Well the story of the day was the weather. When we woke up this morning at the hotel it was raining. That didn't seem to bum anyone out too bad though and we were all packed and headed to the gate in good time.
Once we drove up to the gate the rain had turned to mist but we geared up anyway. That turned out to be a good idea since it rained off and on for the first two hours.
As we pressed on the cloud thinned and dried out. We were able to pull off the rain-wear well before camp and even dry out a bit.
The mist has returned but we are all in camp getting ready for dinner. Our tents are dry and we have a really nice dining tent to hang out in. All in all it was a fine day to start a Kilimanjaro climb.
This is a shot of some of the team getting a lesson on the chemical toilet.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
The Four Day Summit Climbs led by RMI Guides Peter Whittaker & Leon Davis reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 5:00 a.m. Peter reported a beautiful and windless day. The teams began their descent to Camp Muir. They will take a break there before continuing to Paradise this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's summit climbers!
We had teams summit via three different routes on Mt. Rainier this morning: Dave Hahn and Jason Thompson led teams via the Disappointment Cleaver Route, Pete Van Deventer via the Kautz Glacier Route, and Garrett Stevens on the Emmons Glacier Route. They reported chilly conditions, winds about 15 mph and sunny skies. All teams had left the crater rim by 7:50 a.m.
Congratulations to today's teams!
Way to go Ben and Kara! Summited on Claire’s Birthday.
Posted by: Dad, Connie and Claire on 8/8/2013 at 6:20 pm
So happy for you Kara, Ben and Jeff! You’ve worked so hard for this… I am so proud!! Come home safely, I can’t wait to hear about everything. I love you!!
RMI Guide JJ Justman and his team spent today at Ngorongoro Crater viewing some spectacular animals on day two of their safari. Check out JJ's video below.
Jambo! This is Seth checking in from the Dik Dik Hotel. Today was our packing day. We started with a team meeting over a leisurely breakfast and then went into a gear check. It was really fun getting to know each other. Everyone is totally enthusiastic.
While we were going over our stuff the guys from the Dik Dik were packing the food and gear. Our big 4x4 Mercedes Unimog is loaded up and ready to go.
First thing after breakfast tomorrow we'll load the last of the gear and head out to the park entrance. Then our climb begins!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
After spending the night at the Dik Dik Hotel celebrating our summit success, our team loaded into “pop-top” Land Rovers to begin our safari. Today we explored Lake Manyara National Park and saw many animals, which some are included in the video below.
The team is doing great and enjoying the different landscapes that we are experiencing here on safari.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
RMI Guides Adam Knoff and Jake Beren led the Four Day Summit Climb August 3 - 6, 2013 to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. They reported a smooth ascent and a beautiful day with barely any wind. The teams began their descent from the crater rim around 7:40 am PT. They will return to Camp Muir to repack before continuing their descent to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's summit climbers!
Footwork and the ability to "read the terrain" to find the best footing is an important element of being able to climb safely and efficiently. During our Mountaineering Day School, our guides focus their efforts on teaching the "rest step". The rest step is an important efficiency technique where climbers take small steps, pausing between steps with their weight on their back leg. This is a technique that enables climbers to get a “rest” with each step since their bodyweight is resting on their skeletal system instead of their muscles, effectively giving the legs a quick break.
An important aspect to the rest step is paying attention to your footwork and deciding on your foot placement: finding the right place to set your foot so that you have full control while still benefiting from the small, efficient movements of the rest step. We commonly ask people to “climb with their eyes" by scanning the terrain and other climbers foot placements ahead to spot the best places to set their feet. Instead of getting fixated on only the next step, it is important to anticipate future terrain and foot placement. Thinking a few steps ahead allows you to see all of your options in front of you.
This is something that can be practiced before coming to climb Mt. Rainier or taking part in any of our climbs and expeditions. When going out on your training hikes, whether long or short, take the time to focus on your footwork. Ask yourself, "How big are my steps? Can I take a smaller step? Is there a better flat place for me to put my foot?" Constantly challenge yourself to find the easiest and most efficient foot placement with each step. Combining your focus on footwork with improvements to your balance and body awareness will give you an added measure of comfort, stability, and efficiency in the mountains, especially when you begin to tire. Remember that flexibility is an important part of footwork since you need to be comfortable in your foot placements even when the terrain is not perfectly flat or level.
The more comfortable you can become with foot placement, reading terrain and climbing in balance, the less energy you will exert on longer hikes and climbs. Often times we get fixated on the immediate step in front of us. Instead, look ahead and challenge yourself to take small quick steps. By being aware of these footwork techniques on your training hikes will enable you to dance your way up the mountain on your climb!
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Lindsay Mann is a Senior Guide at RMI Expeditions and a NCAA D1 Skiing Champion. She has climbed and guided around the world, from Peru to Alaska. Read about her recent sailing and ski mountaineering trip to Norway's Lofoten Islands on the here.
Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!
Thankyou, For sharing such a useful information with us.
Posted by: Jen’s Get Fit Group on 8/13/2024 at 1:13 am
Truer words have never been spoken. Any time I bring new people to the mountains I always emphasize how important it is to step efficiently. The art of mountaineering-footwork deserves much more publicity than it gets!
The Five Day Summit Climb led by RMI Zeb Blais and the Four Day Summit Climb led by Solveig Waterfall reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. At 7:03 am the teams began their descent from the crater rim. Solveig reported a beautiful, calm and sunny day from the summit of Mt. Rainier.
Both teams will return to Camp Muir for a short break before continuing down to Paradise this afternoon. We look forward to seeing everyone at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's summit climb teams!
Waiting out a rain delay was a good decision at the start of our program. A 6 1/2-hour hike yesterday brought us to camp in warm and dry weather. This morning 100% of our team reached the summit of Mt. Shuksan via the southeast ridge of the summit pyramid! After a short rest at camp, our crew climbed down through the Fisher Chimneys, back to the Lake Ann Trail and to the trailhead.
Congratulations to the Mt. Shuksan - Fisher Chimneys team!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
rain never stopped someone from Seattle glad you are starting the climb
Posted by: cornelia miller on 8/8/2013 at 7:48 pm
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