Entries By raymond holt
Posted by: Raymond Holt, Annie Chapman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
100% Summit Success on Mt. Baker!
Our climbing team had originally set out to ascend Mt. Rainier, but due to unsafe route conditions above Ingraham Flats, they made the smart decision to pivot with us to Mt. Baker.
Led by RMI Guides Ray Holt and Annie Chapman, the team took on the Easton Glacier route—and it was absolutely worth it!
Every climber stood on the summit, rewarded with stunning views and the satisfaction of perseverance and adaptability. The team is now back at camp, resting, rehydrating, and preparing for tomorrow’s descent to the trailhead.
Huge congratulations to the entire team for their flexibility, determination, and summit success!
Posted by: Raymond Holt, Tom Skoog
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,131'
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The entire Mt. Shuksan climb led by RMI Guides Ray Holt and Tom Skoog reached the summit of Mt. Shuksan via the Fisher Chimneys route this morning. The team enjoyed a beautiful sunrise while ascending and blue skies from the summit. The team will descend back to the trailhead and conclude their program later today.
Congratulations climbers!
Posted by: Casey Grom, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
The Five Day teams led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Ray Holt were unable to make a summit attempt due to unsafe route conditions. Recent rain and low temperatures brought significant snowfall and created icy conditions on the upper mountain—conditions that a couple warm days will improve.
Instead of summiting, the teams spent two days at Camp Muir focusing on additional training, including a skills session up at Ingraham Flats. They are currently descending from Camp Muir and are expected to arrive back at our Ashford Basecamp later this afternoon.
Posted by: Brent Okita, Jackson Breen, Hannah Blum, Raymond Holt, Miles Watson, Fitz Elder, Oliver Shapiro, Ben Porter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climbs August 10 - 13 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Jackson Breen. It's a beautiful day with clear skies and great views. The teams enjoyed some time on top before starting their descent from the crater rim around 6:40 am. Once they reach Camp Muir they will take a short break and then continue the final 4,500' to Paradise.
Nice work team!
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Tatum Whatford, Raymond Holt, Mac Nolde, Kayanna Hopkins, Jack Ritterson, Matt Tucker, Erika Barrett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb August 7 - 10 led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier & Tatumn Whatford reached the summit of Mt. Rainier around 6:30 am today. Tatum reported that it was a little windy and a little cold but it was turning into a beautiful morning on the mountain. The teams spent about an hour in the summit crater before starting their descent. Once back at Camp Muir they will take a quick break and repack their gear before contining the final 4.5 miles to Paradise.
Congratulations to today's teams!
PC: Tatum Whatford
Posted by: Sam Marjerison, Raymond Holt, Jack Ritterson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 12,900'
The Kautz Seminar Team July 27 - 1 August led by RMI Guide Sam Marjerison has spent the last several days training and climbing. They began their climb of Mt. Rainier from Paradise on July 29 ascending to camp near the Wilson Glacier. They spent time learning crevasse rescue skills, setting anchors and belays and worked on technical ice climbing skills before starting their summit attempt. The team climbed strong through the Kautz Ice chute this morning, reaching an elevation of 12,900'. At that point, deterioration weather forced them to retreat. They will spend another night at camp, perhaps get in a bit more training, and then descend to Paradise tomorrow. They will conclude their adventure in Ashford tomorrow afternoon.
Strong climbing team!
Awesome work staying safe annd being smart! I know that you are deeply disappointed. You’ve waited years for this day, I hope the experience has been awe-inspiring and has just fueled the fire for the next time
Posted by: Anna Graf on 8/1/2025 at 1:12 am
Posted by: Raymond Holt, Dominic Cifelli, Jack Ritterson, Dylan Anderson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
At 5:45 am this morning, under a canvas of clear skies and the first light of dawn, our Four Day Climb team—led by Ray Holt and an incredible group of climbers—stood on the summit of Mount Rainier.
The team encountered some wind while navigating the Disappointment Cleaver, but by the time they reached the summit, the winds had eased, offering a calm and peaceful moment at 14,410 feet.
Now on their descent, the team is making steady progress back to Camp Muir.
Congratulations to all the climbers and guides on this unforgettable achievement!
Posted by: Tatum Whatford, Joe Crawford, Raymond Holt, Dylan Anderson, Julian Kral, Ben Porter, David Rathbun, Nina Bridges
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Five-Day Climb teams, led by RMI Guides Tatum Whatford and Joe Crawford, reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning! After taking in a beautiful sunrise above the clouds, the climbers began their descent from the crater rim around 7:00 a.m. They'll pause for a well-earned break at Camp Muir before continuing down to Paradise, with plans to return to basecamp later this afternoon.
Congratulations to today’s climbers on a successful summit!
Congratulations everyone (especially Trishita)! Great job and you continue to inspire us!
Posted by: Sanjay Banerjee on 7/7/2025 at 7:20 pm
Great job, everyone (especially Trishita)! So glad you got to summit
Posted by: Connor Boyle on 7/7/2025 at 4:27 pm
Posted by: Will Ambler, Casey Grom, George Hedreen, Raymond Holt, Avery Stolte, Celeste Wilson, Margo Kerr, Erika Barrett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb June 30 - 3 July led by RMI Guides Will Ambler and George Hedreen reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. They enjoyed some time in the crater before starting their descent around 7 am. Will reported sunny skies and light winds. The teams will return to Camp Muir for a short break and repack, then continue the final 4.5 miles down to Paradise. They will conclude their adventure this afternoon with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Posted by: Brent Okita, Jess Wedel, Raymond Holt, Brooks Ordway Smith, Josh Geiser, David Rathbun, Miles Watson, Tate Hughes
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Yes, it's official—Brent Okita has reached his 600th summit of Mt. Rainier, setting a world record for the most successful ascents of the iconic 14,410-foot peak! This incredible milestone was achieved during a Four-Day Climb led by Okita and fellow guide Jess Wedel. The team reached the summit early this morning, and they’re expected to return to basecamp this afternoon for a well-deserved celebration.
To put this into perspective, 600 summits equates to approximately 5.4 million feet of elevation gain—and that’s only counting successful climbs. It doesn’t include the countless additional feet from training, attempted climbs, or even biking from Ashford to Paradise. Brent’s dedication, endurance, and passion for mountaineering are truly legendary.
Congratulations also to the RMI Clients that were able to climb and share the rope with Brent and Jess today. It was very important to Brent that he accomplish this record while guiding RMI Clients to the top.
That is Incredible Brent!! Congrats!!! I was lucky to have climbed with you a few years ago.
You Rock!!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 6/14/2025 at 3:29 am
Holy smokes. That is a lot of Rainier summits. Congrats to Brent! (I probably will have to drink a Rainier beer on his behalf.)
Posted by: Some guy from Puyallup on 6/13/2025 at 2:04 pm
Hey team,
I’ve been thinking about y’all. I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance to summit, but there will be other days and opportunities. I’m glad everyone is safe.
Randy
Posted by: Randy Salo on 8/19/2025 at 6:34 am
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