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Posted by: Dave Hahn, Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Elevation: 12,400'
On The Map
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Guide News Everest
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Seth Waterfall, Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest
Elevation: 17,575'
On The Map
I’m chewing on my nails in anticipation.
-Larry Seaton
Posted by: Larry Seaton on 5/9/2013 at 10:08 am
On The Map
I am with you guys every step of the way. I love the details. I did Annapurna BC last year and plan to do EBC & Island Peak in 2013. TREK-ON!
Posted by: Dan on 3/19/2012 at 10:50 am
You all look so comfortable in the Khumbu - I say face east and take a left at base camp and head up the mountain!! Linden- your write-ups make me feel as if I am there with you all, sans the altitude. Girls- keep well and have FUN! Renee- right behind you so trek on. Richmond is warm and all the trees are blooming- pollen city soon. LOVE to you all plus Linden and Jeff.
Posted by: Elsie on 3/19/2012 at 5:56 am
On The Map
What a great experience! Good hard work with rewards of delicious meals, good company, and awesome vistas. Enjoy! Mom Wick
Posted by: Elaine Wick on 2/15/2012 at 2:38 pm
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,600'
May 27, 2022 10:40pm PST
Hello everyone!
After a day of organizing gear in Talkeetna, we successfully flew onto the Kahiltna Glacier ready to start our much-anticipated Denali Expedition!
The last few days have been full of expedition preparation. We spent the day napping and prepping to move to the night schedule for these first few days but after hearing the weather, and talking to a few other guides on the mountains, we decided to avoid what would have been a cold windy walk in the dark and started climbing around 8 am this morning. Surface conditions made for fast moving, and the wind kept us cool. We rolled into the base of ski hill just a little after 1 pm Before taking off the boots, we unloaded group gear, and made camp.
The remainder of the evening will comprise of eating some well-deserved burrito meals, deciding what gear to cache, and getting some rest before we carry some of our gear up to 9600'.
RMI Guides Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan and Team
May 26, 2022 6:48pm PST
May 24th Denali climb checking in with our first dispatch!
After spending all day organizing, pack and repacking in Talkeetna yesterday, we woke up to perfect weather and were able to jump on the first flight around 9AM this morning. We unloaded the planes, set up camp for the first time and took a quick nap before doing a midday brunch and reviewing skills. With the warm temperatures, we will be on the night schedule for the first couple days - so we've all crawled back into our bags. and plan to wake up in the night and make our first move to the base of ski hill. Glad to be on the mountain!
Check in tomorrow.
RMI Guides Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan and Team
Wow—impressive operation! Glad you have good weather and it sounds like you’re right into it. Pulling for you Rob, so keep pushing the protein!
Posted by: Marilee Utter on 5/28/2022 at 10:13 pm
Good to see you are on your way and on schedule. Hope the Weather Gods will be kind in the days ahead
Posted by: Bob Edge on 5/28/2022 at 9:27 am
Miss you all terribly. Glad Avalanche is down off icefall before you boys head up. JJ was right, Erin and I made a beeline to the pizza place in Katmandu. They had a strike in the country the next day so when we took off on the plane it was strange to see no cars (almost) on the streets. Warm here in Doha. Warm thoughts to all of you. Xoxo
Posted by: Bonny Rogers on 4/7/2015 at 10:50 pm
HW: What a beautiful ceremony and important day! We love reading all the details in Dave’s blog. Hope the tent life is treating you well. All the best! -FX
Posted by: FX on 4/7/2015 at 7:58 pm
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Categories: Guide News
I spent over a decade working as a mountain guide and many days I found myself working in very cold environments, often for weeks at a time. I carried my camera on all of these trips. One of the coldest places I worked was on Denali in Alaska while working for RMI. During those expeditions, climbers often had questions about using cameras in these cold environments. Here are a few tips that I shared with them:
1. Keep multiple batteries available. Keep them close to your body. Sleep with them. If you're not going to be using your camera for long periods of time take the battery out so that it stays warm and it's ready to go.
2. Remember that if you bring your cold camera into a warm room that condensation will rapidly fog the glass in your lens. I have found that if I bring my camera into my tent its usually not enough of a temperature gradient to cause condensation.
3. The solar kits these days are very affordable, compact, light and you would be surprised at how much charge they will provide even if it's snowing. Check out the Goal Zero kits, they will have whatever you could possibly need.
