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Posted by: Tyler Reid, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Guide News
RMI Guides Tyler Reid and Solveig Waterfall make first ski descent of The Pipeline on Mt. Angeles in the Olympic Mountains of Washington.
Follow this link to Tyler’s blog for more exciting photos!
Another beautiful day greeted us this morning. After breakfast we reluctantly said goodbye to the accommodations and staff of our tea-house in Pheriche and set off up the valley. The trail ran through small clumps of juniper and back and forth across streams running down from the hillsides, reaching a collection of stone buildings and fields where yaks are pastured in the evenings. The vegetation continued to thin out, the grass getting shorter and eventually the juniper bushes disappearing from the landscape as we made our way higher. Eventually we began the ascent to Thokla Pass, a climb up the toe of the moraine created by the forward push of the Khumbu Glacier. Although a moderate climb in length and height, the elevation makes it challenging and we spent the better part of two hours picking our way up the hillside.
Partway up is the small "village" of Thokla, in reality little more than two tea-houses sheltered from the winds that blow up the valley, but the perfect breaking spot for trekkers and yak herders making their way up the climb. We sat in the sun for a few minutes resting and sipping on tea before resuming our ascent, reaching the top of Thokla Pass at well over 15,000' by midday. Built along the ridgelines of the pass are dozens of small chortens, each one paying tribute to climbers and Sherpas that have lost their lives on Mt. Everest. With views out to the surrounding mountains and prayer flags streaming from the many memorials, it is a solemn place that commemorates many famous climbers.
Continuing from the top of the pass we ascended into a shallow valley that runs parallel to the Khumbu Glacier, finding our way among the boulders and rocks that border a small stream that was completely frozen over, even in the midday sun. After another hour of walking we reached our tea-house in the village of Lobuche. Tucked into a small recess in the side of the valley, Lobuche was traditionally a summer grazing grounds for herds of yaks but now is more popular with trekkers and climbing expeditions on their way to Everest. Although the landscape is quite barren around us, our tea-house is warm and comfortable in the midday sun. We have all been surprised at how warm the temperatures have been the past few days. We settled into the tea-house and spent final part of the afternoon sipping on tea and reading, focusing on breathing well, even at rest, as we adjust to these higher altitudes.
Tomorrow we head to Gorak Shep, the last village before Everest Base Camp, and hope to climb to the summit of Kala Patar above it in the afternoon if the weather cooperates. The team continues to do well and sends their best to everyone at home.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
On The Map
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Today marks our fifth full day back at Base Camp since coming down from our third rotation on the mountain. The days have managed to slip by surprisingly quickly, filled with big meals, visits from friends, time spent reading, playing cards, throwing horseshoes, and most of all - resting. Tuck organized the 2011 Everest Base Camp Horseshoes Tournament a few days ago and filled our small camp with dozens of people from various teams bent on vying for the coveted crown. Besides a few errant throws - we lost a cooking pot to a high flying shoe and somehow managed to tangle a horseshoe in the prayer flags strung overhead - it was a really enjoyable afternoon.
Yesterday Dave, Sara, and I spent the morning exploring the lower reaches of the Khumbu Glacier surrounding Base Camp, making our way through the tongues of rock moraine and among the fins of vertical ice that jut up from the glacier. But the overarching focus of these days has been on resting, and it has been paying off. Dave, Sara, and I are all feeling the gains from our leisurely days down here. The solid nights of sleep have calmed any minor altitude coughs and strength is seeping back into the legs. Our Sherpa team descended a few days ago as well and the whole team is now down at Base Camp, enjoying the rest and preparing for the final push.
Every morning over the past few days we pull up the latest forecast and discuss the options for our summit bid. This season's weather has been unsettled to say the least and that trend has continued into the summit season. Several teams have made summit attempts over the past few days and the occasional eruption of cheering and clanging pots and oxygen bottles can be heard coming from camps as they celebrate the radio call from their climbers standing on the summit. But the summit season so far has been far from smooth and dozens of climbers have faced real challenges up there, battling high winds and cold temperatures in their attempts. While the temperatures and the snowfall are factors, our big concern is the wind. The jet stream is still playing around this part of the Himalayas, occasionally drawing close to Everest and then receding again, and causing nothing but confusion for the forecast models. The 60+mph winds reported yesterday are a sure indication the jets proximity. And so we are sitting down here, reading over the forecast every morning, hoping that these small snippets of good weather that lay scattered over the upcoming days materialize into a substantial window for us to feel confident to head up on our summit bid.
