Entries from Mt. McKinley

Denali Expedition: Upper West Rib Team Moves Into 14K Camp

June 11, 2016

Posted by: Geoff Schellens, Steve Gately

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,410'

June 10, 2016 - 10:11 pm PT We woke this morning to much improved weather. Some scattered clouds and a light wind but a huge improvement from yesterday. We had a quick breakfast and set about breaking camp. Just after the sun hit we were off and climbing. The team did a great job today, we had to battle a little around Windy Corner, it was a bit windy (go figure), but we were out of it soon and on to 14K Camp. After tents were up, everyone settled in to our new home above the clouds. Tomorrow we will do some training and fortify our camp with snow walls. Thanks for following along with us. The RMI Upper West Rib Team

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Sorry for the late comments. Garrick just forwarded the link. We are following you from afar. We will follow up on past reports. Congrats so far. Hope all finishes well.

Posted by: James and Sara on 6/12/2016 at 10:03 am

Good job team - hopefully you are all helping and supporting each other! Climbing is of course a group effort and it takes everybody to get everybody to the top safely - make sure to help each other along the way!!!!!!!

Posted by: Jesse Godzala on 6/12/2016 at 9:01 am

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Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Return to High Camp after Summit Bid

June 10, 2016

Posted by: Tyler Jones, Blake Votilla, Caleb Ladue

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,000'

June 9, 2016 - 10:38 pm PT Hello!!! We are all safe and sound back at our high camp after a long summit push. This morning we got out of the tents at the suns first rays to clear but windy weather. We were a bit nervous as the wind extended into the late morning but once we were tied in to the ropes around 10:30 the sun started to grace the slopes of Denali Pass and the wind let up a bit. We climbed smoothly up to the pass.Today was a chilly one, filled with managing our feet, hands, and faces against the pesky cold. Our bodies were spent as we finished Pig Hill and to our surprise the summit ridge was rather warm and welcoming. We took photos, embraced and congratulated each other on a strong effort. The crew made great time on the way down and we are grubbing on soup and ramen, looking forward to descending to more oxygen rich air. Time for a bit of rest for this tuckered out crew! RMI Guide Tyler Jones

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Congrats team
Very exciting and very thankful to hear you are heading down safe. Please be careful on your way down and cannot wait to hear the stories upon Dan and Eric’s return.
Thanks to the RMI guides for keeping our loved ones safe.
Karen

Posted by: karen Stewart on 6/11/2016 at 6:26 am

Congrats all! Now hurry down Mr. President Oxygen because I’m trying to plan your next expedition :-)

Posted by: First Lady Oxygen on 6/10/2016 at 8:56 pm

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Denali Expedition: Upper West Rib Team Sits Tight at 11,000’ Camp

June 10, 2016

Posted by: Geoff Schellens, Steve Gately

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

June 9, 2016 - 9:22 pm PT We woke up this morning to cold clear sky's with a nippy wind. After a quick breakfast we packed camp, made a cache and got rigged to start climbing. Of course at this point it began snowing heavily, the wind picked up and the visibility went down. We pumped the breaks and hung out in Jake's posh tent for a little bit. By noon thirty we called it and decided to set up Camp at 11 again. 10 minutes later another guided team returned from an unsuccessful cache attempt saying that it was really nasty up there! After getting tents up we got together for some fresh brewed coffee and snacks, the truffled gouda cheese was a huge hit. The forecast for tomorrow is looking better so we are planing on moving up tomorrow. Thanks for following along The Upper West Rib Team

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Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Rest and Recover at 11 Camp

June 9, 2016

Posted by: Jake Beren, Katrina Bloemsma, JM Gorum

Categories: Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

June 9, 2016 - 8:11 pm PT "Nature does not hurry, yet all is accomplished" Lao Tzu Today was a much needed rest day for our squad. While we may have been strong enough to move to 14 Camp, we opted to rest and recover from the effort of yesterday's carry. Sometimes being patient can be tough on a day with good weather, but it pays to be conservative. We had clear weather in the morning, but it quickly turned nasty, making our call to rest even easier. Spending the day napping, feasting and getting ready for the move sets us up for the upward launch whenever Denali lets us go. RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Glad to hear that all is well and that the team is rested. Enjoy the breaks when you get them and stay focused when on the move.

