RMI Expeditions Blog
Today RMI Guide Billy Nugent and the Mt. Shuksan team reached the summit! Climbing the Sulphide Glacier Route, the team's round-trip was eight hours and 40 minutes. The weather was sunny and not a breath of wind. After returning to camp, safe and sound, Billy was able to send us the photo below.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
We had a few things to accomplish today so we set out early to shop the local markets. We found masks, bowls, knives, salad forks, necklaces, paintings, carvings made of soapstone, bone, ebony and rosewood. We also shopped for Tanzanite, the beautiful blue stone found only in this country. We visited a Masai village and took a grand tour of their community. Then made a stop for treats and drinks to enjoy while we traveled along. We entered Tarangire National Park and encountered a large herd of wildebeests. We took a break and enjoyed a picnic lunch in the bush followed by a pleasant afternoon of driving the roads of this amazing park looking for more animals.
Tonight is our last night in Africa and we get to spend it at the beautiful Kikoti Tented Camp. I can hear some animals snorting just off my porch. There is a bright moon illuminating the night, I think I'll go check it out.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir reached the crater rim at 7:30 am. RMI Guide Mike King reported no wind, a great route and a beautiful morning! With such amazing weather, the team stayed on the summit until 9:00 am and will check in once they are back to Camp Muir. They will stay one more night at Camp Muir and descend from the mountain tomorrow.
Congratulations! What an awesome accomplishment! Glad you had great weather and made it back safe.
Posted by: Jenny on 11/6/2016 at 7:57 pm
Congrats everyone!! Really glad you had great weather! Have a safe descent!
Posted by: Kristina Boutilier on 9/15/2016 at 12:41 pm
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Adam Knoff, Robby Young
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Shishapangma
Good evening!
We're on the move to Camp 1, spending the night at Depot Camp at the moment. It is hard to describe how small we feel, at the feet of this colossal peak, within a stone throw of its northwest glacier, flanked by huge penitentes of disproportionate dimensions, which we'll have to cross tomorrow. The winds stopped shortly after dinner, and the plumes from the summit disappeared, allowing us to get a glimpse of the top, right before we crawled into our sleeping bags.
Two of our Sherpa just came by, descending from setting up Camp 1 and reporting good snow conditions, while the other three will remain there for the night, hoping to reach Camp 2 tomorrow while we climb to Camp 1. The plan is to all sleep together at 1, and descend to Base Camp the following day. As you can imagine, with this first rotation, we're all in "game on" mode, and the anticipation is getting us semi-ecstatic.
More tomorrow from Camp 1,
RMI Guide Elías de Andres Martos and the Shishapangma crew
Okay, I love the updates, but I had to look up penitentes on-line :). Good luck to the team!
Posted by: Rick Deerwester on 9/16/2016 at 10:30 am
I can only imagine the butterflies in the stomach are beginning! Can’t wait to read more.
Posted by: Betty (Art's sister) on 9/16/2016 at 5:24 am
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Another good day of African hospitality. We ate so many crepes at breakfast I figured the Land Cruisers were going to have a tough time hauling this load of intrepid bush game viewers in and out of the Ngorongoro Crater. The clouds engulfed the crater rim all morning making for a cool game drive to start. Also creating a surreal atmospheric event of tumbling clouds down the walls and dissipating before reaching the valley floor. It looked so much like Jaws Maui Hawaii breaking on a 200 foot day. I was longing for my what surfers call a "Rhino chaser" surfboard, specially made for large swell waves. I can't believe I didn't pack some wax. How ironic, for in fact that was the main focus of today the elusive Black Rhino. During the hunt for the Rhino so many other creatures got in the way that camera batteries were getting drained quick. Thank goodness for the back up battery. We returned to the lovely Plantation Lodge in the early evening to enjoy the fabulous grounds we call home for one more night. No crepes tonight but another four courses of fine dining will have to do. Maybe waffles in the morning to mix it up before we head to our next National Park, Tarangire. All is well with the team. Having a gas, wish you were here.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Hi!
Not much to report today, folks. We took a rest day at Base Camp, in preparation of tomorrow's move. Packing food and gear, and rigging our ascension hardware took most of the morning. After another great lunch from our cooks, the afternoon was spent resting to tea and snacks, and even some ventured to the shower tent for the first time. The plan is to move to Depot Camp tomorrow morning and spend the night there, and then carry and move to Camp 1... the excitement is on!!!
