Another day of perfect weather on Kilimanjaro. We’re starting to feel lucky. A few of the team ventured out in the dark last night to capture long exposure shots of the night sky and the moonlit mountain. At dawn we were far above the clouds and in perfectly calm and clear conditions. We set out from 13,300' Karanga Camp around 9:00 AM on a moderate but steady grade. Before long we reached the end of any vegetation and came into the Alpine zone. Without tree cover, we could see all of our neighboring expeditions and all of their associated porters moving as if in some mass migration. Hundreds of people with loads on their backs and or heads, all moving steadily toward Barafu Camp (Swahili for “ice”) at 15,000'. We arrived in short order at 11:30 AM, with everybody feeling strong. Our purposely easy afternoon was spent lounging about, eating, drinking and prepping for tonight’s summit bid. Normally folks lose their appetite at altitude, but Chef Tosha prepared a fine spaghetti dinner and none of our team let it go to waste. After dinner, it was a tough thing to quit watching the beautiful sunset and fading light, but the gang retired to the tents early. We’ll be up in just a handful of hours for our alpine start and a climb to the Roof of Africa.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
RMI Guide Mike Walter and team climbed both Sahale and Sharkfin Tower yesterday. The team reported great climbing and 100% to the top for the two peaks! Today, the team climbed Forbidden Peak by its iconic and classic West Ridge and were standing on the summit at 10:20 this morning.
Way to go team!
It is a rest day for Team 1 on Mt. Elbrus. I wish I had some really exciting things to report. However, rest days are filled with the continual search to beat the boredom of camp life. Activities like cards, dice, reading, people watching, drinking coffee, eating food, etc...are a few of the things we have partaken in so far today.
I'm not gonna jinx it but our summit day tomorrow may require a constant supply of sunscreen and cooling mist machines! It's normal for team members to be a little nervous before summit day. But I'm telling ya...if I were to place a Las Vegas bet, it would be 100% to the top.
Wish us luck!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Hello again everyone,
Things are still going well here at Base Camp. After breakfast most of the climbers went on a hike to keep the blood flowing. We have had enough rest to get us ready for our summit push, now all we have to do is wait for the right weather pattern to show up. Still looks like it will be a few more days though. It's ironic that one of the hardest parts to climbing big mountains is figuring out how to stay relaxed while you wait. If the forecast holds the group should be headed uphill in a week or less.
In the meantime we'll try to keep ourselves busy with the usual, card games, movies, horseshoes, and laying around in our tents.
Keep your fingers crossed for us.
A couple of days ago we hit an important benchmark, and had a successful day for the team. It was just as we did the previous morning we set out, only this time we actually left Basecamp. Everybody else did too...I've never seen quite so many in the Khumbu Icefall. Since it was effectively "closed" yesterday, the traffic of two days was wedged into one.
I was very excited for the great job that Erica was doing - but I'll admit that the crowding and congestion in dangerous places was something I was continually uncomfortable with. I suppose it was business as usual in the busy season - but as I said - I hadn't seen things quite so bad before. From small teams that seemed unacclimatized and unskilled blocking the route, to massive Sherpa teams of 30 and 40 coming down all at once.
Sure, there were plenty of the usual encounters with friends. I was happy to see Apa Sherpa gunning for his world record 19th Everest summit. There were Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs, Jake Norton and John Griber, who we hadn't seen for the better part of a week. And as usual it was fun to run into Vern Tejas, Scott Woolums and a sampling of the great cast of characters that Everest attracts every spring.
Mostly though, I kept my concentration on my small tight team of Erica, Seth, Kent and Ang Kaji. Our training and patience paid off. Even with the numerous hold-ups, we pulled into Camp 1 at 10 a.m., having spent a respectable and reasonable 4 hours and 45 minutes in the big jumble. I was especially proud to find that we had enough reserve energy to blast quickly through the dangerous avalanche zone near the top of the Icefall and the start of the Western Cwm. It was a great feeling to be in the Cwm itself - back on the glacier surface instead of continually being under large, heavy and unstable things. By that point, we'd found the sunshine and warmth and it was clear that we had passed our first big test on the road to the summit. And how!
At Camp 1 we climbed into the tents to escape the big reflector oven heat of the Cwm at midday. It took a few hours of running stoves to melt enough snow for the water we badly needed - but then we had not much else to do - just rest, relax, acclimate!
The following day our Sherpa team had the real acclimatization of the day. Lam Babu and Tendi were part of a cooperative team of Sherpas from different expeditions that set out for the arduous and important task of setting fixed ropes on the Lhotse face. They succeeded in a big way, fixing not one but two parallel lines to 24,000 ft. This will allow safer flow of traffic on the steep blue ice of the Lhotse face. Lam Babu and Tendi also sited the First Ascent Camp 3 location - an important milestone where flat spaces big enough for a tent are few and far between. The alternative - hours of chopping with an ice axe on a 40 degree slope - is best avoided.
We saw the tiny dots inching up the Lhotse face from Camp 1 at the other end of the Western Cwm. Our day was easy-and a relief after a windy and mean night. We were hit repeatedly with cannon blasts of wind rocketing down the 3,000 ft. face of Everest's west shoulder. The wind was noisy - and a strain - threatening to flatten our tents and uproot us from our moorings. Kent Harvey came out of his tent, smiling about the good sleep he'd gotten - but Seth and Ang Kaji didn't get a wink, Erica was somewhere in the middle, as was I. Even so, we took advantage when the wind quit in the morning-brewing up coffee and then stretching our legs with an hour-long walk up the Cwm. We knew we wanted to be back in camp before the sun made work in the Cwm unbearable.
