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Mt. Rainier: Windy Summit for the Four Day Climb

August 1, 2019

Posted by: Christina Dale, Jess Matthews

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

RMI Guides Christina Dale and Jess Matthews and led the Four Day Climb to the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. Jess reported steady 25 - 30 mph winds from the summit. The teams are making their descent to Camp Muir where they will rest, refuel, and repack before continuing their descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp in Ashford this afternoon. Nice work teams!

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Congratulations to all!! We are looking forward to seeing you at Paradise!

Posted by: Delene gillespie on 8/1/2019 at 8:39 am

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Mt. Everest Expedition: Team Descends to Pheriche

April 30, 2015

Posted by: Dave Hahn, JJ Justman

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 13,950'

Our last night at Mt. Everest Base Camp was made more pleasant by a visit from Meagan and Rachel, the two doctors from the Himalayan Rescue Association. We'd lured them to our dining tent with high praise for Kumar's farewell pizza dinner. The two were homeless, as the HRA clinic tent was wiped out by the Avalanche air blast. We are in absolute awe of the performance of these two in managing the medical response to the Base Camp tragedy. They were hurt themselves in the blast and lost virtually all of their personal property, but went on to care for at least 80 patients over the following day -many with critical injuries. We all enjoyed the pizza, but felt terrible that the two docs were still prone to violent coughing from having taken in the super cooled, ice laden air of the powder cloud that accompanied the air blast. Kumar kept his final night tradition by baking cakes (with and without gluten) for the team. Alas, these didn't say "congratulations Everest summiteers" but nobody complained. This morning, we enjoyed a little sunshine for a change, which made it a little easier to put final touches on our packing. We were on the trail by 10 AM. A very different trail than we'd become accustomed to... No Trekkers, no porters, no traffic. Of course, the reason for the empty trails is sobering, but the effect is wonderful. Nobody has put the dire national situation out of their minds, but the value of a day spent walking peaceful trails through beautiful mountains can't be overestimated. We stopped in both Gorak Shep and Lobuche without seeing too much damage from the quake, but things in Pheriche are obviously worse. Many of what had seemed to be the more substantial structures in town are badly damaged. None-the-less, we've found comfortable and safe lodging. Best Regards RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Thank you to your team- not only for feeding us, but also for your endless kindness, support & use of resources during and after the avalanche. I’m glad that the team made it home safely. I hope that our paths cross again at some point- you are all always welcome in sunny Australia! .

Posted by: Meg on 5/20/2015 at 3:00 pm

Amazing 2 doctors. The whole thing is so devastating. Thank you for keeping us informed Dave.

Posted by: Jacqueline Bayless on 5/1/2015 at 1:08 am

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Carstensz Pyramid: Creating the Sugapa Route Visitor Protocols

April 1, 2013

Posted by: Alex Van Steen

Categories: Guide News Carstensz Pyramid Responsible Climbing

In February 2013, I spent several weeks in West Papua with the express intention of connecting with villagers who live along the trek followed by our Carstensz Pyramid climbing programs. I traveled with two translators - one a long-time friend who grew up in West Papua and the other a member of the Moni tribe, a man who truly has a good heart for his people. I visited about ten villages and had numerous trailside chats. I spent many hours chatting (as well as eating, and playing soccer & table tennis!) and had opportunities to share our vision with various folks: government officials, village elders, tribal chiefs, pastors and school teachers. The constant thread throughout the conversations involved villagers expressing frustration with tourists who came to “take photographs” and “take summits” but who did not (as it was described to me) “give relationship.” It is understandable that folks were upset when they weren’t paid as promised by unscrupulous outfitters or when they felt unsafe being asked to porter into the high country (the tribal peoples have not traditionally traveled above the jungles, see story below), but it truly resonated with me that when they felt most disrespected was when they were treated as if they were nothing more than pack animals. Quite frankly, they explained, why should they leave their tribal community and upset their daily lives only to be mistreated or underpaid?

The Moni name for Carstensz is Mbai Ngela. It means "Forbidden Egg." The story is that in years gone by when the mountain was snow covered, it resembled an egg, and the fore-fathers forbade their people from going there because it was the hunting grounds of evil spirits and those spirits always killed those who ventured there. Even today, villagers have a very difficult time understanding the science of hypothermia and often will point to and tell of places along the way where the spirits have killed a poor wayfarer!

