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As climbers we make every effort to be as lazy as possible.  We seek to accomplish our goals and objectives with as little effort as necessary, and will cringe at the idea of making something harder than it needs to be.  This may seem contrary to the image of climbing as an extreme activity during which many people find their physical and mental limit. However, a we often choose objectives that are at the peak of our abilities and thus we are required to maximize efficiency in our effort if we are to succeed.  What I refer to tongue-in-cheek as laziness is in reality efficiency: efficiency, which can be found in every aspect of mountain existence.  Whether it be the way a rock climber positions their body on a route or an alpine climber packs for an expedition, success in the mountains involves high levels of efficiency.   There some methods of efficiency that don’t directly involve the physical act of climbing but rather things you can do prior to and while climbing that can give you a leg up. I refer to these as “putting money in the bank.”  I think that saying came from a high school teacher referring to gimme questions on an exam, but for me “money in the bank” means any techniques or tricks that can give you an efficiency advantage in the mountains. I would like to share some of the things I’ve learned from my time in the mountains with a specific focus on climbing Mt. Rainier:

• A great place to start improving your efficiency in the mountains begins with your equipment: what equipment are you using and does it work for you? Place a high priority on critical items such as boots and or packs, and worry less about items such as a fancy headlamp or spork. For me, a well-fit boot that is designed for the type of climbing I am doing is imperative. A good boot can mean the difference between a successful summit and a failed attempt; blisters and cold feet should never thwart a climber’s chance at the summit. In addition, find a climbing pack that carries weight well and fits you properly. Forget all the fancy features and pockets; a simple and minimalist pack that fits and carries weight well is what I look for. You might be able to get by with an old pack or a warm weather climbing boot, but why chance it? Having the right gear for the task makes for one less thing that could slow you down.
• Maintaining your gear makes a big difference too.  I regularly spend a few hours taking care of small issues that have cropped up with my equipment to make sure that everything is going to work well when I need it to and not fail when it really counts.  I trust my life to my equipment and so do others. For example, I frequently re-waterproof my gloves and Gore-Tex jackets. A headlamp is no good if your batteries run out, and a boot will not work as well if the laces snap. Not every piece of equipment needs to be new, but it does need to work properly. Climbing is too much fun to be hampered by equipment issues!
• With the right gear and everything dialed in, you need to pack it all up.  As guides, we seem to have a magical ability to pack 50 liters of gear into a 30 liter pack, but what may seem to be magic is really just some good common sense.  My favorite metaphor for packing is “brick and mortar.”  Some of your items are going to be bricks (eg: sleeping bag in stuff sack) and some are going to be mortar (eg: puffy jacket).  When packing, also consider multi-use items.  A 1/2 liter nalgene makes for a great coffee mug and can also carry an extra 1/2 liter of water when you need it.  You want to maximize space and value in your pack. Crampons don’t need a crampon case, since quite often wrapping them in your gaiters works just fine and saves space and weight.  Putting some time and thought into a well-packed kit can often fit in a smaller pack. Smaller packs equal lighter packs, giving you a little more money in the bank.
• With packing complete, there are still a few more things you can do before a climb that will get you ahead.  For me this starts with my nutrition and hydration.  On Mt. Rainier, I’ve found that from the time I leave home in the morning to the time my team is hiking out of Paradise (approx. 1.5 hours), I can easily sip down a liter of water.  Don’t chug water, but slowly sip a liter in the morning and on the bus ride to Paradise. This will help make sure that you are hydrated for the beginning of your climb.  Pre-hydration, which can start as early as the night before, allows me to bring less water during a climb (less weight), and helps prevent dehydration. I can recover more quickly, and can focus on other aspects of the climb instead of staving off dehydration.
• With regards to nutrition, my best suggestion is to learn your own body.  I know how much fuel my body needs at a high level of activity, which is less than some of my friends but definitely more than others. For two-day trips such as Mt. Rainer, I try to be as precise as I can with the amount of food I bring.  Start by factoring around 200 calories per break and then adjust from there to your specific needs.  In addition to that, bring foods you enjoy eating and can eat while exercising. I love pizza, but definitely wouldn’t want a slice in the middle of a climb. Remember; when we climb at altitude the effort is roughly similar to how our bodies feel during a slow jog.  Focus on foods that hold a lot of caloric value.  By bringing the right food and bring only the food you’ll need, you’ll save space and carry less weight.
• Lastly, be efficient with your time.  When taking a break, maximize your time resting and recovering. Get your self-care chores done early and quickly so that you get as much time off of your feet as possible. This applies to getting to camp also. Take care of business first so that you spend a maximum amount of time recovering later.  Use momentum to your advantage: we take short breaks so we do not lose our momentum, and when you roll into camp use that same momentum to set up and settle in before you are too tired to do the things you should have done.  This might be setting up camp or dealing with a pesky blister; the sooner you get it done the sooner you can rest.  Keep in mind that even if we feel great we still need to recover!

