Most Popular Entries

Mt. Baker Summit & Ski Team Update:

The team spent last two days exploring the upper slopes of Mt. Baker, enjoying some great turns along the way. Unfortunately, weather conditions prevented them from climbing above 7,400 feet on their summit attempt today.

They’re now back at camp and will ski out tomorrow.

This team was led by RMI Guides Sam Marjerison and Bailey Servais

Hello again everyone.

Today the team once again woke to beautiful clear skies and mountains in all directions.

As per usual, we hit the trail after breakfast and slowly made our way further up valley to the village before Base Camp, called Gorak Shep. Which in the Sherpa language means “place where the Raven died”. And it’s very fitting.

Being the last village means there are less tea houses = busier and food quality diminishes. Plus it doubles as storage for the Everest expeditions gear while they aren’t climbing.  It’s a dry dusty place and we are happy to be only spending one night here.

Once at camp we had a nice lunch and then a few of us ventured out to hike up Kala Patar Which means black rock. About half way up there are spectacular views of Everest and we stopped to take a few pictures. While some called it good, a couple of us finished hiking to the highest point roughly 18’500ft.

Everyone is doing well and very excited to make it to Base Camp tomorrow.

And just so everyone back home knows, once we reach Base Camp, there may not be cell reception or probably no WiFi either.  We might be off grid for two days, but I promise I’ll update as soon as we are back in service.

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the nearly at Base Camp crew!

The Four Day Teams with RMI Guides Joe Hoch and Alan Davis reached the 14,410' summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team climbed from Camp Muir to the Summit in 6 ½ hours. The climbers and guides spent some time on the Summit enjoying the sunrise before starting their descent at 7 am. 

Congratulations Team!

Chapter 6

The Bond Girls squirrel up Squirrel Hill. The Bond Girls completed quite a mission today!  We left 11,000' camp and moved a cache to 13600' in preparation to move to 14,000' Camp tomorrow (if the weather allows).   We finally infiltrated Motorcycle Hill, which has been staring at our camp since arriving here last Friday. Before I tell you about our day, I have to tell you what made the day possible.  After some weather at 11,000' Camp, serious trail breaking was needed.  All of the guides at 11k Camp worked together as a team to discuss weather and a plan to put in the route for everyone.  Climbing this mountain is not possible without teamwork (unless you’re that guy who climbed it in like 11 hours, but even he probably had some help).  We all pitch in, carry group gear uphill on shared ropes.  We set up camp together, eat meals together and make each other laugh over hot drinks when the weather outside is… well, Denali.

Back to the daily adventure! The wind rushed through our hair on Motorcycle Hill. Trying to get my full zip gortex pants on was like trying to get Church the cat from Salem’s Lot into a cat carrier for an exorcism.  Luckily Jack saved the day. Thanks Jack!  It is a pretty humbling experience to not be able to wrangle your own side zip pants!  After Motorcycle Hill we took on Squirrel Hill. Climbing Denali, you become like a squirrel, caching treats and clean socks… or the books you don’t feel like carrying any higher, deep under the snow, marked with a little flag, to come back to when you are able to collect them. Squirrels are endowed with luxurious tails, we brandish orange plastic sleds. Luckily we did not bring the sleds today.  Squirrel Hill stole Windy Corner’s thunder as goggles and summit parkas struggled to keep us warm. Pony Rider led the charge across Polo Field with a war cry, and Windy Corner was actually quite pleasant today. The weather cleared up for the team to enjoy a break at the cache and take in the majestic mountain paradise of Denali.  The walk back to camp was beautiful.  Now we hydrate, try to not smell so bad and get ready for burritos. The caches at Basecamp are a bit more celebratory. Visions of beer, cigarettes and hard liquor cheer exhausted climbers on to the finish line; the airstrip of the Kahiltna glacier.   There bush planes take you back to reality...Talkeetna, where the past three elected mayors have all been cats (two long haired Siamese and one tabby to be precise). I am grateful for the knowledge, experience, fortitude and tenacity of this team. We take on hardwork with a smile and show up for each other. Trash Man, Sled Dog, Polar Bear, Goldie Locks (formerly known as Pony Rider) Joey Dreamboat Manship and Bond-O are a few of the many nicknames this crew has, surely more will be given before The Bond Girls break into our base camp cache and get weird while we wait to fly off of the Kahiltna glacier.  

Thanks for stopping by to check up on your favorite secret agents!

Tune in tomorrow night for another installment of, “Who’s Cache is it Anyway?"

Shout out to Jessee and all of my Wyldcats! To Mom, Dad, Maggie and Lenora, I love you!

-Katherine

RMI Guides James Bealer & Pepper Dee led the Mt. Shuksan Fisher Chimneys July 26 - 28 to the summit of Mt. Shuksan today.  James reported it has been a really fun day with stellar steep climbing.  The team was taking a break on the summit before starting their descent back to camp.  They will spend tonight on the mountain and conclude their adventure tomorrow with a walk out to the trail head.

Nice job team!  Enjoy your final night on the mountain!

Wednesday, July 19,  2023 - 3:00 pm PDT

Hi there,

It was a beautiful day of climbing on the West Ridge, nice temps and not a cloud in the sky. We are back at camp soaking our feet in the creek and enjoying a lazy afternoon.

RMI Guides Seth Burns, Henry Coppolillo and Team