb Mt. Rainier?"
Without thinking twice, I immediately said “YES!”
Up until this point I had zero mountain experience, I had never winter camped, never carried a heavy pack, and never walked in crampons. I did however, read “Into Thin Air” and was infatuated with the adventures these climbers were having.
Being a kid from Chicago, climbing anything, let alone a big mountain like Rainier, or Everest for that matter, was a ridiculous thought. "City people don't climb mountains," “You have no idea what you’re doing," and “You can get hurt or killed" were some of the things I was told by friends and family.
All I knew was I wanted to experience what it felt like to go on a grand adventure in the "big mountains."
We booked the 5-day expedition seminar with RMI and commenced "training" which in Chicago meant walking on a stair machine with a weighted pack for a couple hours at time a couple days per week.
Flash forward a few months and our departure date of June 1st was a few days away. My buddy who arranged the trip called in a panic and said his "medical condition" had flared up and he was going to have to bail! We were devastated, he was the only guy with any experience and the defacto "leader" of the group.
Myself and my other buddy had a decision to make...bail with him or just do it. We chose the latter.
A couple days later we landed in Seattle as wide eyed 24-year olds with ridiculously heavy packs not knowing what we were in for. Upon arriving at Paradise, surrounded by seasoned guides who looked way stronger and much tougher than us we realized we were possibly in waaay over our heads.
We met our guides (Dave Hanning and Adam Knoff, who was just starting out his guide career) along with the rest of the team for a quick meeting and instructions on what was expected of us and what to pack. We were leaving the next morning.
Shouldering a poorly fitted 60 lb. pack felt like absolute hell and we hadn't taken a step! We started moving up hill, learning this technique called "pressure breathing," guides pace, and the "French step."
A couple hours into the hump and we were all wasted and questioning what we had gotten ourselves into. After a quick break we continued upward and Dave stopped us and said to turn around. We all did and realized we were above the clouds; I had never been in such awe in my life and at that point knew the mountains would be a part of my life forever.
We arrived at a camp below Muir and set up our tents in a snowstorm, it was crazy, scary, and incredible all at the same time.
Summit day came after the typical crevasse rescue training a couple days later. We lost a few team members along the way due to fatigue and altitude issues, I kept going with four other guys on my rope team. We climbed through the bitter cold but clear night up to the "point of no return" at 13,000’ just as the sun was rising...I had never seen anything so beautiful.
Mark Icuss on the summit of Mt. Rainier.
We pushed ahead and before I knew it Dave said, "Congrats team, you've just climbed Mt Rainier! I've never been happier in my life and once again knew that the mountains would be a part of my life forever.
Flash forward to today, 46 years old and I've been on a trip every year since. Aconcagua, 14'ers in Colorado, all of the Tetons multiple times from multiple routes, multi-pitch routes, ice climbing, two trips to the Himalayas, and so many more.
2018: Moving up to Camp 1 on Ama Dablam.
My life was so deeply shaped by that first climb of Rainier; I have no idea what would have happened if I would have bailed. Being forced to stay in "alpine shape” for 25 years, the friendships, the epics, the close calls, and the successes have all shaped my life for the better.
None of it would have been possible if I hadn’t said “YES” to that original question of..."Dude, you want to climb Mt. Rainier?"
I owe my life of adventure to you guys, thank you for doing what you do.
Mark Icuss on the summit of Mt. Rainier.
We pushed ahead and before I knew it Dave said, "Congrats team, you've just climbed Mt Rainier! I've never been happier in my life and once again knew that the mountains would be a part of my life forever.
Flash forward to today, 46 years old and I've been on a trip every year since. Aconcagua, 14'ers in Colorado, all of the Tetons multiple times from multiple routes, multi-pitch routes, ice climbing, two trips to the Himalayas, and so many more.
2018: Moving up to Camp 1 on Ama Dablam.
My life was so deeply shaped by that first climb of Rainier; I have no idea what would have happened if I would have bailed. Being forced to stay in "alpine shape” for 25 years, the friendships, the epics, the close calls, and the successes have all shaped my life for the better.
None of it would have been possible if I hadn’t said “YES” to that original question of..."Dude, you want to climb Mt. Rainier?"
I owe my life of adventure to you guys, thank you for doing what you do.
Marc,
Congratulations on your successes! You have big shoes to fill following Jim and Lou. I love all climbing videos and books. One of my favorites was the American team when they made the summit of Everest in 1963 on both the regular route and the west ridge. Maybe I’ll read or watch a video about you some day.
