RMI Expeditions Blog

Elevation: 14,200'

This morning was the first in a while that we weren't getting up early, desperate for conditions to be favorable. We got the stoves started around nine, which sounds late and lazy, except in these parts, the sun doesn't get around the mountain until 9:30. It was socked in and cloudy for our breakfast, and then snowing again, but without any wind. We were set to do our "back carry" -dropping down to pick up our cache from the other day, but we'd also been in touch with Pete VanDeventer and knew his team was descending and would pop out of the clouds any minute. It made sense to greet his gang and to exchange notes at 14,200 before going to get our carry done. It was fun to see their team, flush with success and excited to nearly be done with their climb. In the early afternoon, although it was still snowing, we set off into the murk to find our 13,600 ft cache. The cache was undisturbed, which was a relief. Guess we'd buried it all too deeply for the Ravens. It took just over an hour to make it back up to camp with the cargo. People retreated to their tents for a snooze while a few of us built a new kitchen-dining complex. The clouds began to drop and the sun got shining brightly for dinner and the few remaining hours of the day -it ducks behind the West Buttress at 9 PM and the temperature seems to drop about fifty degrees in a few minutes at that point. But we were treated to great views of Mounts Foraker and Hunter sticking out from the solid base of clouds spread below us. The forecasts still call for snow, but luckily they aren't always right in just how much snow we'll get and at which elevation it will fall. A calm day tomorrow for our carry to 16,200 ft would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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thank you for diligently posting on your team’s progress. best of luck on your summit bid, and hoping for your safe descent.

Posted by: michelle on 7/9/2013 at 11:10 am

Good luck. Great reading about your progress.

Rachael
ABQ Uptown 985/NM/CO

Posted by: Rachael C. Lujan on 7/8/2013 at 2:47 pm

Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Descend to 11,000’

July 8, 2013

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Geoff Schellens, Robby Young

Elevation: 11,200'

Sunday, July 7, 2013 We are down in the thick air of 11k feet! We woke this morning to some snowfall, and generally wintry conditions, but nothing that we couldn't deal with, and in short order we had camp packed and were rolling down the buttress. We made a short stop at 14 to visit with Dave Hahn's team ( who were gracious enough to invite is into their posh and make us hot water) and pick up our cache. Another few hours brought us to the 11k camp, where we made our beds for the night. We plan to wake early and continue our descent down the Kahiltna, with the aim of being at the airstrip by mid morning! With luck, there will be a break in the clouds, and we will see the red planes of K2 dropping in to bring us back to Talkeetna! We'll let you know how that goes, but for now, it's early to bed for us! RMI Guides Pete, Geoff, Robby, and team

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Hi team: My stepson is with Dave Hahn on the way up, and I’ve been reading your team’s posts also. Hope you got down, and got to fly out.

Posted by: Vicki on 7/10/2013 at 3:25 pm

Hola Guapo,
Viola just called me to tell me you were stuck” IN a glacier?” I HOPE NOT!....I’m hoping you meant : “stuck ON the glacier i.e.:mountain”. Did you forget our home number?
You have nothing scheduled at the office until the 22nd. Viola wanted me to let you know that. She said you would be home Thursday How is this possible?
Aywhoooo
Are you planing to take me away?...Far…....Far…...away? I hope so! If you can’t…make sure you pick up a box of Calgon at the supermercado before you come home! (Calgon take me way!!)
xxoo
Marion

Posted by: marion and maya on 7/9/2013 at 4:09 pm

Mountaineering Training | Tips for Strong Knees in the Mountains

July 8, 2013

Posted by:

Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training

Traveling through the mountains and climbing up and down rough and uneven terrain can take a toll on our knees. Knee pain can be debilitating in the mountains and the best strategy to avoid knee pain is to actively prevent it. Prevention begins early in your training process and continues throughout the climb. During Training • Remember that getting up the mountain is only half the climb: you still face the entire descent back to the bottom. Keep this mind during your training and include downhill travel in your training routine in order to prepare your muscles and joints to the stress encountered in a climb. • Build general knee strength. See this article for an example of different knee strengthening exercises and discuss the specific areas that you need to improve your knee strength with a physical therapist or trainer. • Take care of your knees during training: don’t beat them up too much and let small irritations turn into major injuries! On the Climb Be Prepared: • Be aware of the weight you are shouldering and avoid carrying extra or unneeded gear. • Be strategic when pack your backpack: keep the heavy items towards the back of your pack (close to your body) and centered so that the heaviest weight is closest to your center of gravity and your pack sits comfortably and squarely on your frame, not pulling to one side and throwing you off balance (see more packing tips...). • Bring trekking poles: poles are a great tool in taking a few pounds of weight off of your knees with each step and can help you protect a knee if it is feeling tired (learn more about using trekking poles...). Climb Smart: • Take small steps on the climb up whenever possible to avoid straining the major muscles around the knees. • Don’t fight the descent! Take smaller consistent steps coming down and try to avoid the big jarring steps that jolt your body. • When coming down on moderate snowy terrain and no longer wearing crampons, try keeping the sole of your foot parallel with the slope and sliding a few inches with each step downwards. These little distances add up over the course of a long descent and make the downhill feel just that much easier. Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful articles! I read all of them and love them. They always have some good tidbits of advice in them. The tip about how to pack your pack is a good reminder if not informative for the rookies out there. Keep up the good work and stay safe out there guys and gals! :D

