Most Popular Entries
Posted by: Josh McDowell, Dominic Cifelli, Kiira Antenucci
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Five Day Climb July 13 - 17 opted to make their summit attempt today. RMI Guide Josh McDowell led their team to the summit of Mt. Rainier on a "fantastic day". Josh reported a light breeze, sunny and warm temps this morning. The team will return to Camp Muir for their final night on the mountain. Tomorrow they will descend to Paradise and conclude their trip with a celebration ceremony.
Congratulations to the Five Day Climb team!
Posted by:
Categories: Aconcagua
Having recently returned from an Aconcagua expedition, and having unpacked all my duffels, it was time to reflect on what I learned from the experience. I learned that I will never be called out for breathing like Darth Vader or for taking too many rest steps, resting spots are always further away than they initially appear (or are promised) and it is statistically impossible to pack too many gummies. In fact, learning the exact food preferences of your guides, and anticipating their needs before they become hypoglycemic (or just cranky) is key to any successful Aconcagua expedition. For instance, I am now equipped with the powerful knowledge that Steve is partial to sour worms, irrespective of the time of day or the altitude, and Mike has an aversion to any form of fruit and won’t touch chocolate on summit day. And you can never EVER pack too many tubes of Pringles. I will forever carry this insight with me on future climbs.
So what else did I learn? I admit that initially I had reservations about my ability to handle the rigors of an Aconcagua expedition, my “level” being best described as “enthusiastic”. I wondered whether I had sufficient experience to effectively prepare for an extended trip. I had deep concerns about my long-time nemesis, altitude, and how I would acclimatize “on schedule”. And I wondered if being a female climber (and therefore packing less than 200 pounds of pure muscle – a “lightweight”) would prove to be a limiting factor for a climb of this nature. As it turns out, picking rocks up and putting rocks down is not the most important expedition skill after all. In fact, as a female climber you probably innately possess many of the skills you will need.
It is precisely because your mindset is not that of muscling your way up the hill, that as a lightweight, you will appreciate that technique matters. You will quickly grasp that rest-stepping is a technique and not a pace. It is because you will be more open to learning how to do things differently that you will pay closer attention to what your guides are doing and follow their lead. It is true that stuffing your too large a sleeping bag into your too small a compression sack will always remain a fun, high altitude workout, however being inherently more detailed oriented, you are more likely to remember to weigh down the tent bag and keep a firm grasp on the tent while setting it up in hurricane-force winds so it doesn’t blow away into Chile, and to remember to double check that the tent fly is fully zipped so it doesn’t rip in the wind. Perhaps it is because you are more likely to be aware of your own limits that you will appreciate the value of thorough preparation, of perseverance and of thinking several steps ahead. You will naturally be more disciplined, and always purify your water, pack that extra layer and know where every item in your backpack is located. It is because you are more cautious by nature that you will take care of all the details (whether it is cold fingers or simply reapplying sunscreen). All these details will add up over the course of an expedition. Ultimately it is what is in your head that counts the most – your own sound judgment, your own inherent sense of self preservation, that only becomes more deeply ingrained with each climb, that will prove your most valuable expedition skill.
Aconcagua is set in a strikingly harsh environment. You will spend many hours scrambling over a glacier in a desert, as the mountain slowly reveals itself the higher you climb. You cannot take a bus to see it – there are no short cuts. You will only be privileged to see it if you climb it. It is hard. And it is worth it. It will be difficult to recall the exact moment when, reservations aside, it occurred to you that the expedition had been a success, and not only did you cope, but in fact you thrived. Perhaps it was the moment you mastered skiing down scree, or when you welcomed snow as now there was an easily accessible water source and an opportunity to strap on crampons, that you realized you had gone further than you ever thought you could. Maybe it was when you were completely at ease being tent-bound for 4 days at 18,000ft, wondering not if but when your tent would be shredded by the wind, or were content to spend an evening watching snow slide down the tent fly, mere inches from your face. Surely it was the moment you realized you were actually looking forward to ramen night (again!). No, it must have been when you thought nothing of foregoing the tent altogether, and were perfectly satisfied simply to lay down your bag among the rocks and the mule droppings, with a rock for a pillow and just count shooting stars and watch the moon rise beneath an Andean sky. Perhaps it was at that moment that Aconcagua had worked its magic, and you had fully assimilated into expedition life. It is at that juncture that you will realize, that despite being a lightweight, YOU DID IT!!!!! And you can start to dream of your next climb.
