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Yesterday we got back to Base Camp from a climb up the Khumbu Ice fall to Camps 1 and 2. The Khumbu was everything it was made out to be. We had previously completed a series of climbs into the ice fall that had provided us with valuable experience. But tackling the ice fall in its entirety was a new ballgame. We awoke at 4 am to eat breakfast and to prepare so that we could have a prompt 5 am start. We start this early for a variety of reasons, one of which is to have cold temperatures and a frozen solid ice fall. One of the biggest risks in the ice fall is an avalanche. An avalanche in the ice fall would not consist of soft snow, but solid ice (as hard and as brittle as stone). And since the ice fall is a constantly moving, dynamic glacier that is tumbling (in slow motion) down a 2500 foot cliff, this risk is ever present. So, the objective is to climb a solid ice "waterfall" - all of which starts at an altitude of 17500 feet. The actual climbing is a non stop series of challenges - straight up 30 foot cliffs of ice (assisted by vertical ladders), 20 foot vertical descents in which you repel down "batman" style, 30 to 40 foot horizontal crevasses (which are up to hundreds of feet deep) in which you have to negotiate five eight-foot ladders roped together, etc.. If it wasn't so dangerous and you weren't scared out of your mind, it would actually be fun. The idea is to safely and quickly move through the ice fall in a business like manner, always clipping into safety ropes, and to move quickly. There are only two places that are safe enough for a rest stop. Every so often I would steal a glance at the massive glaciers overhanging us and then just keep moving. Camp 1 sits at the top of the ice fall and at the end of the Western Cwm (at approx. 20,000 feet). We spent three nights at Camp I, and we were treated harshly at times by high winds, which I estimated (using the "guess method") of up to 70 mph. The winds were strong enough to break a tent pole in our tent (masterly repaired by Dave and Linden the next day). The winds slashed at the sides of the tent, creating a massive roar, which kept me up most of the night. There were times that night that I wondered what I was doing in Nepal at 20,000 feet in a tent in a wind storm. I am quite sure that Hawaii would have been a more pleasant place to be! The hike up to Camp 2 is quite beautiful and gentle (in comparison to the hike up to Camp 1). It is literally a hike up the middle of glacier. The most similar climb that I can compare it to is the climb on Denali up to Camp 2 (at 11,000 feet). The climb is a gently ascending 3 to 4 hour climb through a beautiful valley surrounded by some of the tallest mountains in the world - almost vertical walls on all sides and at the end of the valley the Lhotse face and Mt. Everest - what a spectacular day! To me this is what climbing is all about - the beauty was endless. Then, a trip back down from Camp 1 to Basecamp yesterday morning. As we approached base camp we saw a HUGE banner hung across the entrance to our camp that said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL MCGAHAN - a day late!" Then, last night we had a birthday dinner that insisted of T-Bone steaks, chicken, French fries, cole slaw, all followed by a birthday cake (and included candles and a "B-" singing effort - ha!). The celebration was very appreciated and will be remembered forever. So, for now our mission is to rest for three days. We will be heading back up to Camp 2 and hopefully Camp 3 by the end of the month, and the idea is to continue to acclimatize and to get stronger for each of the next series climbs as we go higher and higher. Thank you all for following our blog and for your kind postings. A great portion of this challenge is mental - we are all going to have days that we physically feel bad, or are homesick, or just want to know what is going on in the NBA playoffs - and getting kind words of encouragement means a tremendous amount to keep us going. So, thanks again

Tuesday, June 7, 2022 - 11:39 pm PT

Today we had our second birthday of the trip, mine! We celebrated by loading up the heavy packs and making the move to 17,000' Camp. We headed out this morning with clear skies, but low clouds slowly overtook 14,000' Camp and the fixed lines. We remained in and out of the clouds for the entire climb of the West Buttress, with occasional bouts of sunshine and snow. Overall, a beautiful, tough day on the Buttress. Right before dinner time we rolled into 17,000' Camp, where we set up camp and started making water and hots for a late dinner. The next few days of weather look favorable, so I think we'll squeeze the summit in within the next two days. Check back in tomorrow either post summit, or post rest day!

