Entries By leif bergstrom
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Leif Bergstrom, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Thursday, May 18, 2022 - 12:46 am PT
We took our time over coffee and breakfast burritos this morning, enjoying the slow start and the warming sun that doesn't hit camp until 9 am. Satiated, we left camp and moved quickly downhill to our cache at 9600', relishing the opportunity to stride it out and cover ground. We passed a lot of teams headed towards 11,000' Camp, slowly trudging under the loads of big packs and full sleds. With our cache retrieved, we worked out way back uphill to our cozy camp. Overall, 11,000' Camp felt like it doubled in size today and lots of folks were strolling around, enjoying a warm afternoon. We'll look to continue our momentum tomorrow caching a load of fuel and food up high near Windy Corner.
RMI Guides Pete, Leif, Erika, and team
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Leif Bergstrom, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,800'
Monday, May 16, 2022 - 9:37 pm PT
At 4 am this morning the wolf tried his first huff. He then continued to huff and puff and try to blow down our house but we had built it strong. While we hunkered in our tents it was clear that it wasn't a day to try to walk anywhere. It blew for the morning but by early afternoon began to abate and have us a chance to get out of the tents and stretch our legs. This evening turned gorgeous as the wind went calm and the skies cleared. We should have smooth sailing for a move to 11,000' Camp tomorrow. We'll touch base.
RMI Guides Pete, Erika, Leif, and team
Albert!!!
Imagino que podrà s rebre el nostre missatge. Pel que veig, de moment dies amb bones vistes i només un dia de fort vent. Espero que estiguis bé i en forma i que l’expedició estigui anant bé. Les fotos del blog es veuen espectaculars. Molts à nims des de Catalunya!!! Endavant amb l’expedició!!
Posted by: Marc on 5/22/2022 at 11:08 pm
My wife and I are in Alaska and have a flight planned on Sat, 5/21 at 13:30 to view Denali and land on a glacier - with K2. Stu - I hope to see ya somewhere around the 14K camp - from the air. Good luck Stu - and the entire team. Kyle
Posted by: Kyle Martin on 5/20/2022 at 11:54 pm
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Leif Bergstrom, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Sunday, May 15, 2022 - 1:10 am PT
It was an auspicious start to our May 12 Denali Expedition today. When we called K2 in the morning to ask how things looked they replied "unlimited visibility and perfect". We rallied a hasty breakfast and headed for the hanger. We had gotten all of our bags set yesterday, so it didn't take much to get the planes loaded and launched. The pilots were taken with how clear and gorgeous the day was too, taking several detours to show us stunning corners of the Alaska Range on the way.
We landed and hit the ground running. Fully loaded sleds and packs were an indication of the magnitude of our undertaking, but the team cruised through the 5.5 miles of mellow glacier travel, and we rolled in to our first camp looking fresh. Everyone is fed and tucked into warm sleeping bags and as we write, a stunning full moon is rising over Mt. Hunter.
We plan to carry a load up towards Kahiltna pass tomorrow and then return to camp. We'll be in touch.
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Leif Bergstrom, Erika Birkeland, and team
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Grayson Swingle, Leif Bergstrom, James Bealer, Ben Luedtke, Seth Burns
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080
The Five Day Climb April 26 - 30 led by RMI Guides Avery Parrinello and James Bealer completed their Mountaineering School on April 27 and made the ascent to Camp Muir on April 28. The teams spent the last two nights at 10,080' Camp Muir. Climbers were able to ascend to Ingraham Flats but due to adverse weather conditions were unable to climb any higher. Today the team is descending from Camp Muir to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Bummer guys! Sorry about the weather! It’s all about the journey and not the destination though! I hope you learned a lot, met some cool people, and are excited for the next one.
Posted by: Constantine V on 5/1/2022 at 4:16 pm
Posted by: Grayson Swingle, Matias Francis, Leif Bergstrom, Ben Liken, Steve Gately, Seth Burns
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
RMI Guides Grayson Swingle and Ben Liken reported the Five-Day climbing teams enjoyed a beautiful sunrise this morning. The team spent two nights at Camp Muir and enjoyed lots of hands-on training and practice to enhance their glacier travel skills all while ascending to Camp Muir in wonderful spring conditions. The team will descend to Basecamp and celebrate their accomplishments before everyone begins their next adventure home.
Posted by: Joe Hoch, Grayson Swingle, David Price, Leif Bergstrom, Josh Hankin, Lauren Macklin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,300'
The Five Day Climb August 30 - 3 September completed their program. The team met on Monday for their Orientation and Equipment check, then headed out the next day above Paradise for a full day of Mountaineering School. With their glacier travel training complete the team ascended 4.5 miles to Camp Muir on Tuesday. They spent two nights at Camp Muir and were able to explore the route up to 11,300', the group was unable to make a summit attempt due to route conditions. However, they did get in some crevasse rescue training. Today the group finished up a bit more training before packing up and descending to Paradise.
Congratulations team - we hope you enjoyed your time on the mountain!
Thanks to the guide team and my fellow hikers for helping to get the most that the mountain would allow. Hard to beat being on a glacier in a spectacular landscape. Hike On!
Posted by: Steven McKenna on 9/7/2021 at 10:29 am
Thats so cool to spend so much time on the mountain. Blessed.
Posted by: Bryan Lundgaard on 9/4/2021 at 12:36 am
Posted by: Mike King, Nikki Champion, David Price, Leif Bergstrom, Emma Lyddan, Connor Mullady
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
RMI Guide Mike King called this morning at 7:06 a.m. The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb team turned at Ingraham Flats due to difficult route conditions. The teams are planning to begin their descent from Camp Muir between 8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Beautiful picture! Hope to go there in a few weeks and praying for good weather.
Posted by: Joseph Huang on 8/31/2021 at 10:09 pm
Proud of you team! Great effort!
Posted by: Rachel Zimmerman on 8/30/2021 at 7:49 am
Posted by: Jake Beren, Camille Leininger, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb team reached the summit this morning just after 7 am. The team, led by RMI Guide Jake Beren, experienced beautiful weather with sun above the cloud deck that was settled around 7,500'.
Congratulations to the team!
Congratulation Jake + Team, Walter
Posted by: Waltero Glover on 8/28/2021 at 3:31 am
Way to go! One day!
Posted by: Bryan Lundgaard on 8/28/2021 at 3:24 am
Posted by: Alex Halliday, Luke Wilhelm, Leif Bergstrom, Josh Hankin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI Guide Alex Halliday and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons August 6 - 11 team reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. Alex reported light to moderate winds and sunny skies from the summit at 10:30 am. The route on the Emmons was good up high but challenging at the lower elevations due to bare glacial ice. Today the team will descend to Camp Schurman for their final night on the mountain. Their program will conclude tomorrow with a descent to the trailhead near White River Camp Ground and a return to Rainier BaseCamp.
Congratulations to the Emmons Seminar Team!
Posted by: Alex Halliday, Luke Wilhelm, Leif Bergstrom, Josh Hankin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Sunday, August 8th, 2021 - 4:57 pm PT
After making an essential sandwich stop in Enumclaw this morning we had a lovely hike into the base of the Inter Glacier. Climbing the hard blue glacial ice on the inter glacier put our new found cramponing skills to good use. We are sitting in the fog now hoping it will clear so that we have good view with dinner.
Wonderful reading the news. We are with you in spirit. Enjoy. Love, Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Corona on 5/20/2022 at 6:11 am
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