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Denali Expedition: Hahn & Team Carry Gear to Windy Corner

June 29, 2021

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Dominic Cifelli, Matt McEttrick

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,200'

Monday, June 28, 2021 - 9:59 pm PT

We were up by six this morning, braving the chilly shadows (the sun hits 11,000' Camp at 9:15) in order to get on the trail early. Although it was tough to tell just what the weather was going to do, it seemed there wasn’t much wind evident on the ridges we wanted to be around. After a deluxe breakfast in the dining tent, we geared up for climbing. So nice to be putting on crampons instead of snowshoes, so nice to have an ice axe in hand for the steeper terrain we were getting on. We were able to do our carry without hauling sleds, so -although the packs were heavy- it felt like a day of freedom in some respects. The first hour got us up Motorcycle and halfway up Squirrel Hill. After a long week down in the valleys it was wonderful to have the views from the ridges and rises we were topping. Just about the time when the sun might have hit us and warmed things up, the clouds began to gather, which kept us pleasantly cool. We took a second rest break in the Polo Field and by just after noon we were sitting at a windless Windy Corner. A shorter stretch took us up and around the corner and into our intended cache site. We spent a pleasant hour there at 13,500 ft, getting some good views of the South Peak of Denali and the West Buttress while we dug in and buried our supplies. We worked extra hard to make the cache raven-proof. It then took just ninety minutes to descend with lightened packs to 11,000' Camp -most of that was spent walking in thick cloud. We rested and ate dinner as it snowed lightly through the afternoon and evening. We’d love to move up to 14,000' tomorrow, but we shall see what the morning brings.

Best Regards

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Denali Expedition: Smith & Team Enjoy Well Deserved Rest Day

June 15, 2021

Posted by: Hannah Smith, Dustin Wittmier, Devin Guffey

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

Hey-O,

A day of rest and preparation was what we needed. We started the day with a casual breakfast of breakfast burritos and coffee followed by a lot of down time. If we weren't napping, eating, or reading we were going through our gear and food separating it into piles, one that would stay with us and one that we would cache higher up. It is always a hard decision trying to decide what food to part ways with but it is always a fun moment when you are reunited in a couple days. Later in the afternoon we reviewed some cramponing techniques before heading to dinner. One of the highlights of the day was the evening entertainment, watching skiers manage their sled down motorcycle hill...lets just say there were some wipeouts but the skiers were all good sports as they skied into camp knowing they were the reality TV show of the night. As the sun started to hide behind some swirling clouds the temps dropped and it is time for bed. Tomorrow we will carry to 13,500' to off load some of our gear to make our move to 14,000' Camp lighter.

Till tomorrow,

RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Visit a Maasai Village

August 15, 2014

Posted by: Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

Our good fortune continues. It must be a residual charm left over from the time spent on the mountain during the super moon. Cold and cloudy to start the day up on the Ngorongoro Crater Rim. That is not unusual, this typically being the coldest time of year. We paid a visit to a Maasai Village. Warmed up in one of their huts, while a nice gentleman told us fascinating facts and rich history of this unique group of people. I think you would be surprised at the insulation R-value of the walls of their thatch, cow dung and ash mixture construction. Since the funding goes to children education and the offerings were nice souvenirs, we were happy to invest in some of the village wares. We made the descent into the crater floor and spent a magical day with the other natives of the land, wild animals. So much fun and more to come. We move to Tarangire National Park tomorrow. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Celebration Time

July 22, 2013

Posted by: Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

We were up early, slammed a quick breakfast then had a fun gathering of local staff and rewarded all of them with financial bonuses.This crew took great care of us while on the mountain, it felt really good to show our appreciation. A few hour descent to the park gate, a couple hour drive time watching the daily routine out the window of our monster truck and here we are. Back to hot showers and clean clothes. We just finished a dinner of fondue and topped it off with a bunch of summit certificates handed out to a group of well-deserving mountain climbers. More excitement ahead as we repack for the game viewing safari we start tomorrow. A great trip just keeps getting better. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

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Aconcagua: Van Deventer & Team Return to Base Camp

February 5, 2013

Posted by: Mike King, Pete Van Deventer

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua

Elevation: 13,800'

What a whirlwind! Yesterday we were standing at almost 23,000 feet, and this evening we're back at Aconcagua Base Camp. It's a big day descending all the way, and our loads just get bigger as we pick up food and gear cached at each camp. It makes it easier knowing that we're headed to a delicious steak dinner ( better than the way in even!). Tomorrow we're back to light loads, light shoes, and getting miles under our feet. Hopefully we see Billy and team along the way. We'll be in touch! RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer

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Machu Picchu: Wedel & Team Complete Salkantay Trek and Join the Inca Trail

August 22, 2024

Posted by: Jess Wedel

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Machu Picchu

Hola!

We woke up to sunshine and the sound of the river rolling below us. We normally have a dining tent that we eat in but we opted for a plain aire breakfast because the weather was just too good! It was our shortest day on the trail so we took our time this morning to enjoy an extra cup of coffee before we packed up and headed out.

Our route meandered downhill and we stopped frequently to learn about the flora and fauna around us - pink flowers used to treat colds, mint plants for stomach ailments, brilliant fuschias, special leaves used for dying wool bright green, and so many more.

