Entries By Dave Hahn
Greetings from Vinson Base Camp, 7000 feet in elevation on the Branscomb Glacier. We were reasonably confident that we’d get here today, but it wasn’t a slam dunk. The weather wasn’t quite right at the start of the day for flying through big mountains, so we took it easy, enjoying breakfast and lunch in the fine dining tent at Union Glacier. The clouds out at Vinson began to break and a Twin Otter fired up to start doing laps. Ours was the third lap... off and on again as clouds drifted in and out, but finally on for real. We left Union a bit after 4 PM and considered ourselves lucky to squeak in to VBC... there were no more laps after ours as snow clouds rolled into the Branscomb. We began building camp at 5 PM. It took a bit to get sorted out, dug in and anchored down, but we were right where we wanted to be for all of that. Eventually the team assembled for dinner in our very own, freshly built dining tent. The snow clouds rolled out again and we had views of Vinson’s great Western escarpment and even of the summit pyramid up at 16,000 ft. It stayed cloudy and murky in every other direction, but we got enough sun to make going to bed easy. It is definitely colder here, up about 4,000 feet higher than where we started today, but right now, at midnight it is pleasantly calm and the sun is shining on our camp.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Sure enough, we lucked out. I’m touching base from the Union Glacier at about 80 degrees South Latitude. Our flight was smooth and easy. We made a stop in Ushuaia across the border in Argentina, before leaving South America. The runway in Punta has a construction project underway, effectively shortening the strip for the time being, so we took off light and then topped off fuel supplies in Tierra del Fuego. Then it was off across the Drake Passage and a few hours later we were winging our way over endless ice. The Russian crew brought the Ilyushin 76 down perfectly on the Union ice runway at around 3:30 PM. We bundled up and trundled down the stairs to take our first slippery steps on the continent. It was blowing about 30 knots but the cold wasn’t vicious -just about -9 C- so we snapped a few shots of the airplane and surroundings before mounting up in a highly modified Ford van on big wheels. The twenty-minute journey on a snow highway took us to the other side of the Union Glacier, where winds were mild and where a fine basecamp and support staff welcomed the team. After a brief tour and orientation to environmental and safety concerns, we sat in the dining tent for some hot soup. At that point it was thought that we’d only be in Union a short time before flying out to Vinson Base in the ski equipped Twin Otters, but before long the word came that the weather at Vinson had deteriorated. We ate dinner and went out to build tents in our own deteriorated weather. There was snow and blowing snow to make the job a little more interesting. It certainly would have been convenient to hop right out to Vinson, but none of us minded the chance to dine at Union and to socialize with the staff and fellow climbers and adventurers.
We’ll turn in for a first “night” without darkness, and we’ll see what the morning brings.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
So glad to see you are at base camp! Wishing you all wind beneath your wings. Pics are terrific.
Posted by: Kathy on 11/28/2018 at 6:22 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
So far, so good. We left our Punta Arenas hotel at 6 this morning to come out to the airport. After a little wait-and-see period, we’ve loaded onto the plane at 9:45 and the engines are spooling up. All systems are go.
With any luck, the next dispatch will be from Antarctica.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Our bags are packed and stowed on the Ilyushin 76... the big four engine Russian Jet that will take us down to the Ice. We hope to be off deck first thing tomorrow morning, but that will certainly depend on the weather. The gear got weighed and gathered up just after nine in the morning, so we had plenty of time to go strolling along the shore of Magellan’s Strait. Our next official function was a briefing/cocktail party at ALE headquarters at 4 PM. Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions- is our outfitter and they gathered the fifty or so passengers for our flight to orient and educate us on the trip South. They issued Pisco Sours served over Antarctic ice for the occasion, which was something of a reunion for the guides and frequent climbers in the group. They explained that the weather needs to improve a little, but that there is some reason to hope that it will for a flight tomorrow. My team of five went out for a last restaurant meal and then called it an early evening. We’ll get up early...around 5AM... and we’ll see if conditions have improved.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
A Vinson climb in the heart of Antarctica begins with a heck of a lot of airplane and airport time. Over the past two days my team assembled in Punta Arenas in Southern Chile. Today, the five of us met after breakfast and began to go over the details of how we’ll get from South America to the Ice. It was an easy day of packing personal gear and resting in hotel rooms. Outside, the weather swirled and cycled in a typical late November Patagonian mad mix. The wind generally howled and white caps were everywhere out on the Straits of Magellan. Rain showers alternated with intense sunshine and blue sky. In the early evening, we walked a few blocks along the busy streets to a trusted restaurant and enjoyed a casual dinner while discussing colder places. We’ll have tomorrow to complete our preparations and these last two nights to get over our jet lag.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Thinking many warm and fuzzy thoughts to all of you. Can’t believe that this morning I complained about a few flurries in Worthington!
Posted by: Janet Brennan on 11/27/2018 at 9:01 am
Looking forward to reading about your adventures Matt! The Theta Chi team is behind you 10%!
Posted by: Steve Magas on 11/25/2018 at 8:23 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Chris Ebeling
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Summit Climb August 2 - 5 led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn and Chris Ebeling reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today around 7:30 AM. Dave reported a beautiful day on the mountain. The team will spend some time in the crater and enjoying the views. They will return to Camp Muir and continue their descent to Paradise this afternoon. Their program will conclude with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp later today.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climb teams!