It was good to see Gerry Moffatt and Melissa Arnot getting an early start down from ABC. They were bound for Basecamp and showers and comforts that our team isn't really missing yet. We kept in radio contact with Peter Whittaker and Linden Mallory down in Basecamp throughout the day.
Today we fired the stoves at 5 a.m. and left Camp 1 by 7:30 a.m., bound for ABC (Camp II). The route from C1 goes seemingly right under the summit of Nuptse. I know that isn't actually possible, but it is physically difficult to bend one's neck back far enough to take in the 5,000 ft. of vertical relief straight up to the summit.
We crossed a half dozen easy ladders over crevasses, and then got on "easy" terrain, clomping up the glacier in our crampons. Our biggest challenge seemed to be getting out of the way of the many friendly Sherpa on the route. The guys going up had come all the way from Basecamp under heavy loads, the guys going down had already emptied their loads at ABC, and so were moving fast down to Basecamp and smiling a lot.
Erica moved along as if she'd been to ABC a number of times. At such points I have a tough time reminding myself that she is seventeen - and an even tougher time remembering what I was capable of when I was seventeen (not this - but sometimes waking up on time and perhaps dressing correctly).
Erica is not the only 17-year-old on Everest this year. In fact, two "Johnnys" were both camped within 100 meters of us last night -one with Damian Benegas and one who is working with Scott Woolums. And they both appear to be doing great. But I'm pretty sure that Erica is the first 17-year-old that I walked into ABC with.
Erica, Seth, Kent, Ang Kaji, and I hit camp at 10:30 a.m., and celebrated with round after round of Tang toasts. We're here for 2 nights and I'll tell you all about the place tomorrow.
17,200 ft sure feels good! We pulled out of 14,000' at 10 AM. It snowed a few inches in the night but by morning the clouds were dropping down. We had a clear shot of the West Buttress and the South Summit. Our packs were a good deal heavier than when we carried. Today was tough climbing but the entire team did quite well. We reached our new home in 6.5 hours and set to building camp. Such work is tough enough, but it was double tough in the thin air. Eventually we had tents to take shelter in snd and a hot dinner out on the patio. We talked over the challenges we are likely to face going for the top tomorrow. It was a treat to greet Dominic Cifelli's triumphant team as they rolled back into camp -about when we were buttoning things up for the evening. Fingers crossed for one more perfect day.
The weather forecast looks good if I’m reading it right out of Fairbanks. If that holds you’ll smoke it. Got get ‘em safe and sound.
Posted by: Gregory Poulos on 6/26/2024 at 3:53 am
You’re almost there! Great job Jon and team!! We at work are thinking of you and cheering you on! Hoping for great weather and beautiful views tomorrow! Onward and upward!!!
Today was a day of rest and a small excursion. After breakfast we roped up and took a short stroll to the Edge of the World. From here we can see all the way down to the Kahiltna Glacier, thousands of feet below. Everyone got there hero shots on the rock and will have their new profile picture. The rest of the day was resting and organizing and of course more chess. The weather seems to be cooperating so tomorrow we are going to move up to 17,000' Camp and try for the summit on Monday. This is when we need all the good weather vibes, the strong leg vibes, and health vibes from all you loyal readers. This is what we have been training for. This is our moment. Tonight is our last sleep before we hit it hard for the next 4-5 days. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers! Goodnight all.
So glad to hear it is going well. Shane I’m sure you’re doing well in the chess games too. Our prayers are with you and everyone involved. Good luck on your next leg of your climb.
Posted by: Sonny Digiovanna on 6/17/2024 at 7:03 am
The team enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Hacienda San Luis. We're a colorful bunch of climbers, and the evening was filled with belly laughter.
After a good night's rest, we packed up our bags and headed north to visit the world famous Otavalo indigenous market. We are currently enjoying the market as I write this. Here you can buy all sorts of hand-made items, ranging from alpaca and sheep wool woven goods to wood carvings to jewelry to artwork. The whole experience is nearly overwhelming to the senses; vivid colors, a unique shopping experience, locals dressed in their traditional clothing, and a beautiful setting surrounded by the Andes all come together to make this an unforgettable experience.
After a few hours of enjoying the market, we will regroup for lunch and then make our way up to the climber's hut on Cayambe for the night. Tomorrow we will rest, acclimate to the altitude, and review climbing techniques like cramponing and ice axe arrest, in preparation for our summit bid.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On August 19th the Mt. Baker Climb team led by RMI Guide Bailey Servais summited via the Easton Glacier route. After a successful summit the team spent one more night at Sandy Camp before descending the rest of the way back to the trailhead yesterday for the conclusion of their trip.
The Four Day Climb July 31 - 3 August led by RMI Guides Sam Hoffman and Tom Skoog reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The teams reported nice day and a smooth climb. The teams were at 13,800' on their descent en route to Camp Muir. Once back at camp the teams will repack and continue the final 4,500' to Paradise and then continue to Ashford to conclude their program.
The climb sounds like so much fun. Wish I could traveled with you all. Wishing all well as you reach the top.
Posted by: Cynthia Chitwood on 8/11/2019 at 5:54 am
I am enjoying the blog and what an incredible journey! Can’t wait to hear all about your experiences especially reaching the summit….Michael Shannon!
Posted by: Dona Marrah on 8/10/2019 at 10:52 am
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