Thursday, July 4, 2013
Whulp, the weather gods didn't smile on us today. We went to bed under clear, calm skies, and high hopes for today, but when we awoke, it was to snow, blowing snow, and wind, and next to no visibility. It wasn't a hard choice to sit tight in camp today, rest up, and hope that the next few days bring our chance! Everybody is in high spirits, albeit ancy and ready to go. Hopefully we'll check in tomorrow or Saturday from the top! Happy Fourth of July to everybody out there.
RMI Guides Pete, Geoff, Robby, and team
Hats off to you all….it’s been a blast following this trek and moments where we wish we could be there with you b/c VERY hot here in upstate NY…travel mercies on the descent. Gil:I’ve been keeping Chandler in line. ~(:)
Posted by: Dana Holly Troy on 7/7/2013 at 8:16 am
Hola Guapo,
I have to assume you are summiting since there has been no news for two days!
We are munching nervously on the rest of your Kit Kat bars…..“oh my goodness!”
Forest Gump would say: “Run Guapo Ruuuun”!
Can’t wait to hear!
Lots Love!!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
We hear that there was better weather in other places on Denali today, but not so much here at 11,000 ft. Different day, same weather. It was snow, blowing snow, cloud and blowing cloud. We made good use of an afternoon sun break to put on harnesses and crampons and go for a short walk on the lower half of "motorcycle hill" which is just above camp. It was a nice opportunity to stretch legs and review climbing techniques as well as a chance to see some cool blue crevasses. After a fine Mexican dinner, we chatted to pass the time and listened to radio traffic from around the mountain. It seems that we might have slightly better weather for a few days, at least according to our radio. We'll be ready to take advantage. There are four other guided parties waiting things out with us at 11 K and I'm certain they are ready to get moving again as well.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Glad you guys stopped lazing around in your tents and got out to get some exercise!! : ) The Christofferson family sends our love to Anders and Happy Fourth of July to you all from the Jersey Shore. Wish we could send up some of our burgers and corn on the cob!
Post Hurricane Sandy motto of the NJ Shore is “We are Stronger than the Storm” You guys are too!
Posted by: judy christofferson on 7/4/2013 at 12:00 pm
Happy 4th of July everyone!!! Hugs and kisses Will :)
Hey everybody this is Billy checking in from 17,000’ on Mt. McKinley or Denali.
Another day of high winds has kept us pinned down at high camp. We were hoping the forecasted 20 mph summit winds were going to be a reality today but unfortunately they were not. So we were stuck in camp, hanging out and eating snack food.
Tomorrow’s forecast is again for more good weather so wish us luck that it actually comes to fruition. If it does we’ll be taking a crack at the summit tomorrow. I will check in with you guys later.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
on pins and needles waiting to see if you guys summit today! i’m hanging out with connolly tonight in order to have my own little adventure. i miss you much! love you- janie
We have spent a few days in Mendoza City enjoying the great weather that this place offers in January (southern hemisphere summer). The swimming pool was the RMI meeting center during the afternoons...
Dinners (Argentinian beef and Malbec wines) have been excellent according to the taste of our team. The team members began to depart to the U.S. today. This was a great trip, with a lot of fun, unique views, amazing people, and a safe, successful ascent.
Cheers and thank you for following our progress on this expedition to the top of South America.
RMI Guides Gabriel Barral, Pete Van Deventer and Garret Stevens
Greetings from Namche,
The clear weather has continued to hold and we were greeted to spectacular views of the three summits Kwangde bathed in morning light across the valley. The weekly Saturday morning market was going on this morning. Ending at 9am in order to allow the Sherpa from surrounding areas to get back home with their goods, the market is perched on a series of three terraces on the eastern side of Namche. Traders spread their goods out along the narrow terraces, bartering over items that range from fresh vegetables to spices to buffalo meat to packaged foods and cheap knockoff running shoes. We wandered amongst the action, admiring both the diversity of goods and the setting in which it all takes place.
As the market began to wind down we climbed up to the Army Post that sits above Namche. From it's hilltop perch we caught our first glimpse further up the Khumbu Valley to the looming Everest massif. Everest's famous pyramidal summit was clearly visible alongside that of Lhotse, Everest's neighbor and fellow 8000m peak. From both summits flew giant plumes of snow and wind, indicating that the jet stream still lies firmly planted over the region and the climbing season is still several weeks off - although expeditions began their approach now to be in position for when the jet finally abates. A small museum sponsored by the National Park sits at the Army Post as well and we took the opportunity to learn more about the regions fauna, flora, geology, and culture. Afterward we dropped by another small museum run by a deaf Sherpa who is a talented photographer and has tirelessly assembled an impressive collection of traditional Sherpa artifacts, relics of former mountaineering expeditions, photographs of many traditional Sherpa holidays and festivals, and a meticulous log of all Everest summiteers, Western and Sherpa alike.
Afterward we had a relaxing afternoon in Namche, wandering it's narrow streets and small shops packed with goods, visiting the recently renovated Monastery perched on the hill at the edge of town, and taking time to relax atop some of the large boulders carves with colorful Buddhist prayers and take in the mountainous panorama in the afternoon sun. While a restful day, today has been important in our acclimatization process and in preparing our bodies for the thin air higher up. Tomorrow we will build upon this by climbing to several villages above Namche to visit them before returning to Namche for our last night here on the ascent. The team is feeling strong and looking forward to tomorrow's day hike.
