Most Popular Entries
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Jack Delaney, Liam Weed
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Saturday June 11, 2022 – 10:54pm PT
Hello bloganeers or whatever you call people who read blogs!
We went to bed with a nebulous forecast and thankfully awoke to optimistic looking skies! Looks like the weather would allow us to climb high and sleep low. We feasted upon a southern favorite, grits and pop tarts for breakfast. Then we racked up our gear and headed towards the fixed lines.
A couple hours of slow but steady walking and we arrived at the gaping maw that is the bergschrund at base of the fixed lines. The team locked and loaded and soon we were climbing up the steep snow and hard blue ice. Shouts of “This is awesome!” and “My fingers are cold,” were heard at various times during our ascent. Topping out the fixed lines rewarded us with beautiful views of the West Ridge of Denali and everyone and everything below us. We dug our cache, tossed in our excess gear and took a couple deep breaths of 16,000-foot air before beginning our descent.
Fleet feet and sturdy arm wraps meant a quick trip back to camp where a large meal of mac and cheese and cheesecake was enjoyed by all! Tomorrow, we let the winds up high blow while we gain strength and acclimate here at 14k camp.
Thanks for tuning in blogadors!
Posted by: Robby Young, Steve Gately
Categories: Guide News
Car rentals are notoriously expensive, but we found a deal on an old Toyota Rav4 with decent tires that seemed to be held together well enough for half the price, and we were off. We drove the length of the main highway on the south side of the island, also known as the Ring Road, passing by the active and massively glaciated volcanoes along the southern coastline. Finally reaching the Eastfjords, we were a bit discouraged by the high snow levels in these broad fjords, but found charm and beauty in the tiny and isolated fishing villages. We spent a couple days skiing spring “corn” snow as it slowly softened with the warmth of the low angled sun of the springtime. An experience of a lifetime, the clear nighttime skies lit up with the Northern Lights like we could have never imagined. Domes of vibrant green and purple rocketed over our heads while we camped in the empty Neskaupstadur town campground, taking in the show in awe.
Moving northward and then west, we drove across the volcanically active rift valley where the Earth’s crust was being created in real time, creating hundreds of miniature volcanoes, steam vents, and rugged lava fields. Eventually, we reached the Troll Peninsula, the skiing mecca of Iceland. In recent years, the “Troll” has increased in popularity with skiers through recent ski films and the presence of Arctic Heli Skiing. The popularity of this place was well justified; we found some of the best spring corn skiing we’d ever experienced, with the Arctic Ocean serving as our backdrop. The aesthetics and quality of skiing was only matched by the hospitality of the people we met in the small village of Dalvik. Our days here were spent skiing while evenings were filled mingling with locals and tourist skiers alike on the front steps of the local Kaffihaus (Coffeehouse), which doubled as a pub in the later hours of the evening. As with many of the small communities in Iceland, the owners of our hostel also ran this Kaffihaus, serving their own fish stew from their friends’ fishing boats, and serving beer brewed a couple doors down the street.
Traveling onward, we drove the barren and isolated roads from Dalvik to the northwest corner of the island: a series of peninsulas collectively referred to as the Westfjords. We hunkered down in the town of Isafjordur, surrounded by hundreds of steep ski runs that plummet to the ocean, as the snow began to fall. We spent the next six days drinking coffee, while the snow pounded down outside, immediately jumping in the car as soon as the sun made one of a few brief appearances. In a neighboring fjord near the village of Flateyri, we found the siren that had drawn us to Iceland: a beautiful fjord that held the deepest and driest powder of the trip; a long series of steep chutes looming above the ocean. After a winter of scraping and scratching by in Utah, this mythical run made our ski season whole!
During these rare moments of sun the formula looked something like: drive around the fjords looking for ski runs (the best were steep rock-lined couloirs), climb up, ski right back down to the car, manage to drive our manual transmission Rav4 in ski boots to another ski run, and repeat.
The snow in the Westfjords did not let up for days, even as our time to return to Reykjavik approached. The most hair-raising adventure of the trip was driving the fjords and passes back to civilization in southern Iceland. Over one particular pass, we had to put our rental to the test, busting through snowdrifts until we found a lineup of cars waiting to follow a supersized snowplow the rest of the way back to the main highway. Back in the capital, Steve and I celebrated the end of our trip just like we did at the start; enjoying the fresh fish and brews of Reykjavik, knowing that we had only scratched the surface of the skiing that this country has to offer.