Thus begins the waiting game, a trial in its own right. To sit in Base Camp after so many weeks of hard work, feeling ready and prepared for the summit bid, but stalling over the unstable weather conditions, is a huge mental challenge. On occasion a helicopter lands in Base Camp, picking up climbers returning from the summit - both those who made it successfully and those who did not but battled the cold and wind nonetheless - and whisks them back to Kathmandu in dozens of minutes. It's easy to let the mind wander to all of the luxuries and comforts that await the passengers when they disembark, but not a very helpful exercise. Nevertheless, the focus around camp remains, the days of rest are paying off, and our excitement is building for the upcoming climb. A great number of unknowns lie ahead of us, but we are feeling ready. Tomorrow we will wake up, print out the forecast, sit down in the morning sun to look over what the forecast models predict for wind speeds, temperatures, and precipitation amounts. Hopefully that window we know is coming begins to materialize.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Linden, there is a crew of us that you took up Rainier last summer that has been following your blog. We all wish we were with you now. Glad to hear that you are having fun and resting for the summit.
Posted by: Smith Cooley on 5/16/2011 at 4:31 pm
Bill, that’s a cool picture of you getting ready to throw the horseshoe. Watch out for the prayer flags and cooking pots. Thanks, Linden, for the description of the waiting game and life in Base Camp. So glad it’s all paying off. We’re praying for a good weather window for the team and a safe journey. Much love.
Posted by: Mom on 5/15/2011 at 11:47 am
The night in Phakding, with the river dependably charging past to form perfect "white noise", was conducive to deep sleep. This morning we ate a relaxed breakfast and hit the trail at 8:30 under a light overcast. Travel along the river, through more small farms and villages, was peaceful and easy. Crossing a few long suspension bridges we soon came to the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, where Lam Babu submitted our permits. A short walk into the park took us to Jorsalle where we ate lunch at the final tea house in town. Then it was across the river again and onward to the Namche Hill where we rapidly gained altitude and shed a little sweat in the process. An hour's hard hiking brought us to the lower end of Namche Bazaar at just over 11,000 ft. We strolled the narrow "streets" -there are no cars- and made our way to Camp De Base, our home for the next three nights. The afternoon was spent shopping and exploring. We put on a bit more clothing against the cool evening air and met for a great dinner in the communal dining room.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Go DAN Go! Thinking of you and your team.
Enjoy the journey. All the best.
Julie
Posted by: Julie Miller on 4/10/2013 at 10:16 am
We’re all counting on you JENKINS!
Posted by: Paul Cornell on 3/30/2013 at 8:31 am
There was about two feet of new snow last night at Kahiltna Base Camp. It is currently snowing and visibility is low. We are in standby mode and playing cards with our one set of 48 cards.
It turns out the little snow storm from yesterday is lasting into today. We are waiting for some clear weather and our flight off the glacier. The thunderous vibrations of avalanches somewhere off into the thick clouds are pretty cool canceling out the wind and the snow battering the tent. Everyone has had a great time, but most are ready for some beers.
Signing out from the land of positive vibrations.
RMI Guide Jason Thompson
On The Map
Posted by: Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
The RMI Kilimanjaro Team is now the African Safari Team! We have just spent the afternoon viewing wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park. After our celebration dinner last night everyone was happy to sleep in an actual bed for the first time in a week. After breakfast this morning we left the Dik Dik hotel and drove a few hours to Lake Manyara. Once we were there we rolled the tops back on our Land Cruisers for optimal animal spotting. The safaris here never disappoint and today was no exception. Elephants, giraffes, water buffalo and more monkeys and baboons than we could possibly photograph were just some of the animals we saw.
Now we are on the way to the Plantation Lodge where we will spend the night. Tomorrow we are off to Ngorongoro Crater!
