RMI Expeditions Blog
Posted by: Billy Haas, Caleb Ladue, Pete Van Deventer, Seth Waterfall, Steve Gately
Categories: Guide News Guide Grant
Day three of the AMGA Rock Guide Course started a little less comfortably than we had hoped. Our course’s venue was located in the heart of central Oregon and early November often offers a mixed bag of weather. For the four of us who were camping near the park, this meant we awoke to find ourselves shivering and scraping a light layer of frost off of the inside of our tents.
As mountain guides, we often deal with inclement weather, but even our familiarity with discomfort didn’t stop all the grumbling that morning as we made coffee. Luckily for us, our instructor team was equally apprehensive about climbing in freezing temperatures and had called a quick audible. The day’s goals shifted to learning rescue techniques and skills in the ‘comfort’ of a covered cooking space.
After just finishing my first year with RMI, I was excited to see how our in-house rescue training would compare to the official AMGA equivalent. As the morning progressed, the instructor team grew equally excited as it became clear that much of the rescue curriculum was review, albeit, made a bit more difficult by the vertical orientation and the small working zones that the rock environment demands. Despite the cold temps and biting wind, we were able to fly through hauling techniques and knot passes. That morning’s training concretely highlighted for me how well RMI trains their guides. Because of our familiarity with many of the techniques, we were able to open the book and learn a couple new tricks and subtleties that may have otherwise been lost on a less experienced crew.
Once we had mastered new slack management tricks and practiced the variety of haul systems, we changed venues and tried to warm ourselves up with some rope ascending. Ascending is one of those skills that any basic crevasse rescue course will teach you, yet even our most experienced guides were able to walk away with a new trick or two. This again speaks to the level of experience and expertise that our instructors brought to the course.
The day’s training finished with a variety of skills that we will be tested on in our next course. A large part of the AMGA course curriculum is a series of examinations that aspiring guides go through to prove their proficiency. For many, these examinations can be stressful and difficult. However, this course has shown me that as long as I continue to work with the incredible fellow guides and instructors that make up the AMGA and RMI, this will be a process I am excited to continue on.
With my first year at RMI finished and my first AMGA course completed, I am more enthused than ever at the prospect of continuing my education. Without a doubt, my most profound take away from this course has been how much of a pleasure it is to work with professional mountain guides. In all my time in the mountains, I’ve never found a group who equals the enthusiasm and commitment to perfecting their craft that RMI guides have.
Finally, I want to echo Seth’s thanks to RMI for investing in their guides and allowing these courses to happen. I’m already looking forward to my next AMGA course and my next season with RMI!
_____
Caleb Ladue just finished his first season guiding with RMI. He grew up in Vermont, where he learned to love the mountains for all that they offered, and that passion has taken him throughout the US and to the Peruvian Andes. He'll be hanging his hat in Jackson Hole this winter, and will return to Mt. Rainier in the Spring, excited to share his passion with many more climbers!
After yesterday's summit push we were content to lie in the tent a bit longer this morning at High Camp before finally stirring. We brewed up some coffee, that while no match for a good espresso, was a very pleasant touch to the cold but otherwise clear morning, and then set about breaking camp. With all of our gear loaded into our packs, we began descending from High Camp. We reached the top of the fixed lines and spent the next hour working our way down the massive face, carefully transitioning past anchor points until the Branscomb Glacier, once a small ribbon of white below lay underfoot. The descent was uneventful and smooth - just as one would hope when descending an exposed face like that - and another half hour of crossing brought us into Low Camp where Dave Hahn and the other RMI Team were enjoying a rest day.
Dave and JJ were kind enough to brew us up a hot drink and we traded was stories from our trips while we repacked our backpacks and sleds with the gear we had left at Low Camp. With our mugs empty and our packs and sleds full, we wished Dave's team good luck and warm temperatures on their summit bid and set off down the glacier toward Base Camp. The gradual downhill pitch of the Branscomb and cold hard snow made for a fast descent on skis and we caught ourselves hooting and hollering at times as we cruised down the glacier (which, for anyone familiar with the pain of hauling a fully laden pack and sled down a glacier at the end of an expedition, is highly unusual). By early evening we had navigated the final crevasse field of the Branscomb and were pulling into Base Camp, relieve to be dropping our packs for the last time. After almost a week of moving up and down the mountain we have gotten quite good at setting up camp and within a few minutes we had our tents pitched and our camp shoes on. Tonight we treated ourselves to a special post summit dinner: cheeseburgers which we flew in with us from South America and have kept frozen for this very evening. To top it off, the rangers at Base Camp shared a few beers with us for our meal. Burgers and beer at foot of the Vinson Massif - we truly couldn't have asked for anything more.
