Entries By mike walter

RMI Guide Mike Walter checked in with us from Mt. Shuksan.  He and his team reached the summit via the Southeast Ridge in 3 1/2 hours.  They are back at their high camp and will descend Fisher Chimneys tomorrow as they finish their climb.

Congratulations to the team!

RMI Guides Mike Walter & Sean Collon lead their team to the summit of Mt. Shuksan this morning. Skies are smoky in the North Cascades but the climbers were above it all.
They will return to camp for a final night in the mountains before completing their program tomorrow.

Congratulations to today’s climbers!

The Four Day Summit Climb July 22 - 25, 2017 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning.  RMI Guides Mike Walter, Lydia Johnson and JT Schmitt reported clear skies and calm winds.  The team will return to Camp Muir and continue down to Paradise.  They will conclude their program with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.

Congratulations to today’s climbers!

The July 18 - 21 Four Day Summit Climb Teams reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning.  RMI Guide Jess Matthews reported 20-25 mph winds and a sunny and beautiful day on the mountain.  At 9:30 am the teams were descending from the crater rim on their return to Camp Muir.
We look forward to seeing the teams at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.

Congratulations to today’s Summit Climbers!

RMI Guides Mike Walter & Mike King led their Four Day Summit Climb teams to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning, reaching the crater rim around 8:30 am.  The team will return to Camp Muir and continue their descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.

Congratulations to today’s Summit Climb teams!

Our Summit Climb team, led by RMI Guides Caleb Ladue and Mike Walter, reached the top of Mt. Rainier this morning.  With sunny skies and moderate winds, the team is making their way back to Camp Muir.

Congratulations to today’s summit climbers!

With a pre-midnight alpine start from the Cayambe climbing hut, we woke to a starry sky and light winds; all systems were go. We had a quick breakfast, got geared up in the hut, and were walking by midnight. The weather was perfect for our climb and so were the mountain conditions, with firm (but not icy) snow for efficient cramponing. The climbing was varied: rock scrambling to reach the glacier, gentle glaciated slopes, a steep 200’, 45° headwall, and a narrow summit ridge. Six hours later we were all standing on top of Cayambe, at 19,000’ that lies directly on the equator. We enjoyed great views of Cotopaxi, the Ilinizas and Antisana to the south, and Cotacachi and Imbabura to the north. We spent a half hour on top, high-fiving, hugging, taking pictures, and even singing.
As we descended, winds increased and clouds were rising from the rain forest to the east. Soon a nasty-looking lenticular cloud formed over the summit. But our timing was perfect; we were well below this by now and smoothly descending back to the climbing hut. In less than an hour after arriving at the hut we were packed up and loaded into four-wheel drive vehicles and headed back to the hacienda Guachala for hot showers, delicious food, and comfy beds. Tomorrow we’ll head back to Quito for the night.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

RMI Guide Mike Walter sent a brief note to let us know the team has reached the summit of Cayambe, 18,997’.  They will send a full report after their climb.
Congratulations to the team!

On The Map

We woke to light snow and strong winds, but after a leisurely breakfast and a few hours of relaxing it cleared up. We took advantage of the clearing and hiked to the glacier to practice climbing with ice ax and crampons. Now, back at the hut, we’ll rest after lunch in preparation for our summit bid tonight.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

Last night we hit the sack early and rested long and hard in the tranquility of our rural Ecuadorian hacienda. The quiet and darkness of the mountains was a welcome contrast to the past couple of nights’ hustle and bustle of the city. The fireplaces in our rooms didn’t hurt either.
This morning we explored the work famous Otavalo market and now we are heading up to the Cayambe climbing hut.
We’ll sleep there the next two nights and, with an early alpine start, attempt the summit tomorrow night. The weather has been good and looks favorable for an ascent. We’ll keep you posted.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

On The Map