May 31, 2017 Hey, this is Pete Van Deventer. The wait is finally over we left 14,000' Camp this morning perfect guys one of the nicest mornings we have woken up to yet. We got out early before this sun hit 14 Camp and beat the rest of camp out too. Along with Mike Walter's Team we made the track up to fix lines along the West Buttress and up to our 17,000' Camp. It's a beautiful day, we are looking way down the Kahiltna Glacier with super clear skies. We really couldn't ask for much more it is warm and calm. We are all really excited and it looks like it's going to hold tomorrow. So the plan in the morning is to get up and head for the summit. We will let everybody know how that goes. The forecast looks good and conditions here look good, and the route as we can see it looks good. So everything is working in our favor at the moment. We look forward to talking to everybody tomorrow. Bye. RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer

RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer checks in from 17,000 ft Camp on Denali.

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Good luck guys.

Hope you have a speedy ascent and clear skies.

Enjoy the moment Mark and Rach.

James

Posted by: James on 6/1/2017 at 4:55 pm

Gutted I’m not with you all. I wish each and every one of you a safe and successful summit attempt. Take care, Andy from Scotland.

Posted by: Andy mcronald on 6/1/2017 at 3:04 pm

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Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Fly to the Kahiltna Glacier

June 1, 2017

Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 7,800'

May 31, 2017 The team woke up this morning, ate one last home cooked breakfast and gathered at the hanger where our gear was waiting at K2 Aviation. The bad weather of the last few days cleared up over night and we anticipated being able to fly into the range early this morning. We all spent a few moments finalizing our backpacks and duffels when K2 gave us the thumbs up. We quickly loaded up two aircraft with everything we'll need for the next three weeks and before we knew it we were in world of flowing ice, snow and rock. A 45 minute plane ride takes you from the comforts of town and puts you rather abruptly in a harsh environment and every year I'm always amazed at how I never quite get used to how quickly life changes in Talkeetna. For many decades starting in the early 1900's expeditions would start there journey with a week or more of toiling through the Alaskan bush just to reach where we have flown in under an hour. I'll take the plane please! An hour spent repacking and gearing up had us walking down the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier by noon. The skies were blue, the temps pleasant and the views massive. Only once in the last 4 years have I had the pleasure of walking up the Kahiltna Glacier with a view and the team did great readjusting to life in the range. Five hours of hard work brought us to our first camp at the base of Ski Hill at 7,800ft. We spent the afternoon setting up our camp. The team is now tucked in for the night getting some well earned rest. Tomorrow we will cache some gear at 10,000ft then return back to 7,800 to sleep. Forecast is calling for more good weather tomorrow and the team is excited to explore new terrain! Thanks for following along everyone. RMI Guide Steve Gately

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Hi!!! Thinking about you tons! Hope u r enjoying every minute! Can’t wait to hear all about it in person! Love Us

Posted by: Cosco Clan on 6/2/2017 at 2:51 pm

Good morning to all
Wish I could make you all my famous meatballs and homemade pasta
Be safe
You have hundreds of people sending you all good wishes and prayers
Love you Stephen
mom/dad - aka Tina and John

Posted by: Tina Zabinski on 6/2/2017 at 6:11 am

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Denali Expedition: Okita & Team Move to 14,200’ Camp

June 1, 2017

Posted by: Brent Okita, Christina Dale, JT Schmitt

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

May 31, 2017 Finally, our string of bad weather is over and summer has come to Denali! Yahoo. Braving the early morning chill of camp at 11,200' we didn't linger in the Posh over breakfast but set about taking down camp after our oatmeal and coffee fix. Everyone did a great job and we were climbing by 9:00am. We did have company on the route, but the traffic was manageable. Unlike our previous climb of the route when we made our carry, this time we ended up walking in just a base layer after it warmed up in the afternoon. What a treat. All that said, the move to 14,200' is always tough. It's just a big jump in altitude for everyone. So yes, we're all feeling it just a bit, but that's normal. The team could not have performed better. We even picked up some of our cache from 13,500'. Tomorrow we have a fairly easy day ahead, which will help our acclimatization to our new home. As the shadows overtake camp, it's starting to get a little chilly. Just a harbinger of the cold that will settle on us tonight. But we're all snug in our tents now ready for the night. Good night from 14,200'. RMI Guides Brent, Christina and JT

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Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Move to Camp High Camp Ready for Summit Attempt

May 31, 2017

Posted by: Mike Walter, Robby Young, Lucas Haaland

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,200'

May 31, 2017 Hi, it's Mike Walter calling on Wednesday May 31st. We had a beautiful day today, and we moved up to the High Camp on Denali's West Buttress, 17200 feet. We got here a little bit after 1pm today and have been setting up camp and resting. Everyone is resting and the weather looks good for tomorrow. So hopefully we'll be able to take a shot at the summit. Everyone is doing well. Hopefully we will be giving you a call from the summit and let you know how it goes. Alright. RMI Guide Mike Walter

RMI Guide Mike Walter checks in from High Camp at 17,200 ft on Denali.