-Seth and the Safari Crew
We had a beautiful hike down to Lukla today. Lots of greenery and local folk working away in the gardens that abound down here in the 10,000' region. The airport was shut down early this morning due to clouds but as we approached there were a few flights that went in the afternoon. John and Kim are set for the second flight tomorrow weather permitting. The commute from our lodging for the night to the entrance of the airport is about thirty feet, no excuse for missing the flight.
Kim here. . . wow, this has been quite an experience. It was an amazing adventure that I won't forget anytime soon. There were some hard days, some disappointing days, and some really wonderful days. Overall, it was definitely a worthwhile experience. Thanks to all for the comments and good wishes. I'd like to spend my last blog opportunity answering the questions posted yesterday and March 31st from Mrs. Hartman's and Mrs. Jerome's classrooms:
Q: How high are you? A: We were at different altitudes each day. Today we are back in Lukla where we started which is about 9,900ft. The highest we got was about 19,000ft. That was on Island Peak. Q: Did you summit? A: We did not make it to the summit. I am disappointed about that since I was the one who could not make it. The air was very cold and each time I tried to breathe deep, it hurt my lungs. So, I couldn't get enough air to have the energy I needed to keep going. The rest of the team decided to turn around with me. Q: How high is Island Peak? A: Island Peak is 20,300ft, so we still had a long way to go. Q: Have you used your ice ax and climbing harness? A: We did not use our ice axes or crampons on Island Peak because we didn't get high enough, but we did use them during our training session at Everest Base Camp. I'll try to include a photo from that for today. We did have our climbing harnesses on. Q: Which is higher, Island Peak or Everest Base Camp? A: Island Peak is higher than Everest Base Camp. Island Peak is about 20,300ft, Everest Base Camp is 17,575ft. Q: How are you feeling? A: I was feeling pretty sick up high. It is common for people to not feel good when they get that high because of the lack of air pressure and limited oxygen. I am feeling much better now that we are down low again. Q:How many tea houses have you been in? A: Too many to count. We stopped at one or two each day for lunch and afternoon tea. Then we stayed at one each night. Q: What was your favorite dish to eat? A: It depended on the day. Up high, the only thing that sounded good to eat was popcorn. So, I have been eating a lot of that. Down lower, we all like the chicken chilly (spicy chicken. . .spelled differently on every menu). We also liked to eat daal bhat with pappad and veggie curry. Tell Ranish that I like the curry fine, but I prefer it to be a little more spicy than they make it up here. I also forgot to mention the dumplings that are popular here called mo-mos. We had a lot of veggie mo-mos. Q: Are you staying warm? A: I was SO cold many days up there. It was the coldest I have ever been. . . especially while on Island Peak and at Everest Base Camp. I am warmer now that we are lower. Q: Are you having fun or do you wish you were home? A: Both. I have had lots of fun, but when I was cold and sick, I was wishing I was someplace else. I am still very glad that I went to Everest Base Camp, though. It was an amazing place. Q: Are yaks carrying your bags? A: No. Porters are carrying our bags. Those men are really strong. I am impressed by their strength and speed. Q: What is the name of the peak behind you in the photo from today (4/9/12)? A: We all looked at the photo and we think that was the side of Ama Dablam. We have seen so many peaks, it is hard to tell for sure.
Hopefully we will fly out to Kathmandu tomorrow and then to India for a few days after that. Again, thanks to all for your good wishes and your support. We have enjoyed reading your comments the few times we have had internet service.
John here: It's been a while since I made an update. Too long to try to recap the last few days. Like Kim, this has been an experience of a lifetime for me. The Nepalese people are so genuinely warm and welcoming and the scenery is unmatched by anything I have ever experienced. Kim mentioned that we didn't summit Island Peak. While that is a disappointment for all of us, Kim and I did reach a new high. Along the way I learned a lot about myself, my abilities and what's really important. There will be other peaks in our future and we'll both be better prepared to face them.
We hiked out from Namche Bazar today. It was bittersweet. While it meant this part of our journey was coming to an end, it also meant we had hot showers and clean clothes to look forward to. We also have all the wonderful experiences and memories that we worked so hard over the last few weeks to create. Thanks to Tuck we've also met tons of folks along the way, all who added to the texture of the experience.