Posted by: Alicia on 7/12/2013 at 5:08 am

Nutrition is very important as well. Multi Vitamin, Calcium+D3, and other supplement that good for joints. Personally I prefer bone soup with veggie.

Posted by: Julie on 7/11/2013 at 8:24 am

Mt. Elbrus: Grom & Team Explore Moscow

July 7, 2013

Posted by: Casey Grom

After a good night of sleep and a belly full of fresh fruit, bread and an assortment of meats and cheeses we headed out to explore the city a bit. Our hotel is perfectly located in central Moscow with the Kremlin and Red Square just a short walk away, so that's where we headed first. We payed a brief visit to the Red Square then watched the changing of the guard at Russia's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before spending a little more than 2 hours inside the beautiful Kremlin. Once back outside we opted for a tour of the famous Moscow subway which sits hundreds of feet underground and is incredibly efficient and meticulously decorated. Apparently it was built so deep it could double as a bomb shelter during the Cold War years. It was amazing and a little overwhelming too. The team then took a break for lunch and so members took naps and others explored a bit on their own. We have wrapped up the evening with a great meal and a nice little walk. Everyone is still feeling the jet-lag, but doing great otherwise. RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

Mt. Elbrus: Tucker & Team Train on Mt. Elbrus

July 7, 2013

Posted by: Mark Tucker

Elevation: 15,000'

Our night's stay in the Garabashi Hut (12,000') on Mt. Elbrus went well. We were up early for a quick breakfast and then headed out onto the mountain with our crampons and ice axes to do some training and review while the snow was still firm. The team did well and we climbed up 15,000' which also helped with our acclimatization. Around noon we started our descent and after a few hours arrived back to our camp. We enjoyed soft snow on our way down and perfect weather. Once back at the hut we gathered for a nice lunch. We have spent the afternoon resting and drying out our gear. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

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Looks like an awesome trip; can’t wait to hear more next month. Rigorous art book training is paying off!

Posted by: Mary Leslie on 7/8/2013 at 8:09 am

Looks like you guys are fitting in well with the Cossacks up there! Gosh, RMI really went all out and organized a mega-group climb for you all—a “barrel” of fun! They know how much we love a party. Any shopping on this mountain?

I spent the weekend at the beach - sunny and warm and thinking of you guys. Take care, go slow, and listen to Mr. Tucker! Xoxo. Renee

Posted by: Renee on 7/8/2013 at 7:19 am

Mt. Rainier: Summit Climb on Top July 7th!

July 7, 2013

Posted by: Brent Okita

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Brent Okita reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning with 100% of their team members. Brent reported perfect conditions with light winds and clear skies. They started their descent from the crater rim shortly after 7 a.m. and will return to Camp Muir for a short break before continuing down to Paradise. we look forward to seeing the group at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon. Congratulations to the entire Four Day Summit Climb June 4 - 7, 2013 Team!

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Way to go Ian and Jack and the entire team. Such a wonderful accomplishment. mom

Posted by: pat white on 7/7/2013 at 5:04 pm

Congratulations Matt & Scott & the entire team! What an awesome achievement!

Posted by: Anne Kinate on 7/7/2013 at 10:45 am

Mt. Elbrus: Justman & Team Enjoy Rest Day

July 7, 2013

Posted by: JJ Justman

Elevation: 12,000'

It is a rest day for Team 1 on Mt. Elbrus. I wish I had some really exciting things to report. However, rest days are filled with the continual search to beat the boredom of camp life. Activities like cards, dice, reading, people watching, drinking coffee, eating food, etc...are a few of the things we have partaken in so far today. I'm not gonna jinx it but our summit day tomorrow may require a constant supply of sunscreen and cooling mist machines! It's normal for team members to be a little nervous before summit day. But I'm telling ya...if I were to place a Las Vegas bet, it would be 100% to the top. Wish us luck! RMI Guide JJ Justman

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Looks like it will be more fry than freeze. Good Luck with the summit bid! You always get 100% to the top.

Posted by: elsie on 7/8/2013 at 5:32 am

Way to go! You did it!
And thank God for the weather.