RMI Guide Nikki Champion

RMI Guide James Bealer and team have made it to the summit of Mt. Baker this afternoon. After the team's walk into camp yesterday, they enjoyed a late afternoon training session where they covered self-arrest, cramponing, and rope travel before heading to bed in preparation for their climb today. The team will return to camp tonight and walk back to the trailhead tomorrow.

Congrats climbers!

The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Robby Young and Joe Hoch were turned around at Ingraham Flats due to high winds and blowing snow.  The team returned to Camp Muir and enjoyed a brief break in the weather. The team left Camp Muir around 9:30 am en route to Paradise.  We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.

The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Nikki Champion and Alan Davis walked to Ingraham Flats and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise. The weather on the mountain is warm and calm. Due to hazardous route conditions the team was unable to climb higher on the route. The team has started their descent and will be back at Paradise in the early afternoon. 

Congratulations Team! 

What a day! After breakfast the rain let up for a bit and we boarded the teleferico for a ride up to 13,200 feet. Nice way to travel. We caught a quick glance at Cotopaxi before the clouds rolled in and enjoyed perfect walking temperatures up to the ridge of the extinct volcano Rucu Pichincha. With a weather window to work with, we roped up and climbed to the summit, everyone standing tall at 15,700 feet above the sea. The team did great and we even managed to get down to the trail before the rain came in. The rain stayed with us until we got back to town, but everyone's spirits remained high and now we are relaxing before dinner. Tomorrow we leave Quito and head for even higher ground. Wish us luck! RMI Guide Jake Beren

On The Map

As climbers we need to travel safely through complex and hazardous terrain to reach the day’s objective and ultimately return to the car so that we can share our mountain experiences. As Guides we have 3 specific expectations of the people we rope up with:

1. Keep the pace of the guide
2. Climb in balance
3. Take care of yourself at breaks

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Climbing in balance will help you manage the other two expectations. By climbing in balance you will move through the mountains more efficiently and be less fatigued so that you can re-fuel and manage your layering at the breaks. Balance can be developed and improved through a variety of training regimens, and incorporating agility training is a great way to improve your balance while climbing.

Wikipedia defines agility as

• the ability to change the body's position efficiently and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength, and endurance. Agility is the ability to change the direction of the body in an efficient and effective manner and to achieve this requires a combination of:
•  
• • balance – the ability to maintain equilibrium when stationary or moving (i.e. not to fall over) through the coordinated actions of our sensory functions
• • static balance – the ability to retain the center of mass above the base of support in a stationary position;
• • dynamic balance – the ability to maintain balance with body movement; speed - the ability to move all or part of the body quickly; strength - the ability of a muscle or muscle group to overcome a resistance; and lastly,
• • co-ordination – the ability to control the movement of the body in co-operation with the body's sensory functions.

 

Mt. Rainier’s Disappointment Cleaver route tests a climber’s agility while climbing the rock ridge that divides the Ingraham and Emmons glaciers, aptly called the Disappointment Cleaver. In the spring months the route up the Cleaver is comprised of steep snow and by mid-summer is entirely rock. Regardless of the conditions, this section of the climb is more physically taxing for climbers who haven’t developed solid agility skills, as the Cleaver involves large steps, difficult footwork on loose snow or scree and 1,200 feet of elevation gain, so the ability to climb it in balance and as efficiently as possible is a must.

How to train agility:

Get off the pavement! Much of your balance and agility is achieved by small stabilizer muscles in your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and core. Running over roots, rocks, and uneven terrain will help you develop your agility by causing these muscles to fire more often and in different combinations as they adapt to the terrain changes of each step. Cross-country and alpine skiing, hiking, and yoga can all help to build these same stabilizer muscles and can be a tool if running isn’t possible for you. Off-road activities also help train you to look ahead to anticipate the irregularities of the trail. This will aid you when you climb so that you focus on what is ahead of you and don't get stuck on what is directly at your feet.

An agility ladder is a great tool for home workouts and will help your dynamic balance and coordination.  If you do not want to purchase a ladder, draw one with sidewalk chalk on your driveway. There are a multitude of potential exercises you can use with a ladder, to build quick footwork, reflexes, and agility. Start with these and build your repertoire as you see fit! 

Remember, if you're not having some fun while training then you will likely find an excuse to just go through the motions or not train. Get after it and I look forward to seeing you out in the hills!

