Most Popular Entries
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Lacie Smith, Will Ambler
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 0'
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - 10:16 pm PT
Well, this one is a couple days late. Like most members of the team, I have also been through quite a time warp. As I sit here tonight and am thinking about the trip, it occurs to me that just four nights ago we were still making our way back down to 17,000' Camp from the summit. Time flies when life is just a series of naps in between hard walking, unpacking, repacking and digging up caches. Truly the final 72 hours of a Mt. McKinley expedition is one of the hardest pushes most of us will make in the mountains. In that amount of time we: move from 14 Camp to 17 Camp, sleep, have our summit day, sleep, descend from 17 Camp to 11 Camp, sleep just a couple of hours and then descend from 11 Camp to Base Camp. All of that is assuming good weather.
This time around we had the fortune of great weather for a summit day and for our exit. Upon our arrival to Base Camp we waited only a short amount of time for the planes carrying Dave Hahn's team onto the glacier to arrive and take us off. It's quite a funny position to be in, tired and haggard from 17 days on the glacier and looking at another team with fresh clothes on, perfectly packed and with a bunch of empty CMCs (poop cans) just arriving. It feels like there is so much to tell them, but they will all learn their own lessons in due time.
Anyhow, the next moment you find yourself in a small plane, diving through a hole in the clouds and speeding along at the edge of a cloud ceiling about 1,000 feet above the Tokositna Glacier, which your pilot is using as a handrail as you take a long exit from the range. Your cell phone finds service and depending who you are and where you work, you have some incredible amount of unread messages and emails and normal life comes roaring back in an instant. There is still unpacking to do in Talkeetna, checking out with the National Park Service, returning the full CMCs and a celebration dinner in a town full of tourists, at which I could barely keep my eyes open, the past few days catching up to me.
The next day we all headed for the airport in a van driven by the only guy keeping it low key at the Fairview the evening before. I think Bill is mostly there to sing karaoke and may have just been having a cranberry juice, straight. Having booked a flight just a day prior, both Will and I sat in middle seats for the flight back to Seattle, the people to my right and left having to deal with the sunbaked guy next to them sleeping open-mouthed.
Finally, most of us had our first day back at home or first day of an extended vacation in Alaska today. I'm sure we all tried to find our way back in to some routine, just to be reminded by the burnt lips, tongue and nostrils that we just had one of the wildest and most memorable experiences of our lives. I know that for myself, those nights walking down the lower Kahiltna Glacier to basecamp are forever etched in my mind as some of the most rugged beauty I have ever witnessed.
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier
New Post Alerts:
Mt. McKinley Expedition May 29, 2025
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
As we arose from our tents again at 14,000’ camp, fresh snow covered everything as if a frozen Baja Blast machine broke in the middle of the night and began spewing as far as the eye could see.
Today marked a choice, go for it, and continue up beautiful Denali, or stay here at14,000’ Camp for another night, and wait for a better window. Upon first view of the surroundings, the choice was clear, spend one more day resting. This journey has been largely about patience, especially these last few days, but we are on the home stretch now, also just days away now from returning to civilization…
All the fish tacos, burritos and fajitas, Doritos, and Fritos, and Cheetos, pizza, burgers and glizzies and frozen margaritas All these and more, await at Talkeetna
Climber Joey Myers & Team
Posted by:
Categories: 50 Years of Climbing
Mark Icuss on the summit of Mt. Rainier.
We pushed ahead and before I knew it Dave said, "Congrats team, you've just climbed Mt Rainier! I've never been happier in my life and once again knew that the mountains would be a part of my life forever.
Flash forward to today, 46 years old and I've been on a trip every year since. Aconcagua, 14'ers in Colorado, all of the Tetons multiple times from multiple routes, multi-pitch routes, ice climbing, two trips to the Himalayas, and so many more.
2018: Moving up to Camp 1 on Ama Dablam.
My life was so deeply shaped by that first climb of Rainier; I have no idea what would have happened if I would have bailed. Being forced to stay in "alpine shape” for 25 years, the friendships, the epics, the close calls, and the successes have all shaped my life for the better.
None of it would have been possible if I hadn’t said “YES” to that original question of..."Dude, you want to climb Mt. Rainier?"
I owe my life of adventure to you guys, thank you for doing what you do.
Marc,
Congratulations on your successes! You have big shoes to fill following Jim and Lou. I love all climbing videos and books. One of my favorites was the American team when they made the summit of Everest in 1963 on both the regular route and the west ridge. Maybe I’ll read or watch a video about you some day.
I’m extremely impressed with RMI’s safety record. Have fun!