Thank you to all of you who followed our journey, we look forward to sharing our experiences and pictures with you when we get back. Pop some corn - we have LOTS of pictures.
Namaste.
On The Map
Jambo to all.
Well we did it, all the “Tucklings” to the top. We tried to give a call from the summit but I’ll tell you, it was cold and breezy, and a half battery wasn’t enough, the charge wasn’t there. But I’m back down here as well as the rest of the team at our high camp, Barafu at 15,000’.
We are going to toute suite out of here. I’m going to have to start poking a few of them with my ski pole, to keep them moving. But we’ll get another 5,000’ to descend to the Mweka Camp. Pretty easy to crawl into the bag and here and take a nap. But, the old machine may seize up so I'm going keep pushing them along.
Everybody did just fantastic. Of course there were a few issues here and there and people were challenged. Half of them said it was probably the hardest thing they’ve ever done in their life physically. And the other half, you know they were lying. So, all is well. I'll try and get this iPAQ thing working again and do a dispatch once we get down to Mweka Camp. I appreciate you guys all checking in. Cheers from Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker reports on the team's summit day
Way to go Steve!!! We are so proud of you! Holly & Marko
Posted by: Holly & Marko Smith on 2/20/2011 at 1:23 pm
Conrats everyone, we are so proud of you Bob, talk to you in a few.
Posted by: Jeff Colston on 2/20/2011 at 12:58 pm
Hey, this is Dave calling from Denali. We moved from 17,000' to 11,000' today. There was a lot of new snow down below and we were post holing through deep snow all the way down the West Buttress, down to 14,000' and all the way to 11,000' breaking trail. It all went really well. Today was a nice day, nice, calm and sunny.
Now we are camped at 11,000'. We hope to get up in a few hours and make our way to the airstrip and perhaps be there and ready to fly out tomorrow morning. So, I'll give a call if that happens. Today is Monday so that would be Tuesday morning that we would be at the airstrip if all goes well on the lower glacier. Talk to you soon.
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Jack Delaney, Liam Weed
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Today was a true rest day. We had a casual morning of hot drinks and breakfast. After that we did about an hour review/ practice of fixed line travel and running belays. Then we did nothing. It was glorious. Here’s a list of the various snacks the team ate on our rest day. Cookie dough, Double Stuff Oreos, beef jerky, parmesan cheese, wasabi and soy almonds, watermelon Sour Patch Kids, chorizo, Beecher’s Flagship Cheese, Ritz Crackers, peanut butter, white cheddar, black licorice, Walkie Talkie Chocolate, dried cherries, Knotsberry Farm cookies, sour gummy worms, original Pringles, fireball, Nutter Butters, dried apricots, dill pickle almonds, Goldfish, ranch corn nuts, melkesjokolade, chocolate chip lovers cookie dough, rattlesnake cheddar, ginger chews, salami, Famous Amos Cookies, Keebler Elf M&M cookies.
Tomorrow’s plan will depend on the “nowcast” for what the weather is doing.
After a while crocodiles,
RMI Guides Avery, Jack, Liam and the Team
I don’t see Heather sharing her Girl Scout Cookies!!!!! Those are some serious snacks!!
Posted by: April Litwiller on 6/14/2022 at 9:20 am
Wow you guys definitely had some good snacks. I am so proud of you Heather Hart. You and your team are ROCKSTARS. I love reading this blog. Miss you girl. #yougotthis
Posted by: Fatima Casiano on 6/12/2022 at 5:38 am
Jane: So glad things are going so well! Stay warm. Must be amazing. Tell Laura hi.
Teri
Posted by: Teri on 3/25/2012 at 9:26 am
Enjoying the blog. Sounds like its starting to get colder at night, but we know you all are prepared for it.
Can’t wait to hear how the last leg to base camp goes for you all.
Weather here remains unseasonably warm and all flowers, azaleas, dogwoods, etc. blooming easy. They should all be in full bloom and ready for you when you return.
Posted by: john on 3/24/2012 at 12:06 pm
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