Tomorrow we will look at the flight schedule and weather forecasts to see what our options are for beginning the trek home. We are still a long ways from anywhere and the challenges of getting ourselves out of the middle of Antarctica are not inconsequential. Nevertheless, we're happy to be down here and hoping for more good luck on the next leg of our journey.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory & Team
On The Map
It was just as cold in the final hour before the sun hit this morning, but somehow that didn't matter as much since we didn't have to get up. It was a rest day at 9,000 ft on Mount Vinson. We eventually assembled the team in the POSH tent for an early afternoon, four course breakfast. After three good and long days moving food and fuel and gear around, it was very nice to just kick back and take it easy. It fits well with our acclimatization plan as well, to have worked up high yesterday and now to be resting at "low" altitude. RMI Guide Linden Mallory and his climbers came through in mid-afternoon on their way to Basecamp and it was good to hear of their summit day. The weather was perfect again today and so the sun and lack of wind had us forgetting what the actual temperature was. We napped, drank water, read, chatted, and snacked the day away. Finally it was time for dinner and tall tales in the strong evening sunshine. All are feeling healthy and ready to move up the mountain.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Way to go team Glasenapp! I’m enjoying seeing your progress on this blog. Looks chilly!
Posted by: Twila Bing on 12/3/2014 at 2:45 pm
Hi Tom! Hi Haldis!
Best of luck to you and your team for a successful and safe summit!
Will give mom and dad an update on mom’s birthday over Chinese food!
(Oh, and Dave/JJ, if Tom doesn’t answer to Tom, he answers to “Hey Bob!” too!)
Stay safe and good luck!
Posted by: Monica Glasenapp on 12/3/2014 at 10:49 am
December 2, 2014 - 6:08 pm
Today the team said goodbye to the hustle and bustle of Quito and headed south early in the morning. Once outside the city we made our way through the rural countryside and headed for our next acclimatizing hike on the Illiniza's. They are the remnants of an old volcano that erupted long ago and left two nearly twin peaks. Our goal was not to climb them, but reach the saddle that separates the two beautiful mountains. The team made good time up to the saddle where we took a short break in the climbers hut and had some well deserved hot tea. After our short break we made our way back down the mountain to our waiting bus and quickly headed to the wonderful Chilcabamba hacienda. The team made good use of the hot showers and enjoyed sporting around in the ponchos provided by the hacienda. We wrapped up the evening with a wonderful meal, plenty of good stories, and one amazing view of Cotopaxi.
Everyone is doing great and enjoying the Ecuadorean hospitality.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
On The Map
The team here in Ecuador got their first taste of altitude today, on the hills that surround Quito. This morning we rode the teleferico to 13,000 feet and began our trek up Pichincha on the rutted trails that wind up to its rocky 15,000 ft summit. It was a day to pressure our bodies into absorbing the thin atmosphere and although the typical afternoon clouds obscured our view from the top, we were able to stretch our legs and lungs in the mountains.
This evening our team met with our Ecuadorian guide, Jaime, and he took us to a new Ecuadorian restaurant where we enjoyed a fantastic dinner of local cuisine. Tonight is our last night in Quito as we depart for the Illinizas early in the morning.
RMI Guide Leon Davis
On The Map
Go Team Leonard!!!! We are thinking about all of you and Good Luck taking on the Summit! Love to all, Donna & Girls
Posted by: Donna Leonard on 12/3/2014 at 4:24 pm
We knew it was going to be a cold morning here at Low Camp, the sun doesn't make it around the mountain until 11:15 AM, but it was still somewhat shockingly cold. True, we are in 24-hour daylight, but any shadow reminds you very quickly what the actual air temperature is. We ate breakfast and put our crampons on for a day of carrying loads as we warmed up in the sun. Before too long, we'd begun the fixed rope section of climbing on the way to high camp. This section of steep and continuously firm snow meant that the day would be about vertical gain and not a great deal about distance covered. It took six hours to make it the 3,500 ft to high camp, which sits at 12,500 ft. Since it was perfect, cloudless weather, we could see forever as we got higher. But what we could see was ice, ice and more ice. Our timing was perfect, pulling into high camp just as Linden Mallory and his small team were getting there after their summit. Todd Passey, ALE's guide, was in camp with his team as well and very generously shared cups of hot water with the gang. We cached food and fuel there and then got moving back toward Low Camp, which we reached at 11 PM. It was a big day, finished off with a midnight supper in the POSH tent. Our climbers were excited for the new vistas, but also for the great sense of accomplishment in getting such a tough day under our belts. We'll rest tomorrow, and hope to move up the following day.