I’m extremely impressed with RMI’s safety record. Have fun!
Susan
Posted by: Susan Moore on 7/29/2019 at 11:12 pm
What a day and what a team. Our luck held out with an evening that was clear, windless and fairly warm. At 12:30am we were walking after being fed by our great kitchen staff. Our slow pace was key to not overheating the engines when climbing in the rarefied air above 15,000'.
We got to Stella Point just after dawn then on to Uhuru Peak, the summit, shortly thereafter.
Did I mentioned that EVERYONE SUMMITED! Yeah, the team rocked it today, enjoying sunshine and warm temps while taking summit photos at 19,340'.
Our descent back to camp went smoothly and we were treated to another wonderful meal before packing up and hitting the trail for the thicker air of Mweka Camp at 10,000'. Dropping down from 15,000' does amazing things for the body, and so worth the effort to get here after a hard summit day.
And now, dinner awaits before a well deserved sleep.
Goodnight from Kilimanjaro on our last night on the mountain.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
Congrats, Mary!!! I am so proud of you. Way to be amazing!
Posted by: Jen C on 7/28/2019 at 3:59 pm
Mary, You did it congratulations! And congratulations to the team. Mary, I can’t express the joy I have for you right now. I will tell you when I see you. And I can’t wait to hear of your adventures, May I say you are truly a bad ass woman with a purpose!Again team well done ,My hat comes off to all of you and everybody who walked that mountain.
Posted by: David Workman on 7/28/2019 at 9:38 am
The RMI Summit Climb team, led by Tyler Reid, is currently on the top of Mt. Rainier. A beautiful day with hardly any wind on the highest point of Washington. The team will spend some time on top before they begin their descent.
Congratulations to today's summit climb team!
Congratulations! You made it to the top. Enjoy the rest of your trip, you are awesome!
Posted by: Rochelle on 7/28/2019 at 7:33 pm
Posted by: Robby Young
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Hello world,
We woke up to crystal clear skies last night, which hasn’t been the norm this season here in the Cordillera Blanca. But this beautiful night so happened to coincide with our climb of Pisco...just our luck! It was a really long day to say the least. It’s a tricky walk for the first several hours just to reach the glacier; up and over the moraine, across a boulder covered rock glacier, and up steep trail and slabs, all done in the dark. The stars were out which made for some wonderful views at breaks. A few more hours of dark while ascending snow and ice and the we finally saw some sun...which proved to be one of those classic Cordillera Blanca sunrises that are hard to describe. Just spectacular! A few more hours and we found ourselves just under 19,000’, on the summit of Pisco. We were above a thick cloud deck and the highest peaks of the Range were penetrating the clouds all around us. It was a special moment for this team who put in a lot of hard work and dedication into their climbing adventure in Peru. We stayed on top and soaked it all in for almost an hour before we walked down into the clouds for a long retreat back to Base Camp. All in all, 12.5 hours, Base Camp to Summit to Base Camp. We took the afternoon to get super tranquilo, as tomorrow, our journey back to civilization begins.
RMI Guide Robby Young, Alfie, William and Team ‘Fuerte’
What a wonderful read = can see the stars in the clear mountain air and the calm of the then broken by first light = so well written thank you for sharing God Bless
Posted by: Bobby Brown on 7/28/2019 at 8:12 pm
Congratulations to the whole team for an amazing climb! And thanks to Robby, William and Alfie for getting the team out and back successfully and safely!
Posted by: Barbara W on 7/27/2019 at 12:57 pm
Posted by: Taylor Bickford, Joe Hoch
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 12,300'
The Four Day Climb Teams led by Taylor Bickford and Joe Hoch radioed down this morning to let us know that they turned at 12,300' due to high winds and deteriorating conditions on the upper mountain. The team was safely back in Camp Muir by 7:45 AM PT. After drying out a little and resting, the team will descend from Camp Muir and be back in town this afternoon.
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Very comfortable night out in the bush. Not until sunrise when the bird alarms went off did anything but a lullaby come from our surroundings. A couple hours of game driving brought us out of the park but not before some lions, elephant, giraffe to name just a few bid us farewell. Fpur of the team stayed for one more night at Balloon Camp while the rest of us are back at Arumeru Lodge getting ready for a transfer to the airport. Another fine expedition is now in the books.
Thanks for following!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Robby ... thank you so much for all of the updates. You have some excellent writing skills! And thanks for getting everyone thru unscathed. Enjoy some downtime!!!
Posted by: Bridget on 7/30/2019 at 3:05 pm
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