We said goodbye to our cowboys and mules today - we’ve officially completed the Salkantay trek and are joining up with the Inca trail. We walked into our camp at Wayllabamba to the cheers of our chaskis who will be with us for the rest of our trek. We even had hot showers and a little bit of wifi!

A highlight of the day was the fresh-from-the-river trout ceviche and “jungle potatoes” we had at lunch.

We’re all sleeping well tonight!

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Machu Picchu team

PC: Jess Wedel

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Machu Picchu August 15, 2024

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Mt. Rainier: Expedition Skills Seminar Kautz Team Summits

June 10, 2021

Posted by: Andy Bond

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz team led by RMI Guide Andy Bond reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at 10:45 am today via the classic and challenging Kautz Route. The team climbed above the clouds through knee and waste deep snow and navigated four ice pitches in the Kautz Ice Chute to reach the summit. They will spend the remainder of their time on the mountain honing their expedition skills, and plan to descend Friday.

Congratulations to Today's Team!

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team Moving on Up to 11K Camp

July 3, 2012

Posted by: Dave Hahn

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,200'

There were a lot more clouds around when we woke at 5 AM at 9,500 ft on the Kahiltna. As we ate and packed, there was a hint of snow, but we still could see a good distance down the glacier and there was a sense that we were just getting the normal flow of weather that likes to hang about 10,000 ft Kahiltna Pass -the divide of the Alaska Range in these parts. We were roped and plodding into the murk by ten minutes after seven. As with the past two days, we wore snowshoes even though the surface was frozen up and supportable. Snow fell from time to time in our first hour of moving toward the Pass, but then we did climb out of the flow of cloud when we turned the corner at the top end of the glacier. As expected, the last pull into camp was a tough one with our heavy loads, but everyone did well and seemed quite satisfied to arrive at 11,000 ft at 11 in the morning. We were actually surprised to see a few dozen tents around camp, having gotten used to not seeing so many people in the last few days. It makes sense though as a number of teams had come on the mountain in the days before we'd gotten on and we all tend to slow things down when we get to 11,000 ft. With that in mind, we'll attempt to carry a load of gear and food to around Windy Corner tomorrow but then we'll come back down for a second and most likely a third night at 11K. We want our bodies to catch up with the altitude before we make the big jump to 14,000 ft. We did plenty of catching up with friends and fellow guides during the day at this impromptu reunion, but we were particularly pleased to spend a little time with Mike Walter and his team as they came into camp in late afternoon, freshly down from hitting the top yesterday. Clouds came and went through much of the afternoon and evening, and now at 10:30 PM, it is snowing lightly with no wind. That blanket of cloud tends to keep the air temperature a little higher than it would otherwise be at such a lofty altitude. We'll hope for reasonably clear weather in the morning and that we can go for a climb. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

Mt. Elbrus: Northside Team Moves to Camp 1

August 7, 2014

Posted by: Jeff Martin, Pete Van Deventer

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside

Elevation: 12,300'

Hello, After two great nights at Basecamp, it was time to move out and establish a new camp higher up on Mt. Elbrus. We were really lucky again today with the weather. It was still raining when we first woke up, but just about the time we were taking down the tents, it stopped and has been dry ever since. The trail was still challenging today, but everybody did great. We made good time all the way back up to our cache site at 11,200'. We grabbed a few items from the cache that we would need for the night, and continued on our way. The last stretch into camp climbs up a very rocky moraine and is some of the most trickiest walking on the whole mountain, especially with some heavy packs. We worked our way up the faint climber's trail, dealing with lots of loose scree and some very awkward steps, but finally being rewarded as we crested over the top of the ridge and arrived at Camp 1. The weather has not been that good the last several days, and as a result, there is a fair amount of climbers still waiting at Camp 1 for their summit attempt. Tent sites were at a premium, but after a little searching, we found some good spots and started building our camp. We are now all settled into what will be our home for the next three nights. We have been in the clouds most of the day, but the upper mountain has made a few brief appearances this afternoon. Our hope is that this improving weather trend will continue for us. Right now there are many climbers in camp getting ready to climb tonight. We, on the other hand, are going to bed and looking forward to sleeping in the morning. All the best, RMI Guides Jeff Martin, Pete Van Deventer and the team

On The Map

Ecuador’s Volcanoes: Nugent & Team Rest at Chilcabama

January 15, 2013

Posted by: Billy Nugent

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador

Whew! After several strenuous days, the team has been relaxing at Chilcabama, a traditional Ecuadorian farmhouse. The surrounding countryside is beautiful, with a knockout view of Cotopaxi. Our day has been spent on exploratory walks, extensive eating, pestering the resident llama, and gazing at Cotopaxi through the hotel's spyglass. Tomorrow we head up to the Cotopaxi hut for our next summit bid. Wish us luck! RMI Guides Billy Nugent, Katie Bono & Team

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Most Popular Entries

Denali Expedition: Hahn & Team Carry Gear to Windy Corner

Denali Expedition: Smith & Team Enjoy Well Deserved Rest Day

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Visit a Maasai Village

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Celebration Time

Aconcagua: Van Deventer & Team Return to Base Camp

Machu Picchu: Wedel & Team Complete Salkantay Trek and Join the Inca Trail

Mt. Rainier: Expedition Skills Seminar Kautz Team Summits

Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team Moving on Up to 11K Camp

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Mt. Elbrus: Northside Team Moves to Camp 1

On The Map

Ecuador’s Volcanoes: Nugent & Team Rest at Chilcabama

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