Most Popular Entries

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 12:56 am PT

Goodbye world, hello Denali!

Sorry for the late blog post, it's been a wild couple of days! We spent all day Monday ready to go at a moments notice. The weather was fickle, the clouds were playing games and the sunshine was promising flight potential. Finally around 4pm we received word of a potential window so we loaded planes and launched towards Kahiltna Base Camp. Sadly the clouds decided to reappear and we had to turn around back to Talkeetna. After about 30 minutes of sitting in the hangar, the pilots told us another gap in the clouds had appeared. Again we loaded up and took to the skies! Yet again the clouds were sneaky and by the time we got there they had cut us off from our destination. We circled for 20 minutes hopeful the clouds would shift and clear. Finally the pilots made the call - back to the Talkeetna again! We had a hearty dinner and were off to bed to try again in the morning.

Morning came quick with a 8am text from K2 saying the skies were clear! The team kicked into overdrive and within 30 minutes we were loaded up and flying! Smooth sailing took us right into Kahiltna Base Camp. We then got ourselves organized and took off up glacier towards our first camp, Ski Hill! Several hours of slogging later plus a couple more hours of hard work, we had camp established! It was a long day but we did it.

We were here. Our Denali expedition has officially begun.

Cheers,

RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the Team

This morning I tried to hype the team up. Lobuche and Gorekshep are tough — extraordinarily cold, high altitude, the same food on repeat, frozen toilets. You start to miss home a little more than usual.

The team collectively rated my hype talk. 3/10, room for improvement. But they understood the assignment. We stayed positive, we acknowledged the suffering, and we remembered that we’re all in this together.

So we put on our boots, pulled our buffs up, and got walking. No feeling is final — just because today we feel the weight of it all a little more doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t bring something different. Everest Base Camp is right there. That’s how it goes out here.

To Gorekshep we walked, pulling over every few minutes for the hundreds of yaks returning from EBC. The Khumbu Glacier stretched out to our right, and above it, Nuptse — hanging seracs everywhere you look, black and white rock swirled together like a painting. And then, far in the distance: tiny yellow tents dotting a cold, grey landscape. Base camp.

The clouds rolled in (predictably), and after lunch we decided to skip the hike up to Kala Patthar. Better to stay dry, stay warm, and save all we have for the bigger goals ahead.

This afternoon we’re buried in every layer of down we brought. Cards are shuffling next to me as I write this. Tonight: Word Salad — acting out words and matching them, at 17,000 feet, with brains running on less oxygen than they’re used to. It’s going to be beautifully chaotic.

We cannot wait to reach base camp tomorrow. Two nights there, some ice and glacier training on the Khumbu — it’s always a highlight.

Fair warning: there’s a good chance we’ll lose wifi and cell service for the two nights at base camp. If the dispatches go quiet, don’t worry — and if you haven’t heard from your person, that’s why. We’re good.

Here’s to keeping the dream alive and embracing the suck — a motto that’s earning its keep out here.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 7:30 am PT

In the van, headed towards La Joya, we are entertained by Lacie's enduring tunes and John's incredible stories of dirty ice caves and saving lives on Denali and windy ski traverses of Greenland (before the days of heated socks) while our lungs and legs attempt recovery from yesterday's ascent of La Malinche:

Starting our walk 5 minutes after 5 de la mañana we wandered up through the persisting forest, cutting service road switchbacks along the direct, dusty and well-traveled camino. By headlamps and the light of a pale, crisp and nearly full moon we ambled upwards, through the woodsmoke soaked forest - owned and cherished by the Mexican public. Sunrise, when it came, was a pleasant affair, painting our objective with its precipitous walls a soft orange glow while pastel pink skies warmed behind us. Cold but amicable clear and calm weather allowed us a welcome summit caesura. Those of us who attempted the peak found éxito and those who returned to las cabañas at Malintzi have recovered from the GI disputes. From our climb we were able to lay eyes on the rest of our lofty plans and now, our feet freshly exfoliated from grinding the pervasive volcanic sand, we are ready for Iztaccíhuatl.

RMI Guide Will Ambler

After an early morning gear-check in Sedro-Woolley, we arrived at the trailhead to find front row parking. We made last adjustment to our packs and began our hike. Despite the forecast heat, we found pleasant hiking temps thanks to a cloudy sky and light but steady breeze. On the Railroad Grade we were treated to the peak bloom for Meadow Penstemon and Spreading Phlox. We made camp and were treated to a 2-hour sunset light show. 

On School Day we made a short trek downhill to our site, a small valley that overlooks the Demming Glacier Icefall. We spent the morning building skill and confidence with crampons and ice axes. After lunch our focus turned to safety techniques like Self Arrest and Rope Travel. During the rope travel practice time we made our way to an overlook and admired the icefall for a moment. 

That evening we were down before any sunset lights could begin. We awoke at 0100 and started our climb at 0200. Step kicking from camp we made quick time up the snow and rock from Sandy Camp to the Easton Glacier. We donned the rope and continued through delightfully firm slush (contradictory as it sounds). The glacier provided mostly easy travel, with only a 1,000 or so feet of frustrating breakable crust. At the crater we marveled at the constant hissing and rumble; we may have snickered at the accompanying smell. An hour later we were on top, with relatively few others around. The summit views were spectacular, with clear views of Rainier, the Cascades and the Tantalus. After a quick descent, we packed up camp and tromped our way down the trail to our cars. 