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At the moment with 5/31/2017 imagery you are visible on google earth.

Posted by: Tom Rodger on 9/1/2018 at 11:02 am

SO happy for you David and team! You remain in our thoughts and prayers. Cheers to a summit today! Safe travels down…
AK and Mom

Posted by: Ann Kathryn Scott on 6/1/2017 at 9:43 am

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Bolivia Expedition: Frank & Team arrive at Illimani Base Camp

May 31, 2017

Posted by: Eric Frank, Caleb Ladue

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Bolivia

When horses eat grass, they shred and tear everything, even the roots. Llamas on the other hand chew to a perfect putting green height. Illimani Base Camp is a massive rolling field, home to dozens and dozens of llamas. So after arriving at base camp this afternoon we found ourselves on one of the largest perfectly manicured fields in Bolivia. And therefore decided that a round of lawn games was required. The only thing we were missing was proper equipment. Nothing a little creativity couldn't solve... Two snow pickets, 18 tent stakes, a dozen moderately round rocks, plus our ice axes and Voilà!, a game of mountain croquette was the highlight of the afternoon. Styles varied, rocks broke in half, and every time a shot looked to go straight it would bounce sideways, but after almost two hours of play we had laughed and cheered our way to a winner. RMI Guide Eric Frank & Team

Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Enjoy a Rest Day

May 31, 2017

Posted by: Tyler Jones, JM Gorum, Bryan Mazaika

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,200'

May 31, 2017 Today has been a day of leisure! The team got some much needed rest and we had a long breakfast of chatting and relaxing. The team reviewed some technical skills that we will need for the rest of our climb above here. The guides often refer to the climb up to 11 camp as the approach. This section behind us, we'll pack our cache this evening with our goal being to take the groceries and other luggage up to 14,200 ft tomorrow morning. The heat from the days radiation is intense, and we are currently hiding from the sun. The sleeping bags are out draped over the tents drying, and also cooling the temps inside our 100 sq ft portable homes. Hydration, stretching, and sorting the gear will keep us busy until tomorrow. Hi to all our friends and family! RMI Guide Tyler Jones & Team

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Thanks for the progress updates! I’m sure Matt is wondering how the kickball team is faring without him, and we want him to be fully focused on your dangerous mission, so if you could let me know we have won the past 2 games. We are ranked 7th in the league (of 11) heading in to playoffs next week.

Stay safe & have a great time!!

Posted by: Denise on 6/1/2017 at 11:27 am

Hi John and Team!

Impressed with your progress so far… and love seeing the posts… it looks very very cold! Be safe!

Southwire Groupies

Posted by: Southwire Groupies on 6/1/2017 at 6:43 am

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Advanced Ski Guide Course: Reflections from RMI Guide Kel Rossiter

May 31, 2017

Posted by: Kel Rossiter

Categories: Guide News Guide Grant

Mountaineering and music have much in common to share. When we consider music, we often think of pleasant noises combined together to make song—but it is precisely the silence between those bits of noise that make music more than simply a frantic crashing of sound. So too, it is with mountaineering: much focus is given to the getting up the mountain, but it is the descent that gives it meaning. You can no more have a successful climb without a descent than you can have a front without a back. And adding the mode of skiing to that descent provides an additional aesthetic beauty to that project. During early-April I had the opportunity to explore and expand my understanding of the ski mountaineering aesthetic through the American Mountain Guides Association's Advanced Ski Guide Course. This ten-day course is the follow-up to the twelve-day, introductory Ski Guide Course (which I'd completed in 2015) and is the precursor to an eight-day Ski Exam. With the benefit of RMI's commitment to the professional development of its guides, I was able to attend the Advanced Ski Guide Course in Thompson Pass, Alaska. Thompson Pass in Alaska's Chugach Range contains mountains beyond mountains.

Thompson Pass in Alaska's Chugach Range contains mountains beyond mountains.

Thompson Pass is part of the storied Chugach Range, the setting for more extreme skiing videos than perhaps anywhere else on the planet. Jagged, flat-iron peaks are flanked with row upon rows of steep and deep powder couloirs that spill into massive glacial basins, with easy access provided by the Richardson Highway running through it, connecting the port town of Valdez with the rest of The Last Frontier. This makes it the perfect place for the Advanced course. Whereas the introductory Ski Guides Course focuses on safely moving groups through backcountry avalanche terrain and finding the best skiing along the way, the Advanced Ski Guide Course brings in the components of safe travel on glaciers (e.g., navigating in white out conditions, avoiding crevasses, dealing with crevasse rescue, etc) and managing skiers in technical mountain terrain (e.g., roped travel through steep rock and snow, belayed entry into steep terrain, effective group management in narrow couloirs, etc). The training covered a variety of techniques for safe skiing in steep terrain including belayed skiing.