Useful agility ladder drills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxjC-0yuSHM

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Mike King is a senior guide with RMI Expeditions and a Wilderness Medicine Instructor for WMI of NOLS. Mike guides around the world for RMI. Some of his favorites are upcoming trips to Machu Picchu, Aconcagua, and Mexico's Volcanoes. 



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July 17, 2022 Ishinca Valley to Haraz

With a cold frosty morning and a hot cup of coffee we spent our last morning tearing down our Ishinca basecamp to head back to a night of civilization. Much to our chagrin, our bus broke down due to a leak in the air brakes. Thus, we were stranded for multiple hours on windy rough mountain roads. At least the sun was out and a rescue bus on the way. After another duffle shuffle we made it back to the hospitable Andino hotel in Huaraz with just enough daylight to dry out our tents and sleeping bags on our hotel decks. A well-deserved meal with hot showers were in order as our turnaround to head to our next objective is hours away.

July 18, 2022 Huaraz to Copa Base Camp

Another duffle shuffle and we were on our way to the Copa trail head just an hour north of Huaraz. The trail was in great condition, and we were in forests of eucalyptus until we reached about 13,000’ winding up and up until we reached our basecamp for Copa at 15,200’ over laguna Lejlacocha. The mountain was in the clouds for most of the day, but we were able to enjoy occasional glimpses of the glacier in between rain showers even a nice sunset. After a 4600’ gain in elevation, we were ready to eat a quick dinner and crawl into our warm sleeping bags to rest before our move to high camp tomorrow morning. 

July 19, 2022 Attempt to Move

We were thwarted on our attempt to move from basecamp to our high camp at 17,200’ due to extremely high winds and cloud cap over the upper mountain this morning. Fortunately, we were able to rest in the sun at basecamp despite nearly losing our cook tent from the high winds ripping through camp. The winds finally subsided in the late afternoon and the Viscachas came out to play as well as the Andean geese. With the mountain looming in its majesty above our little basecamp, we came to a group consensus that we might as well try to go climbing tonight. As long as the weather stays calm, route conditions allow, and our bodies hold up, we’ll give it an honest go…

July 20, 2022 Copa Summit Push

It felt like a summer climb in the cascades, walking out of camp with only a few hours of sleep and anticipation, but we left our camp at 10pm after a cup of coffee to give it a go. 2 hours out of basecamp, past a glacial lake and through boulder fields of old, we wandered up to the bottom of an ice chute. Our entrance to the glacier. We quickly transitioned into boots and crampons and climbed the three pitches of rock and waterfall ice onto the steep snow slope that brought us to what would have been our high camp at 17,200.’ We paused here to add our hard-shells to arm ourselves against the windy night as we gulped down some gummies and chocolate covered espresso beans. As the night progressed so did the wind, sustained at 15-20mph with gusts of 30+ at our faces. Looking up between the occasional sandblasts from the sugary snow, the Milky Way and all its splendor still shone brightly, so we continued. We meandered through the steep snow slopes, crevasses, and seracs of the Copa glacier until finally the last pitch onto the summit plateau. 6,188m (20,301ft) and we arrived in a single push from basecamp. Something none of us thought we would pull off. 14,000’ to over 20,000’ and back in a day seemed out of reach, fortunately the weather was clear and just good enough that pacha mama (Goddess of the Andes) allowed us safe passage into this beautiful and sacred space. With tired bodies and full hearts, we celebrated one last mountain meal back in basecamp and slept hard to prepare for the walk back to civilization the next morning. Thankful for a safe and successful trip to this special Andean paradise. 

The Four Day Climb August 19 - 22 led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Dustin Wittmier reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning.  As of 7 am the teams were enjoying time in the summit crater.  There are currently a few broken clouds but otherwise a clear and sunny day.  Teams will be returning back to Camp Muir and then descending the remaining 4.5 miles to Paradise.  There program will conclude with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

We hit the dusty ol' trail today! A gentle breeze at our backs encouraged us towards Aconcagua. The hike to Camp Confluencia was filled with good conversation and lots of laughter. With every step, life is getting simpler and simpler. We are all in such awe of this place. 

Till next time,

RMI Guide Luke Wilhelm