Stay tuned for our first news from the glacier,
RMI Guide Elías de Andres Martos and team.
GO JARRETT! We’re all routing for you and the entire TEAM!
Posted by: kea capel on 9/15/2016 at 9:31 am
Hello, grettings from Spain!
Goog luck to al the team members!
Posted by: Martin de Andres on 9/15/2016 at 7:53 am
Posted by: Eric Frank
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Hello, this is Eric Frank checking in from the bivouac below Winnie's Slide on the Fisher Chimneys Route of Mt. Shuksan. After all the rain of last week, the skies have turned blue and we climbed up the Chimneys under a full sun today. Thanks for following and expect a call from the top tomorrow.
RMI Guide Eric Frank
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
It is safari time!
Starting at about 2:00 a.m., the team went in many directions - Europe, Kenya, the Serengeti, and here to the lovely Plantation Lodge. After a delicious breakfast at the Dik Dik, we traveled to Lake Manyara National Park. What a perfect introduction to the wonderful world of game viewing?! It took a little over an hour from the town of Arusha before we popped the tops on our Land Cruisers and let nature engulf us. We only about 2,000 pictures in our four hours of exploring this magical area. Just before we left the park our mascot, the dik dik (the third smallest of the antelope family), made an appearance and brought us and brought us to our photo quota for the day.
The eighth wonder of the world is top on the list for tomorrow...Ngorongoro Crater. We are positioned just outside of the crater here at Plantation Lodge. I am sure we will have an amazing day of game viewing. It hardly seems that we were standing atop Kilimanjaro a few days go! can't wait!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Adam Knoff, Robby Young
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Shishapangma
Elevation: 19,350'
And the progress uphill has started! We made a carry today to Depot Camp, right at the edge of the glacier, where we deposited some hardware, gas, tents, boots...Our goal is to have our kit in position where we need it, without having to carry it every time. As expected, the first venture into the 6000m vicinity was exhausting, and the "morrainy" terrain contributes to it. However making progress, laying eyes on the route, and continuing with the acclimating process is all a great payback.
Our strong Sherpa team continued until close to Camp 1 (they are the first ones to set foot on Shishapangma this season) and had success finding a good passage through the massive penitentes field that we have to cross just after Depot Camp. Imagine a moon-like area that presents some of the most intricate climbing of our route, that is what we will have to cross shortly after leaving Depot Camp.
We're now enjoying a rest while our cooks Purna and Aital finish preparing our dinner. With our yak drivers gone until our departure in a month, only another small team of 3 French and 1 Australian (with their couple Sherpa and cooks) are issued to climb here this season here. It's definitely an off the beaten path mountain!
Wishing you all well,
RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos and team
Art, this must surely be the climb of all climbs for you. I am practically holding my breath reading this and looking forward to the team’s daily progress. Go team!
Posted by: Betty (Art's sister) on 9/14/2016 at 5:07 am
Jarrett:
Excited to hear of your progress to the glacier. Can’t wait to hear more! The “assault” on Bonneville was mixed. We beat the old G/CPRO record but the car’s ignition system broke up at 7500 in fifth gear on the return run. Better luck on your attempt
Posted by: Rick Deerwester on 9/14/2016 at 3:37 am
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Another day of perfect weather on Kilimanjaro. A bit of a tired team to get going this morning but with the finish line in sight, rally we did. After a great breakfast, we had a nice group celebration for the local crew. We made a quick 4,000-foot descent to the exit gate and then another couple hours to lap of luxury here at the Dik Dik Hotel. Excellent celebration banquet brought us to the late hours and packing for the safari start tomorrow, which is our next adventure. All is well, full bellies, rosy-red cheeks, lots of fond memories, a bed, and a shower, what more could you want.
We are so lucky.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Way to go Mac and Fraser boys!! yahoo!
Posted by: Gary Lamberti on 9/21/2016 at 12:21 pm
WAY TO GO JOSH AND GROUP!! Proud of you big brother!! ❤️❤️
Posted by: Ali Arzt on 9/16/2016 at 12:57 pm
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