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On The Map
Posted by: JJ Justman, Geoff Schellens
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
What a great adventure for all of us as well, who’ve been following you on the blog. So grateful everyone was able to summit and make it back to base camp safely. A huge group hug! Love you bunches Mike, Mom and Dad
Posted by: Maralee McHugh on 1/18/2013 at 1:14 pm
Posted by: JJ Justman, Geoff Schellens
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 18,000'
On The Map
Hey Mike McHugh, what a beautiful and rare experience you are having. I look forward to talking with you about this climb when you return. Love, Uncle Mel
Posted by: Mel Schroeder on 1/16/2013 at 3:43 am
WOW
WOW Greg B you’re just about there. Have a good climb. Sure enjoy the daily comments and great pix. Makes a person almost wish we were there too. Wishing everyone success. Be safe. mom and dad
Posted by: Dawn on 1/15/2013 at 6:33 pm
Posted by: Adam Knoff, Geoff Schellens
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Brian way to go I am so proud of you way to go cannot wait to see the pictures
Posted by: Wanda Manderson on 8/30/2012 at 7:11 pm
Way to go, Brian! Can’t wait to see the pix and hear all about it!!
Posted by: Aunt Denise on 8/30/2012 at 4:11 pm
Well, we have gone off the map. Or at least out of cell phone range, and the internet is not working up here at 14,250 ft in Lungdhen, so we are coming to you via satellite. The team was -once again- surprised to wake in Thame surrounded by beautiful mountains. The normal pattern, clouds in afternoon and an evening with crystal clear mornings will produce that kind of morning surprise. Today the peaks were extra stunning at first light.
We set off at about 8:20 up the broad valley, pointed north toward the Tibetan border. We had left the trees behind, so today there were just low shrubs and grasses, and a big roaring tumbling river (as usual). Without coming to any single big hill, we gained altitude steadily through our 6.5 miles. We sat for tea a while in Maralung before taking on the final push up to the Kwangde View Lodge in Lungdhen. We did one of our typical eat and rest afternoons as the clouds came around outside. It is a little cooler up here, and we aren't so far from the snow now.
We will explore a little tomorrow and stay a second night. That should offer our best chance at proper acclimatization before we try to get over the 17,600 ft Renjo La.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
New Post Alerts:
Gokyo Trek September 28, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 - 8:15 am PT
So the plan was to walk out in the early morning with the glacier surface frozen up nice and firm. Good plan. But it didn’t freeze. We had a wet snowstorm from 11 PM until 6 AM at our final camp… mostly it just preserved the slush. And then we were socked in with cloud until midday. But when the clouds lifted, we broke records taking down camp and stretching out the rope teams. We were moving at 1PM and then stopped at 1:01 PM figuring out the first crevasse crossing. There were a few thousand more to figure out. Our final day took about six hours and included a couple dozen snowshoed feet and legs going into crevasses, but thankfully no bodies. And magically, as we pulled up the final hill, the weather cleared and two beautiful K2 Otters glided in to the snow strip. We loaded planes and were off deck by 8 PM. There wasn’t much time for gear sorting back in Talkeetna. But there turned out to be time for Mountain High Pizza Pie and the Fairview Inn. The team still has a couple of high altitude hacks, some tired legs and some sunburned faces, but those faces were smiling last night as we settled into the Swiss Alaska Inn.
No summit… it is true. But we tried.
Best Regards
RMI Guides Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
PC: Dave Hahn
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition June 11, 2024
Tony - Wow. Incredible on so many levels. What an experience. Life is what you make of it … and clearly you are making the most of it!
Posted by: Marc on 7/7/2024 at 8:27 am
Congratulations to the guides and climbers on a job well done! Whether in climbing or so many other things, some day’s a diamond, some day’s a stone. Hugs to all. Saying hi to Karen. Hope to see you soon at Green Lake Fitness. We’ll keep the light on for you. Dean
Posted by: Dean Wingfield on 7/2/2024 at 2:45 pm
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
June 24, 2023 10:19pm PT
Good morning from 14k camp!
