Another storm day at 11,000'. Though not the worst storm, mostly cloud and snow without a lot of wind where we are... but of course that is why we are camped here. We did a long and slow breakfast, sipping coffee and telling stories. We hung out in our tents, napping, reading and watching tv and then it was burrito night. We celebrated Mitch's birthday and celebrated solstice in our snowstorm. We hope to get climbing again soon but we need the storm to move along first.
It was another beautiful day here in the Khumbu Valley, and finally we had our first views of Mt. Everest. Just above Namche you can see Everest far off in the distance, but still about 20-30 miles away. We hiked for about 5 hours today and made a quick stop at the Tengboche Monastery where we sat in on another prayer session. Everyone is doing well
Keeping it short tonight as there's not much wifi or cell service. Everything is running off of a generator that's about to a shut off. Apparently a big snow storm this winter knocked out the hydroelectric power source.
We'll send more tomorrow.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
We have arrived! Ahhh, it feels so good to be back at Base Camp! Let me tell ya, this team has faced some enormous adversity. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to scare friends and family because this Wisconsin boy has faced worse weather watching the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in December. The weather on this expedition has flip flopped from beautiful to not so beautiful. And wouldn't you know it, the weather followed us down to base camp. However, it doesn't matter now. We've enjoyed pizzas, fresh fruit and coca colas. And we all deserve it! Everyone says hello and we are looking forward to our trek out.
This is our last dispatch for this season's Aconcagua expeditions. Thank you so much for following along and thanks for all the comments!
RMI Guides JJ Justman, Katrina Bloemsma and Team
Jeff…What’s up brother? You should explain that while in Green Bay the best way to stay warm is to have a couple of drinks! Kids say hi. Hope all is well.
BillBoy
Posted by: Bill on 3/23/2014 at 2:09 pm
CONGRATS TO ALL!!!
JEFF VERY PROUD OF YOU AND ALL YOUR GROUP!!!!!
RMI Guides Jason Thompson and Tyler Reid and their Four Day Summit Climb Teams reached the Summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The teams reported great climbing conditions, with clear skies, calm winds. They spent some time on the summit and are now en route to Camp Muir.
Eric Frank and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz Team Reached the top of Mt. Rainier at 12:15pm PST today. The team enjoyed putting their newly acquired skills to the test on the route and have started their descent. This is the first summit via the Kautz route for an RMI team this season!
Congratulations to today's teams!
Buenos dias from the top of Cayambe!
We had an absolutely stunning day for our climb today, first clear day up here in weeks and perfect cramponing conditions all the way up. So we will give you guys a shout on the way down and super proud effort by the team today. Everybody did a fantastic job and we'll give you shout when we're down safe and sound.
Alright, thanks.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
RMI Guide Jake Beren checks in from the summit of Cayambe.
This is day 6 at Union Glacier. The weather is stellar, not a cloud in the sky, the first plane out to Punta Arenas flew out last night and we just found out that we won't fly tonight because the Punta Arenas airport is out of....fuel! Hard to believe, but so it goes. People are chomping at the bit to fly out but I really can't complain. My time at and around Union Glacier has been really amazing. I have done three new routes in the past three days on Mount Russman. One was an easy but steep snow couloir to the summit of Mount Russman (1428m). I left camp after breakfast in a full on white out, cold temperatures and snowy weather, but after missing out on climbing a new peak the day before with Seth and Jake, I wanted to climb no matter what. We - Gordon and Simon (two British Army men we had met on Vinson) and I - skied the flat 3kms to the backside of Mount Russman roped up and left our skis at the base of the face. We couldn't see the peak but decide for a couloir and made it to the top. I wish I could have seen camp 3000 feet below but the clouds prevented us from enjoying the view. Yet, it was a beautiful day just for being on the summit of the most obvious and closest peak to camp.
Yesterday, we woke up to beautiful blue skies and warmer temperatures. Victor - my friend I did that first ascent with the first day at Union - was going up his 10th first ascent in two weeks and asked me if I would join him and guide Richard Parks, a famous British retired rugbyman who is trying to climb the seven summits and two poles in seven months. From camp, Mount Russman offers a plethora of steep snow and mixed lines and lots of the first ascents have gone down in the past two weeks, but there were still a few lines to plum. We headed for a V shaped line, which offered up to 65-degree snow and ice. It was Richard's first first ascent and I was so excited to guide him up it. He got to pick the route name: Gratitude. A beautiful name which describes perfectly how I also felt about climbing yet another new route in Antarctica and getting to be here all together with a great team and getting to hang out with amazing people. While I was climbing, Jake and Kent were also doing a first ascent on the same face and Seth skied from the summit, putting amazing tracks down the face, visible from camp.
