Entries By dustin wittmier

Hey,

This year, the monsoon has not been kind to the climbers on Manaslu. Snow, rain, and more snow have prevented most climbers from going higher than Camp 3 (22,000’). Fortunately, we were able to fit our second rotation in between two storm fronts and have some beneficial days on the mountain. Though our plan for rotation 2 was to cache gear at Camp 4 (24,000’) in preparation for our summit push, we were happy and fortunate to reach Camp 3 in good weather. 

Two long nights were spent sleeping at 21,000’. We saw every hour come, and every hour go. Getting a good night's rest becomes more difficult as you go up the mountain, but it’s all part of the process. We have to let our bodies adjust to the new altitudes we’re asking it to rest at, which often involves climbing higher than we sleep at night. Climbing without supplemental oxygen takes more time and patience than climbing with. The body is highly stressed; it needs more time to acclimate and more time to recover. We’re trusting the process and our bodies as we prepare for the summit push. 

We’re back down at basecamp resting, playing cards, Backgammon and seeing how much caffeine the human body can handle. We’re hopeful for a weather window opening up towards the end of September/early October. The summit awaits. Wish us luck!

RMI Guides Dominic Cifelli,  Dustin Wittmier, and JT Schmitt

RMI Guides JT Schmitt, Dustin Wittmier and Dominic Cifelli are in Nepal on an expedition with the main objective to climb Manaslu without supplemental oxygen. They departed the United States on September 1st and are able to check in from basecamp:

Hello,

We arrived at Manaslu basecamp on September 11th after four days of trekking through remote valleys in Nepal. Most days were spent shrouded in a cloudy veil, but we were treated to the occasional view of rugged glaciers clinging to high mountains. Staying in tea houses, we were immersed in Nepalese and Sherpa cultures through conversation and enjoying traditional foods together.

Six days after arriving in basecamp we are well established at 16000’ and have made our first rotation on the mountain. We spent three days moving to as high as Camp 2 at 21,000’, setting up our tent and caching gear. On that rotation we spent two nights at Camp 1, letting our bodies acclimatize to sleeping at 18900’.

Currently we are on our third rest day, waiting out torrential rains; and the report from higher on the mountain is that there is significant snow accumulation. It is beneficial that Wi-Fi is available in basecamp so we can continue to monitor weather forecasts, waiting for a window to make a second rotation.

We are hopeful we will be able to push through some marginal weather tomorrow to take advantage of a small, upcoming window. Our second rotation will hopefully allow us to reach Camp 4 at 24,300’, to cache some gear and set us up for a summit push.

RMI Guides JT Schmitt, Dustin Wittmier & Dominic Cifelli  

The Four Day Climb Teams led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier and Matias Francis turned at 12,000' on Mt. Rainier today. Dustin reported high winds of 60 mph on the upper mountain that forced the teams to turn before reaching the summit. The team climbed safely back to Camp Muir and plan to depart at 11 am today. They will reach Paradise in the early afternoon.

Congratulations team! 

The Four Day Climb August 19 - 22 led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Dustin Wittmier reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning.  As of 7 am the teams were enjoying time in the summit crater.  There are currently a few broken clouds but otherwise a clear and sunny day.  Teams will be returning back to Camp Muir and then descending the remaining 4.5 miles to Paradise.  There program will conclude with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

The Four Day Climbing Teams led by RMI Guides Hannah Smith and Dustin Wittmier reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team has clear skies and calm winds for their climb. A blue bird day!  The team is back at Camp Muir and will begin their descent to Paradise shortly.

Congratulations Team! 

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier and Team reached the summit of Mt. Baker via the North Ridge. The climb was windy, and partly cloudy, but warm. The team descended this morning and will Celebrate their success in Glacier, WA this afternoon.

The Four Day Climb July 26 - 29, 2022 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning.  RMI Guides Alan Davis & Dustin Wittmier led today's climbers to the crater at 14,410'.  Warm temperatures and clear skies continue, allowing great views in all directions. The team began their descent from the crater rim around 6:20 am and are making their way back to Camp Muir.  After a quick stop at Muir, the teams will continue the final 4,500' descent to Paradise and transfer to Rainier Basecamp.  The team will conclude thier program this afternoon with a celebration.

Nice climbing team!

The American Lung Association Climb for Clean Air team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 7:00 am today. RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier reported warm temperatures, clear skies, and calm winds. 

The ALA Climb for Clean Air has been available to people of all levels who are ready to take on the challenge of summiting a mountain since 1987. Funds raised by participants support the mission of the American Lung Association to saving lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. Over the last 30 year there have been 1,500 ALA Climbers. They have dedicated their time not only to training to climb Mt. Rainier and other peaks in the Pacific Northwest, but these teams have also raised over $5 Million for the American Lung Association! 

Congratulations team for your success and efforts climbing for this great cause!

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier and the Mt. Baker - Easton Team July 17 - 19 reached the summit of Mt. Baker on Monday.  They reported clouds at camp and below 7,000' but otherwise a nice day on the mountain.  The team returned to camp in the afternoon and will walk out to the trailhead today.

Way to go team!

Our July 12th - 15th Four Day Team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. RMI Guides Casey Grom and Dustin Wittmier checked in at 7:30 am as they were leaving the crater rim. Casey reported a clear day of climbing with steady winds of 30 mph. The team ascended and descended the Disappointment Route. 

Congratulations team!