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At their teacher’s request, the 7th grade class in Crystal River, FL, Skyped with RMI guides JJ Justman and Joe Horiskey for 60 minutes yesterday. We discussed mountain climbing in general, and fielded questions about Mt Everest in particular. The class was doing a novel study of the book “Peak” by northwest author Roland Smith, which centers on a 14-year-old boy climbing Mt Everest. Their teacher, Sarah, had inquired by email whether RMI would be willing to Skype with her class. Of course the answer was a resounding “Yes!” The students, obviously well-versed in their subject, asked pertinent questions on topics such as: the effects of altitude on the human body, requisites of food and gear for climbing Mt Everest, necessary climbing experience, and surviving for an extended period of time in potentially hostile terrain. Being familiar with the tragedies which had befallen the mountain the past two consecutive years, the class was riveted to hear JJ’s first-hand account of actually being at Camp l last April 25 when the earthquake struck. He also presented video of his evacuation by helicopter to Base Camp. One student asked how climbers deal with being separated from loved ones, friends and family, for extended periods of time. Another inquired about our “scariest moments” as mountain guides. But throughout, our message to the class emphasized safety, and while mountain climbing does involve accepting a certain amount of risk that is the case for many activities in life (sports, driving, etc). Sarah noted at the conclusion of our presentation the kids’ favorite photo was of the abbreviated ‘runway’ in Lukla (at Tenzing-Hillary Airport)! JJ and I really enjoyed talking with Sarah’s class and look forward to similar presentations with hers and others in the future! RMI Guide Joe Horiskey

Climbers commonly joke that it’s either “freeze or fry” in the mountains. Some moments of a climb can feel like a winter ascent of Denali while others are more like the afternoon heat of a safari in Tanzania. Rarely do the temperatures in the mountains stay at a comfortable level. Even though we are often traveling on glaciers and permanent snowfields in the summer, the days can be hot - especially on the approaches to climbs. Yet, at higher elevations and in the dark hours of the night when we begin our ascents the temperature drops. Throw in a light breeze at 13,000’ and it’s downright cold. While the temperature does indeed vary between bone chilling cold and bewildering heat, our goal as climbers is to manage those swings in temperature to keep ourselves at a comfortable, even level. Our bodies are pretty good at managing heat and most of us know how to do so well. Protecting ourselves from the intense sun of higher elevations and staying hydrated and replacing lost fluids is critical. It can be a challenge to carry enough water for an all-day climb and a good trick many climbers and guides use is to “pre-hydrate” beforehand by drinking lots of water while it is readily available and then rationing the water you have at your disposal throughout the day so that it will last. For example, climbing to Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier typically takes about 5 hours with 4 breaks on the way. If you’re carrying 2 litres of water then aim to drink a ½ litre at each stop so that you are still hydrated on your last stretch of the day. Afterwards, re-fill your bottle and drink plenty of water to rehydrate and recover for the climb the next day. The cold temperatures can have a negative effect on our performance as well by diverting the energy we have for the climb to keeping our bodies warm. Careful, conscious clothing choice is the best strategy to keeping your body at an even temperature level. It’s not uncommon to feel chilly around camp and add an extra layer when you begin climbing only to find yourself overheated in minutes. Then, when you stop for a water break all that perspiration cools and you find yourself shivering. Be strategic in your clothing choices when climbing, wearing the right amount of layers that you need to stay comfortable while climbing and adding layers at breaks to preserve that heat. A hat is great temperature regulator as it is easy to take on and off as needed without having to stop to take off your pack. The cold, dry air of high altitude also dehydrates you, making the need to stay hydrated all the more important. As you head into the mountains, whether climbing or training, keep these strategies in mind. Begin hydrating before you hit the trail and keep an eye on how much water you have so that it will last throughout the day. Also, try to use the gear you plan to climb with in your training to experiment with different clothing layers and get a feel for the layers that work for you to maintain an even body temperature despite the changes in environment. Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!