It was colder this morning and when Victor, his client Nick and I headed for what could be our last climb here, we weren't sure we should start up the climb in such polar temperatures. As soon as the wind died, it was warm again and we made quick progress up the 300 meters of snow and ice to the start of the route. There, the route switches from rock to ice and back to rock and is the only line angling left across the steep north facing wall (read south facing in the northern hemisphere). The rock was of poor quality but the line was so nice: I only wished I had more of these readily accessible lines in my backyard. We named it Diagon Alley, which coincided with finishing my audiobook, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We headed back down to camp hoping for the news that we would fly out. Hopefully we will fly tomorrow. Otherwise, there are many other lines awaiting first ascents to keep us busy for another few days.
All is well here at 14,000ft and the team is doing great.
Today was a planned rest day to help our bodies adjust to the ever thinning air up here. And that’s what we mostly did. We split into two groups with one exploring around camp and seeing what yaks do when they’re not carrying loads on their backs, and the other went off in search of Yeti’s. Which took us up a nearby hill and just over 16,000ft. Unfortunately we didn’t see any yetis, but we did have some amazing views of the Valley and could see Cho Oyu, and Makalu (both 8000m peaks) in the far off distance.
The remaining part of the day was spent reading, writing, and napping in the warmth of the sun room of our tea house.
And we flew out!
We got in a day early, and flew out a day early too, as to secure our exit off the glacier with the great weather we had: the runway at the Root Canal Glacier is no major airport where to secure a flight under the action of the elements.
The trip ran very smoothly, and we're happy to have tackled this ultra classic line, "Ham and Eggs" up the Moose's Tooth, which is without a doubt, a haunting peak in the Alaska Range.
Vanessa and Taylor trained the necessary technical skills not only to overcome the difficulties of the route, but to shine for the hours on end that climbing 3,000ft of steep ice, snow and mixed terrain entails in the remoteness of this environment. Now the team has parted ways, and we feel proud and accomplished.
Regards from Anchorage!
RMI Guide Elías de Andrés Martos
May 22, 2014 - 11:00 pm PT
Our day started great. Breakfast at the Roadhouse again and an early departure from Talkeetna, courtesy of the best air service in town: K2 Aviation. The first hint that conditions were not warm and pleasant came when we landed on some pretty hard snow. Then getting out of the plane we were hit by a chilly wind. But, everyone was excited to be on the mountain and we just put on a few more layers.
Our climb to camp went well, though we were challenged the whole day by that irritating and cold breeze. But that sure didn't slow the team down any. Everyone really did well on this ordinarily difficult day with the heavy loads we were sporting. A quick dinner in bed and the team is now resting comfortably in their tents, getting ready for tomorrow and Ski Hill.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Leah and Nick who have been making sure that were all fed and ready for tomorrow. Wish us calm winds and more pleasant travels tomorrow. Goodnight from 7,800' Camp on the Kahiltna Glacier.
RMI Guides Brent, Leah, Nick and the whole Team
hi Dean and team ..
Seems like your nearing the goal we wish you good weather and soft winds to push you to the top mate .. Proud of you .. Be safe .. See when you get back .. We are keeping a close eye on ya ..
Martin and Karen and the boys .. Xx
Posted by: Martin & Karen on 6/1/2014 at 6:38 am
Dan -
Be safe and good luck!! Keep your eyes open for my very good friend Bob Lowery also on Denali with RMI!
Our time in the Alaska Range finished wrapped up just a couple of days ago. We had an extra 2 bonus days in the mountains. Our fly off date was set, but the weather determines our true fly off date. The snow began to fall the night before our scheduled departure date, it kept snowing for the following 2 days. Veteran climbers stated that this had been one of the biggest snowstorms, at Base Camp, that they could remember in the past
7 years. Over 3 ft of snow fell in a little more than a 36 hr period. We woke up on Saturday morning to crystal clear skies, soon the planes began to fill the skies. Everyone at base camp looking for a flight out spent the previous evening stomping out the run way for the planes. Still, when the planes landed it was obvious how deep the snow was for the planes. I think the pilots were getting faceshots, as the snow was hitting the windshields of the planes. We all arrived back in Talkeetna in the early afternoon, on Saturday.
The week consisted of lots of information being uploaded and downloaded to a very enthusiastic group of climbers. Us guides were very impressed with how much information this group of climbers soaked up. Topics covered a wide variety of mountain tactics, how to simply live comfortably in an environment that was cold and snowy, how to set up a camp, crevasse rescue, snow and ice anchors, climber responsibilities, avalanches and rescue, ice climbing and the list continues.
Everyone had a great time experiencing the Alaska range. Ideas have already been hatched for future trips to visit Little Switzerland, the Ruth Gorge or other objectives around the base camp area, from members of this group. Climbing around the Kahiltna base camp area offers a great experience for your first time to Alaska. Hopefully we will see you up here soon.
Everyone is on their way home now but memories will last a long time of this very special place.
Thanks again from Jason, Andres, Anne Gilbert and RMI
Love you, Dustin!! Be safe up there.
-Alissa
Posted by: Alissa Turosik on 6/23/2023 at 8:12 am
Hey Dustin!
Sending best wishes for clear skies and calm winds for the rest of your climb!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 6/23/2023 at 3:29 am
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