RMI Expeditions Blog
Posted by: Billy Nugent
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Southside
Howdy!
We are down from the heights after a truly amazing day up on Mt. Elbrus. Our summit day started off with a bit of breeze and some chilly temps but after a couple hours of walking turned into one of the most calm and beautiful days in the mountains that I've had. Our team was strong and we made short work of the climb, celebrated on top with some hugs, high-5's, and photos, and had a smooth descent. A few of us even made a side excursion to the summit of the east peak and enjoyed even more sweeping views of the Caucasus range. All in all it was an epic day.
Today we spent relaxing and recovering, shopping for souvenirs, etc. And we ultimately had a great team dinner complete with kebobs and (of course) libations. Good times with great people! Tomorrow we're off to St. Petersburg for a day of culture before returning home to the states.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
On The Map
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, JM Gorum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: 18,510'
What a spectacular day of climbing here in Russia! We got up just as that big orange ball of fire was cresting the horizon, but distant, low clouds to the East turned it blood red, as it set the Caucasus on fire. The excitement of a summit morning was palpable as everyone moved about with a little extra pep putting the final preparations on their packing jobs, and them we were underway.
The skies were crystal clear for nearly all of our ascent, and a 10mph downhill breeze kept things pretty chilly, as well as filled in any trace of a trail, though there was a group of 12 just 30min ahead of us. Three stretches of climbing brought us to the saddle between the East and West summits. There, we joined the Southside route for the final push to the West Summit. Five and a half hours after leaving camp, we were standing on the top of Europe, snapping photos, sharing congratulations, and enjoying the achievement. The wind was still chilly, and cranking steadily, so after 20 min or so, we were ready to beat feet back down. Our timing couldn't have been better; as we left clouds started to flow over the summit, and descended as we did. We got back to our high camp, packed things up, and kept rolling down to our camp 1 at 12,300, where we are now, enjoying kebab and mulled wine from our outfitter Yuri.
Tomorrow we'll wake early to descend to base camp and meet our vans to return to Kislovodsk and civilization. From there, our Russian adventure will continue in St. Petersburg! For now, we'll relish in our success and look forward to showers and beds tomorrow.
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, JM Gorum, and team
On The Map
Greetings from "Ice" Camp... Barafu in Swahili. We reached the 15,000 ft high camp on Kilimanjaro a little after 11 this morning. It took us less than three hours to come the two miles and 2000 vertical feet up from Karanga. It was a quiet and calm night for us in Karanga and the morning was windless and sunny. For the first time during our climb, there wasn't a shred of cloud on Kibo and no sign that the air was moving around up there either. The ocean of bright white cloud below us stretched from horizon to horizon with only 16,000 ft Mt. Meru standing out like an island to the west. By the time we'd come into Barafu, puffy cumulus was blocking out the sun and disguising Kilimanjaro's upper slopes once again. We settled in, had lunch and then met with Freddy, Tadey, Filbert and Eric... our all star local guide staff. We talked over the plan for an Alpine start... Up at 11:30 tonight, breakfast at midnight and set out for the top at zero-dark-thirty. The guides gave helpful advice and encouragement and then we retired to the tents for an afternoon rest. We'll do an early dinner and turn in for some final rest. Big day tomorrow and everything is looking perfect for climbing.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Posted by: Brent Okita, Kel Rossiter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Summit Climb Teams got an early start from Camp Muir today and reached the summit of Mt. Rainier. RMI Guides Brent Okita and Kel Rossiter and their climbers began their descent from the crater rim at 7 am PT. It's a beautiful summer day with warm temps and clear skies. This is what Brent Okita calls a bluebird day.
Congratulations to today's climbers. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Posted by: Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 18,143'
After a couple rainy nights, we weren't sure what hand the weather gods would deal us this morning for our Ishinca summit push. When the alarm rang, we zipped open the tent door. We were elated to see blackness punctuated only with gleaming stars - not a cloud in the sky!
Our team got ready after an incredible breakfast of pancakes with banana compote and started walking under a blanket of stars. As we approached the glacier, sunlight illuminated Ranrapalca, the biggest peak to our south.
We transitioned to crampons and tackled the Penitenteied glacier. After an hour of weaving through the rough surface, the snow smoothed out and got steeper on the summit pyramid. The climbing was great and our team navigated the steep final pitch and large crevasse to gain the summit.
The entire team made it in good style! The weather held out all the way back to camp too! Everyone is looking forward to a well deserved rest day tomorrow.
RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson and team
All agreed that it was a pleasure to wake this morning in the garden-like Barranco Valley. The clouds, which had overtaken camp yesterday evening, had dropped far below by daybreak. When the sun hit, mid-breakfast, and our dining tent began to rain down condensation, our alert and resourceful staff simply picked the whole tent up and moved it as we sat buttering toast. We were left at our table for an unexpected but quite pleasant picnic in the great outdoors. The team's eyeballs kept wandering over to the shadowy Barranco Wall and the stream of several hundred porters working up its ledges and paths. We joined the snakelike line and got our hands on the rock only to discover that the wall was pretty fun climbing. We went up about nine hundred vertical feet over a fairly short distance. At the top of the wall, we celebrated with a rest break, along with about a dozen other teams of happy trekkers. Then it was back to business as clouds had formed up again. We traversed a few valleys without great difficulty and then we could see Karanga Camp perched on the opposite side of one last steep-sided gorge. We dropped down through a forest of heather and rest-stepped right back up the other side, making it into camp in early afternoon with the march having taken just under four hours. Miraculously, our staff had once again managed to have a perfectly constructed camp up and ready for us. Within moments they invited us to lunch -spaghetti with red sauce- which all enjoyed. We spent a pleasant and quiet afternoon reading, napping, eating and drinking as clouds came and went. We occasionally got full and majestic views of Kibo's icy flanks hiding up in the cumulus. It is all starting to seem a bit more familiar and accessible. We'll be up there soon.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Jason & Jasna what a grand adventure. Have fun & b safe!!! Love, Dad & B
Posted by: Lee Pittman on 8/12/2016 at 4:45 pm
Wow. You guys are amazing!!! Have fun and come home safe!!! Love
Posted by: Jane zielinski on 8/12/2016 at 3:09 pm
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, JM Gorum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: 15,200'
We have settled in to high camp at Lenz Rocks after a beautiful day of climbing. Warm sun, and a cloudless sky at breakfast let us dally a bit longer than had been our want, and then we set to packing up camp, paring down our gear to the essentials, and getting ready to climb to 15,000'. The climbing is very smooth, mostly walking straight up a broad shoulder of the glacier, and everyone performed well. The scale here is pretty large, and difficult to get a grasp on, and it was quickly apparent that it was better to focus on one's steps than looking up, as things took much longer to approach than it seemed like they should.
With camp built, we're headed to bed early in anticipation of an earlyish start for the summit tomorrow. With any luck, we'll be calling in from the summit tomorrow!
Dobrye din,
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, JM Gorum, and team
On The Map
Congratulations all on reaching the summit! Wonderful news.
Gayle
Posted by: Gayle Hitton on 8/13/2016 at 6:06 pm
Posted by: Mike Walter, Steve Gately
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Summit! The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb teams, led by Mike Walter and Steve Gately, began their descent at 8:00 a.m. With such nice weather, the teams were able to spend over an hour on the summit, crossing the crater and enjoying the views with no clouds in sight. This afternoon we look forward to congratulating the teams this afternoon here in Ashford at Rainier Basecamp!
Congratulations Vanessa & Charity!
Posted by: Heather Kimling on 8/12/2016 at 5:06 pm
Vanessa and Charity - what amazing ladies! All the hard work pays off and you have memories for life. Congratulations!!!
Posted by: Barbara Libner on 8/12/2016 at 10:15 am
Seth Waterfall led his seminar team up the Kautz Route and is descending via the Disappointment Cleaver Route. At 7:05 a.m. the team was at 13,600' headed to Camp Muir. Seth reported totally clear skies and calm winds.
Congratulations to the Kautz Seminar!
Any navigation issues on the upper Kautz?
Posted by: Jared on 8/13/2016 at 11:29 am
We are back safely at the Barrels after 100% of our climbers reached the Mt. Elbrus summit! Three of us even summited both peaks. Perfect weather!
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
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RMI Guide Billy Nugent calls in from the Mt. Elbrus summit.
Congrats on the safe summit! Looks like the weather cooperated and was a great view! Enjoy! Eli
Posted by: Eli Zygmuntowicz on 8/13/2016 at 7:54 pm
The starlit dome must have been amazing. Vicariously enjoying your expedition pictures.Love and strength to all…Phil and Laurie Brandau
Posted by: phil brandau on 8/13/2016 at 11:01 am
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