Most Popular Entries

It was snowing at Kahiltna Base last night when we wanted to get going, so we pushed back the wake-up time to a leisurely 4 AM. Conditions improved as we ate breakfast in the shadows. We were climbing by 6:50 AM. Conditions were excellent due to recent snows and cold temps.

The dreaded crevasse crossings of the lower Kahiltna Glacier were practically nonexistent.  Sled pulling was quite easy (relatively speaking), though everything was heavy as usual.  We reached our intended camp at ski hill in five hours and built a fine home. We dove into tents to beat the afternoon sun.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn and team

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Just like that… we woke up in Talkeetna and the clouds were gone.  We scrambled on over to the airstrip at 8 AM and started putting on the big mountain boots.  By a little after 9, we were up in the air in two glorious DeHaviland Otters… prop driven ski planes built in the 1950’s.  The Alaska Range was visible in full from the moment we cleared the Talkeetna tree tops.  Denali was spectacular and seemed bigger and steeper than in previous years.  We flew straight at the peak and then moved a little West as we crossed into the mountains.  Our K2 Aviation pilots eased the planes down on to the SE Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier at 7100 ft and we slid to a stop at basecamp.  A few minutes of shuffling and shuttling loads in mushy snow ensued.  We built our camp and got settled in before a day of light training and a review of glacier travel techniques.  As the day proceeded, we went from hot sunshine to cool overcast, but the clouds didn’t rob us of the magnificent views of impossibly big and steep mountainsides.  We watched a handful of ginormous avalanches drop off various surrounding mountains.  We capped the day with a burrito dinner and an early bedtime.  Our hope would be to get up in the night and climb in the cool part of the early morning tomorrow. 

Best Regards,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

We woke to the same thick blanket of cloud concealing the mountaintops and the sun and the blue sky.  The good thing was that blanket held in a little more heat than normal, so getting started wasn’t particularly mean and cold.  We ate breakfast, caught the forecast passed on from the meteorological folks at Union Glacier, and debated what to do about it.  Our decision, since we had no sign or signal that the wind was blowing, was to push up into the cloud and make our move to high camp.  It took until 1:00 PM to bust camp and be packed, but that worked just fine.  There were occasional snowflakes falling, and we were certainly on the lookout for deteriorating weather, but all-in-all, conditions were stable and we pressed on.  We took a short break at yesterday’s high point and then moved higher up the steep snow slope without much at all for views.  It was a little like climbing inside a milk bottle.  Our boldness was rewarded when we topped out the ropes to find calm and easy conditions (although still cloudy) on the plateau.  We pulled into high camp at 6:30, for a respectable five and a half hour push to 12,500 ft.  The gang found it tough going... it worked us in about 12 different and mean ways, but everybody set to building camp with good energy and enthusiasm.  By that point we’d put on all the big and puffy clothing -down coats and down pants- which seemed just right for our cold new home.  We filed into ALE’s good, strong cooking and dining tent and had a deluxe session of hot drinks, dinner, and strategizing for tomorrow.  We hope the calm holds and that we can take a good shot at the top to start 2020 off right.  
All of us want to wish our friends and loved ones the very warmest and best wishes for their own celebrations.  Happy New Year!

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

Good evening again from Yanapacha moraine camp. We're turning into our sleeping bags after an incredibly successful day. We turned our acclimatization day into a summit; weather was good, and spirits were high, so after our training session on the glacier, we decided to put things into practice right away. Yanapacha provided a short but steep glacier that definitely challenged the team this early into the stages of acclimatization, but now that it's under our belt, and with another night here, at its high camp, we're sure to get the most out of this rotation. Every one did an outstanding job, and the views from the summit are the new favorite for this guide. We'll descend tomorrow to base camp to the food of our cook and the rest that the thicker air will deliver. Stay tuned for more! Elías and team

Thursday, May 30, 2019 9:51 PM PT Luck was on our side! We woke to clear skies and sunshine. And you know what sunshine means, we went and played in some crevasses. Psyched that the weather hadn't arrived yet, we hit the snowy trail and walked to a beautiful section of the glacier. Tall rocky peaks stood all around us. Their sides full of hanging glaciers. We were safe out of harm's way but could see their ominous appearance. We spent the day ice climbing out of the crevasse and practicing our rope ascending skills. Everyone did a fantastic job in both activities. By the end of the day the forecasted weather started to creep in on us. A light breeze pushed at our backs almost assisting us back to camp. The clouds have begun to lower and small flurries float around camp. It is one of our team members birthdays tomorrow, and he is wishing for good weather. Let's hope his birthday wish is granted and this forecasted snow storm stays away another day. Goodnight all, RMI Guide Hannah Smith and Team

