Entries By jack ritterson

Congratulations to the Four Day Climb team, led by RMI Guides Stella Johnson and Dustin Wittmier, on reaching the 14,410-foot summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning!

Despite cold temperatures and strong winds, the team was rewarded with clear skies above the cloud layer surrounding Paradise. They are currently descending and expect to arrive back at Camp Muir shortly.

Well done, Team!

The Five Day Climb led by Will Ambler and Avery Stolte reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning and enjoyed a bit of time in the summit crater.  They started their descent from the crater rim shortly after 7 am. The teams will have a short break at Camp Muir and then continue to Paradise later this afternoon.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

The Four Day Climb August 13 - 16 led by RMI Guides Nick Sinapius & Jack Ritterson reached the summit around 6:30 am today. They had overcast skies and a steady wind of 10-20 mph keeping things cool.  The team started their descent from the crater rim shortly before 8 am.  Once back at Camp Muir the climbers will take a quick break and repack their gear, then descend the remaining 4.5 miles to Paradise.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

Luedtke and team enjoyed a successful ascent on Mt. Shuksan via the Fisher Chimneys. The team had 100% summit success on a blue bird day, nice work!

The Four Day climb led by RMI guides Eric Frank and Sam Hoffman made it to the summit of Mt Rainier around 6:15am this morning. They were leaving the crater around 7am on their descent back to Camp Muir. They will return to Ashford this afternoon. 

Great work up there!

8/1: Just wanted to give you a quick update about our trip to Baker. 

All went smooth. Weather was great for the climbing days. Bad weather came in as we where hiking out. All clients reached the summit in good style. 

The climb was fun and the ridge is in good condition still. Creavases are starting to open a bit, but still manageable and safe. We had a great time. 

- RMI Guide Felipe Guarderas

The Four-Day climb enjoyed summit success this morning, with 100% of the teams making it to the top! RMI guides Will Ambler and Jack Ritterson led them to the summit around 7am. They are currently on their descent back to Camp Muir and will return to Ashford this afternoon. 

Great work everyone!

Climbers on the Four Day Climb July 15 - 18 reached the summit around 6:30 am today led by RMI Guides Sam Hoffman and Jack Ritterson.  Jack reported a very nice day and a great route but quite windy.  The teams were descending from the crater rim around 7 am.  Once back at Camp Muir they will take a short break before continuing down to Paradise this afternoon.  Their program will conclude at Rainier BaseCamp later today.

Nice work team!

RMI's four-day climb led by guides Dan May and Calvin Jiricko made it to the summit this morning around 7:40am. They reported a nice morning although a bit breezy. They are currently on their descent back to Camp Muir, and they will return to Ashford this afternoon. 

Great work up there, team!

Looking back on Denali

The glacial environment presents a curious juxtaposition. At times, we witness a frozen, static world where quietude and stillness exist - perhaps much like they are found in the dark of a cave or the bottom of a cold lake. Yet, here they present in such luminous expanses that it boggles the mind and shrivels the self. From the disturbed skyline, pierced by menhirs and minarets, to the inland sea of ice filling the valley floors - and all the intermediate seracs layered and bunted on the surrounding megaliths - the scenery feels utterly immobile and still. Until, quite suddenly, the illusion is shattered in a violent display of force. In an instant there is motion, seen before it’s heard, a blur of ice and rock come free and already flaunting its veil of pulverized and sublimated snow, trundling in booming din. The delicate chandeliers of ice along the ridgelines and faces show themselves for what they happen to be: some of the most powerful natural forces of erosion which exist in, and as the result of, a near constant state of motion, plucking and mashing in a ceaseless flow of primeval destruction. 

A Denali expedition can experience the same contradictions from day to day. We spend multiple days where our only minute movement may be in transit to the bathroom or simply rolling over in bed for fear of pressure ulcers. On these days the mountain itself may feel more alive with weather and with that, even moody or spiteful. We spend many days where we only yield a brutal locomotion to consume or sleep, spending the daylight hours (and there are many) in a constant toil. On these days it may seem that the mountain has drifted back down to a state of rest and wouldn’t note our proceedings, until that serac falls in the distance. Throughout, if you happen to take notice, both the ultimate stillness and the constant motion are in abundance. In this place and in leaving we are so grateful for the opportunity to experience such an atypical environment with a group of people so willing and capable.

Despite not reaching our goal of the summit, I am quite pleased with how much I’ve learned on this trip and how much I enjoyed the company. I am pleased with our safe descent and return home to family and friends. I am hopeful for another attempt at Denali’s summit in the future.

RMI Guide Will Ambler & Team