Congratulations to the Four Day Summit Climb team led by Adam Knoff! They reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning! The team left Camp Muir with clear and pleasant weather. As the climb progressed a front moved in and the team experienced some light snowfall and 10 mph winds. They spent some time on the summit and began their descent at 9:15 a.m.
Hello from high camp on Ixta! Everyone did great today, the tents are up and I'm about to start cooking dinner.
This morning we got up at 6:30 and had bacon and eggs for breakfast. After packing our gear we got a ride from our driver to La Joya, which is where the trail starts. It took us five hours to reach high camp with the big packs but we have plenty of time to relax before we go to the summit.
Hopefully the next time I check in we'll be standing on top of Ixta!
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
The Four Day Summit Climb led by Casey Grom returned safely to Camp Muir at 8:53am. The team left Muir for their summit attempt at 3am, by 7am they had reached their highpoint of 12,000’. Casey reported inches to feet of new snow with drifts, “It’s like winter up here!”
The Five Day Summit Climb just arrived to Rainier Basecamp in Ashford. They are enjoying some breakfast and warming up after a rain and snow descent from Camp Muir this morning.
RMI guides, Jack Delaney and Jackson Breen, had good news to report from Sandy Camp this afternoon. Their team navigated late season conditions on Mt. Baker and made it successfully to the summit!
Our night of snow storms was briefly broken by clear skies and stunning views, at least for the 2am night owls. By 7, back to snow and low visibility, thus another rest day.
The team finally woke at a leisurely 8am, and gathered in the cook tent for an extraordinary breakfast. Hard at work, our tireless guides had put together pan-fried breakfast burritos that would give any cafe a run for its money. No cap. Seth may consider an alternate career as Chipotle’s chief burrito roller. Sated and happy, the group later headed out during a brief weather interlude to practice crampon skills. The next days of the climb will necessitate these on the steeper and icier terrain. With no one stabbed or stepped on, the outing was considered a success. Relaxation ensured the remainder of the afternoon as movies were watched, books were read, and an unlikely duet belted out classics by The Who.
We are well rested and ready to hopefully cache just past Windy Corner tomorrow, and continue our journey upwards.
After a breezy start to last night the wind stop and a million stars made for an great view. Same clear skies this morning affording the glaciers and ice fields hanging at impossible angles overhead. We started a bit later giving some extra rest and a chance for some of the other teams to get ahead of us on the main challenge for the day- right out of camp the Barranco Wall. Most of it feels like steep hiking but a few places require the use of hands to help us ascend. After pulling through one set of ledgers to another, making for great photos, we were on top. A few more hours of hiking some and then some downhill had us here at our next camp, Karanga. This camp is a couple hundred feet higher than last camp. A beautiful spot that overlooks the valley it is named after. The team is in great shape and high spirits.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 6:09 PM PT
We woke up early this morning. 5am to be exact. 14K Camp is full of eager climbers waiting, likely everybody else, for their shot at the summit. The problem with extended bad weather is that climbers stack up in the queue. Like a dam during spring runoff, eventually you have to open the flood gates to release the back up to prevent the dam from over flowing. Well, our theoretical opening of the flood gates manifests as a decent weather window for climbing. We braved the cold, got packed up, ate a quick breakfast and were on the move by 7:15am. Over two hours before the sun normally hits camp. About halfway up the fixed lines we started to receive a little filtered sun and fingers and toes began to finally thaw out. A quick glance back down the terrain we had just climbed confirmed our need for an early departure. The flood gates had opened. 50-75 people streamed out of camp in a solid single-file line. We felt pretty good about being so far ahead of the human onslaught. The West Buttress itself is easily the most aesthetic portion of the entire ascent. The buttress offers steep climbing, wild exposure and views of the Alaska Range and it's expansive blanket of tundra that unfolds to the East. The weather stayed quite pleasant for us as we ascended the ridge that would eventually lead us to our high camp at 17,000ft. Soon enough steep terrain and exposure led to the gentle slopes of the Upper Peters Glacier. We sauntered our way into camp. There is already a small village of erected tents hunkered down in a scoop of snow sculpted by the wind. We opted to travel a bit further and build camp where no one has yet. We've gotten quite efficient at the process and within a short time were all hunkered in warm sleeping bags as out of the elements. The weather at the moment is a bit cloudy with light snow showers and light winds. Not completely unpleasant but not perfect either. Tomorrow we will try and climb to the summit of Denali assuming that weather and conditions allow. The team is poised and ready, all we need now is to be allowed safe passage. We will wake up early again tomorrow morning, stick our heads out of the tent and hope we like what we see! Thanks for following along!
RMI Guide Steve Gately
Today we walked the 400 steps up to the "Monkey Temple" and appreciated the colors and diversity of religions all celebrating in one shared space. Then we braved the traffic and crossed the city to Bodhnath, the world's largest stupa. We made a few coral, walking around it clockwise, for good luck. We spun the mani wheels which send out blessings for all sentient beings and will start our journey properly.
One of the highlights of our morning explorations was learning how the intricate painting called "thankas" are made. We went to a studio where they showed us how they stretch cotton on a frame and spend three days rubbing wax into it with a smooth stone before they can paint. A sketch is freehand drawn onto the smooth cotton and then it takes anywhere from 4 to 7 days of work for the artist to paint. The masters use real gold leaf and hand crushed minerals for color. Most of the artists were using paint brushes as fine as one or two yak hairs. It was so inspiring that a few of us purchased some of these gorgeous works of art with so much meaning behind them.
This afternoon consisted of a good gear check so everyone feels ready to hit the trail tomorrow. Hopefully, our flight to the short Lukla runway is smooth so I don't get motion sick. We'll be in the Khumbu tomorrow!
RMI Guide Christina Dale
Rest day at Aconcagua Camp One means only one thing. Pizza making day! You may be wondering, "How do you make pizzas at 16,500 feet"? Sorry, it's an RMI Guide secret.
Today our team awoke to a fresh blanket of snow covering the entire mountain. It is a beautiful day to stay put and recover here in camp. Everyone is doing very well and we are feeling healthy and strong.
The remainder of the day will see some of us playing cards, reading books and watching movies. Yes, it's rough living up here.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
This is Dave Hahn calling from 7,800’ on Mt. McKinley…still. We had another night of clouds and snow last night so we couldn't get our early start and walk out. Then the rest of the day was pretty much socked in and white as well. It is now 8:30 in the evening and it is snowing hard again.
So we're still sitting waiting for our chance to make a break for the air strip. It was a long day and a quiet day today. No airplanes were flying overhead it seemed like there was storm all around and at all levels. But we're doing alright. Everybody is fed and dry and in their sleeping bags now.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Sending positive vibes for the weather to cooperate to make your decent to the airstrip. Will have longer to plan the homecoming celebrations. love Dinah and Sue
It was great climbing with you all and thanks to all of our guides.
Posted by: Josh on 5/22/2013 at 7:22 pm
YAY good job daddy!!! and happy birthday!!! Keith Hutchinson!!!!!
Posted by: Nate Hutchinson on 5/19/2013 at 4:45 pm
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