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Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Henry Coppolillo, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,000'
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - 9:00 am PT
The climbing along the West Buttress is some of the most fun and aesthetic of the whole Denali trip and we got a perfect day for it. We left early, with camp still in the shade and chilly. But we climbed out into the sun within the first hour. The fixed lines, which has been blue blue ice when we first got to 14,000' had pasted in with the last couple days of snow and there were nice steps kicked in for most of the way. We rolled over the top of the line onto the ridge to stunning views that extended forever. We could see trees from our perch (or at least green). We continued along the Buttress, picking our way through the airy terrain will above 14,000' Camp and the Peters Glacier on the other side. By afternoon, we walked into 17,000' Camp. Doing most anything at 17,000' is hard. You have to show down - how fast you walk, shovel, etc. We got a hole dug and left our goodies, then retraced our steps back to 14,000' Camp. The team did an incredible job and got the trip done in 10 hours. We were back in camp for dinner time. Things are set and now we wait for the weather to open a summit window.
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Ben Luedtke, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 10,550'
Hey-O,
Another day down. We woke to clear skies and a brisk temperature, after some coffee and breakfast we hit the trail.
At Lenas we made friends with a cute dog, and she has decided to continue along with us. A short way into our day we crossed a bridge over the Vacas River. She began winning and refused to cross, choosing the river instead! The river swept her away until she clung to a rock! One of our brave climbers leapt into action and went to the rock and plucked her out by her scruff. Hopefully that is the most excitement of our trip!!
The team cruised up valley making easy work of the day. Our new four legged friend stayed with us the whole time. The winds picked up towards the end, as per usual, for this camp. When we arrived, we enjoyed some down time waiting for our duffels in an empty dome tent. There we cooked dinner and chatted before bedtime.
Tomorrow, we take a hard left into the Relinchos Valley which will take us to basecamp. We are all excited for the amenities that come with basecamp, including some Wi-Fi to share some photos. It's early to bed for us so we can rest up for tomorrow’s trek.
Talk to tomorrow,
RMI Guides Hannah, Ben, Dan and Team
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Avery Parrinello
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Elevation: 9,350'
Hello,
The remainder of the group arrived yesterday, on time and COVID free. This morning we all met and headed out for a tour of Quito and La Mitad del Mundo. We learned quite a bit of Ecuadorian history and had a chance to get our bearings in the second largest city in Ecuador. More importantly, one member of the team was able to balance a raw egg on the head of a nail. There is now a shiny certificate that comes with this achievement as compared to when it just came with lifelong bragging rights.
With our first day at altitude under our belt we are headed to Rucu Pichincha tomorrow for another day of acclimatization. Everyone is looking forward to getting the legs and lungs working!
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Steve Gately, JM Gorum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 20,320'
RMI Guide Dave Hahn calls from 17 Camp after reaching the summit of Mt. McKinley.
On The Map
Hooray for everyone on Team Hahn. Impressive on any day, but especially digging new trail. What an accomplishment. Peter you rock!
Posted by: Laura Taft Paulsen on 7/11/2015 at 2:39 pm
CONGRATULATIONS to Gary and Team Hahn! Very glad your summit day was so beautiful. Can’t wait to heat the stories Gary. Hope your trek back is beautiful too. - Rob
Posted by: Rob Reynolds on 7/11/2015 at 9:47 am
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Jeff Martin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Posted by: JJ Justman, Mike King, Steve Gately
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 18,000'
On The Map
Way to go team! Well done, dad (Lew Smith)! You are doing awesome and we are so proud of you! Keep climbing smart, acclimated well, and resting when you need to and when it is required. You guys rock! Love you so very much!
Kyle and Steph
Posted by: Kyle A. Smith on 1/27/2014 at 6:06 am
Steve and team,
Great job managing this climb. Sounds like if the weather holds your group should summit. However, if not, they will have learned many valuable lessons about the mountains and themselves, which is really what climbing is all about.
Hike well and be safe.
Dad
Posted by: Bill Gately on 1/26/2014 at 6:31 am
On The Map
Stay safe and warm. That mountain has no problem making you a permanent resident. Seem to be making good time though, I been in that area my self. Stunning!