Posted by: Kaylor on 6/11/2016 at 7:01 am

Happy Birthday Ryan! Stay safe!

Posted by: Daryl Newman on 6/10/2016 at 5:03 pm

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Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Reach the Summit of North America’s Highest Peak!

June 9, 2016

Posted by: Tyler Jones, Blake Votilla, Caleb Ladue

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 20,310"

June 9, 2016 - 6:16 pm PT Hi Everybody - It's Tyler Jones and the RMI 4 Team. We are standing on the summit of Mt. McKinley, well now Denali. We are all doing well and we will give another shout when we get back to Camp. Thanks for your support and we will talk to you all soon. Ciao - RMI Guide Tyler Jones

RMI Guide Tyler Jones check in from the summit of Denali.

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Congratulations to Blake and everyone! Lei

Posted by: Lei on 6/10/2016 at 8:33 am

Congratulations team!!! I’m so happy and proud of you guys and hope you have an amazing feeling of accomplishment! Your strength, perseverance, patience and humility when needed carried you to the top! I’m celebrating your achievement here in NYC and hope you have a safe return down!

Ongun I can’t wait to see you and give such a big hug!!!! Mwah!

Posted by: Karina on 6/10/2016 at 6:07 am

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Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Carry to 14,000’ Camp

June 9, 2016

Posted by: Jake Beren, JM Gorum, Katrina Bloemsma

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

June 9, 2016 - 1:56 am PT We awoke this morning inside a ping pong ball. Watching the weather for a few hours revealed a slightly improving trend, certainly no deterioration. We decided that it was manageable and set forth. The clouds we traveled through and among were friendly and trail breaking was quite doable for this squad. We kept flowing up until we strolled into 14 Camp. We dumped a hefty load of supplies to ease our eventual move to the upper mountain. We are sitting pretty back at 11,000' Camp, fed and ready for bed. Nice work team! RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Dear B-Law, if you’re reading this note you already know. The house has been boarded up. The doors. The windows. Everything. We’re at the Comfort Inn. Room 112. I love you. Austin

Have fun Team. Brad, send me a postcard from the top.

Posted by: Austin on 6/9/2016 at 6:40 pm

Hi Mattie-

We miss you so much and love hearing about your team’s progress through Jake’s updates. The boys, the PC’s, Adryan, Taira and I are all praying for favorable weather for you in the days ahead. Stay warm, rested, hydrated and focused! Love from us all!

Lil

Posted by: Lil on 6/9/2016 at 6:38 pm

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Denali Expedition: Upper West Rib Team Carries to 14,000’ Camp

June 9, 2016

Posted by: Geoff Schellens, Steve Gately

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

June 8, 2016 - 10:30 pm PT The team did an excellent job today. The weather was mealy; periods of light snow, partly cloudy, some wind here and there. Everyone handled all these conditions, and a big climbing day, in stride. We made our way from 11 Camp up Motorcycle Hill, up Squirrel Hill, across the Polo Fields, around Windy Corner and on to 14 Camp. At 14,000' we caught our first glimpse of the Upper West Rib for a few seconds when the clouds parted. Then we headed back to our home at 11 Camp. Everyone is feeling great and excited to move up a little more. Thanks for following along, cross your fingers for good moving weather for us. RMI Expeditions Upper West Rib Team

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Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Rest at High Camp

June 8, 2016

Posted by: Tyler Jones, Caleb Ladue, Blake Votilla

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,200'

June 8, 2016 - 2:25 p.m. PDT Hi from High Camp on Denali! We were in a holding pattern this morning as we had high winds and very cold temperatures. Now the day has warmed up and winds have died a bit, but we are sitting in a very thick cloud. The tents are warm as always with the sun's intense radiation shining through. So we sit and wait, snoozing, mixed with conversation, laughter and anticipation. When our window arrives we are in crouching tiger position, ready to launch on our summit push. RMI Guide Tyler Jones and Team

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Schlax,

Sorry to hear you are stuck at camp. Eric is keeping me informed about what that must be like. I imagine it’s more fun than the Builder, and less miserable than attending a rainy losing ND game.