- RMI Guide Joe Crawford

We all really enjoyed our rest day yesterday in Puembo at our very nice ministry-turned-hotel. After a morning of crevasses rescue training we scattered. Some lounged around the hotel, others went shopping and a few walked to town to see the local sights.

Fully rested, we drove to the trailhead and hiked in the rain to the Cotopaxi hut. Luckily, the hike was short so we didn't get completely soaked. Everyone moved well uphill to the warmth and comfort of the classic high mountain hut.

If the weather improves we will try for the summit of Cotopaxi tomorrow.

RMI Guide Walter Hailes

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier checked in from Camp Muir at approximately 7:00 a.m. High winds and blowing snow prevented the team from making a summit attempt today. The team plans to begin its descent from Camp Muir later this morning and is expected to return to Ashford this afternoon, where they will conclude their program.

Namaste, everyone!

We’re here. We actually made it.

If you’ve been following the news out of this region lately, you know those three words are doing a lot of heavy lifting. Getting to Kathmandu this season took rerouting, rebooking, and a particular brand of stubbornness that — good news — also happens to be useful when we head to 19,000 feet. Before a single boot has hit the trail, this team has already proven something about themselves.

And what a team it is. Nine strangers and one very lucky guide — no old friends, no familiar faces, just nine individuals who each made the same slightly audacious decision and ended up (most of us) in the same Kathmandu hotel lobby.

Six arrived in time for dinner — some fresh-faced and buzzing, others with the thousand-yard stare of someone who hasn’t slept horizontally in 40+ hours. (Maybe that was just me).

Three more are still in transit (they should be landing any minute!) and honestly, after the travel week we’ve all had, we’re just glad everyone is on their way.

Kathmandu greets you at full volume whether you’re ready or not and after the journey it took to get here, that felt about right.

There’s always a spark when a group like this first meets and realizes they’re all cut from the same weird, wonderful cloth. Tonight, there was plenty of it.

Nine strangers, not for long.

Tomorrow brings our team meeting, gear checks, and a proper introduction to this chaotic, beautiful city. Then we fly to Lukla — and the real adventure begins.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

Hello from Phakding — a little village hugging the Dudh Koshi river at 8,700 feet and our first stop on the trek.

We made it to the trail.

But not before being genuinely humbled on the helicopter ride from Kathmandu to Lukla. The mountains don’t ease you in — they just appear, enormous and right. there.

The humbling continued when our pilot Priya mentioned, casually, that in Nepal they don’t consider anything below 7,000 meters a real mountain. We nodded along like we knew that. Then we looked at each other, because by that definition, basically none of us have ever climbed a mountain.

Good to know where we stand.

Getting on the trail this morning involved a lot of hurrying up to wait, then hurrying again — obscure checkpoints, duffels flying in every direction, the usual chaos of travel through the domestic terminal of the Kathmandu airport.

Eventually we were walking, on a trail made of stones, trending gently downhill, which felt like a dream.

We also got to meet our local guide team: Dawa Nuru, Nawang, and Melan — all born and raised in these mountains. They know this terrain the way most people know their own neighborhood.

The afternoon was spent at a bakery next to our teahouse, laughing and talking with no particular agenda.

It’s a good feeling. All of it.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

Casey Grom here checking in with RMI's 1st 2026 Climb of Kilimanjaro!

All is well here in Tanzania and most of the team arrived late last night after some very long flights (roughly 24+ hrs.).

It’s a pretty short and uneventful drive to our Lodge that is nestled in between Arusha and Moshi and not so far from the base of Kilimanjaro.

The team had a quick dinner and headed for bed as the time change has us all feeling just a little off and pretty tired after all the traveling.

Today we had a relatively leisurely morning with our official team meeting at 8am, where we did a round of introductions and then discussed the upcoming program for the days ahead. We spent the remainder of the day getting our gear packed up, exploring the grounds of our peaceful Lodge and dodging the gaggle of monkeys that roam the neighborhood.

We wrapped up the evening with another delicious meal and plenty of friendly conversations. Everyone is doing well and excited to hit the trail tomorrow and get a little bit of exercise.

RMI Guide Casey and the Kili crew!

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 - 11:04 pm PT

Our team woke up early this morning for the first time in many days. We packed up and moved from 14,000’ camp up to 17,000’ Camp. We walked up through the cold of the morning towards the fixed lines. After ascending the fixed lines we found ourselves on the West Buttress itself. And in all of my years I have never had such a pleasant day on the West Buttress. It was truly a day you dream about. We climbed in base layers in the sunshine weaving through the rocks looking down at 14 Camp where we started the day. It was not all sunshine and rainbows however, and the day had its fair share of struggles and suffering. After a long hard fought day we arrived at 17 Camp where we set up tents, made water, ate dinner, and prepared our gear for a summit attempt in the morning. Thank you for reading along and sorry I am not as entertaining of a writer as our climbers. We will check back in tomorrow with an update on our summit attempt!

Best regards,

RMI Guide Jackson Breen and Team