Posted by: Chip Jackson on 6/30/2011 at 3:36 pm
Hello again Everyone,
Today we woke to beautiful clear skies and astounding views right out our tea house windows. There are huge mountains in all directions and it’s very surreal being here at 11,000' and seeing just how incredible the Himalayas look in person.
This morning we had a leisurely breakfast and then went on a short hike to access a view point where we could see Everest, Lhotse (4th tallest) and Ama Dablam. Everyone enjoyed the views and spent time taking it all in. We then headed to a nearby mountaineering museum which was also throughly enjoyed.
The team then did a little exploring on our own and eventually met up at the amazing “Eat Smart” cafe where we had fresh juices and a delicious lunch with fresh salads, a rarity in this remote part of the world.
The remainder of our rest day was spent shopping and getting knock-off down pants to keep us comfortable and warm when we get higher in mountains.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the puffy pants crew!
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Everest Base Camp Trek, March 9, 2025
Sunday, August 27, 2023 - 7:56 am PT
Big Day! And night. We were awake at 11 PM sharp last night. Thankfully, it was calm and not too cold at 15,200 ft at that hour. We geared up, ate a quick “breakfast” and got walking at 12:05 AM. Everybody else at Barafu Camp did so too. It was a great parade of headlights converging on the steep start to the route. Naiman led our team nice and steady through various teams that were stopping and starting to deal with difficulties. Once we were through the rocky start to the route, the walking got a little easier and one could pay a little attention to the stars and the lights of Moshi and other towns and cities. The moon was about half full and threw back some useful light for us. As expected, it got cold as we got a few hours into the climb. By the halfway point we pretty much had every scrap of clothing on. Water bottles within our packs were freezing up. Our main strategy for dealing with the cold was to keep moving. We hit Stella Point at the crater rim at 6AM. The walking got easier then… and absolutely beautiful as the light came up. Sunrise came as we were halfway to Uhuru -the highest point. We got to Uhuru at 7 AM. It was a little cold and breezy at 19,341 ft above sea level and so we didn’t stay long. Long enough for some victorious pics with the big sign board up there. The breeze/wind motivated us to move down the mountain at a pretty good clip, boot skiing in the scree. We were back to Barafu at 10:10 AM. Tosha presented us with a pizza brunch and we had some time for taking care of ourselves and packing up. Nobody was all that psyched at the prospect of four more hours on our feet to descend 5,000 ft but we got after it anyway. We made it down to a 10,000 ft camp in the woods by 3:35 PM. The team is safe and relieved to be back on flat ground (everything at high camp is tilted) and so happy to be breathing oxygen rich air with actual humidity again.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Congratulations!! Now I know someone (Sarah) in real life that has climbed one of my bucket list mountains. Looking forward to celebrate in person when we all get together back in the US. Peace…..and Keep Climbing!!
Posted by: Dwight Fish on 8/29/2023 at 4:21 am
Congratulations!! Way to go!
Posted by: Karen Edwards on 8/29/2023 at 2:11 am
Posted by: Brent Okita
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 - 9:16 am PT
The drive to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater brings you to well over 6,000', and on this day clouds obscured the views until we had descended most of the way to the crater floor. But this didn't get in the way of seeing the animals we had come to see.
This area is truly one of the greatest wildlife habitats of the world. And we weren't disappointed today. There wasn't much we didn't see, and we got up close and personal with many animals. Well, from the safety of our Landcruiser.
Lions, of course, were the highlight of the day and we were lucky enough to get multiple sightings. The list of animals we saw covers most of what you'd see in a National Geographic special, but the sheer numbers of animals continues to impress. Thousands, and this is not even prime season, according to our wonderful safari guide/drivers Chacha and Jacob.
We ended the day visiting a Maasai village where we were entertained with some dancing, a fire starting demo, view of their traditional living space - the boma - and their school. Yes, it was all a little staged, but it was also nice to know that we were helping support the village financially.
We're now enjoying the comforts of this wonderful lodge after a long day. Doesn't get any better!
Tomorrow, Tarangire National Park. Can't wait!
RMI Guide Brent Okita
Lion PC: Mike Tully
A safari is on my bucket list and I hope to do this in 2024. Love seeing the photos which brings this into reality. Have a great safari and thanks for the blog.
Cheers,
Barb
Posted by: Barbara Heck on 8/9/2023 at 5:55 pm
All the Best to you and your team Dustin!!!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 1/13/2022 at 3:40 am
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