Entries By dustin wittmier

So far we’ve had a tremendous trip.

Our first day started cold and rainy, which posed no problem for us given that our training that day was largely spent indoors or at least under the cover of a roof overhead. That day was spent doing some technical training,  going through equipment needed for the week,  and getting to know one another.
Day 2, Monday,  we moved to Camp Muir on what ended up being a fairly nice day. The group was impressive moving uphill,  with nobody having difficulty with the 4,500’ hike up the snowfield.

Tuesday was a very full day as we covered all the skills we needed to climb the mountain. Following our skills session we ventured out onto the Cowlitz Glacier to practice what we learned and better understand just how glaciers behaved.Following this it was back to Muir to prepare for our climb. A summit talk,  early dinner and early bedtime set us up for our climb. Waking up at 1:00am and walking at 2:00, we were immediately challenged by high winds. Unfortunately, the winds haunted us all day, making for a difficult climb. But we persevered and got lucky,  summiting just after 8:00am.

The team did great and we’re all enjoying some well deserved rest.

Talk again tomorrow,

RMI Guide Brent Okita & Team

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier and his team reached the summit of Mt. Shuksan via the Fisher Chimneys Route. With the forecasted weather, the team was able to summit a day early and is continuing with some training through the rest of their program.  They will descend from the mountain tomorrow.

Congratulations to all on their success- 100% to the top!

A week of training and practicing mountaineering techniques has paid off, and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Paradise team reached the Summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. RMI Guide Dustin Whittmier reported a touch and go summit this morning as the team climb into a cap with fresh snow above 13,000’.  They are on the descent and will be back in paradise this afternoon.

Congratulations Team!

Yesterday our team made a strong summit attempt of Sahale Mountain in poor conditions. We reached 8,100’ on the Quien Sabe Glacier following a morning of low visibility as well as increasing rain and wind. With a deteriorating weather forecast we decided not to cross a tricky bergschrund, which would have put us in a difficult place considering the soggy snow conditions. We returned to camp wet, but in high spirits knowing we gave it our best go. The entire team did an excellent job and are looking forward to sunny summits in the future!

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

Our team woke up just after 7am to dense fog and intermittent rain. This group is positive and experienced in the back country, so it was no problem. The skies still have not cleared up, but we were able to cover the topics of technical gear, walking and advanced scrambling all while staying relatively dry. Not wanting to get the team too wet, we took shelter in our tents after breakfast, waiting for a break in the weather. We are now back in camp, relaxing outside as the sun is just starting to poke through. It is warm and any wet items have dried out by now. The team is looking forward to climbing tomorrow and we will check in, hopefully from the top!

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

After a soggy morning of pushing through wet brush in the forest we emerged into the open slopes of Boston Basin. Our team setup camp in a beautiful location at about 5,600’ in Boston Basin. Grand views of the Boston Basin peaks and Johannesburg Mountain made for a beautiful sunset under mostly clear skies. A cloud layer has the valley socked in, but it is an overall perfect night higher up. Tomorrow we will be doing some training for the climb the following day. The team is in good spirits and generally happy to be surrounded by the rugged landscapes of the North Cascades.

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

Hannah Smith called in by SAT Phone this morning to let us know that the entire team had reached the summit of Mt. Baker via the Easton Glacier route. She reported excellent warm weather and a great route. The team has begun their descent and will return to town today for showers and a fresh meal.

Congratulations to today’s climbers!

We just got back down to town after a great climb up the Easton Glacier on Mt.Baker with Wilderness Adventures! The weather could not have been better, with calm conditions and warm temperatures abounding all the way to the summit and back down to camp. The group all climbed strong, pushing their physical limits while trying out mountaineering for the first time, all amidst stunning views of the North Cascade mountains.
Afterwards we ended up back at beautiful Sandy Camp for a relaxing afternoon of eating, drinking glacier water and napping. All in all a great trip.

RMI Guide JT Schmitt

The Four Day Climb July 18 - 21 led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn and Dustin Wittmier reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning under clear skies and a light breeze.  The team spent some time on top before leaving the crater rim on their descent.

Congratulations to today’s climbers!

Saturday, June 8, 2019 - 7:39 PM PT

Guess who’s back? We are. We’re back at High Camp. A place I never really thought I would find myself twice over the course of one Denali trip. The Precision Strike Summit Team (PSST) made quick work of the move back up here. We are a well oiled machine by now. Other teams yell various commands when passing anchors on the fixed lines: “stop!” “go!” “climbing!” “what?” “did you say go?” “huh?!” We climb in silence now, like panthers, sure of each others actions without having to verbalize them. We made it to 17,000’ Camp and moved right back in to our old tent platforms, so that made things efficient. We’re currently all chilling out in the tents, rehydrating, and waiting for dinner. The views are great, but we’ve already spent four days looking at them, so nobody is terribly preoccupied at this point. Here’s hoping tomorrow is another calm, clear day.

RMI Guide JM Gorum

On The Map