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Tuesday, May 30, 2023 - 8:26 am PT

We finally got everything to come together. It was calm and quiet in the morning and we got out of camp early, ahead of everyone else. The Autobahn had filled in and took some work and time to put a track in, across to Denali Pass. It was shady and cold, but the team worked well. At Denali Pass, we stepped into the sun and also a touch of wind - just a light breeze. It kept things cold and we continued to work up. At points we would lose the wind and it would suddenly turn so hot, then back to cold. We played that game to the Football Field, and then up the summit ridge. By midafternoon we were standing on the summit of Denali! The summit was pretty warm and we got some photos before turning against traffic and the rest of the mountain. We retraced our steps to camp and fell into bed, happy to have the first part of the mission accomplished. Now we will set our sights lower on getting to thicker air and the airstrip.

Congrats to all the climbers!

RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer

When we woke early this morning we weren't sure what the day had in store for us. The cloud deck dropped during breakfast and no one could really tell if it was raining or snowing. We returned to the tents to wait for a trend to emerge and in about an hour made the call to try to leave basecamp for higher pastures. We had perfect conditions to make our way to the base of Ski Hill and set up camp at the confluence of the Main and Northeast Forks of the Kahiltna Glaciers. As soon as camp was buffed out, it started to snow and we are enjoying a little siesta before dinner. If the weather is cooperative we will move higher tomorrow to get within striking distance of 11 Camp and the upper mountain. Hope all is well down South! RMI Guide Jake Beren

On The Map

Hey Mark Tucker here checking in from Island Peak Base Camp. Well, know sooner than us signing off from the dispatch yesterday that it started to snow and pretty much continued throughout the night. Had a pretty good blanket when we woke up. You know.... was enough so that our move up to high camp was probably not the best idea. So we stuck around down here... Now I'm looking down..... So we did a little hike up towards Camp 1 just to kinda get a feel for it and the conditions so we're all ready for that. Now we're packing and adjusting and fidgeting with gear all day today. Resting, eating... a little bit earlier than normal because being down at Base Camp so we are going to start looking at the weather around midnight. Just finished a nice dinner and we're going to crawl in the bag. Start resting and hopefully get a few hours of shuteye. We don't really need to sleep for this event, we just need to rest. We've got a bunch of batteries stored up so we are looking good... We'll check in with you guys progress in the near future. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

On The Map

The first plane got out over an hour ago with Leon, Clay, Steve, Hao and Sergey. Two other planes came in to take two other groups out then returned minutes later, unable to safely get out because of clouds that came in to obscure visibility out of the mountains. As I began this we were still hopeful that planes would fly, but since then we have put up tents as it has now started to snow. Could this be the front forecasted to come in? In many ways this has been the most difficult part of the trip for some. The dashed hopes, uncertainty, and expectanct waiting. People may get angry with pilots' decisions, or even guide services' decisions on what flight company to do business. But all that seems so trite and inconsequential when the realities of the situation are understood. These pilots work under such pressures to get people in and out under sometimes very adverse conditions, and i'd rather they be just a little conservative with my life, as well as those of my clients. Hearing stories of 'other' pilots ducking into and out of holes does not inspire me to any great degree. Besides, getting 'stuck' here on the Kahiltna Glacier, one of the most beautiful places in the world, with Mt Hunter towering over us just 10 minutes away, and Foraker just across the way, 10,000' above us, seems to me OK. Since composing the above we've spent a restful day in the tent. Some 'quality tent time.' A thing we've not had in abundance on this trip. And tonight we've joined with the half of Tyler Jones' group that got flown in for a fun and entertaining dinner in the Posh tent. Would I rather be in Talkeetna right now? Perhaps. But times like this evening remind why I love my job. Getting to know new folks, laughing at ourselves, and sharing with others. I guess I'm OK with being 'stuck on the mountain.' RMI Guides Brent and Maile

Good evening all,

Today we made our attempt at the summit of Lobuche Peak. While we didn't stand on the summit we did get to 18,300'. The conditions were rather wintery with cold temps, lots of snow, and a bitter wind. The snow sure did make for pretty pictures but it also made for some tough climbing. We gave it all that we had but ultimately decided the conditions were not in our favor and it was best for us to turn around. It has been an amazing trip but the team is looking forward to warmth, hot showers, and lattes. We made good distance this afternoon getting all the way to Pangboche. Tomorrow we set our eyes on Namche where we can fill our bellies and find our souvenirs and gifts for loved ones. It's been a long day starting at 3 am so it's early to bed for us.

Good night all,

RMI Guides Hannah, Abby, and Team

Hello from Guanacos 3 camp,

Today we made the move further up the mountain. The winds rattled the tents through the night. By the morning, they eased up. After sorting some logistics, we made our way up the mountain getting closer to our final goal, the tippy top.

The team did a fantastic job, making good time to the camp.

I knew it was going to be a good day because as I went to the bathroom, I saw a fox. Foxes have been a good omen for me on big mountains like Denali. I'm sure it will be one here too. This is my fourth trip seeing a fox on this mountain. Any who, we are keeping an eye on the winds as we get in position for our move to high camp and summit bid. We are looking at going for the top on Monday. Tomorrow, we are going to carry some gear to high camp and acclimatize.

To those reading, please ask mother nature to cool her jets with the wind and allow us a calm next few days. For now, we shall be lulled to sleep by the sound of tents flapping in the wind.

 

Thanks for reading,

Hannah, Ben, Dan, and Team

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - 12:28 pm PT

Yesterday our team woke up to a beautiful day and finally got our chance to move to 14,000' Camp. Sunshine and low winds prevailed all into the evening as we set up camp. Today we plan on back carrying to pick up our cashe near Windy Corner.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

June 20, 2014 - 8:56 pm PT Hi there, it's Tyler and team. We are standing on the summit of North America currently with our team. A little bit in the evening around 8 o'clock [Alaska time]. We are out of the wind on our side and it's sunny, beautiful, and everything is going well. We'll give you a shout and a little dispatch when we get back to safe and sound to our high camp. Hope everyone's well. We're doing great. Thanks for all of the support. Take care you guys. Talk to you soon. RMI Guide Tyler Jones

On The Map

The Expedition Skills Seminar – Muir led by Casey Grom and Adam Knoff made the prudent decision to remain at Camp Muir last night. A foot of new snow fell at Camp Muir overnight in addition to 10 inches yesterday. Casey also reports the temperature is hovering around 10 degrees which is keeping everyone busy staying warm. The Seminar is planning to head up to the Ingraham Flats this morning. The team wraps up their training and time at Muir tomorrow.

Yesterday was spent at K2 Aviation's hangar, putting the finishing touches on our packing and preparing. The weather is beautiful herein Talkeetna, and we fully expect to be able to fly into the Alaska Range today. Hopefully the next time we touch base will be from the Kahiltna Glacier. Cheers, RMI Guide Mike Walter

On The Map