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Monday, June 16, 2025 - 7:53 pm PT

Our sled companies:

The Happy Cappy’s Express

Sled Dawg Logistics

Snow B.E.T.S Supply Co.

are here at 11,000 feet, ready to help you will all your needs.  We even offer cache back.   Please note: Trail breaking to retrieve a lost water bottle in the Polo Fields comes at an additional. 

Today we got to visit the top of Motorcycle Hill, Squirrel Hill and the Polo Fields before caching our food and gear for the move to 14,000' Camp.  Unfortunately, the excursion brochure was wrong.  Motorcycles were not included, no squirrels to see on the hill and no Polo was being played.  The trek was worth the views and will still give a 5 star on Google Review. As we venture into new markets and camps, our logistic companies look forward offering our services at 14,000 camp very soon.   Just remember, you call, we haul. 

Shout out to our amazing leaders; Dom, Ben, and Mike.   It’s hard to put in words how much we appreciate all the warm drinks, hot chow, dressed ropes and everything between. 

On a personal note, Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife, Lauren.  Wells and Winn please give her an extra hug and kiss from me.   

Love and miss yall.  

- RMI Climber Andrew

We continue to progress up the mountain. The cold windy night gave way to light winds and warm tranqui panki sun today. Camp 1 (16,400') is where we pitch our tents and we carried and cached gear today at Camp 2 (18,000'). The group continues to move quickly and the nicer weather acted as chubrub, smoothing the way. Soon enough we will call Camp 2 our home.

As we walk up the mountain to accomplish our goal, I can't help but notice another, other worldly thing on its journey down the mountain. A journey that is measured in Eons. These are the stones of the Sentinel and there are many kinds. There are sharp edged stones, smooth rounded stones with inclusions that glint in the shine of the light. Stones that get overwhelmed and buried by others. Dull stones that go unnoticed and stones that are the source of postcards. The life of a stone is long and hard. It begins as part of something larger, but like all those on a journey, it too must find its own way. The path, the goal is mostly the same for stones. To reach the ocean. The way is filled with change, with treachery, pain, success, and help. Sometimes it is a burrowing animal that dislodges the stone that is stuck under the weight of others. Bringing it to the surface where it can see the light again and continue down the mountain. The pull of gravity keeps the stone on its path. Once separated from the slab, the stone searches out the creek, the creek that twists and bends towards the next goal, the river. This is the gathering place of stones. This is where the stone can finally see its destination in sight. One big rainstorm or snowmelt could transport the stone to paradise in one quick rush. But no stone knows if they will be the lucky one. The one that still has some life left when it reaches the ocean. Some shape of its former self that is recognizable.

You see, the journey itself grinds the stone, buckles it, scars it and takes from it. Many stones slowly break down into the sands and gravels that litter the river bed and they never reach their destination. But the lucky stones, the stones that reach the end goal intact, enjoy peace on the ocean floor and take in colorful corals and strange animals swirling around them. There, The stone can reflect on its journey and contemplate the meaning of it all. For when it is finally done, the stone will be transported deep under the ocean floor where it will be melted down into its component parts by an unending pressure. where it will be transformed into something new. Something that will form new mountains in another part of the world. Once cooled, these new stones can start the journey all over again. And so the cycle continues.

RMI Climber Colin Young

Sunday, June 8, 2025 - 9:55 am PT

Holy cow the team crushed it today. Woke up to lightly cloudy skies, but visibility.  We threw any remaining items to be cached into our packs, ate a quick breakfast of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and just as the sun was hitting camp we began walking up Motorcycle Hill. After a quick break on top of Motorcycle Hill (where the guides applied glitter to celebrate my birthday), we made our way up the steep Squirrel Hill, and across the Polo Fields toward the base of Windy Corner. As we made our way across the Polo Field the snow lightly began to fall and winds were picking up. As we climbed towards Windy Corner, winds were gusting and visibility was decreasing. Teams made a strong push around Windy Corner, through the broke part of the glacier, past 13,500' and all the way to 14 Camp.

At 14,000' Camp we took a nice long break, dug a cache hole, threw on more layers to weather the storm and left all our gear to return to in a few days. Layers on, we made our way back now in moderate snowfall, strong winds, and poor visibility. The team put their head down and made it back to camp in good time. After the long, and impressive day we all shared some Jambalaya and cosmic brownies with candles. It was a great day, and set our team up well to move to 14,000' Camp when weather allows.

RMI Guide Nikki Champion

Wednesday, June 11, 2025 - 9:21 pm PT

We’ve Landed

We’re officially on the glacier.

After spending, as Dom puts it, “the right amount of time in Talkeetna,” we loaded into the Dehavilland Otters this morning and flew into the heart of the Alaska Range.  Jack, our pilot, confirmed that “of all the RMI groups this year, this is the nicest day to fly.”  Jack was kind enough to take us around for a view of the climbing route.   It is difficult to describe the scenic majesty of the jagged snow-capped peaks as we circled around and made our landing approach.  We have base camp practically to ourselves, and it’s very peaceful and quiet, with a few clouds drifting in the blue sky above.  After setting up, and spending time learning how to rig the sleds, and how to pack as to not look “like traveling merchants on the Kahiltna glacier,” we settled in for a break.  

Tonight we’ll have some pizza for dinner, the last trace of civilization (apart from the 9 inReach units our group brought along. . . )

For now, the focus is rest. We’re planning to head out with our sleds sometime around 3 a.m., taking advantage of the firm snow and cool conditions for travel on the lower glacier.

Signing off from Kahiltna Base camp,

RMI Climber Nate Brunner