Best,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Way to go! I’m glad the climb is going so well.
Posted by: Peggy Halstead on 12/2/2014 at 9:09 pm
Proud of you guys - Tom, Haldis, and Chris!!! Have fun tomorrow reaching your goal and enjoying the views. Look forward to hearing all about it when you get back.
Posted by: Keith on 12/2/2014 at 3:52 pm
"Clear, calm, and reeeeaallly cold!" That was the summary of today's climb. We woke up to a perfectly calm morning, almost even warm (at least for Antarctica). It was shaping up to be a perfect summit day, so we packed our bags and left for the top. We climbed a low-angled glacier, weaving our way through the surface of wind blown ice and sculpted snow, eventually reaching a large amphitheater with Vinson's summit standing at the head. We crossed the basin, navigating a few small crevasses until we reached the slope that leads up to Vinson's summit ridge. Despite the forecast for "extremely cold" we were warm on the climb, climbing comfortably without needing to wear our thickest down layers. The views around us were truly breathtaking (well, nearing 16,000' was also a factor). The higher we climbed the more of the Ellsworth Range came into view - a jagged line of ice capped peaks piercing through Ice Cap spread out below our feet. The size and scale and rawness of the landscape is hard to comprehend, even when standing in the middle of it.
By mid-afternoon we reached the final summit ridge, a thin ridge of snow and rocks with a few small rock outcroppings that require delicate balance to navigate around. Just as we reached the ridge, a steady and frigid wind blowing straight from the direction of the South Pole picked up. Despite bundling up our body temperatures instantly began to slip. We navigated the ridge without much trouble, despite having to stop every few minutes to keep the circulation going in our hands. Onward we climbed, trying desperately to hide from the breeze in layers of hoods, until suddenly there was no more ridge to climb. We had reached the top of the bottom of the world - the summit of the Vinson Massif, Antarctica's highest point. It was amazing, beautiful, and really cold. Despite the effort in getting there, we weren't inclined to stay long, we snapped a few pictures, shared a few high fives, and then set our sights on getting back down the ridge and out of the wind. The sub sub sub zero temps made every move that much more challenging but Penn and Jon climbed beautifully, moving through the exposed terrain without difficulty and soon we were dropping back off the ridge into the amphitheater and out of the cold southern wind. We stopped in the sun, our faces covered in rime ice, and started laughing - we were through the thick of it and it was nice to be heading downhill. We retraced our steps back across the glacier and reached High Camp in the early evening. Tired but happy, we and another team of two climbing rangers a few hours ahead of us, were the first climbers to reach the summit of Vinson this season and despite the chilly summit ridge, it was a very spectacular climb.
Tomorrow we set our sites for Base Camp and hope to move back downhill in search of some slightly warmer temperatures, thicker air, and hopefully some good ski touring around Base Camp.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory & Team
RMI Guide Linden Mallory calls from the Vinson Massif summit!
On The Map
WOW - CONGRATULATIONS JON, PENN and LINDEN!!!!
Great updates and great coverage - feel like I am there without ever leaving the confines of 70 degrees in Birmingham :))
Send more photos and video - the video from the summit was Incredible !!
Safe Travels and Congratulations!
Lee
Posted by: Lee Styslinger III on 12/4/2014 at 9:35 am
Way to go, Team! Congratulations!!!
( and Linden: SO nice to see you on top of yet another “massif”!!!)
Safe journey home, everyone!
- Dana Marie Buchanan
Posted by: Dana Marie Buchanan on 12/3/2014 at 8:50 am
Posted by: Casey Grom, Leon Davis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Everyone has safely arrived here in Ecuador and are excited for our adventure. We started our day with a team meeting where we did a round of introductions and discuss our upcoming program. Shortly after our meeting we headed out to explore this beautiful old city with our tour guide Juan. He took us to visit the Basilica and the old part of town dating back to the 1600's. We made a stop atop a hill that overlooks the city called La Panacea, and took in the view of this long and narrow city of over two million.
