May 20, 2017 We were all excited at breakfast with the thought of flying on to Denali today. With cloudy weather in town nothing was certain, so when the flight service greeted us with a big thumbs up, we jumped into action. When we hit the glacier the team climbed like they were born to do it. We had a flawless climb to camp, without any of the hiccups that are just normal as we get our feet wet starting out on a big expedition with the loads we're sporting. This sure made carrying these outrageous loads easier. So now we're in the tents resting up for another big day. The crew is psyched to get up to camp at 9600', and has certainly demonstrated the strength to do it. I'm lucky to be in the company of such a strong, nice bunch of climbers. Talk to you from 9600'. RMI Guides Brent Okita, Christina Dale an JT Schmitt

On The Map

May 20, 2017 A visit to the National Park Service to sign in for our expedition followed our team meeting this morning. Good stuff was covered at both get togethers, and set the tone for a safe, fun, and otherwise successful trip. And then the work began, starting with checking the ton of gear we all have, the group gear and food we'll be taking, and packing all this stuff up so we can actually move someplace tomorrow. We certainly couldn't have fit more into the day. As we were working, the clouds of the morning finally gave way to clear skies this evening, just in time for us to enjoy a last dinner together under an Alaskan sun that never really sets. Halibut, reindeer meatloaf and local brews were on order - menu items we'll not see for some time. We're all really enjoying one another's company already, and I look forward to starting our climb in the morning, provided the skies stay reasonably clear overnight. We'll be in touch tomorrow, hopefully from the Kahiltna Glacier. RMI Guides Brent, Christina and JT

May 19, 2017 The rain fell as we debarked from the plane after touching down at Anchorage International Airport. With three hours before meeting the team Christina, JT and I reviewed paperwork and plans for the trip. Then, one by one folks started showing up, with everyone gathered well before our 4:30 departure. A good sign of things you come. We had plenty of time to get to know each other while awaiting our shuttle to Talkeetna and I was struck by the ease of conversation between everyone right from the start. Having climbed with most everyone already it was fun to catch up with folks. By dinner time the mood was even looser as we enjoyed a nice meal at the West Rib. Most of the team showed restraint in passing up calls to have 'one' at the world famous Fairview Inn, but for those of us who showed weakness and entered those decadent halls, a proper tradition was upheld. The music wasn't half bad either. It's now time for some rest as tomorrow promises to be quite busy as we prepare for our flight on to the mountain on Sunday. I'm really looking forward to getting that one step closer to the climb we've all been waiting for for so long. Goodnight from Talkeetna, elevation 300'. RMI Guide Brent Okita