_____Robby Young is a senior guide at RMI Expeditions, leading trips in Washington, Alaska, and Peru. Robby calls Park City, UT home, where he is a ski patroller at the Canyons Resort. When not guiding, Robby is found chasing splitter crack climbing and perfect powder around the globe. He is also a talented photographer: view his images at www.robbyyoungphotography.com.
On The Map
Hi Mommy! I can’t believe you are on top of the World. Can you see Richmond from there? How about the North Pole? I am so proud of you. Way to go!!! I love you and can’t wait to see you next week.
Posted by: Sally on 3/25/2012 at 7:36 pm
Congratulations Team Richmond! You made it! Each and every one of you absolutely rock! We are all so proud of you back home. Soak it all up, and be careful on the way down.
Posted by: Hugh on 3/25/2012 at 7:33 pm
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos, Adam Knoff, Robby Young
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Shishapangma
Elevation: 18,400'
Always thinking of you and praying for all of your safe return.
Posted by: Jane Knoff on 10/3/2016 at 4:58 am
We’re so relieved you all made it back to base camp safely. We hope you get plenty of rest. Please extend our deepest condolences to the Sherpa’s family and friends. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon.
Posted by: Hikari on 10/2/2016 at 10:09 pm
Posted by: Mike Haugen, Mike Uchal
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 20,000'
.jpg)
RMI Guide Mike Haugen calls in from 17 camp after their summit attempt.
On The Map
I’m shocked (seriously, no pun intended) to hear about the storm. SO close. You are all truly amazing and great to hear Mike’s voice. Cheering you on, thinking about you all, KAC.
Posted by: Kconstantine on 6/27/2013 at 8:02 pm
there will be an other opportunity am sure! glad you are all ok .rest well.lots of love to Lance
Posted by: elisabeth on 6/27/2013 at 5:18 pm
RMI Guide Dave Hahn checks in from Camp 2 (ABC).
SARA my sweet little baby!!! Katherine and I were just flipping through your pictures and we miss you so much!! We can’t wait to see you and I want you to tell me everything about your trip!! Be safe and have fun, love you!
Posted by: Kathryn M on 5/11/2011 at 5:38 am
SARA!!!!!!!!!! you are doing awesome! I am so proud of you!!!!! I think about you everyday. I can not wait till the summer so we can rewatch all of the seasons of laguna beach! Atlanta is pretty boring besides the fact that exams are coming up and everyone has a ton of work. I know these past week have been an incredible experience and a lot of hard work. Keep it up and everyone is praying for you everyday. I know you can do it!!!! get this mountain DUNZO, so I can see you!! I have already said this but I miss you so much, and you are truly amazing. Cant wait to see you soon, you little mountain climber.
Lots of Love,
Spencer
Posted by: spencer on 5/9/2011 at 5:11 pm
Posted by: Josh Geiser, Evan Redman, Jack Ritterson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - 2:54 pm PT
We have just completed our Easton Glacier climb of Mt. Baker August 25 - 27. We hiked up to Sandy camp on our first day, took a short break, and then got into skills training in anticipation of climbing on day 2 with a better weather forecast. After an early alpine start, we called the crater rim our high point due to snowpack conditions and deteriorating weather. After coming back down we practiced some anchor building and crevasse rescue before retreating to our tents due to rain. We managed to stay dry on Day 3 as we hiked back down to the trailhead and enjoyed a closing lunch as a team.
RMI Guide Josh Geiser
Well, I am definitely a bloganeer! Iook forward to reading this blog and staying up to date with you and your incredible teams progress. Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us. You guys are incredible and you impress all of us with your passion, persistence and endurance! Go team! A special shout out to Heather Hart and reminder that your CBJD Family is here cheering you on! We’ve you so much xoxo
Posted by: Janine Paradiso on 6/13/2022 at 6:18 am
Blogadore here! Please keep them coming and congrats team - you all are making great time!!! Michael know you are having the best time ever!!! Safe travels team and enjoy that Mac and cheese!!!
Kim and Jim
Posted by: Kim on 6/12/2022 at 11:07 am
View All Comments