We then made our way north to visit the equator which gives Ecuador it's name. There's a small museum there with a few interactive displays that amused us. But most importantly we stood on the equator itself!
After our brief visit we made our way back to our hotel in downtown Quito where we took a break before heading to dinner. The team opted for a place called the Magic Bean that's know for its tasty food and fresh juices.
Everyone is doing well and looking forward to getting a little exercise tomorrow.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Just letting Tom, Bob, and Eddie know that I’m thinking of you guys and hope you had a great climb…get home safe…David
Posted by: David on 12/5/2014 at 6:40 am
We are so excited for you Brian. Enjoy the view from the summit and take some good pictures ! You and your team stay safe. Love you ,mom
Posted by: Karen on 12/4/2014 at 6:18 pm
Another brisk night broke clear and calm at Low Camp and when we poked our heads out of the tent this morning, we caught site of a new scene for us down here: not a cloud in the sky and not a puff of wind blowing over the mountain tops above. It was a good sign that it was time to move to High Camp. We packed up our gear, rationing down the extra wait and second sets of miscellaneous gear to keep our pack weights manageable and set off for High Camp. Crossing the upper portions of the Branscomb Glacier to the fixed lines was warm - hot even - as the sun baked down on us and the white faces all around us reflected the rays. We were down to climbing in just a few light fleece layers and our mood matched the high temps.
Mid afternoon found us beginning to climb the large 3,000' face off of the glacier to the upper plateau of the Vinson Massif. We put our heads down and made solid, steady progress up the lines that run up the face. We paused at series of ledges partway up for a quick bite to eat and a drink and then continued upwards, reaching the top by early evening. Another hour of climbing a gentle glacial slope brought us into high camp and we quickly set about hacking a flat tent platform into the ice and frozen snow. Once the ground was level and the tent was up we built a long snow wall out of blocks of snow to buffer us in the event of winds later tonight.
After we were finally settled, we took a moment to venture over to the edge of camp where a sheer face drops away to the Branscomb far below. The view was nothing short of spectacular. The Antarctic Ice Sheet stretched out as far as we could see, shimmering on the horizon in the evening light. Below us, the Branscomb Glacier flowed around the foot of the face and down past Base Camp where it melted into the sea of ice. Above us, the summits of Shinn and Epperly stood watch over the landscape with Vinson's true summit hiding just behind the ridge line above High Camp.
It was a solid day of effort to climb up here and set up a warm and comfortable camp but we're all feeling well and happy to be up here. If the weather holds we hope to make a summit bid tomorrow or the following day - depending on conditions.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory & Team d'accord
On The Map
Incredible stuff!! As Mal Moore used to say, “Leave somet’n ya’ momma gave ya’ out there…!” Good luck on the summit!
Posted by: Tom on 12/1/2014 at 5:50 pm
It is now your new day, your Dec. 2nd, though we here in the USA are still in Dec. 1st. Hope all went super yesterday and thinking of you all. Big hug, Carol
Posted by: Carol Colleran on 12/1/2014 at 3:27 pm
Hello RMI!! I have to tell ya...it is so nice to be reunited with the team! No one at Union Glacier camp would let me put my head on their shoulders and cry. However, when my team saw me at Vinson Base Camp they all gave me big bear hugs!
Today we packed up camp and started our climb to Low Camp, close to 10,000 feet. Everyone had a fun day and we worked well getting camp set up. The usual happened with hots and dinner and more hots. Dave is currently buttoning up the kitchen as I write.
Tomorrow the team plans on carrying gear towards high camp. We get to travel some fixed line as the terrain steepens. Stay tuned! AND GO PACKERS!!!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
On The Map
Peter and J.J. —To my Elbrus teammates…. I am thinking of you and I know you can do it…. Blessings to the entire team
Posted by: john baker on 12/2/2014 at 1:21 pm
Can’t believe you are already primed for the summit. Seems like you just got there. Hope the climb is all you dreamed it would be. Good luck to the team and to my love.
Bonny
Posted by: Bonny Rogers on 12/1/2014 at 3:30 pm
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Glad that everyone is down and enjoying a burger on the ice beach. We have sauce waiting for you. Howie
Posted by: howie mallory on 12/4/2014 at 7:13 am
Love it. Burgers and beer. I know Penn’s happy!
Posted by: Kir on 12/3/2014 at 6:02 am
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