A little bit of a tough one for us. We geared up and started climbing the "autobahn" toward Denali Pass. The team was handling the terrain well but a cold wind got going and our sense was that it was strengthening. We turned at 17,800ft and the wind died before we'd reached camp. It likely would have worked for climbing after all. We turned the day into a rest/acclimatization day and we'll give the summit another try tomorrow.
Go team! I am praying the winds calm down for another attempt - you guys got this! Dad, you’re a beast and I can’t wait to hear all the stories. Love you so much! - Rach
Posted by: Rachel Shoppy on 6/27/2024 at 10:57 am
You guys will summit tomorrow for sure! Praying for great weather! Good luck!
The Four Day Climb August 6 -9 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning led by RMI Guides Robby Young and Alan Davis. Robby reported a beautiful day with no winds and a great route. The team enjoyed some time on the summit before descending from the crater rim en route to Camp Muir. The teams will continue their descent to Paradise and return to Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Thanks again for for the experience! Not all the way to the top for me, but still an unbelievable view and great challenge. You guys are professional, empathetic, and caring of your clients, and one couldn’t ask for anything more. I’ll be back for the challenge, and we’ll get it done.
Thanks,
Tony.
Posted by: Anthony Brune on 8/12/2019 at 5:53 pm
Have you guys made it back to Paradise? It’s almost 9pm.
The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb teams were walking into the crater rim just before 7:00 a.m. The weather is fairly warm with a cloud deck at 6,400'. They will spend some time on top as they cross the crater rim to Columbia Crest before starting their descent.
June 11, 2014 3:14pm PT
Greetings from Team No Troubles,
Sitting here for another rest day at 14,200'. Cold temperatures and steady wind have been the story of the day, and we made the right decision to stand by for the time being.
Last night saw the mercury plummet to an ambient temp of -17F, which is much more common up here in April than it is in June. Combine that temp with winds in camp of about 15mph and you have a recipe for immediate freezing of any exposed skin, as the wind chill hovers somewhere between -45 and -50F. Brrrrr shiver!
So instead of our planned carry to the top of the fixed lines, we'll stay in camp today, on a steady orbit around our posh and sleeping tents. The team is on guard against any uninvited trespassing into our bathroom, too, as we've had more than one inquiry from other folks about using our lovely on-mountain comfort station.
Keep sending warm thoughts, and hopefully warmer weather, our way! Keep the comments coming too, we love to hear from y'all. From a frosty 14K camp.
RMI Guides Bryan, Tyler, Garrett and the No Troubles Crew
More clouds filled the Ruth Amphitheater this morning when we woke up to check the weather and give a report to the pilot. The mist and low hanging clouds meant no flying this morning but it did give us the opportunity to have a relaxing morning cooking up breakfast in camp and then heading out for some ski touring nearby. This little weather system passing through the Alaska Range brought us a few inches of fresh snow and we found great turns on the slopes nearby. We spent a few hours making laps, forgetting about the weather and immersing ourselves in the simple joy of sliding downhill on skis.
By early afternoon the clouds looked as if they were beginning to thin and we headed back to camp to pack out the runway for the plane and get our gear in order should the weather break enough for a flight to get in. By the time we finished the clouds were still lifting - albeit slowly - and we entered the waiting game, exerting whatever futile will power we could muster to clear the skies while passing the time telling stories, sharing jokes, and even building a little jump in camp to catch some air on skis.
By 5:30 in the evening the views across the Amphitheater were clear and we got the go ahead that a plane was on its way. Shortly thereafter a red Otter poked over the ridge lines above us, made a few sweeping turns above the glacier and came into land. We hauled all of our gear over to the waiting plane, piled everything in and were soon airborne, flying low over the glacier we walked yesterday morning. We buzzed right down the Ruth Gorge, staying low as the summits of the surrounding peaks were still covered in clouds and followed the winding track of the Ruth Glacier out of the mountains and back into the Alaska foothills. The riot of green spring buds covering the forest tops, intersected by rivers still carrying winter ice, was a little bit of a shock after being in a world of ice, snow, and rock for the better part of the past week and the air gradually felt warmer as we neared Talkeetna.
We landed in Talkeetna and swapped our ski boots for flip flops, our soft shells for jeans (after a nice long shower), and are headed out for dinner. Despite the unpredictable weather, it's been a fun week of adventuring in the Alaska Range.
- RMI Guide Linden Mallory & Team
Hats off to you all….it’s been a blast following this trek and moments where we wish we could be there with you b/c VERY hot here in upstate NY…travel mercies on the descent. Gil:I’ve been keeping Chandler in line. ~(:)
Posted by: Dana Holly Troy on 7/7/2013 at 8:16 am
Hola Guapo,
I have to assume you are summiting since there has been no news for two days!
We are munching nervously on the rest of your Kit Kat bars…..“oh my goodness!”
Forest Gump would say: “Run Guapo Ruuuun”!
Can’t wait to hear!
Lots Love!!
Posted by: marion and maya on 7/6/2013 at 7:13 am
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