Posted by: Julie Marx on 7/8/2013 at 5:17 am

Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team On The Move

July 7, 2013

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Zeb Blais

Elevation: 14,200'

Saturday, July 6, 2013 14 K at last! But we had to fight our way up here, it didn't come easy. Back down at 11,000 ft in the early hours of the day, it looked as though we might get decent weather. At least, if one was looking up at the West Buttress, there was good visibility and not much sign of wind, if one turned and looked West, however, there was still a massive flow of cloud, as there had been all week, often overflowing and engulfing camp. We ate breakfast and packed, it seemed especially difficult to get going after having become so deeply dug in for the best part of a week, but we managed. Naturally, as we roped up and and got ready to walk, the clouds swept in and the wind came up. We came full on into strong, steady winds as we topped motorcycle hill and it seemed we found even stronger winds at the crest of squirrel hill. All of this was while inside a big white freezing cloud, so we were getting rimed up and frosty as we leaned straight into the storm to climb higher. On the polo field, we still had wind but we were getting occasional sun breaks. Windy Corner lived up to its name today. Getting past it was the key battle of the day, but we knew if we could pass the corner we could leave the wind and cloud behind. Sure enough, as we reached our cache from yesterday, we'd found a calm and sunny glacier. It took another ninety minutes to get into "Genet Basin" which we reached at 3:30 PM. We were happy to rejoin the teams we'd shared 11 camp with. There were plenty of empty camp sites with good walls, so building our nest at 14,200 ft was made slightly easier. The team was a little weary after pushing through such harsh conditions, but all were excited to be back in the game, to have new and awesome views and to have beat the forecasted "next storm". Yes, that is right, we are in for another one. The western sky was full of wind sculpted wave clouds, as if a fleet of flying saucers were attacking Mount Foraker. By the time we finished dinner, Denali was cloud capped as well and the snow was starting to fall at 14,200. Best Regards RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Yea, ravens at 13,000 ft?!? Those must be some bad ass ravens

Posted by: Fred on 7/7/2013 at 5:54 pm

Erik Nelson’s uncle and aunt here, following the journey eagerly. Proud, Praying, Positive! The Mariners’ Cove crabbing operation has been fun and successful. Hoping the same for your adventure, Erik and team.

Posted by: Jay and Carol Sigafoos on 7/7/2013 at 2:31 pm

Mt.McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Wait Out the Winds

July 7, 2013

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Geoff Schellens, Robby Young

Elevation: 17,000'

Saturday, July 6, 2013 It was a beautiful though somewhat blustery summit day yesterday and everyone did great! We woke this morning with the intention of moving downhill, but as we prepared, several other groups returned reporting high winds along the buttress. After assessing, we decided that it would behoove us to rest the day and recover from yesterday, and move down tomorrow in lesser winds. So we'll be in touch tomorrow, hopefully from significantly lower on the mountain! All for now, RMI Guides Pete, Geoff, Robby, and team

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Hello Guapo,
Everyone is asking me how long the trip down is, but I honestly don’t remember.
On the 9th it will be three weeks…..seems like forever.
Looking forward to hearing all about it…everyone is!
We are all proud! Im glad you are resting and recovering.
xxoo
Mairon ad Maya

Posted by: marion and maya on 7/7/2013 at 3:54 pm

Good morning, Tommy! I am grateful you are well and resting. I miss you, but I am happy ya’ll are using caution as you come down. More than anything, I can’t wait to hear your voice! There was lots of excitement on Facebook once everyone learned of your success reaching the top. I can’t wait for you to read the posts and the messages and “likes” of those following you. I posted a special message to you on Facebook from me and your supporters today. To say I am proud seems like an understatement because I am so much more. I am humbled by your courage, strengthened by your strength, and inspired by your passion. We have such an incredible future ahead. Thank you for showing me what is possible. I pray for an awesome day and safety coming down. My love and thoughts are with you going down as they were going up. I am so excited thinking how close you are to coming home! I love you!
Rhonda

Posted by: Rhonda Kitchen on 7/7/2013 at 8:21 am

Mt. Elbrus: Casey Grom & Team Arrive in Moscow

July 6, 2013

Posted by: Casey Grom

The adventure starts today! All team members have safely arrived in Moscow without a glimpse of Edward Snowden. After our long flights here we keep things pretty laid-back tonight with a light meet and greet, then headed out for a quick dinner. Not far from our hotel is a great little place that serves up some wonderful beef stroganoff, so that's where we went. We took a short walk to stretch the legs and get a little dessert and have now retired to our hotel to catch up on some much needed sleep. Stay tuned! RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

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Larry I hope you and the team have a great trip and climb!! I look forward to following your progress and seeing and hearing about this adventure!

Posted by: Paul Kinneberg on 7/7/2013 at 7:44 am

Looking good Larry in the pic…Sage / younger at same time…Ready to notch another…Go go go and Godspeed Walter…Tell the peak “hey”

Posted by: walter glover on 7/7/2013 at 7:08 am