Today I drove to North Lame (or some town nearby that looked exactly the same). It was 95° and smelled strongly of cows. I sat in a windowless conference room for 6 hours and then drove back. My coworkers made a big deal out of eating Rocky Mountain Oysters, which I think sounds like a good name for a local minor league team.

Remember, if you can’t climb because of the cold, use your artistic eye to find an ice cave ballroom.

Love,
Mary

Posted by: Mary on 6/9/2016 at 6:28 am

PULLING FOR YOU GUYS EVERY DAY. THE RMI POSTS ARE GREAT.
BE SAFE
SENDING BEST WISHES TO ENTIRE TEAM AND ESPECIALLY MY FAMILY DAN AND ERIC.

Posted by: Karen Stewart on 6/8/2016 at 8:22 pm

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Alaska Seminar: Elias and Team Practice Alpine Climbing Transitions

June 8, 2016

Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Chase Nelson

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

June 8, 2016 - 12:12 am PDT And...The sun shined upon us! What a day we had. Full session on the Munchkin Formation practicing alpine climbing transitions, lasted from morning to evening. Another gourmet dinner brought us to bed time with the sun still on the horizon. We're ready to tackle our first objective here in Little Swiss. Tune in tomorrow to see how it went. RMI Guide Elías deAndres Martos and Team.

Denali: Upper West Rib Expedition Team Enjoys a Day of Rest

June 8, 2016

Posted by: Geoff Schellens, Steve Gately

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,200'

June 8, 2016 - 10:04 pm PDT The weather gods heard our prayers last night and rewarded us with cold clear skies this morning and views south towards Kahiltna Dome and Mount Foraker. Views to the Northeast revealed the first obstacle of our next leg, Motorcycle Hill, and further in the distance the Southern end of the West Buttress and the Upper Peters Glacier. Our team enjoyed a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon and hash browns and with full stomachs we promptly went to work fortifying our camp by building snow walls around our tents, kitchen and most importantly building a bathroom fit for a Kings royal tush! The rest of the day was spent snacking, lounging and preparing for our carry tomorrow. For the rest of our ascent we will carry part of our gear and food higher on the mountain, in this case to somewhere between 13,600 - 14,000, and then return to our previous camp (11,000) This process not only helps reduce the weight needed to be carried between camps but will also allow the team to begin acclimatizing by climbing high and sleeping low where our bodies can better recover. We're now settled in for the night and the clouds have rolled back through camp and a light snow is falling. Everyone is doing great and were all excited to be trading sleds and snowshoes for crampons and an ice axe. From here on out we're climbing! RMI Guide Steve Gately & Team

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Looking good guys. Weather looks like it’s been a bit challenging but you are up to the task. Keep up the good work. You are creating memories of a lifetime!

Posted by: SueP on 6/8/2016 at 1:50 pm

Keep up the good work ! Looks nice out but I think I would rather be on a snowmobile !!

Not sure if your bread crumbs are working - the tracker show 39 entries with the last one 3 days ago (June 5th)

Have a good climb !

Dave

Posted by: David on 6/8/2016 at 9:58 am

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Entries from Mt. McKinley

Denali Expedition: Upper West Rib Team Moves Into 14K Camp

Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Return to High Camp after Summit Bid

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Upper West Rib Team Sits Tight at 11,000’ Camp

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Rest and Recover at 11 Camp

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Reach the Summit of North America’s Highest Peak!

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Carry to 14,000’ Camp

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Upper West Rib Team Carries to 14,000’ Camp

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Rest at High Camp

On The Map

Alaska Seminar: Elias and Team Practice Alpine Climbing Transitions

Denali: Upper West Rib Expedition Team Enjoys a Day of Rest

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