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Posted by: Brent Okita, Dominic Cifelli, Dustin Wittmier, Seth Burns, Jess Wedel, Lauren Macklin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
What a difference a day makes. 40mph snow and wind at Camp Muir. A perfect day to train inside.
After a cloudy walk up the Muir Snowfield on Monday we enjoyed two gorgeous, sunny days of training on Tuesday and Wednesday, learning the basics of snow and ice climbing, glacier travel, crevasse rescue and ice climbing.
This morning the weather has changed! Blowing snow all night and day has us thankful for the shelter of the bunkhouse at Camp Muir where we're learning about avalanches - how to avoid them, use the tools of the trade and perform a rescue.
We'll continue with other topics of interest and get out for some hands on training if and when we can do it safely outside.
Everyone is doing great and happy we got so much training in even though our summit aspirations are no longer realistic after finding serious signs of avalanche hazard on the slopes leading to the summit.
We'll be headed down tomorrow morning after some training and packing up in the morning.
Posted by: Win Whittaker, Pete Van Deventer
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: Summit
Way to go team
Posted by: Rosie Zadra on 8/8/2012 at 1:04 pm
Great job team! Congrats
Posted by: Harrison Ford on 8/8/2012 at 9:06 am
Posted by: Alan Davis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
After a much need night of sleep in sheets and a good shower, we woke to the sultry sounds of automobiles, street vendors, university students, and music in the colorful city of Puebla. It always feels like going back in time walking up to buildings and streets built by skilled hands several millennia ago. We grubbed on a good breakfast of mole poblano and cafe con leche, then dispersed to make the most of our day out of synthetic apparel and climbing boots and proudly donned our flip flops with cotton. Some of us toured a world renown ceramic factory while others wandered the bright Zocola after getting a massage to work out the kinks from the previous climb. As usual the colonial hamlet of Puebla did not disappoint, and we found ourselves basking in the glow of a rest day earned.
RMI Guide Alan Davis
Way to go Dereesa! What a great epic adventure. Thanks for getting to share it, distantly, with you.
Posted by: Arch Lamb on 3/20/2019 at 11:10 am
What an amazing team, and beautiful experience. Special shout out to Dereesa!
Posted by: Davene Dietzler on 3/20/2019 at 6:38 am
Posted by: Mike Walter, Pete Van Deventer
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 20,320'
On The Map
were are you guys? Hope you had a restful day. ET phone home!!!! Love bob Enjoy the time you have on the mountain. Love you tons mom xoxo (Maile)
Posted by: Ginny and bob on 5/29/2012 at 6:56 pm
Amazing accomplishment-kudos to you Mike and your team! Glad that you made it to the summit safely and with such pleasant weather! So glad your Mom forwarded the news to me.Always happy to hear about your endeavors. All the best to you and your group!
Aunt D
Posted by: Mike Walter and team on 5/29/2012 at 5:16 pm
bill and sara, seeing you on the ladders makes me nervous, please watch your step…...love to you both and love love following along on the blog. cathy
Posted by: cathy on 4/13/2011 at 6:48 pm
Stoked to hear you have joined your team…. You are the best!!! Malamo Pono, Susie
Posted by: Susie Ellison on 4/13/2011 at 9:53 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Seth Waterfall, Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest
Elevation: 17,575'
On The Map
Glad all is well. Thanks for the updates. Hope you guys are keeping warm, staying healthy and working a good strategy to climb among the masses. I have no doubt you are the smartest team up there! Hey, the Ice Doctors seem to be advertising that fact on their helmets, right?
Posted by: Josephine Johnson on 4/17/2013 at 8:44 pm
Wow! wonderful trip, All the best team
Posted by: ELIAZA MMBAGA (ELLY) on 4/17/2013 at 5:45 pm
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Jack Delaney, Jess Wedel
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 22,841
Why do we climb mountains? It’s a pretty common question anybody in the mountain community gets asked. The beauty of the answer is that for each of us, it’s different. There is a common thread though. Being in the mountains, for all its tropes about toughness, grit, and partial insanity, is uniquely vulnerable. Among the towering peaks and grand vistas it’s easy to feel small and that’s what we like about it. When you step out the door for an expedition you don’t know if you’ll come back successful, but the unknown and discomfort in each step is the allure that draws us back again and again. We find truths about ourselves in the discomfort and vulnerability of mountain life that we can’t tap into in our everyday lives. The real truth is, that being comfortable is overrated, and being vulnerable, the opposite. We summitted Aconcagua today. It was the best summit day I’ve ever had on the mountain. Windy, shaded traverses, that usually get my toes numb just thinking about them, were calm and warm (ish). Instead of hiding behind a buff or neoprene face mask to save skin, it was swapped with sun screen and lip balm. We made our way up the Stone Sentinel slowly, but surely, and stood atop at around 2:30pm local time. We were likely the highest people touching earth at the time. As we descended the clouds came in and by the time we were back in the safety of our tent we were happy to not hold that title any longer. Thunder, lightning, grapple the size of marbles started as soon as the last zipper zipped. We had timed the day perfectly. We will sleep well tonight, or as well as you can at 19,600 ft. Tomorrow we will descend to Basecamp and enjoy the food, warmth, and company.
Go Mary Beth and team! You are awesome. She saw the mountain, and it was climbed. I’m so excited for you! Ellis
Posted by: Ellis Richman on 2/5/2023 at 3:45 pm
Good luck team! Be safe and enjoy! Love you Dom! Uncle artie.
Posted by: Arthur Cifelli on 2/5/2023 at 12:14 pm
Well done, Big Bro!! The family is all proud of you ... again!
Posted by: Brad Okita on 6/15/2016 at 8:57 pm
Awesome Brent, I remember when you first started guiding for RMI. Congratulations on your alpine achievements, I wish I was there to ski the Edmunds with you, snow is going fast in the Tetons so will head to the Winds on days off. Peace and much Love, Bill Moe/ former Paradise/ Muir Ranger/ Teton Helitack USFS, Jackson Wyoming
Posted by: Bill Moe on 6/10/2016 at 10:26 am
Posted by: Eric Frank, Hannah Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI Guides Eric Frank and Hannah Smith led a team of climbers with the Inspiration4 Team to the summit of Mt. Rainier today. The teams enjoyed nice conditions on the mountain and a direct route via the Ingraham Direct.
Congratulations to the Inspriation4 Team!
Thank you for all of the updates for those of us at lower elevations here in the Twin Cities and others! I am sorry to hear you won’t be able to summit but am glad you all are taking precautions. Enjoy the views from up there, it’s something not everyone gets to experience in their lifetimes. Good work team!!
Posted by: April Londo on 5/13/2022 at 4:34 pm
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