Entries from North Cascades

RMI Guide Mike Walter and team climbed both Sahale and Sharkfin Tower yesterday. The team reported great climbing and 100% to the top for the two peaks! Today, the team climbed Forbidden Peak by its iconic and classic West Ridge and were standing on the summit at 10:20 this morning.

Way to go team!

Saturday, July 20, 2018 - 1:50PM PT

RMI Guide Zeb Blais checked in from the Fisher Chimney’s route of Mt. Shuksan today. The team had just made it back to high camp after a summit day with 100% success! They reported beautiful conditions and good climbing. They will spend tonight at high camp and descend back to the trail-head tomorrow.

Congratulations Climbers!

Friday, July 20, 2018

We made it to High Camp on Mt. Shuksan Fisher Chimneys route and the crew is feeling great. There is more snow up here than I’ve ever seen!

We’ve settled in and are going to have dinner and get to bed as early as we can.

We’ll check in again after our climb.

RMI Guide Zeb Blais and team

We are standing on top of Mt. Baker after ascending the North Ridge. 100% of our team summited! The weather is beautiful with light winds and clear skies. We will begin our descent back to camp shortly.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

Sunday, July 15, 2018 - 12:56 PM PT

This afternoon we received a dispatch from RMI Guide Zeb Blais on Forbidden Peak in Washington State’s Cascade Pass. The team reported beautiful weather and a successful climb. They will spend some time on top before beginning their descent of the technical West Ridge.

Congratulations climbers!

We had a full value experience on Mt. Baker this weekend.  With positive enthusiasm, 12 women met early in the morning in Sedro-Wolley with coffee and gear to hit the trail.  We carpooled up to the Park Butte Trail Head on the Easton Glacier of Baker and started up the trail.  The heavy packs didn’t phase anyone and soon the trail conversations were running full speed ahead.  After a five-hour hike into Sandy Camp at the toe of the glacier we set up camp in the rain.  On the flanks of Mount Baker without any view of anything more than six feet away we had a nice dinner and early to bed to stay dry.  Unfortunately, we woke to the pitter-patter of rain in the morning but managed a nice cup of coffee and some training in the rain on the snow slopes around us.  Sunday morning was our anticipated summit bid but the mountain had other plans for our team.  With a deluge of rain and strong winds, we decided the summit wasn’t in the cards for us this time.  We had the opportunity to be in a storm!  Nothing beats this group of climbers.  Even after naming the lakes forming in the bottom of the tents, everyone kept smiling.  Never a complaint about the sopping wet boots just a choice to put our feet in plastic bags then in our boots.  To the best storm fairing team ever, your guides Jessie, Lydia, and Christina thank you for making the trip a great experience.

RMI Guide Christina Dale

RMI Guide Kel Rossiter and team just called from the summit of Mt. Baker after a successful climb. They reported good weather and softening snow conditions. After a celebration on the summit, the team will begin their over 5,000’ of vertical ski descent off the top. Once back in camp, the team will rest, pack, and hike off of the mountain for a well deserved meal in town.

Hello, this is day 2 of the Mount Baker Climb & Ski program. Today was an excellent training day. We woke up with a sunrise, had some breakfast, and got out on the glacier for some firm snow ski, uphill travel techniques: ski cramponing, boot cramponing, roped travel, and a variety of other skills. Then we ripped skins and had a delightful 1,300-foot descent back to camp. In the afternoon we covered avalanche rescue techniques and crevasse rescue techniques as well. We rolled into dinner, cooked up some great food, put the finishing touches on our packs and getting set for a successful summit bid on Baker tomorrow or tomorrow morning. Bye. Bye.

RMI Guide Kel Rossiter

The Mt. Shuksan Seminar, led by Chase Nelson, checked in last night and let us know that they made their summit attempt today. The team reached the base of the pyramid and conditions were too icy to continue so they turned back. However, they are excited about what they did accomplish and they will make their way off the mountain today.

RMI Guide Chase Nelson

This is Chase and team checking in from the Sulphide Glacier! After three days of almost constant snowfall we finally enjoyed a bit of a break in the weather and even had a few hours of sun. About a foot of snow has fallen since our arrival but the training has continued as planned. Tomorrow we’re going to venture higher up towards the pyramid and see if conditions are suitable for a summit attempt. We’ll check in tomorrow afternoon!

RMI Guide Chase Nelson