Rebecca R. - Aconcagua, February 2015
Our second night at the extreme altitude of Everest Basecamp went well. We are getting used to the thunder of avalanches off the surrounding peaks and the intense cold of morning before the sun finds us in the bottom of this deep valley. We worked a bit in the morning on getting our gear dialed for climbing. The afternoon was spent in taking a mellow hike out on the glacier close to basecamp. At one point we spotted three intrepid white geese cruising North at about 25,000 ft. We were also keeping our eyes peeled for artifacts on the ice. Yesterday James and Seth each found crampons from 1962 (as evidenced by the 1962 Indian newspaper I found with them) More teams are arriving each day now, but we are still enjoying having basecamp a little quieter than normal.
We look forward to our Puja ceremony tomorrow morning wherein we ask the blessing of the mountain gods before taking on the big hill.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Blessings your way. Good luck.
ABQ Uptown #985
Posted by: Rachael C. Lujan on 4/7/2013 at 6:16 pm
The picture of Seth with the rock is a good example of glacier recession. A lot of ice has disappeared.
-Larry Seaton
Posted by: Larry Seaton on 4/7/2013 at 10:17 am
Yesterday we walked without any great difficulty from Lobuche to Everest Basecamp. Conditions were perfect, with sunshine, blue sky and no wind whatsoever. We stopped for a brief rest in Gorak Shep where we were all grateful for 3G cell coverage again (Lobuche is lacking in this respect which is why we took a couple of nights off from blogging). But we didn't linger for very long in Gorak Shep because by then we were just a short distance from our home for the next seven weeks and we were excited to finish the trek. We walked a bit more along the lateral moraine before dropping onto the actual Khumbu Glacier. By then, the only thing difficult about the travel (apart from being over 17,000 ft) was walking while looking up at a couple dozen hanging glaciers and giant peaks. We were into our basecamp by midday and eating a great lunch in our dining tent 30 minutes later. It was great to catch up with our Sherpa team and mind boggling to see the work they've accomplished in two weeks. Kumar is our incomparable chef once again, assisted by Raju, Jetta and Tikaram. Our expert team of Sherpa guides is of course led by Lam Babu who did such a great job accompanying us on the trek. In the meantime, Chhering, Kaji and Geljen were moving a lot of rock around to build camp. We just had to move into well built and anchored tents, which was pretty easy. We were excited to watch a big avalanche off the Lho La -the pass above us which is the border with Tibet. And we were happy to spend an easy afternoon and evening getting settled. The night went well, with all seeming to be adjusting well to the altitude. Morning in such a place was just as awe inspiring as you'd expect.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Awe inspiring pictures Dave! Do y’all take altitude pills or does everyone just have great lungs?
Posted by: Mary on 4/6/2013 at 4:08 pm
Is this the James Fitch team?
Posted by: John Mack on 4/6/2013 at 1:54 pm
Posted by: Andy Bond, Alan Davis, Ben Liken, Cal Smith, Liam Weed, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 12,800'
The Four Day Climb May 27 - 30 led by RMI Guides Andy Bond and Alan Davis reported pockets of wind slabs on the steeper portions of the route which forced the teams to turn around at 12,800’. They enjoyed a spectacular sunrise with great views as they descended to Camp Muir.
Photo: Andy Bond
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Lindsay Mann
Categories: Guide News Guide Grant
RMI Guides Lindsay Mann and Pete Van Deventer recently met up in Frisco, Colorado, for the AIARE Level I Avalanche Instructor Training Course. AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) is the main course provider for avalanche courses and training in the United States. For three days Lindsay and Pete along with 16 other future instructors discussed current avalanche knowledge, curriculum material, and teaching techniques. Classroom time was balanced by field sessions, ski touring the very accessible terrain around Vail Pass. While the snowpack so far this year is relatively uninteresting from an avalanche perspective, the opportunity to trade ideas with 16 other peers and watch each other in the field was a great experience for both Lindsay and Pete. Many thanks to First Ascent and RMI for providing a Guide Grant to aid Lindsay and Pete in moving into an avalanche education instructor role. Look for Pete and Lindsay ski touring around the Aspen, Colorado, area when they are not guiding trips on Rainier, Alaska, and beyond for RMI.
This is Seth checking in from the summit of Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet). Everyone in our group has reached the top! The weather has been spectacular all day. We watched the sunrise from the crater rim and have been enjoying the warmth. It's all down hill from here!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Seth Waterfall checking in from the Roof of Africa.
