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July 1, 2015 6:25 pm PST Hey, it's Billy here checking in from 17,200' on Denali. We are back in camp after our foray up the Autobahn and around the corner on Denali Pass but it was quite windy. The wind along with zero visibility and blowing snow and some wind slab instability conspired to shut down our summit attempt. So we turned tail at just above 18,500 feet and everyone is back down in camp, in one piece safe and sound. We're trying to regroup and figure out what the future holds for us. We'll check in tomorrow and let you know we're up to you. All for now. RMI Guide Billy Nugent

On The Map

Our luck with the weather continues. It was another perfectly calm, blue-sky, sunny day on Mount Vinson. We took full advantage, moving up from Low Camp to High Camp. It is plenty of work to break camp and hit the trail in this cold environment. This "morning" it took us about 2.5 hours. We were walking by 1:45 PM. We had the advantage today that we were all familiar with the route and the fixed ropes -thanks to our carry on the same terrain two days ago. This time we shaved about forty five minutes off, reaching 12,150 ft High Camp in five hours and fifteen minutes. We set to building camp and digging in, which took a few more hours of hard work, but eventually we were all sitting face to face in a freshly excavated dining room. We talked over exactly how summit day might work out for tomorrow. After dinner, the team pitched in to build some snow-block walls, just in case the wind comes up. Then folks wandered about a hundred feet west to look over the edge. It is a stunning view, peering over this dramatic and abrupt escarpment to see almost every footstep we've made to date. In the distance, the Nimitz Glacier is prominent and beyond that it seems that we can see forever on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The team went to bed ready to go for the top, we'll see if our weather luck holds. Best Regards RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

OK! Here we go! The photo may be a bit fuzzy and who is that guy holding his hand up in the mirror? Well folks, the fall season in Mexico is under way. The team is all here and we have all the typical characters...those individuals who love to travel internationally seeking a little bit of culture and a few high places. Stay tuned to the blog because I can already tell with this team...we are going to have a lot of fun and a few stories to tell!! RMI Guides JJ Justman and Elias de Andres Martos

July 9, 2014 - 10:34 pm PT It wasn't such a bad day to start. There was plenty of blue sky overhead at 6 AM and a little wind to contend with up high, but the day had potential to be just right for moving to 17,000 ft. The team was feeling good and ready. But we held off, talked some on the radio to friends at 17K (teams up there were staying put, not going for the top) and we watched the weather deteriorate. The winds increased, a cloud cap formed on the mountain and the rest of the sky began to cloud up. Before it clogged up completely, we roped up and took a short walk to "The Edge of the World" to look down on the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. We belayed each other out onto the overhanging prow of rock for hero shots. Then we headed back to camp and hunkered down in the tents for an afternoon of light snow and heavy cloud. We'll hope for better weather tomorrow. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

On The Map

Hello RMI blog followers! Our team has arrived safely back at Basecamp. We are so happy to be in the thick air after a very long expedition. We have used up all our days and it is nice to enjoy the fruits of our labor. We are once again enjoying fresh Argentinian pizzas and the stories are rolling around the table. Aside from relaxing we will be packing up duffels for our mules arriving tomorrow. We will begin our journey back to Pampa de las Lenas where we began, then the next day we will arrive in Mendoza. We want to thank everyone for all your comments on the blog. Everyone gives their regards. This is our final dispatch for the expedition. Again, thank you! Wait...another pizza is coming. Gotta go! RMI Guide JJ Justman

On The Map

Yesterday morning at Chilcabamba we awoke to beautiful weather: clear skies, no wind, and excellent views of Cotopaxi. After driving into Cotopaxi National Park, we hiked up to the climbers' hut on Cotopaxi at nearly 16,000'. Today there are some scattered snow showers and inntermitent clouds, but nothing too serious. We enjoyed a short hike to the glacier, and a review of ice axe and cramponing skills. This afternoon we're lounging around the hut. We'll hit the sack early tonight, in order to rest enough before our alpine start--we'll most likely leave for the summit in the middle of the night. I'll be in touch tomorrow. Hopefully the weather treats us well.

Hello again,

Today we decided to take our rest day. All night the wind battered our tents and send snow swirling between the rain fly and tent body. The gusts kept up until the morning but later subsided and turned into a calm, bright, hot day. The team enjoyed the warm weather. They occupied themselves with a chess tournament. They are currently playing for seeding. Tomorrow we are looking to make our carry to 13,600' and Tuesday move to 14,000' Camp. Weather looks to be in our favor, so keep sending those good weather vibes our way the next couple days. Now we must catch some sleep for our day tomorrow. 

Goodnight all,

RMI Guide Hannah Smith and Team

Casey Grom here checking in with RMI's Kilimanjaro Climb # 2 of 2024!

All is well here in Tanzania and most of the team arrived yesterday morning after some very long flights. It was a short and uneventful ride to our Lodge that is nestled in between Arusha and Moshi and not so far from the base of Kilimanjaro. The team spent the day relaxing and getting adjusted to the nearly 12hr time change.

We had a leisurely morning today and had our first official meeting at 8:30 where we did a round of introductions and then discussed the program for the coming days ahead. We spent the remainder of the day getting our gear packed up, exploring the grounds of our Lodge, which is incredibly peaceful and has monkeys running around keeping us entertained.

We wrapped up the evening with another delicious meal and plenty of friendly conversations. Everyone is doing well and excited to hit the trail tomorrow and get a little bit of exercise.

RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew # 2

Saturday, May 13, 2023 - 8:12 pm PT

We carried loads of food and fuel up above Ski Hill today, and we're now back at camp. The weather wasn't terribly friendly today, with 10-20' visibility all day. Currently we're enjoying sunshine and beautiful views as the clouds finally dissipated. We're about to eat dinner and cash out for the night. Hopefully tomorrow we'll be able to move camp higher.

We will be sure to check in again soon.

RMI Guide Mike Walter

The Four Day Summit Climbs August 28 - 31 led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn and Tyler Jones reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today! The teams reported they were climbing in their down parkas due to the cold temperatures this morning. They had good visibility with a broken cloud layer above at approximately 16,000' and light winds throughout their summit climb. Both teams will descend to Camp Muir and return to Paradise later this afternoon. Congratulations to today's Summit Climb Teams!