What an adventure and what a great team to summit with. Could no have asked for more!
David Hahn, Greyson and Alex are rock solid stars and I was happy to trust my life with their judgement and skills.
Posted by: Sarfraz A Durrani on 9/8/2018 at 2:17 pm
WOW. I am so impressed and proud of you all!! Such an experience and accomplishment I would never dream of. Congratulations
Posted by: Louise Utley on 9/5/2018 at 9:06 am
The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Dave Hahn reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Dave reported beautiful weather and a challenging route. The team will enjoy the views from the summit before starting their descent.
Congratulations to today's team!
Way to go Cindy!! Awesome accomplishment!!
Posted by: Jeannie on 8/31/2018 at 9:39 am
Awesome job Tim and Cindy! I’m thrulled that the weather was on your side!! Great news!! Safe trip down!!!
Posted by: Penny pfann on 8/31/2018 at 9:16 am
The Four Day Summit Climb teams for August 24 - 27 led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn & Andy Bond were unable to reach the summit today. Upon reaching the top of Disappointment Cleaver, high winds forced the teams to turn back to Camp Muir. The team is planning to descend from Camp Muir around 9:30 AM and we look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Up before dawn, just one more time. Balloon Camp was kind to us... such a quiet night and such an easy morning -until just after breakfast when we had to split up with Emily and Phillip who were off to the Serengeti. We loaded up again with Ibrahim and Edson to see what we could see. We saw tracks in the road. We saw the vastness of a marsh, stretching to the horizon, dotted here and there with big animals, we saw a very pretty morning. And after an hour, we saw an amazing and beautiful leopard close up. We scared him and he scared us. Ibrahim looked up to find him on a branch as we passed nearly underneath. We skidded to a halt and he hopped up on his feet. We fumbled for cameras and he showed his teeth. He growled in a low and ominous rumble and we each wondered if he was considering jumping through the open top of our Toyota. Instead he climbed quickly and gracefully down the tree trunk, bared his teeth at us again and went hunting in the marsh. We followed his progress by watching his tail above the tall grass for a bit and then drove on, stunned and excited by our quick and awesome encounter. We were still talking to each other about our good luck twenty minutes later when we saw another beautiful leopard up another tree. This one from a relaxing distance of 100 meters, which took away the pressure to photograph and record. We just watched and appreciated for a time before moving on. We had a few more hours in the park... hours of trees and rivers and eagles and vultures, elephants, zebra, gnu and impala, giraffes and Cape buffalo. We even saw kudus, which is a rare thing (don’t try it at home).
By late morning we’d left the park and were cruising back toward Arusha. We made a stop for more shopping and a little culture at the cultural heritage center and then pressed on to the hotel. Saying goodbye and thanks to Ibrahim and Edson for a big five experience and a wonderful four days, we set to repacking and prepping to fly. We had one last dinner together, while watching the Dik Diks and monkeys play in the garden and we practiced our Swahili while saying goodbye to the staff at Arumeru River Lodge. Said then drove us out to the airport as the sun set on our great adventure. Lots of flying awaits and there are lots of pictures to go through now. We haven’t said much in the way of goodbyes, it will be easier to just say “see you all on the next mountain.”
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
The Plantation Lodge was just too comfortable... we couldn’t leave at the crack of dawn. A leisurely 9 AM departure sufficed. Before leaving the Karatu area, we stopped for some souvenir/gift shopping and a try at negotiating prices. Then we dropped back down the escarpment into the Rift Valley and cruised through the bustling town of Mosquito River. Out in the dry country beyond town, we pulled off the highway to tour a small Maasai village. The residents danced for (and with) us, showed us how to make fire without modernity, and then took us two-by-two into their small houses -built of sticks, mud and dung- to describe the basics of being Maasai. Tanzania has over 120 different tribes, but the Maasai stand out because they are attempting to hold on to their traditional methods. Thus educated and enlightened, we lit out for Tarangire National Park. This park has very different ecosystems compared to Manyara and Ngorongoro. It is made up of arid and expansive forests and savannas cut by three wandering river courses. Impala, gnu and zebra are seemingly everywhere. We began seeing extended families of elephants, including some little fellas less than a year old. We learned to distinguish between male and female giraffes by the shape of their horns. We stopped to look at giant baobab trees and termite mounds and mongoose. We were getting spoiled... the team began demanding to see grizzly bears and tigers too. Actually, just when it seemed we’d go catless for the day, we came upon nine very alert and animated lions, close up. They wandered down to the river giving every impression that they were starting a hunt. In early evening we came to Balloon Camp deep within the park. The friendly staff oriented us to our bush hotel, which included advising us not to walk around without a guardian after dark. There are no fences between us and the critters of Tarangire. We watched the sun go down on our last full day in Africa and then sat for some “bush TV” as they call the campfire. A crew of cheerful and colorful Maasai came to sing, chant, jump and dance as it got fully dark and starry. We then enjoyed a barbecue buffet under those same stars.
In the morning, we’ll start to diverge, as Emily and Phil head off to the Serengeti and the rest of us explore a bit more of Tarangire. Seems a shame to break up the team, but our trip is winding down.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Unbelievable pics!! Have an amazing time!! Go Doug and the rest of the team….
Lynn and Brad
Posted by: Lynn Bishop on 11/28/2018 at 8:28 am
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