4. Camera technology changes rapidly. One major advantage of the new technology is the size of the cameras available these days offer very high performance while being slightly bigger than your iPhone. A couple of cameras that I have had success with for a pretty good dollar value are the Sony RX-100 and the Canon s100. They are sleek cameras that will fit in your pocket comfortably. Of course one thing to consider in the colder environments is that using the LCD screen will use more battery juice. Having a viewfinder like the Nikon Coolpix 7800 will provide longer battery life.
5. Keep your camera handy. The more accessible your camera is, the more images you will capture. I typically will carry my camera clipped to my backpack shoulder strap about chest height and tether it to a small locking carabiner. That way even if I drop it I will not lose it.
6. Safety first. Mountaineering is a team sport. You're tied in with other people. Just because you see a picture that you have to take right then don't forget that it's your responsibility to make sure its safe to capture that picture. Communicate with your teammates.
7. Shoot details. Shoot unique angles. Shoot to tell the story. Simply, just dropping to a knee for a different angle will improve your image.
8. IPhones make amazing images. I just recently picked up this iPhone case and modified it by drilling 2 small holes in the side of the case and installed a short tether.
9. My light and fast alpine style camera kit includes the Sony DSC-RX100, Joby Gorilla pod (be gentle with these in really cold environments as they can be fragile), a Hahnel Giga T Pro II Wireless Remote, Sandisk 32GB SD card x2, 1 ziplock bag, 1 dust cloth for the lens and the Lowpro Portland 30 case. This comes in at about just over 3lbs.
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Jason Thompson is a Senior Guide at RMI Expeditions and a renowned photographer. He has traveled the world to places such as Alaska, Patagonia, and the Caucasus Mountains leading climbs and documenting mountain adventures through his camera lens. See his work on www.jthompsonphotography.com. Jason's recent videos include the 2013 Reel // Artist Statement and Wrangelled, which was nominated for a Coldsmoke Award. Follow Jason on Instagram at @_jt_photo.
Thanks for the great tips and for the awesome pics. It’s one thing having all the gear and technology but having the eye for that unique angle or opportunity is another thing. You have both. Have enjoyed looking at your photos over the years. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Josephine Johnson on 3/28/2014 at 12:34 pm
Hi Brenda looks like the sun is so wonderful for your journey . Sea Jay and I are doing fine did cardiac hill today we miss & love you and are so happy you got the best weather! Stay safe, love you, Rich. Xoxoxo
Posted by: Richie Larscheid on 2/9/2014 at 10:32 am
Dave Hahn Calling from Advance Base Camp
Dan, sorry to hear you had to turn back. You did extremely well to make it so far. Look forward to hearing about your trek when you return. Be safe!
Posted by: Steve on 5/24/2013 at 5:49 am
Danno!!!
You made a good choice in trekking with RMI. Your safety is the most important thing here and it’s great to hear that you’re in responsible hands and will be coming back in one piece.
Safe travels and don’t fret. There are plenty more mountains in your future.
Your friend - Jake
Posted by: Jake on 5/22/2013 at 10:08 pm
Great report and wonderful pictures. Those are some mighty happy, pretty and tired looking faces!
Posted by: Thurston on 4/2/2012 at 8:28 am
Congrats ALL! I’m sitting here in Cannon Beach, OR watching the Pacific crash into the beach, enjoying my 2nd cup of coffee Linden (I know you have your pot!) & just got caught up on the blog.
I still literally dream (and its been almost a year now) about my summit experience with Linden, Kala Sherpa & team on ImJa Tse—thank goodness for the Sherpa who smoked that cigarette at 20k’ as we were resting in the saddle at the top of the wall—it revived me (don’t smoke, but it was kinda like smelling salts for me & cleared the cobwebs).
Nice touch in staying at High Camp one nite after Summit Day too, as that walk all the way back to ChuKung was tough last year—I vaguely remember stumbling in by the stove & almost falling asleep sitting in my plastic chair.
Enough of me—you all will forever remember this experience & it will be something you continually look back on as a source of inspiration & strength—I PROMSE!
It is truly an amazing Big Blue Ball we all get to live on & experience.
Enjoy the walk out “Into Thick Air!”
BTW—Training going well for Denali Linden—hopefully I’ll be ready. :)
Tim
Posted by: Tim McLaughlin on 4/2/2012 at 7:40 am
Sterling, Tough Luck! But then that’s what all that training was about. You could probably do this a few more times. Hopefully the second try will be successful.
Good Luck!
Posted by: Dave & Shirley on 12/13/2012 at 3:21 pm
Hi, Jules!
Good luck on summit bid #2 and Seven Summits #7! You rock!
Lily
Posted by: Lily Lo on 12/13/2012 at 3:00 pm
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