I knew that in order to eat this elephant, I would need to take it one bite at a time, so I started with small bites of “giving relationship.” I found that when I played soccer (which I am convinced is the lingua franca of relationship) with the local men and boys on village airstrips, that we had laughs to share (mostly at me tripping on the uneven surface!); when I offered to show folks photos of my family, they showed me their village (!); and for all my “otherness” (some folks, I was told, had never seen white-skinned people), I was never denied the hospitality of a meal or a hut as respite from the rain. Another small bite was the creation of the protocols (below) to be posted in a church along our route. The pastor in this village of twenty people, a good man named Atan, had initially wanted to run me off. I agreed to keep walking, but in deepening the conversation as to why, I learned that an earlier group of tourists had – in his word – “desecrated” the church by leaving garbage there. I whole-heartedly agreed that such practices were unacceptable, and offered to create protocols to instruct tourists how to behave. Through my translators I was able to build a simple list of what it would take for his village to feel respected. They fully wanted tourists to stop for the night but they also needed tourists to respect that privilege. As I look forward to my next trip, I hope to take a few more bites of the elephant! THE SUGAPA ROUTE VISITOR PROTOCOLS This church serves an important role in the community. Guests are welcomed to find refuge here and are asked respect the following requests. This will help ensure use of the building for future travelers. • Please stay off of the raised area which surrounds the altar. This area is for local religious personnel only and it is considered offensive if others trespass there. • Please keep hot water, stoves & cookware out of the building. This helps keep the area clean. • Please hang a trash bag just outside the building to collect your garbage. Villagers will burn your trash for you. • Because of the importance of Sunday worship, travelers should not expect access to the building on Saturday evenings or Sundays. • Please do not use the church grounds or property for toilet needs. Ask the Pastor of the church where it is appropriate to wash and use the bathroom. • Please offer a donation for your use of the church. This is an appropriate and considerate way of expressing thanks. Download a multi-lingual copy of the Sugapa Route Visitor Protocols here.

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Hi Alex, Glad to see you are still at it and your spine is still in good enough
shape to climb the big ones! Not sure if you remember me, but I was your
chiropractor in Federal Way, and we ran into each other on Rainier in ‘95.
Hope all is well with you and yours. Drop me an e-mail if you have a chance.

Chris

P.S. gourds on the unit are the custom in Papau!

Posted by: Chris Mallory on 7/28/2013 at 7:59 pm

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Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Teams Reach the Summit!

June 23, 2022

Posted by: JT Schmitt, Alex Halliday, Augi Fleer, Bo Torrey, Trevor Katz, Tyler Meyers

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

RMI Guides JT Schmitt and Alex Halliday led their Four Day Climb June 20 - 23 teams to the summit of Mt. Rainier today. JT reported good conditions on the ascent with occasional wind gusts. The teams reached the summit around 8 am. As of noon, all climbers had returned to Camp Muir from the summit. The teams will pack up and continue their descent to Paradise and return to Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

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Awesome news! What route was taken? DC or Ingraham Direct?

Posted by: Nick Arbogast on 6/23/2022 at 12:28 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Nugent & Team Summit!

May 30, 2013

Posted by: Billy Nugent, Kel Rossiter

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 20,320'

Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 10:41 a.m. PT Hi, this is Billy checking in. We are back in camp safe and sound from our successful summit bid. We got 100% of our team to the summit of Mount McKinley today, aka Denali. We are back in camp. Everyone's hanging out, rehydrating, eating some delicious freeze-dried meals, and hopefully going to get a great night's sleep before we gear up to head down and head home. And that's all for now. We'll check in again as our descent continues. RMI Guide Billy Nugent

Billy Nugent calls in from High Camp after successful summit.

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Finally, boss!! Would you go ahead and come home now?!? - there’s work to be done… Oh yeah, and congrats!

-Dr. Harms’ snarky resident with abandonment issues

Posted by: Emily on 5/31/2013 at 7:52 pm

Congratulations, Craig and team! Absolutely fantastic!
Aloha
Ted

Posted by: Ted on 5/31/2013 at 8:11 am

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Mt. Rainier: The Climb for Clean Air Climbers 100% on Top!

June 26, 2021

Posted by: Win Whittaker, Avery Parrinello, Matias Francis, Jackson Breen, Erika Birkeland, Axel Ryd

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The American Lung Association (ALA) Climb for Clean Air Teams were on the Mt. Rainier summit early this morning….100% success! RMI Guide Win Whittaker called from 13,500’ on the descent back to Camp Muir.

