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Posted by: Dave Hahn, Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Elevation: 7,200'
On The Map
Posted by: Mike Walter, Jake Beren
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Great job to all!!!! Wally, ol’ pal, you simply amaze me. Way to go!!!!!
Gratz
Posted by: Gratz on 9/14/2012 at 2:29 pm
wally,
you are amazing!!! i can’t wait to hear all about it. onward and upward!
love, susie
Posted by: susan m miller on 9/14/2012 at 1:23 pm
Posted by: Andy Bond, Henry Coppolillo
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Bolivia
Yesterday’s climb of Paqueño Alpamayo provided a full-value introduction to climbing in the Cordillera Real. A 2:30 AM and a short walk on trail brought us back to the toe of the glacier where we’d trained the day prior. We dawned our climbing gear and began working our way up the icy glacier. Each step sounded like shards of glass underfoot and required careful technique to move efficiently and securely.
We reached the summit of Tarija shortly after sunrise, the first summit of the trip at 17,500’! The views of Huyana Potosi, our next objective, were excellent, and we could see the remainder of the route to Paqueño Alpamayo. This is where the challenge of Paqeño becomes apparent, the route really throws a little bit of everything at you! First, we descended several hundred feet of third- and fourth-class rock, followed shortly by two pitches of 45-60 degree ice up the west ridge.
Sadly, the effects of climate change are painfully obvious in the Andes, and this peak was no different. What used to be a final pitch of steep neve below the summit is now entirely snow-free, so we removed our crampons and scrambled the final 200’ or so to the top. After a short celebration it was time to start making our way down, we still had a long day ahead of us before we could relax in camp! Some steep down climbing and a short rappel led back to the base of the east ridge of Tarija we’d descended earlier. The rock scramble back up to the summit effectively made for three summits over 5000m over the course of just a few hours!
The descent back down the glacier was slow and a bit tedious at times given the icy conditions, but we were riding high from such an engaging and beautiful day of climbing. Everyone slept well last night after our big day. We are back at the trailhead now loading up the van to begin making our way to the base of Huyana Potosi. We’ll sleep in the base hut tonight and move up to a higher hut around 16,900’ tomorrow. After several nights sleeping up high and a big day of climbing yesterday the team is feeling stronger than ever in the thin air and we’re all looking forward to our next summit attempt on Monday!
RMI Guides Andy Bond, Henry Coppolillo
New Post Alerts:
Bolivia Expedition, August 3, 2024
GO Dusty, Rock-N-Roll brother. Many Blessings.
Posted by: Greg Smith on 8/2/2013 at 7:38 am
Good luck! Hope your climb goes well! Love you!
Posted by: Emma on 8/2/2013 at 6:15 am
Posted by: JJ Justman, Kel Rossiter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
A big congrats Gautam!Gritty G! Proud of you.
Posted by: Bhaktha on 6/29/2013 at 9:16 am
Congratulations Gautam!!
Posted by: Mahadev on 6/26/2013 at 9:40 am
Posted by: JJ Justman, Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: 18,510'
RMI Guide JJ Justman calls from the Mt. Elbrus summit!
On The Map
Congrats on summitting, team! Looking forward to your feet being at sea level!
Posted by: Molly Mathis on 9/3/2012 at 8:02 pm
CONGRATULATIONS to everyone on the team! So proud of you Ryan!! Have a safe trip down the mountain:-)
Posted by: Cheryl Kirwan on 9/3/2012 at 12:51 pm
Posted by: Win Whittaker, Eric Frank
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,640'
Bravo for a heroic attempt!! Next time!!! Can’t wait to have you home Chip!!
Posted by: Kristy Cerovac on 6/29/2012 at 1:36 pm
RMI Guide Jake Beren checks in from 12000 ft on Ixtaccihuatl.
On The Map
Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
A new chapter in the adventures of the newly named RMI Denali team - The Bond Girls - The flapping sound of our tent walls in the winds acted as our alarm clock this morning. We awoke to a freshly snowy and wind drifted camp. Egads! After shoveling off / out our various camp structures including the kitchen, living room, bedrooms and bathroom, we set about to enjoy a slow morning. Hot drinks were casually sipped and topics with no answer were discussed. Is Texas just a terrible place or just an awful place? Whatever happened to David Hasselhoff? Or Oprah for that matter? At some point smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels were devoured. It became clear as morning went on that we would not be granted a break in the weather to head uphill to cache supplies. So with the plans for the day settled the team got ready for another weather day. Snacks were devoured and stories were told, all while the wind and snow raged on. We dug trenches through the snow that would have made a French WW1 general proud. Hopefully in the night the storm will break and the wind will cease. I know I would love myself some sunshine right now. Or perhaps a beer in a Bavarian town. If the weather persists, you’ll find us here again, same place, same time. Doing battle with The Great One.
Signing out from,
Camp 2 (11,000 feet) - Denali, Alaska
RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the Team
Praying the weather breaks. In the meantime the Bond team will eat snacks and Bond.
Posted by: Michelle on 6/12/2023 at 5:46 pm
Posted by: Mike Walter, Abby Westling, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,200'
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Saturday, May 20, 2023 8:36am PDT
We kept the proverbial ball rolling yesterday and established a cache at 13,700', above Windy Corner. The weather was remarkably hot Yesterday, a marked change from the previous two weeks we've been in AK. The icy slopes of Squirrel Hill & Windy Corner were mostly Slushy by the time we descended them in the afternoon. And today we are back to some snow and wind. Bizzarro.
Anyway, we're resting and acclimating today, with hopes of moving camp up to Genet Basin at 14,200' tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Walter & Team
So stoked to see you all moving up and being able to make progress in your weather windows! Great work team! Climb on!
Posted by: Rae Anglen on 5/21/2023 at 6:32 am
Well done, team! Strong work! You have braved some serious conditions! Alaska! So impressive! Keep going! If you hear some noise in the distance- it’s probably me cheering for all of you from a Talkeetna! Keep climbing! You got this! Cheers! Susan!
Posted by: Susan on 5/21/2023 at 1:37 am
Thanks to you Dave & Seth and the whole RMI team. Sterling had a wonderful experience.
Sue
Posted by: Sue Foreman on 12/17/2012 at 9:39 pm
Dear Dave & Seth: Thank you very much for taking the time to write all those informative blogs every day after a hard day of climbing in extreme cold. They were the first things I checked for in the morning and last things I read at night. They made me feel like part of the expedition (albeit in the comfort of our home), living the ups and downs of our loved ones through your postings. Thanks for guiding another successful climb! Happy Holidays! -Fan
Posted by: Fan on 12/17/2012 at 7:46 pm
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