These are just a few theories on how to be more efficient while climbing.  Climbers are constantly in opposition with gravity and time, so a light pack will allow us to expend less energy, and quick recoveries will make us stronger for the next day.  Every bit of money in the bank you can save will give you a better chance of success on the mountain, and will be one less issue to worry about.  Learn from others, and learn what works best for you.  Take the time to find the right gear, pack well, eat and drink right, and maximize your rest because the climb is not getting any easier and the mountains are not getting any smaller! _____
Billy Haas guides trips on Mt. Rainier, Mt. McKinley, and abroad for RMI Expeditions. When not traveling to mountains around the world to climb or ski, Billy guides backcountry skiing and teaches avalanche courses in Salt Lake City, UT. Questions? Comments? What are your suggestions for staying efficient in the mountains? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog! 

The February Mexican Volcanoes trip has officially wrapped up. This morning we all woke up out of our coma-like slumber and enjoyed our last meal together in Mexico. After a shirt and sweet wrap up celebration we hopped back in our trusty van for the three-hour drive back to Mexico City. We all said our final goodbyes curb side. It's been a a great trip with tons of excitement but now it's time to head home. Here's a photo from the summit of el Pico de Orizaba yesterday. RMI Guide Seth Waterfall

Seth here, checking in from inside my tent. We're currently dug in at 9,200 feet at a spot we call "The Castle." We've had a rough spell of weather on this trip with mostly white out conditions but the group is still having a good time. Yesterday we had good weather for a bit while we climbed up to our camp but over night a big storm came in and now we are just waiting it out in the safety of camp. Tomorrow we will make our way back to civilization.

Evening everyone,

Who knew climbing Denali had so much resting involved in it. We all train for the heavy packs, long days, thousands of feet of elevation gained. What we don't train for is all the tent time. Time in the tent is important for our bodies to adjust to the altitude but it can be a challenge for the mind. Boredom can sink in very quickly. One must be good at self entertainment and comfortable with you, yourself, and I. It's a crucial skill of the mountain life and the team is currently learning it. Even with all the down time, today went fast. Per usual for our trip so far we had sun, we had clouds and we had snow flurries. A mixture of weather keeps it interesting. Now that we are rested we are ready to move  onward and upward. Hopefully tomorrow the weather holds and we are able to move to 14k camp. It will be a welcomed move with new views, a new camp, and likely new neighbors.

Send all your good weather vibes,

RMI Guide Hannah Smith and Team

Saturday, June 15th, 2013 Today was a busy day at the roof of North America! Our team was first out of the gates from 17,200' camp, with a warm, windless departure at 8:00am. The first stretch of the route above camp is also one of the most technical and time consuming; it's called the "Autobahn" and takes a strong, committed team to single push across the steeply rising traverse to Denali Pass. Our group crushed it, and we were enjoying the sun on the east side of the pass soon enough. The next few stretches went by relatively quickly, although nothing is lightning fast at 19,000'. By the time we reached the Football Field, a flat saddle just below the summit ridge, we were down to base layers and light gloves. Considering the fierce reputation that Denali has for arctic temperatures and raging wind, we consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have had a such an incredible day. The last climb up Pig Hill was taxing our legs and our lungs, and just when folks had had enough we reached the final summit ridge. Forty minutes later, our team put the highest point of the continent under their crampons, amid much hugging and celebration. The trip back down was uneventful, albeit hot. The sun roasted our tired crew all the way back to camp. But as soon as we got back, folks were out of boots and into tents, resting and relaxing as we brought hot water and heaping helpings of ramen with bacon and chicken. We're ready for the long trip back to base camp, but that's for another day. Right now, we're savoring the day's events and getting ready for some well earned sleep. Thanks again and we'll check back in soon! RMI Guide Tyler Jones