Skiing in Antarctica is not something I ever really thought I would do. I'm not sure anyone on our team thought they would get the opportunity for that matter. But, this morning, the sun popped out from behind Vinson, bringing the temps to a reasonable level (perhaps zero?) and dropping the wind. A quick breakfast, some coffee, and we geared up to begin the day. Our first foray was onto a small slope just above basecamp with some big crevasses and seracs. The team made some great turns in marginal snow, and had a lot of fun. By late afternoon, the sun had moved around, casting great shadows on some nice, big terrain across the valley from us. Splitting up, Peter, Caroline, and Seth went down to skin up a nice rib on the shoulder of the Branscomb, while Kent and I cruised up another hill to get in position to shoot. Having shot only a little skiing before, I turned to Kent to help choose the right place to shoot. A veteran of many big ski shoots, he's quite the expert...the only difference being here in Antarctica there are no helicopters or Ski-Doo's to move us from place to place - only our own power. So, we set up on a beautiful ridge, looking across an enormous valley with long shadows of the team skinning into position. Eventually, on cue, they dropped down some 1,000 feet, kicking up beautiful snow into the low, evening light. By then, it was 8:00 PM, and time to skin an hour back to camp and make dinner. Only a couple of runs for the day, but the scenery, conditions, locale, and team couldn't be beat. We're all excited for tomorrow.

The Four Day Summit Climb Led by RMI Guides Kel Rossiter and Ben Liken reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The teams reported a beautiful day for climbing with clear skies and light winds. They have started their descent and are en route to Camp Muir. Congratulations to today's teams!

Hello from Vinson Base camp where the winds are calm and the midnight sun is in full force. Today was our first full day of climbing! We carried food and fuel mostly and cached it at camp one. The sun doesn't really go down here but when it goes behind the mountain it gets very cold. Due to that we have had to alter our days slightly to take advantage of the warmer times. It's a little bit of an adjustment but it seems to have suited the group just fine. Everyone did an awesome job today and if all goes well we'll be moving our camp up the mountain tomorrow. RMI Guide Seth Waterfall

On The Map

July 22, 2024 - 5:48 pm PT

We started the morning with riddles from Ben. We continued to make our way up steep terrain and sandy trails, seeing our first patches of snow. We shooed a brave marmot (Jerry) away at snack time. Rock hopping, we made our way to high camp. Setting up camp in a beautiful snowy basin, we spent the afternoon honing our snow travel skills.

-RMI Climber, Miranda Chisholm

PC: Ben Luedtke

Quick check in from our camp here at 5,600' on Sierra Nevada. Beautiful approach through the forest and now we're out chilling some weather. All is going well with our team. RMI Guide Tyler Reid

The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Joe Hoch reached the 14,410' summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Joe Hoch reported a beautiful day of climbing with 20 mph breeze from the southwest. The team is on the descent making their way back to Camp Muir.

Congratulations to Today's Team! 

Hello again everyone,

The team had a good night’s rest last night and today was just a short 3hr hike up to 15’000 ft to our high camp. It started out sunny, but then quickly clouded up thankfully for great hiking temperatures. The Equatorial sun at this elevation is quite intense, a little break was needed.

The team has just wrapped up lunch and discussed in detail the plan for tomorrow’s climb. Everyone knows what we will be wearing, what will be in the pack, as well as the schedule.
Our game plan will be to wake at 11pm and have a quick breakfast at 11:30, then hopefully hit the trail right at midnight. The team has been doing great thus far and I’m expecting us to reach the summit in 7 to 8hrs if things go according to plan.

As per usual on a Casey climb, one lucky trivia winner will get a phone call from the summit. 
So, everyone back home please keep your phones handy and if you receive a call from a strange number please answer. We are 8+hrs ahead of the east coast time zone.

Wish us luck!

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Summit Bound Crew

Yesterday turned out to be a stormy one on Osorno. With hopes of possible clearing we set off from the hut in weather that felt more like winter in Hokkaido than spring on the volcanoes. After 1200’ of climbing, it became apparent that things would not be improving anytime soon. We skied down, and like clockwork, the skies began to clear. But it was just a Northern Patagonia sucker hole, and soon it was pounding snow once again. We had a nice evening on the lake in the beautiful town of Puerto Varas, a great place to wrap up a very successful trip with a fantastic crew. It’s a beautiful morning as I write this, with Osorno looking proud across the water. A good reason to come back.. RMI Guide Tyler Reid