Entries By bridget belliveau
June 23, 2016 - 9:39 P.M. PDT
First day in our new home...The Alaska Range. We enjoyed a final night in Talkeetna and another great breakfast at the Roadhouse, but then we hustled out to the airstrip. There was no "hurry up and wait" today, more like just plain hurry up. The weather was good and the pilots were ready to go. Stan and Randy each piloted a big and beautiful Otter on skis into the
Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier and spit us and our gear out onto the snow...all before 10 A.M. We spent a calm day building camp and reviewing glacier travel techniques. We'd take breaks from time to time to sip water and stare at the giant mountain walls surrounding us. Cloud cover moved in to obscure those walls by our early bedtime. Our intention is to be up at midnight for an alpine start. During the flight in, we could see that the rumors have been spot on. The lower glacier is in excellent condition with very few open crevasses. Even so, we'll go at it early when the surface has the best chance for being frozen solid.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
June 22, 2016 - 12:17 a.m. P.D.T.
The final RMI Expeditions
Denali trip of 2016 is kicking off. The team assembled in Anchorage today, with a few reunions and a few introductions, and made the traditional pilgrimage to Talkeetna. Bill, our Denali Overland driver, got the van out of the Anchorage rush hour traffic and out onto the open road with big views of the Chugach foothills and the Talkeetna Mountains. After a last stop for provisions in Wasilla, we cruised on up to epic views of the Alaska Range itself just before pulling into Talkeetna. We settled our climbing gear at the airplane hangar and checked in to the venerable Talkeetna Motel. Some of the team ventured out to sample local beer and appetizers, some went straight to the mattresses after long days of prep and travel. We'll dial down on pre-climb details tomorrow morning...Tonight it was unwind and get settled in the land of the midnight sun.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
The Mt. Rainier Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons led by RMI Guide
Robby Young is wrapping up their week on the mountain today. The team will descend from Camp Schurman to the White River Campground before driving back to Ashford this afternoon. On the summit attempt yesterday, the team was able to experience first hand snow pack analysis and decision making. As a result of the snow pack analysis the team made the prudent decision to call 12,400' their high point and descend back to Camp Schurman for their final night on the mountain.
We look forward to greeting the
Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons team back in Ashford today and are excited to hear the stories from their week on the Emmons.
RMI Guide
Eric Frank and the
Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons were unable to reach the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning due to route conditions. The team climbed to 10,800' before being forced to turn around. Despite being unable to summit, Eric and the team enjoyed and incredible meteor shower in the early hours of the morning.
The team is back at Camp Schurman and plans to spend the rest of the day doing crevasse rescue and ice climbing training around camp. Tomorrow the team will descend from Camp Schurman. We look forward to greeting them in Ashford tomorrow afternoon.
Hello friends and family,
Apologies for the absent dispatches these last few days; Apparently clouds and Sat phones do not get along. We had a few eventful days on the Kahiltna so here is a quick wrap up. Our attempt on
Kahiltna Dome was thwarted by Avalanche conditions so we made a full retreat from camp II back to Base Camp under a blanket of clouds. The team set up a quick camp by the airstrip and started celebrating the trip with a few beers we stashed in a hole and some margarita's from a friendly neighbor. With some time to kill, a few folks wanted to know what the inside of a crevasse looked like so we set some anchors and lowered a few into the deep blue black holes that reach down under our feet. Doug perched himself at the lip for a photo session of folks climbing out of the abyss. Everyone flew off yesterday just before the weather shut base camp down and we enjoyed a fine dinner in Talkeetna and some drinks at the Fairview. A great trip with some of the finest people I've shared a rope with. Thank you all for tuning in and look forward to the pictures and stories headed your way!
RMI Guide
Leon Davis & Team
May 22, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 9,800'
May 21, 2015 - 10:03 pm PT
Here we are at 9,800' for a second night. This morning the winds continued to whip at the surrounding ridges and moving camp up the
Kahiltna Dome was not prudent. However we were able to go for a venture towards Kahiltna Pass to see what there was to see. Good times trying to get over the bergschrund which was a trap door of deep faceted snow. Towards the top of the ridge we met firm icy conditions that forced us back down. Good times nevertheless! If the weather improves tomorrow we will make an attempt on the Dome.
Good night!
RMI Guide Leon Davis
May 21, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 9,800'
Wednesday, May 20th 2:38 pm PDT
Writing to you all from vibrating tents at 9800 ft. tonight. The team had a fine
walk up from 7800 ft. this morning in decent weather, but the looming sense of something surrounding us was ever present. We started to make our camp as the winds picked up, snow falling and visibility waning. It was hard work for 3 or 4 hours before we had good walls and I've never seen the team work so well together - all are hard workers. We are hunkered down now and eagerly await what tomorrow brings.
Hope you all are warm!
RMI Guide Leon Davis and team
May 20, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
May 29, 2015 - 9:34 pm PT
Good day-
We are dispatching from a crowded
Camp 1 this evening. We had a pleasant four hour walk today under cloudy skies on the main flow of the Kahiltna. We had a strong performance from the team and we plan to bump our camp up to 9,800' tomorrow morning. It looks like some weather is coming in so we might get some snow tonight. Here's to hoping we don't and we will talk to you all from Camp 2!
RMI Guide Leon Davis
May 19, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
May 18, 2015 - 11:43 pm PT
Hello-
Our day in
Base Camp was as busy as it can get. After a leisurely breakfast of pancakes bacon and coffee, we divided up to learn and practice beacon searches, surface hauling systems and rig our sleds for moving up river. A great day under a blazing sun that had us wondering how we can be surrounded by so much snow yet be so dang hot. Tomorrow we leave our camp loaded with five days of provisions and make our way towards Kahiltna Dome. We will talk again from Camp 1!
RMI Guides Leon Davis, Lindsay Fixmer, Bridget Belliveau & Team
On The Map
May 17, 2015 - 10:24pm PST
Good evening all,
Today was a great day to be in the mountains! The sun shone bright this morning as we left camp for the north side of
Radio Tower. We found great conditions moving up and the ridge offered us amazing panoramas of Mt Hunter, Foraker, and Denali. The team performed very well all day and we spent the late afternoon sitting in shade to review knots. Tomorrow will be tech training intensive here at camp.
Pancakes & bacon for breakfast!
RMI Guide
Leon Davis & Team
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Sooo excited for you guys! What an awesome experience! Get after it Hannah and crew! Best wishes for some good weather. Happy climbing :)
Posted by: Kate Kimm on 6/25/2016 at 2:42 am
Schnautz!! We are rooting for you! Kick ass buddy. We hope the weather stays perfect for Yall. Can’t wait to hear all about it when you get back!!!
Posted by: Ash, Rick, and TDub Egan on 6/24/2016 at 7:19 pm
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