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Posted by: Dave Hahn, Mike King, Dominic Cifelli
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif
Monday, December 27, 2021 - 5:32 pm PT
The news was mostly about canceled flights and snarled travel as our Vinson climbing team headed to a dozen different US airports to kick off the expedition. Incredibly, we were able to gather in Miami yesterday evening -With all our climbing gear- and board the Gulfstream 7 for the easy and pleasant part of our journey -a ten hour ride to Punta Arenas in the far South of Chile. We’ve been COVID testing several times a day now to satisfy immigration requirements and to be extremely careful with regard to going to The Ice healthy. Even quarantine for the afternoon in our hotel on the shores of Magellan’s Strait was relaxing and beautiful as we looked out at the summer light on the water. We organized gear and clothing with the high hopes of flying tomorrow morning once glacier conditions and negative test results allow. Our all star team of 12 includes astronauts, entrepreneurs and some of the world’s most accomplished and acclaimed climbers and guides. It is a happy reunion in a familiar place for a number of us and a brand new set of continents and experiences for others.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Kiira Antenucci, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
Monday, June 27, 2022 - 8:14 am PT
Good morning all!
What a walk we had! Leaving 14,000' Camp with sights on basecamp is a long journey. We woke at 10pm, packed our things, and were on the downward trend by midnight. It felt good to be walking downhill but pulling a sled was less than desirable. But with so much motivation it made it possible. With the help from another RMI team, who dug up our 11,000' cache, we made fast work reorganizing and moving on. The glacier down below has changed a little. We zig and zagged left and right to avoid big crevasses. Hours went by, miles gained, elevation lost. As we got near basecamp we did a quick crevasse rescue scenario, before making our last uphill walk. Heart break hill is truly heartbreaking with tired legs, tired bodies, and tired minds. But as usual the team dug real deep and blew up it.
After a few hours napping at base and some luck the clouds parted in Talkeetna and the pilot took off. The sounds of those Otter planes were glorious music to our ears! A shower, a toilet, a beer, food, and sleep never felt or sounded so good. The team earned every amenity possible from such a long hard day. I am thoroughly impressed and proud of all the team members. It has been a fantastic journey. One for the books! Here's to healing sunburns, chapped lips, and sore muscles.
Congrats team, you made it!
RMI Guides Hannah, Kiira, and Dan
Congratulations!!! Very strong work! So happy for you all!
Posted by: Gina on 6/28/2022 at 1:24 pm
Awesome Job Hannah and Team! Thank you for the posts it was great following along!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 6/28/2022 at 3:08 am
On The Map
I am a union structural ironworker from Detroit MI and admire you all as a team going for the Summit and living life on the edge. Good Luck and be Safe!
Posted by: Art Kazyak on 4/28/2012 at 5:50 pm
This was precisely the answers I’d been searching for. Amazing blog. Incredibly inspirational! Your posts are so helpful and detailed. The links you feature are also very useful too. Thanks a lot :)
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Posted by: Weight loss recipes on 6/17/2011 at 1:56 am
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall checks in from the South Col - getting ready for summit bid.
On The Map
Posted by: Mike Walter, Taylor Bickford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Mike Walter checked in from camp this afternoon. Mike reported avalanche conditions and decided to turn due to unstable snow conditions, rain on snow, some natural avalanche conditions and 30 - 60cm postholing.
They hope to climb thru Coleman-Deming and then hike out tomorrow.
Posted by: Brent Okita, Leon Davis, Lindsay Mann
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 17,200'
Brent from High Camp after Summit Day
On The Map
Gary, Congrats! It’s been awesome to follow along! Rory keeps asking me “how does Uncle Gary do that?” He’s excited to get back to the climbing wall! Love, Lorrie, Chas, Carson and Rory
Posted by: Lorrie, Chas, Carson & Rory on 6/16/2012 at 4:37 pm
Congratulations Kristen! We want to hear all about it when you get back to the Upper Valley.
