Entries By dave hahn
Thursday, June 20, 2019 9:27 PM PT
We made it onto the mountain first thing after breakfast today. Things went about as easily as they possibly could. The weather in Talkeetna was fine and first reports from the mountain were similar. It wasn’t like we were racing our two planes in to the mountains trying to take advantage of some tiny break in the weather. We took the standard team photograph under the nose of a big red K2 ski-equipped Otter and then got busy loading up. Just as the planes were lifting off the runway we could see a young moose some fifty feet off the port side wingtip. The rest of the flight was just the normal beautiful as we crossed from green and flat tundra to white snow and steep black rock. After 45 minutes, at around 9:30 AM our pilots had us on final approach to Kahiltna International. We had a little work to do then, dragging loads from the airplanes to a suitable campsite in the snow, and building tents. But we did all of that in the middle of a spectacular -and for many of us- unfamiliar setting of giant peaks and surreal cloud forms. We set into a few training sessions reviewing glacier travel techniques and crevasse protocols. The afternoon was endless and easy and then we sat together in a snow dining room to have dinner and take a break. Finally, the team had a few last chores getting packed and sorted before an early bedtime. Just as we finished up, a speed climber came trotting up the SE Fork on snowshoes. The man casually and cheerfully claimed a new round trip speed record for Denali of 11 hours and 40 minutes. Our lower jaws hit the snow in disbelief and astonishment. We congratulated the man and went back to launching our three week version of the same thing. The gang was in bed by 7 PM. The alarm will go off at 12:30 AM and we’ll get motivating.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 11:42 PM PT
Things started out quiet and cloudy in Talkeetna today, continuing what had been a string of manky weather. We met at the venerable Roadhouse for breakfast and the opening strategy session for our
Denali Expedition. Fortified with strong coffee, the team moved on to the nearby Talkeetna Ranger Station of the National Park Service for our mandatory pre-climb orientation and briefing. We were honored to have Roger Robinson himself give our slideshow and discussion on safety and environmental policies. Roger is in the fortieth and final year of a phenomenal and heroic career with the NPS on Denali. By the time we headed out to the airstrip to pack and organize gear at the K2 Aviation hangar, the clouds were on the run and blue sky and strong sunshine were breaking out everywhere. We conducted a thorough gear check and packing session through the afternoon, culminating in a weigh-in to get everything tagged and set for loading on the beautiful DeHaviland Ski Otters parked on Talkeetna’s tarmac. Our 11 person team -7 climbers and 4 guides- got together at The West Rib pub for dinner on the patio as cottonwood buds floated like thick snowflakes in the sunshine. Most of the team wandered on down to the banks of the Susitna River to check out Denali, shining 50 miles to the west and crowding the sky. Then it was back to the hotel to tidy loose ends and get a final night in a bed. Tomorrow looks mighty good for getting started.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 7:22 AM PT
Our expedition has begun and the hard part is done. We managed to come together in the Anchorage airport from throughout North America. As a bonus, all of our gear made it through as well. We loaded up in the traditional Denali Overland van and trailer and got out of rush hour Anchorage traffic for the three hour push to the North. We couldn’t see much of the mountains as clouds were down pretty low, so we focused on enjoying the many shades of green on the valley floor. A stop for groceries in Wasilla broke up the ride nicely and we arrived in Talkeetna by 8PM. There was a brief tour of town before the team settled for the night in the comfort of the Swiss Alaska Inn. The work begins in the morning-packing and permitting.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
The
Four Day Climb led by
RMI Guides Dave Hahn and
Hannah Smith reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Dave reported perfect conditions as the team was beginning their descent from the crater rim at 7:30 AM PT.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
The
Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn and Jenny Konway reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 9 AM today. Dave reported cool temperatures, and moderate winds. The team spend a short amount of time on the summit before starting their descent.
Congratulations to Today's Team!
The
Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir May 26 - 31 team members gathered at Rainier BaseCamp on Sunday, May 26th for their first day of the program. After some technical training and a thorough equipment check the team started for Camp Muir on Monday morning. The last few days have been spent near Camp Muir while
RMI Guides Dave Hahn and Mike King led the team through glacier travel training and crevasse rescue. This morning the team left Camp Muir en route to the summit. Dave reported calms winds and mostly clear skies as the team reached the crater rim of Mt. Rainier around 6:30 AM. The team enjoyed over an hour on the summit before starting their descent.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Due to wind and snow overnight the
Four Day Climb teams led by
RMI Guides Dave Hahn and
Hannah Smith were unable to make a summit attempt this morning. The teams were safely tucked in at Camp Muir. Dave reported snow drifts of 12+ inches. The teams will return to Paradise later this morning.
The
Mt. Rainier Five Day Summit Climb stood on the summit earlier this morning. The teams, led by RMI Guides
Dave Hahn and
Adam Knoff, experienced a bluebird day with what seems to be endless views from the highest point in Washington.
Both teams began their descent around 8:20 am PT. We look forward to congratulating them back at Rainier Basecamp this afternoon.
We flew out of
Union Glacier at 3:30 AM the day after Christmas, arriving in Punta Arenas at 8 in the morning. Under ordinary circumstances, we’d have slept the day away and celebrated in the evening with a big dinner. But we’d enjoyed a fair number of big dinners at Union and my gang had families and lives to get back to. We showered in town and repacked, had a nice lunch and then headed for the airport again. Sure enough, we started saying goodbye to each other in airplane aisles and security lines and before long, the five of us were flying in different directions. We shared plenty on this expedition, and although we were ultimately in different places, I’m positive that we were still sharing exhaustion at the end of 36 hours of constant travel.
There was plenty of relief at being done, but there were also a thousand new memories of challenges met, storms and delays endured and of five steady companions who got through it all while still laughing and smiling and loving Antarctica.
Thanks for following our adventure.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
As it turns out, it WAS a white Christmas. Still some clouds and a few flakes in the air this morning, but it was calm and quiet and obviously improving.
We greeted one another with Merry Christmases and smiles and suggestions that “today could be the day.” As the sky began to go blue and the sun came out, everybody took to walking around outside... then skiing and biking and simply hanging out and conversing. It was such a pleasure to see the surrounding mountains again that folks were reluctant to go inside. The decision was still to be made concerning the Ilyushin, but there was plenty to do as we waited. There were outings in the camp vehicles to surrounding hillsides, there was exercise to be had on the snow roads within camp and as the afternoon went on, there were skydivers to watch. A group revved up one of the Twin Otters, climbed 10,000 feet overhead, and jumped out. Twice, with each skydiver landing perfectly in control and on target.
At our excellent Christmas Dinner, the word came that the flight was on. The Ilyushin left Punta Arenas at 8 PM and is expected in at half past midnight. We’ll be in South America by morning. My team is excited, naturally. And relieved. And ready to get back to see loved ones and friends. But there is also a little sadness at leaving our
Antarctic home and friends. Not exactly what we’d have chosen, but this will definitely be a Christmas to remember.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Cheering you all on from the lower 48 in hot and steamy Maryland. Looking forward to hearing your news and adventures. XO N. and P.
Posted by: Sandy Bemis on 6/24/2019 at 5:36 am
Here’s to good luck, good weather and a good summit!
Lou & Ingrid
Posted by: Lou whittaker on 6/22/2019 at 9:01 am
View All Comments