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THANKS, RMI! What an incredible team of guides (special shout to Erika!). Already pondering the next move…:)

Posted by: John on 6/28/2021 at 2:19 pm

Way to go climbers! And such a gorgeous day!

Posted by: Stephanie on 6/26/2021 at 12:14 pm

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Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Teams On Summit with Light Breeze & Clear Skies

July 11, 2021

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Joe Hoch, Axel Ryd, Daniel May, Leif Bergstrom, Seth Burns

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

RMI Four Day Climb teams reached the summit of Mt. Rainier around 6 am PT today. The climb took slightly longer than it has been due to many climbers on the route this morning. RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer & Joe Hoch reported great conditions with clear skies, light breeze and nice cool temperatures. The teams were able to spend about an hour on the summit enjoying the views and taking photos. They began their descent from the crater rim shortly after 7 am. Once back at Camp Muir the teams will take a short break and repack their gear for the final 4.5 mile hike down to Paradise.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

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Joe, Dan and Seth - You three were amazing guides, very compassionate and set achievable expectations. You stuck to your words and engaged with everyone and made this a memorable and successful climb. I had Fun and you made feel like i was Doing a regular training hike up Mt Si or Mailbox Peak beyond DC.
Thanks again!
AsvinMandadi

Posted by: Asvin Mandadi on 8/1/2021 at 10:56 am

Nice work!!

Posted by: Andre on 7/12/2021 at 7:23 pm

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Mt. Rainier: Fourth of July Summit for Five Day Climbs!

July 4, 2022

Posted by: Brent Okita, Matias Francis

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Five Day Climb led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Matias Francis reached the summit of Mt. Rainier earlier this morning! The team reported a nice day for this 4th of July holiday. The team on their descent and we expect them back in Ashford this afternoon.

Congratulations climbers!

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Congratulations Sarah, Nicole, and Jake on reaching the summit. This is a great accomplishment. We are proud of you! Be safe! Felly, Sam, and Kevin.

Posted by: Sam on 7/5/2022 at 6:33 pm

Congrats David & Stephanie! Epic! You two are beasts. Thankfully no 90mph winds this time. Denali is next. Love ya and happy for your success. Mom & Dad

Posted by: Richard on 7/5/2022 at 5:19 pm

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Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Enjoys Meteor Shower and Beautiful Views

August 12, 2021

Posted by: Andy Bond, Matias Francis, David Price, Augi Fleer, David Shuer, Nathan Delmar

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Climb team August 9 - 12 led by RMI Guides Andy Bond and Matias Francis reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team enjoyed a spectacular meteor shower as they left Camp Muir on their alpine start and climbed toward the summit. Andy reported a beautiful day with calm winds and warm temperatures once the sun came up. The team was starting their descent from the crater rim just after 6:30 am PT. Once back at Camp Muir they will refuel and repack for the remaining 4.5 miles back down to Paradise.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

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Wow! What an incredible experience. Definitely a special day on the mountain.

Posted by: Amanda P on 8/13/2021 at 11:28 am

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Vinson: Ed Viesturs and team waiting at Union Glacier

January 14, 2011

Posted by: Ed Viesturs

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif

Elevation: 2,600'

After the climb David, Cindy, Ben and I said goodbye to our climbing teammates and boarded the Twin Otter at Vinson Basecamp. We flew to Union Glacier, the hub of ALE's antarctic expeditions, we had only spent a few hours here on our way into Vinson Basecamp due to the great flying weather. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case on our return. The weather is good for flying but a strike in Punta Arenas, Chile, our next destination, is preventing the Ilyushin jet from making it's way to pick us up. We aren't alone.. several teams are sitting in Punta Arenas waiting to start their Antarctic adventures and just as many teams are here waiting to return. Hopefully we will be in the air soon. RMI Guide Ed Viesturs

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Most Popular Entries

Mt. Rainier: Windy Summit for the Four Day Climb

Mt. Everest Expedition: Team Descends to Pheriche

On The Map

Carstensz Pyramid: Creating the Sugapa Route Visitor Protocols

Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Teams Reach the Summit!

Mt. McKinley: Nugent & Team Summit!

On The Map

Mt. Rainier: The Climb for Clean Air Climbers 100% on Top!

Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Teams On Summit with Light Breeze & Clear Skies

Mt. Rainier: Fourth of July Summit for Five Day Climbs!

Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Enjoys Meteor Shower and Beautiful Views

Vinson: Ed Viesturs and team waiting at Union Glacier

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