We're fortunate to be in the midst of a very stable and almost perfect weather pattern here on Aconcagua: the days are clear and calm and today was no exception. After a great night's sleep at Camp 2 we packed up our gear and left for high camp by mid-morning. The trail to high camp ascends a broad north facing gulley, occasionally intersected by small cliff bands and large boulders. We weaved our way up, crossing sporadic patches of snow and across pockets of yellow dirt and rocks that smelled of sulfur. After a few hours of climbing we reached a small cliff band and followed a natural weakness in it to scramble up and over our final obstacle and right into our high camp. Sitting at 19,540', Camp 3 is a small flat area ringed by rock towers on nearly all sides. Between the towers we can catch views over the Vacas Valley to the east into Argentina and all the way around to the west over the Horocones Valley and into Chile. Above us stands the final 3,000'+ of Aconcagua with the first portion of our route visible from Camp. We spent the remainder of the afternoon in camp, finalizing our gear for the summit push and trying to rest up and hydrate as much as possible. We are sharing camp with a few other teams and we traded notes on conditions and forecasts: we all agreed, tomorrow is predicted to be a great summit day! We've retired to the tents even though the sun is still quite high in the sky in hopes of getting some rest tomorrow. We are planning on making a pre-dawn alpine start tomorrow morning and going for the top! We're all doing well, feeling strong, and excited to make an attempt! We'll check in tomorrow after the climb. RMI Guide Linden Mallory

Hello everyone from Team Texas in Russia! St Petersburg to be exact. Look... I'm going to be honest with you, we don't want to make you jealous. However, ending the trip in St Pete's is indescribable. So! To give you a tiny idea of how spectacular it is here, take a look at our slide show of today's events. And don't go to far. I will have another slideshow of our canal tour later tonight. Stop dreaming and come to Russia! RMI Guide JJ Justman

This is Adam checking in from 17,200’ on Mt McKinley. The past 24 hours were simply an unforgettable mountaineering experience for everyone on the team. The Big Day began early yesterday morning from an 18,000’ High Camp on the Upper West Rib route. We found ideal cramponing conditions as we ascended the 50-degree + slopes of the Upper Rib, to where the route terminates on the western edge of the ‘football field’ below the summit ridge. This section of the route is the crux of the climb and required everyone to draw on their repertoire of previous ice climbing experience at altitude. It was an exhausting haul to reach the Football Field, where our original plan was to rest, brew up, and re-energize for a period of time before making a summit bid. However, our respite in the temporary ‘camp’ lasted longer than planned, owing to the effort it required to reach that point, and Plan B was put into motion. Temporarily abandoning the summit, we determined it was wiser to descend to 17,200’ High Camp on the standard West Buttress route and re-group (we never intended to descend the way we had come, as the slopes are prohibitively steep). Much as Everest climbers do in the interest of acclimatization, the new plan is to descend to the relatively warm climes and thicker air of 14,000’ and strategize the possibilities. We have successfully climbed our chosen route, Denali’s Upper West Rib, and now the fickle mountain weather will determine our chances of knocking off the summit (via the W Buttress route). It would be sweet, but on this mountain you have to roll with the punches. We’ll see what the Weather Gods have in store and make a determination. We’ll be back in touch!

On The Map

We are starting to talk about dinner reservations in South America. But realistically speaking, those would be for tomorrow night, since there is a good chance we will be flying back to Punta Arenas during prime dining hours tonight. Yesterday was spent quietly sitting in the "Guide Tent" with the 25 Vinson climbers, chatting, reading, eating and passing time. The weather wasn't horrible, but neither was it any good for flying, with low cloud and poor contrast prevailing. Today is a different story, which actually defies the forecasts... It is sunny and calm and the ALE folk have "called the flight" Meaning that the Illyusion 76 is being put through its final preparations and it may be off deck and headed our way within the next two hours. I'll let you know of our progress.

Friday, January 24, 2025 - 2:48 am

Hola!

We awoke early in the morning with the beautiful southern hemisphere stars shining above us. I attempted to point out constellations like the southern cross. Odds are I have lied to everyone because my memory for constellations is as bad as my Spanish. The day starts out with the team stylishly dressed in various water shoes for the crossing of the braided streams of the glacially cold Vacas river. This ice bath for our feet and calves is stronger than any cup of coffee. Everyone is now very much wide awake. Then we begin our slow but steady ascent up the Ralenchos valley. I will not bore you with all the fine details of the stunning geology, the panoramic views of Aconcagua and various sightings of adorable guanacos. All you need to know dear reader is that the trek was hard but we suffered well surrounded by incredible beauty.

Do you remember when you came home from college for the first time and your mom kept hugging you and then made all your favorite foods but like way too much? Our arrival at Plaza Argentina was just like that. We spent the rest of the afternoon waddling around camp getting settled in while taking many deep breaths as our bodies adjusted to our new altitude of nearly 14,000 feet. Finally after another incredible dinner provided by the always stellar Grajales staff, everyone was ready for sleep. It was a long day. 

RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the Sassy Six (Anne, Bill, Chris, Elburz, Jess and Tom)

P.S. they don’t know I call them that