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Friday, June 13, 2025, 10;01pm PDT 

We’ve made it to Camp 17 and are settling in for the night. Despite my usual reservations about this camp, tonight has offered a surprisingly calm and beautiful evening—one of those rare moments that makes you pause and appreciate where you are. Spirits are high, and the team is feeling strong. We’re planning to push for the summit in the morning. Conditions look promising, and we’re ready for what lies ahead.

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier & Team

Hello again from Nepal -

Today was another beautiful day here in the Himalayas albeit just a little windy.

The team had breakfast and lots of coffee and hit the trail just around 8am. It was enjoyable hiking in the warm of the sun except for when the wind would howl a bit.

It was a relatively short day as we bumped up to just over 16’000ft. It took the team about 4.5 hrs to make it to Loboche, named after the mountain that looms above us. Along the way we pass over Thukla pass where there is a memorial to those lost on Everest over the years. It’s a pretty somber place with over 50 chortens built in memory to the climbers.

Once at our new tea house we had lunch, napped, and then walked over to view the Khumbu Glacier, wehere we could just barely make out Everest Base Camp far off in the distance.

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the BC Crew!

The Five Day Climb led by RMI Guides Seth Burns and Alan Davis reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Thanks to the recent route work by many of our RMI Guides the team had a great route and were on the top in five and a half hours. The team enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and clear skies. The team is back at Camp Muir where they will spend one more night and descend Sunday Morning. 

Congratulations Team! 

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the start of our Denali Expedition!

The team arrived in Alaska yesterday. After loading 24 duffels into the van, equaling far too many pounds to mention, we made our way to the launching point of our trip: Talkeetna. Talkeetna means where the rivers meet and it is also where many different groups of people meet. It is a dead end down bustling with energy and great food. Tourist from cruises, climbers sunburned and ravenous, fresh climbers with wide eyes and eager all gather at the various restaurants to enjoy a drink and soak in the scenery. 

Today was our prep day to get ready to fly tomorrow. After a scrumptious breakfast and several cups of coffee we headed to the hanger and exploded our gear. Before committing to the glacier we need to make sure everyone has the appropriate gear. The team passed with fly colors. Once all our gear was back in our duffle and backpack we divided the team into two for the planes. First we weighed each climber followed by their backpack and their duffle. We are carrying a lot of weight but looking at this team I think they are going to handle it just fine. With everything weighed and sorted we are set to jet in the morning. As long as the weather holds and clouds stay away, tonight will be our last night in a bed, last time flushing a toilet, and last time with cell service. Here's to disconnecting and enjoying the wilderness of Denali for the next few weeks. 

Climb on,

RMI Guide Hannah Smith and Team 

Hola from Puebla, Mexico. I am writing this from the comforts of Hotel Colonial which sits near the center of one of Mexico's most beautiful city. It will still be a few hours or so before we go sight seeing because the team is a bit tired after our long but successful summit of North America's seventh highest mountain. At camp while in our tents waiting for the alarm to rattle us out of our fitful sleeps, the wind was doing that work already. It was one of the most amazing shut offs I have ever seen. At 11:30 the wind was blowing 20 mph and by midnight the skies were clear and the night was as calm as our bedrooms. Taking full advantage of this great gift we rallied out of camp at 3:30 and pushed strongly upward to where the steep rock section of the route meets the long, winding ridge towards the summit. The beautiful lights of Mexico City shown down to our left and the same amazing view of Puebla shown down to our right. As the sun came up, we could see Orizaba poking through the haze to the south. All around it was a glorious morning. When the entire team arrived at the summit, we were all relieved to have the uphill finished. Two and a half hours later we were at camp packing up and getting ready for the long walk back to the van where beers and snacks were waiting. We were lucky to have two porters there to help carry down tents and stoves, lightening our loads. Three hours later we were celebrating with margaritas and world-class Mexican dishes. A great day all around. RMI Guide Adam Knoff

Happy New Year!    If you are reading this post, there’s a good chance that you are preparing for a mountain climb, or at least considering one! At this time of year many people charge into fitness like a horse bolting from the starting gates. It’s tempting to start the New Year with resolutions to improve fitness, eat better, change habits, and many other goals.    However, it is important to remember that the secret to athletic success is consistent and moderate effort. You may feel behind, your belt might be a little tight after the holidays and there are big goals nearing on the horizon. However, try and avoid the temptation to go crazy with fitness right now. By climbing a mountain, no matter the size, you’ve already chosen a highly motivating goal. Enjoy the training process and make it fun, positive, and healthy. Most of all, make it balanced; not too hard and not too easy; not too much and not too little. Each week, keep nudging your fitness forwards and you’ll make massive gains over the next months.    In my opinion, you don’t need a resolution. You have a very real and tangible goal that will motivate you forwards long after many New Year’s Resolutions are forgotten. Congratulations on choosing that goal!   If you are new to this blog, please take a look over the basics covered in the past few months, especially on planning your training and basic, key workouts like the Daily Dozen. I hope you’ve set aside time for some hiking and training this week to focus on your climb ahead. Enjoy the start to the New Year!   We look forward to introducing ‘Fit To Climb The Sixteen Week Training Program for Mount Rainier’ over the next few weeks, starting in February and we will map out a weekly training plan each Monday as part of the Fit to Climb Program.  - John Colver John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle, and is working on his second book, Fit to Climb - a 16 week Mount Rainier Fitness Program. Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts with John and other readers on the RMI Blog!

Today our team is resting at Aconcagua Basecamp. Tomorrow we will occupy Camp One. The weather has been very windy but everyone is in good spirits. RMI Guide JJ Justman

On The Map

The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Adam Knoff and Alex Halliday reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today on the newly established Disappointment Cleaver Route. Guide Adam Knoff reported clear and windy skies. Tempratures were cool in the morining, but starting to warm up, so the team will have a pleasant descent back to Camp Muir.

Congratulations to Today's Team!

Jambo (Hello) from Africa, The team arrived late last night after some very long flights (18hrs). We wasted no time getting back to the hotel and called it a night after a quick dinner. This morning we had our team meeting and discussed the upcoming climb and gear needed. We then took a break and enjoyed a little sunshine by the pool. Its basically summer here and most of us are on vacation after all. After lunch we took a short ride into Arusha and did a little sightseeing. Arusha is busy city of 300'000+ with a very rural and simple feeling. The team has just finished a wonderful 5 course meal provided by the Dik Dik Hotel and are headed off to bed. We'll be getting up early and headed for the trailhead tomorrow so that all for tonight. RMI Guide Casey Grom & Team

After much discussion and hearing a favorable weather forecast for the next few days, we decided that an extra day at 11,000' was the best way for the group to rest and acclimate so we are strong for our move to 14,000'. We are looking to move tomorrow and are expecting good weather for pulling into camp. As for today, we lazed around all morning in the posh, but had to move outside as the day progressed. It was way too hot to hang out in tents or the posh, a rare treat for a May Denali trip. I think today was just what the doctor ordered for us to move up in style tomorrow. Everyone is feeling strong, well-rested, and ready to camp in beautiful Genet Basin tomorrow night. We'll hopefully be checking in from 14,000' tomorrow. Hope all is well at home, RMI Guide Maile Wade and crew

On The Map