On The Map

Mark Tucker checking in from High Camp, Kilimanjaro. It is very breezy but hopefully that will change. We are in clear skies. We have a sea of clouds below us. The route looks like it's in pretty good shape. May need a little bit of luck with the weather. The team is all together up here. And you know, we're doing okay. There is the typical this, that and the other thing, but so far so good. So we got our fingers crossed and we have a great group of support team with our local staffing and an early, early dinner. The sun is just setting or we're gonna crawl into the tents for a 5-hour nap and then we're gonna hop on up and get goin'. Hopefully the next call will be from the summit, if I get the chance. So we will be checking in sooner than later. Thanks for checking in with us as well. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

On The Map

RMI Guide Jake Beren phoned from the summit of Aconcagua. The team climbed well and there are seven climbers on the summit with the guides. Jake reported cloudy skies with lite snow. They will be starting their descent and will check in again soon. Congratulations to the team!

On The Map

Sunday, June 19, 2022 - 4:37 PDT

The dispatch takeover continues!

We woke today to overcast skies and a light dusting of snow. Luckily RMI Guide Andy Bond coached us well, and told us we had to have the most pristine camp of any of the teams here at 7,800'. We had pulled all of our gear inside before we went to bed so no one woke up to soggy clothes. Unlike RMI Guide Avery Parinello’s guide team who slept out in the snow.

There was a luxurious breakfast of bagels with cream cheese and lox before our daily exercise. By 6:30 a.m. we were leaving camp with full packs.

We cruised up Ski Hill and cached our gear at Kahiltna Pass, roughly 10,200’. It was a delight to have empty packs on the stroll back to 7,800’ Camp.

Camp was warming in the early afternoon sun as we arrived around 12:30 p.m. We spent a leisurely afternoon enjoying the comforts of our home and the luxury items we brought on the trip.

There were tea tree oil foot rubs, beard combing, using our sleds as lounge chairs to catch some rays, eating charcuterie over some riveting conversations - and my personal favorite, hula hooping!

We will have an early dinner in a few hours and climb into our turtle shells for an early evening. Tomorrow we make the move to 11,200'.

-- Another mystery writer from the Denali Expedition led by RMI Guides Andy Bond, Grayson Swingle, and Ben Luedtke

We had a nice relaxing start to the day with a traditional Russian breakfast of porridge, eggs and bread. We then made our way to the local ski lifts to help give us a jump start on our acclimatization hike. I didn't hear a single complaint about riding up 1,500' before we started our hike to nearly the top of a local peak called Cheget. It was a bit cloudy today so we didn’t have the amazing views that we had hoped for, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Normally we get to hike to the top of the peak but, being so close to the border with Georgia, the Russian military had the upper part closed to climbers. Regardless, we enjoyed the views and stretching our legs and lungs a bit. After our hike we made back to town relatively quickly thanks to the ski lifts, where we had a hot lunch waiting on us. After lunch we dropped off our gear and made a quick stop to pick up a few extra items and did a little exploring on our own. We wrapped up the evening with another nice home cooked meal here provided by our ever so gracious local outfitter. RMI Guide Casey Grom and team

On The Map

June 14, 2017 Greetings from 17 Camp. Today high winds and low temps provided a combo that will keep us from climbing Denali for another day. But our fingers are crossed that tomorrow may have something better in store for us, so please do the same down in the south land. Hopefully we will be calling you with a little bit different news. For right now the team is doing 17,000' Camp, we are hunkered down, being patient, full bellies, happy, healthy and hoping to go for the summit soon. That's all for now. RMI Guide Jake Beren

On The Map