Posted by: ASOLO USA on 6/15/2012 at 1:39 pm
Posted by:
Categories: Guide News
Thanks for the inspiring videos. Awesome to see people doing what I have wanted to do my entire life.
Posted by: Joe Winter on 12/17/2012 at 6:42 pm
Nice videos. I watched them all, although I have seen a few of them before. Happy Holidays!
Posted by: Dan on 12/14/2012 at 12:53 pm
Posted by: Alan Davis, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 20,301'
July 17, 2022 Ishinca Valley to Haraz
With a cold frosty morning and a hot cup of coffee we spent our last morning tearing down our Ishinca basecamp to head back to a night of civilization. Much to our chagrin, our bus broke down due to a leak in the air brakes. Thus, we were stranded for multiple hours on windy rough mountain roads. At least the sun was out and a rescue bus on the way. After another duffle shuffle we made it back to the hospitable Andino hotel in Huaraz with just enough daylight to dry out our tents and sleeping bags on our hotel decks. A well-deserved meal with hot showers were in order as our turnaround to head to our next objective is hours away.
July 18, 2022 Huaraz to Copa Base Camp
Another duffle shuffle and we were on our way to the Copa trail head just an hour north of Huaraz. The trail was in great condition, and we were in forests of eucalyptus until we reached about 13,000’ winding up and up until we reached our basecamp for Copa at 15,200’ over laguna Lejlacocha. The mountain was in the clouds for most of the day, but we were able to enjoy occasional glimpses of the glacier in between rain showers even a nice sunset. After a 4600’ gain in elevation, we were ready to eat a quick dinner and crawl into our warm sleeping bags to rest before our move to high camp tomorrow morning.
July 19, 2022 Attempt to Move
We were thwarted on our attempt to move from basecamp to our high camp at 17,200’ due to extremely high winds and cloud cap over the upper mountain this morning. Fortunately, we were able to rest in the sun at basecamp despite nearly losing our cook tent from the high winds ripping through camp. The winds finally subsided in the late afternoon and the Viscachas came out to play as well as the Andean geese. With the mountain looming in its majesty above our little basecamp, we came to a group consensus that we might as well try to go climbing tonight. As long as the weather stays calm, route conditions allow, and our bodies hold up, we’ll give it an honest go…
July 20, 2022 Copa Summit Push
It felt like a summer climb in the cascades, walking out of camp with only a few hours of sleep and anticipation, but we left our camp at 10pm after a cup of coffee to give it a go. 2 hours out of basecamp, past a glacial lake and through boulder fields of old, we wandered up to the bottom of an ice chute. Our entrance to the glacier. We quickly transitioned into boots and crampons and climbed the three pitches of rock and waterfall ice onto the steep snow slope that brought us to what would have been our high camp at 17,200.’ We paused here to add our hard-shells to arm ourselves against the windy night as we gulped down some gummies and chocolate covered espresso beans. As the night progressed so did the wind, sustained at 15-20mph with gusts of 30+ at our faces. Looking up between the occasional sandblasts from the sugary snow, the Milky Way and all its splendor still shone brightly, so we continued. We meandered through the steep snow slopes, crevasses, and seracs of the Copa glacier until finally the last pitch onto the summit plateau. 6,188m (20,301ft) and we arrived in a single push from basecamp. Something none of us thought we would pull off. 14,000’ to over 20,000’ and back in a day seemed out of reach, fortunately the weather was clear and just good enough that pacha mama (Goddess of the Andes) allowed us safe passage into this beautiful and sacred space. With tired bodies and full hearts, we celebrated one last mountain meal back in basecamp and slept hard to prepare for the walk back to civilization the next morning. Thankful for a safe and successful trip to this special Andean paradise.
RMI Guide JJ Justman on Day 1 of Mexico Volcanoes Expedition
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Posted by: Terri L. Jennings on 12/30/2021 at 7:34 am
Positive vibes for everyone!! Wishing you all a safe journey!
Posted by: Monica Isaacman on 12/29/2021 at 8:16 pm
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