On The Map
Congrats to all
Posted by: Tom on 9/18/2011 at 4:50 am
A forest fire burning lower in the valley gave the skies a light haze this morning over Namche and we could catch glimpses of the smoke rising from the valley sides further down as we left our teahouse. It was warm as we walked out of Namche and descended the hill to the valley floor but by the time we reached the bottom, clouds crept up the valley to block out the sun. As we crossed the suspension bridge above the river the first few droplets of rain began to fall. Soon the rain was falling in force and thunder echoed in the mountains above, and the smoke from the fire began to dissipate. We walked through the villages below Namche, crossing back and forth across the river on suspension bridges, while the rain came and went. Before long thunder was rolling through with hardly a pause between claps and we sought refuge in the nearest shelter we could find, piling into a tiny shack on the side of the trail already full of porters also seeking refuge.
Sitting crammed in the one room building, we sipped some tea heated up on a fire nearby as the thunder and lightning passed over us and faded away higher up the valley. Once all we could hear was a light rain pattering on the roof we set out on the trail again, picking our way down the trail as we skirted the small streams and puddles forming in our path. We made steady progress back down the valley, finally pausing in the village of Phakding for lunch. The rain kept coming down and we sat around the stove in the teahouse doing our best to dry out as we ate lunch. When we set out and the rain was letting up; with every step we made closer to Lukla the clouds seemed to rise equally as well. Soon we could see the fresh snow covering the base of the peaks above and all of the fields around shone a brilliant green with the arrival of spring in the lower Khumbu Valley. The cherry trees, rhododendron, and piries janponica trees were all in full bloom - pink, red, and white flowers dotted the trees bordering the fields and we kept pausing to take it all in.
By late afternoon we climbed the final rocky steps of the trail and walked into Lukla. We found our teahouse and shed our packs and damp gear, finally reaching the end of the trail. We are happy to be warm and dry again after the many hours of walking in the rain today and if the weather cooperates and the clouds continue to lift we hope to catch an early morning flight back to Kathmandu tomorrow. It is a bit strange not to have more trail to cover tomorrow but we are excited to get back to Kathmandu and keeping our fingers crossed for clear skies so we can fly out!
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
On The Map
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Mike Uchal
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: 2,861'
Our departure this morning was earlier than anyone wanted, but gave us plenty of time at the Moscow International Airport to sort out our numerous duffels, get everything checked, and have a quick breakfast and coffee before we boarded. The flight to Kislovodsk was uneventful (as they all should be), and soon we were blazing down the road in a minibus towards our hotel. While the team did some food shopping and relaxed, the guides made a trip to our outfitters to grab some stored gear. We got the special treatment, returning in a Russian jeep!
We've had dinner, checked through our gear, and are ready for bed and a departure for the mountain tomorrow morning.
Best,
RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Mike Uchal, and team
Good luck and we look forward to following the climb. One question on the Russian truck, it appears to be held together by tape?
Posted by: wendy kolosar on 8/6/2019 at 9:27 am
Godspeed Pete and friends.
PS: Aconcagua + Rainier book in composition..
Fun reliving dat. To find a publisher now,,,,
Posted by: Waltero Glover on 8/6/2019 at 8:01 am
Posted by: Jake Beren, Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI Guides Jake Beren and Elias de Andres Martos led the Four Day Summit Climb teams to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning.
The team was reaching the crater rim just before 8 a.m. PT. It is a beautiful, sunny day with light to moderate winds.
The team will spend some time on top before starting their descent to Camp Muir. They will continue down to Paradise later this afternoon.
We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's Summit Climb!
Jerry, you are a force of nature. Congratulations to you and all on team. Remain an inspiration to us all Jerry bro.
Rodney
Posted by: Brother Rodney on 7/7/2012 at 11:42 pm
Congratulations to Volkan and and other team members.have a safe trip back. :)
Posted by: sebnem on 7/7/2012 at 3:42 am
WOW!!! Every time I read your climb reports I feel like I’ve been there with you from your preparation to your climb to sitting in your tent with you. Well done on a fantastic insight on your experience, please keep on climbing and telling us land lubbers all about it.
Posted by: Sharon on 3/11/2015 at 3:36 am
CONGRATULATIONS!! Reads like a very meaningful experience. Excellent writing skills. Be proud of yourself for sure.
Posted by: Fran on 3/10/2015 at 5:59 pm
View All Comments