The training covered a variety of techniques for safe skiing in steep terrain including belayed skiing.

But there's more to it than just the technical aspects—because, after all, in ski mountaineering the focus of climbing a peak goes beyond just the joy of standing on the summit—there is the consideration of finding the most enjoyable line to ski on the way down. Having completed AMGA certifications in Rock and Alpine Guiding, I'm versed in the technique and mindset needed to successfully climb large objectives, and that mindset could be generally summed up with the word “efficiency”. Moving into the world of ski mountaineering has been an exciting shift of paradigms, working to also incorporate in the concepts of “aesthetics” and “enjoyment”. In the world of alpine climbing, enjoyment is often seen as what you experience upon completing the goal, standing on the summit and coming back down safely. In the world of ski mountaineering, standing on the summit is a necessary pleasure before the true pleasure of ski descent can be attained. A greater focus on both product and process that I'm finding increasingly attractive. The training covered a variety of techniques for safe skiing in steep terrain including crevasse rescue.

The training covered a variety of techniques for safe skiing in steep terrain including crevasse rescue.

I'm not the only one finding this product and process increasingly attractive: backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering is among the fastest growing segments of the outdoor world. And RMI is at the forefront in developing programs to help its audience enjoy the sport. RMI Guide Tyler Reid leads ski descents of Europe's highest peak, Mt. Elbrus, and explores Chile's renowned skiing with RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall. In 2018, I'll be doing a Mt. Baker Climb/Ski as well as a custom ski/climb program. RMI, long at the lead in helping climbers reach their summit goals, now has a range of excellent ski options to ensure that the descent is both safe and extremely rewarding. For a look at some of my other experiences with backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, and the AMGA Ski Guide program, check out these links: • Mammut Athlete Team Blog about my ski experiences in the Alps prior to the Ski Guides Course. • RMI Blog post about my experiences in learning snow science during the American Avalanche Institute's Level 3 Avalanche Course. RMI Guide Kel Rossiter

Mt. Rainier: Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir Reaches Summit!

May 31, 2017

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Paul Rachele

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir May 28 - 2 June, 2017 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today! RMI Guides Adam Knoff and Paul Rachele led their teams to Camp Muir on Monday and have been working on mountaineering skills. Due to the weather forecast they opted to make their summit attempt today but they will remain at Camp Muir until Friday where they will continue to train. Congratulations to today's Seminar Teams!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Great Job Team!! Amazing accomplishments!!

Posted by: Jimmy Hoadrea on 6/1/2017 at 5:29 pm

Congratulations guys! Great job, now get off that mountain and get home!

Posted by: Carrie on 6/1/2017 at 12:46 pm

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Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Enjoying Sunshine at 14,000’ Camp

May 31, 2017

Posted by: Mike Walter, Robby Young, Lucas Haaland

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

May 30, 2017 Greetings RMI Denali followers, this is Robby Young with the May 3rd Denali Expedition calling you from Day 26. We are sitting in the sunshine here at 14,000' Camp. We awoke this morning to some cloudy skies, some high winds and snow which delayed our progress uphill just one more day. It looks like the weather is going to be beautiful tomorrow and the next few days giving us our opportunity to finally climb higher on the mountain. We are looking forward to a move to 17,000' Camp tomorrow morning if the weather does in fact allow. Until then, we will talk to you soon. Caio, RMI Guide Robby Young

RMI Guide Robby Young calls from 14,000 ft on Denali.

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The bet was that the Eagles Greatest Hits sold more than 29 million, which it did…I agreed that Thriller sold more.

Also, amazing that you guys summited! Nicely done dudes.

- Mark

Posted by: Mark on 6/7/2017 at 11:54 am

Pretty sure it still isn’t close to Thriller at #1 all time. You can mail me the $50 or send it PayPal. Glad you guaranteed the Eagles was the highest selling all time.

Posted by: Todd on 6/5/2017 at 1:21 pm

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RMI Expeditions Blog

Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Reach the Summit!

Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Move to 17,000’ Camp Ready to Summit

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Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Fly to the Kahiltna Glacier

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Denali Expedition: Okita & Team Move to 14,200’ Camp

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Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Move to Camp High Camp Ready for Summit Attempt

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Bolivia Expedition: Frank & Team arrive at Illimani Base Camp

Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Enjoy a Rest Day

Advanced Ski Guide Course: Reflections from RMI Guide Kel Rossiter

Mt. Rainier: Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir Reaches Summit!

Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Enjoying Sunshine at 14,000’ Camp

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