Susan
Posted by: Susan Moore on 7/29/2019 at 11:12 pm
Hi David Odell - we hope you are having a great time on this Mexican adventure. We are thinking about you and praying for a safe time. Blessings and love, Pat, Chrissy, Melissa and Leo
Posted by: Chrissy Odell DiNovo on 3/9/2013 at 9:13 am
Congrats to all! Nicely done Bill and Kevin. I’m having a wee dram of the Laphroig 18 year old right now in your honor.
Dave
Posted by: Dave Larson on 3/7/2013 at 3:41 pm
On The Map
Absolutely Awesome!! Good luck William, you’re getting close. Hope you all reach the summit and will have a moment to take it all in.
xoxo J,C & J
Posted by: judy on 2/13/2012 at 10:32 pm
Go Duncan’s!!! A big ole howdy from Central Oregon!!!
Posted by: Pete Slert on 2/13/2012 at 8:52 pm
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,000'
Monday, June 26, 2023 - 10:47 pm PT
We continue to wait and be patient as less then ideal weather hangs onto Denali. Another breakfast of bagels and locks was well received by the team and has helped to keep spirits high. Waiting and being patient is an often overlooked skill necessary for expeditionary climbing. Our team is leaning wholeheartedly into this. After more rest the afternoon was filled with fixed line training In preparation for our continued ascent. Hopes are high for an opportunity to carry and climb above the fixed lines.
The Expedition Skills Seminar – Emmons team turned at high break on their summit attempt today due to high winds. RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer reported steady winds of 50 MPH. The team is back at Camp Schurman, 9,440’, high camp on the Emmons Glacier where they will spend the night. The seminar team will finish their expedition skills training before descending in the morning.
Congratulations Team!
Today our Ecuador Volcanoes team set out on the first of many uphill travels planned for the next ten days. We like to think that our strategic planning plays a big role in our future success, which is why I ordered up some nice weather and arranged for a cable car to whisk us from 10,000 feet to 13,000 as to not over stress many sea level lungs.
Our goal today was to ascend the 15,400 foot Pichincha Rucu volcano, a stone's throw outside the city in order acclimate for bigger objectives down the road. With a starting zone of 13,000 feet, this hike is usually very manageable from the top of the cable car in five hours, give or take. Upon arriving at the upper station the weather, unsettled for the last two days, showed signs of grumpiness but played nice as we prepared go. A wild hitchhiker latched onto Jerome’s shirt and hand, quietly calling daddy, daddy, but after five minutes of hiking changed his mind, flying to Willie thinking his orange pack looked more suiting than Jerome’s yellow shirt. Both would make fine fathers.
Once on the trail we could not have asked for better walking conditions. Thick clouds kept the temps down which was nice but obscured our view of the upper mountain. The steep parts weren’t too slick so the entire team made good and steady progress upwards until there was no more up to be had. After a cloudy 20 minutes on top we descended down with no issues and still no rain which landed us back at the hotel around 4:00.
We ate a great meal and then prepared for the upcoming climb tomorrow. Stay tuned for more sports action.
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
Hey everyone…Just want you all to know I did write a comment yesterday. In fact I wrote it twice as best as I could remember what I said. I didn’t see it anywhere so Whynde…don’t think mama forgot you and the group. Today I can see my Comment so I’m thinking it’ll be good from now on. Wish I would have printed yesterday’s words of wisdom but…onward and upward. LUMTA 1TF
Posted by: Geri Kuehn on 1/24/2020 at 1:26 pm
Hello everyone…I sure hope you’re getting my words of encouragement to all of you. Love the group picture. I have a book titled “Believe in Yourself”. Today’s profound words of wisdom are thanks to Erma Bombeck. Most of you are probably too young to even know who she is. She took life with a grain of salt and a smile.
There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, “Yes, I’ve got dreams, of course, I’ve got dreams.” Then they put the box away and bring it out once in a while and look in it, and yep, they’re still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, “How good or how bad am I?” That’s where the courage comes in.
Have a great day!!! Make good progress!!! Remember it just takes one step at a time!!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!!! LUMTA 1TF
Posted by: Geri Kuehn on 1/24/2020 at 1:18 pm
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
On The Map
Dr K
Marcel & I were doing our training hike this morning & thinking ” trudging the road to happy destiny ” takes on a new meaning in knee deep powder !
Posted by: Blackie on 7/12/2012 at 8:28 pm
Mark, now you can say that you’ve been to the “Edge of the World” twice. I am really impressed with you and the team for patience, dedication and hard work. Hope the food and fuel hold up.
Posted by: Bob B on 7/12/2012 at 3:51 pm
Congratulations Dustin & Team! Proud of your accomplishments and inspired by your grit!
-Joe
Posted by: Joseph Mueller on 6/20/2025 at 7:57 am
It is Great to read this Dustin!! Your Team was lucky to have an Awesome Guide!!! (You)
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 6/20/2025 at 3:56 am
View All Comments