After a hard-earned, good night’s rest, we woke up to frosty air, clear skies, and no wind. We began our descent past windy corner to retrieve our cache and were reminded once again of its namesake. The team, feeling strong, made quick work of our retrieval, and arrived back at camp in good style.
The day was far from over.
Anticipating a storm, we got to work fortifying our camp with the deepest posh this world has seen and some snow walls that would make the Great Wall proud. We let the rivalry of our two challenging snow block quarries bring out the best in us. Mother Nature is hard to beat but we might as well try. Now we wait and see what Denali and the weather will let us do. Passing the time by enjoying each other’s company and eating some tasty snacks.
But not too many, we might be here for a while…
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Dominic Cifelli, Matt McEttrick
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 - 10:06 pm PT
At long last, we made it from the lower mountain to the upper mountain. The weather was perfect all day long, although forecasts hadn’t given any indication that it might be. It was a bit of work to get packed up and moving out of 11,000 ft this morning… we tend to put down roots, but by 9AM we were stretching the ropes out and walking toward Motorcycle Hill. The snow surface was firm and perfect for crampons. We moved on up over familiar terrain, but this time with unlimited views of tundra and rivers to the north. Views were spectacular as we turned Windy Corner, but of course we couldn’t gaze at them too long -lots of climbing stuff to concentrate on at the Corner. There was little or no wind to be had as we made our way into Genet Basin and the fabled Fourteen Camp at 2:30 in the afternoon. Our expedition experience changed markedly as we hauled through camp. As one of the last guided teams of the season, we’ve been mostly on our own or around one or two other teams at most. It was nearly overwhelming to be seeing so many teams coming and going from 14 Camp. Socially it was exciting -for both guides and climbers- to be seeing friends and co-workers from various companies -many for the first time since before the pandemic. A handful of teams were coming down into camp after summit bids yesterday. Briefly, all three RMI teams on the mountain were in the same place at the same time. The National Park Service B3 helicopter was in action conducting rescues high and low. As we dug in to establish our camp we felt like we’d come into the center of everything. For a short time at least. Many of those we saw will shortly go lower or higher. We still need to drop down tomorrow morning for our cached supplies parked just above the Corner. But tonight we are sleeping at fourteen-thousand-hard-earned feet.
Best Regards.
You’re almost there!!! Hope someone brought the fireworks !! Safe travels :)
Posted by: Mom and Cindy on 7/2/2021 at 4:38 pm
Congrats on the 14K level. It sounds like the camp was as busy as downtown Boston here.
The views sound tremendous & worth the effort. Good luck with the summiting.
You can ask Matt McEttrick how Denali compares with his first family climb here in Milton MA
at the top of Great Blue Hill (elevation 635’) overlooking Boston and Massachusetts Bay.
Joe McEttrick
Posted by: Joe McEttrick on 7/1/2021 at 12:47 pm
On The Map
Dave looks like you are carrying Jim, always the mentor. Looks like you all are having a blast. Hope it is 1/2 the fun as it looks. Sure is beautiful. Take lots of pictures but no wooden nickels. Safe travels.
Posted by: Pete Palmgren on 12/10/2018 at 2:26 pm
Posted by: Ben Liken
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
CONGRATULATIONS to all on quite an accomplishment! Can’t wait to hear all about it. Proud of you Stefan!
Posted by: Gail on 1/13/2014 at 9:21 am
Good Job, Stef. wer’e rooting for you. I’m going to have all your fav foods waiting for you when you get home!
Posted by: gail on 1/10/2014 at 4:22 pm
Scott’s family - We have closely been following your climb. Praying all of you have a wonderful, successful, and safe climb and summit.
Posted by: Michelle Adaska on 7/11/2013 at 7:07 am
Tell macca (Sean) that we miss him, especially Archie. Go hard haradinko!
Posted by: Gem and Luke on 7/11/2013 at 5:05 am
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