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Mt. Everest Expedition: Flight of the Climbers

March 26, 2011

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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 4,383'

My little team began to combine in Kathmandu yesterday afternoon. Jeff Martin met my flight into hot and dusty K-Du at around one o'clock. As my boss at RMI, Jeff has already been over here for nearly a week, chasing down logistical details and getting all the arrangements arranged. My climbers, Bill and Sara McGahan, beat me into town by about an hour, having flown East out of Atlanta, while I circled West from Taos. Long, long flights no matter how you slice it.... a passel of time zones and bad airplane food. I had time for a quick shower back at the hotel before Jeff and I taxied our way over to the Ministry of Tourism. I scribbled my name a half-dozen times and shook a bunch of official hands... swallowed the obligatory cup of sweet tea and voile!! we walked out with an all-important Everest climbing permit. We retreated to the hotel to join Bill and Sara for dinner. Despite the fun reunion, we got yawning and fading fast... hopelessly jet-lagged we stumbled off to our rooms. Linden Mallory is already up in the Khumbu, we'll get together with him about a week into our trek, and Mark Tucker will join us at about the same time to complete the team. For now it is just four of us, which made today pretty easy when it came to a final gear check and packing session. We enjoyed an interview and conversation with Bili Bierling who is helping the legendary Elizabeth Hawley with the monumental task of keeping track of climber statistics in the Nepal Himalaya. Then we each made a few forays out into the streets to track down odds and ends -our version of sightseeing at this busy point in the expedition. We need to be ready to fly good and early tomorrow morning, up from 4,000 feet in Kathmandu to 9,200 feet in Lukla before the air gets cloudy and turbulent. My clock is set for 4:15 and my bags are packed once again... with luck we'll be walking in mountains by mid-morning. RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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I am constantly amazed at the determination of the human spirit, regardless of age. The Olympics is a great example. Our 17 year old luge racers travel 80 mph, our 14 year old uneven parallel bar competitors risk life and limb, 16 year old downhill skiers speed at 90mph! on two skinny boards! on ice! Some die from it. However, over half of the US population is unable to find their ass with both hands (despite their extensive “life experiences”). So, if some 18 year old wants to train and discipline themselves to conquor Everest, I salute them. No offense intended Michelle

Posted by: Bart Miller on 3/30/2011 at 10:53 am

I have to question the motivation/reasoning behind allowing kids under 18 to climb Everest. No matter how mature they might be, there just isn’t the life experience to draw upon in my humble opinion. While I think Dave Hahn is a very accomplished climber, it makes me lose some respect for him in his choices to accept clients such as this. Money talks I suppose.

Posted by: Michelle on 3/29/2011 at 9:55 am

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Vinson Massif: Team Reaches High Camp

December 11, 2012

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Seth Waterfall

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Vinson Massif

Elevation: 12,400'

The clouds fled Low Camp around 1:30 this morning and we woke to sparkling skies about ten hours later. Moving day! Breakfast got us set for a flurry of gearing up, knocking tents down, and roping up for the big climb to high camp. We are old hands at climbing the steep fixed rope sections now, but most were startled at the scenery (which eluded us on our cloudy climb the other day). We had unimpaired views of hundreds of square miles of the Antarctic interior today, including the big jagged, crazy peaks just north of Vinson (Shinn and Epperly). As we worked our way higher, our "Low" Camp began to seem low indeed, reduced to a collection of specks on the big Branscomb Glacier. We pulled into high camp six hours after setting out, at a quarter to Eight PM. As usual, it was a fair amount of work getting tents up and stoves burning and snow melting for dinner, but the entire team is well practiced now at such chores and it went quickly. One by one our climbers wandered over to the edge of camp to peer out over the edge of the world. At least the big drop-off back down to the Branscomb seems that way now. Precipitous to the tune of more than three thousand vertical feet. A physical cliff, as it were. Tell congress we've found it. Tomorrow, relatively bright and early, we'll get up and see if the weather will work for a summit day. It is forecast to be -28 degrees Celsius on top tomorrow. Which is normal. By the way, that converts to minus brrrrrrrr degrees Fahrenheit. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Bruce, been enjoying reading the blogs. Good luck, be safe and stay warm!

Posted by: Tara Zier on 12/12/2012 at 7:24 pm

Wow…the photos are incredible and reading the blog brings chills. You guys are amazing! Sending good wishes for an awesome day tomorrow.

Paula Selland

Posted by: Paula Selland on 12/12/2012 at 5:54 pm

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Mt. Everest Expedition: Acclimating Hike to Camp 2

April 22, 2012

Posted by: Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 17,575'

Current report from RMI's Everest team: Windy and cool with the jet stream right over the region today. Wind usually means not much snow and that is the case today. RMI Guide Dave Hahn and crew went on a hike toward Camp 2 and are now back at Camp 1 for another night in their great First Ascent tents. Sherpa team is planning to carry more gear up to Camp 2 tomorrow. We are just stock piling Camp 2 for now, leaving gear in duffel bags and not putting tents up since it will still be about a week before the team stays overnight. Without a staff at Camp 2 to keep track of tents, there is no sense in subjecting them to tough weather conditions. The whole team is in great shape and the game plan is right on schedule. It is just a matter of time and next thing you know it, it will be summit push time. Big mountains take a while but they are sure worth it. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

RMI Guide Dave Hahn checks in from Camp 1.

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Yo Mark -
Kim and John reporting in from the deck of the Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor! It’s been spectacular here the last couple of days - but we miss hanging out with you; well, maybe except for those two days in Gorek Shep.

Looks like you’ve settled in for the long haul - but hopefully you’re finding time for some golf!

Be safe, we’ll be following the team the next few weeks. Namaste.

J&K

Posted by: John Gilman on 4/23/2012 at 9:43 pm

Conrad and Dave H. you guys rock. if i had never seen the video of you guys climbing the Pacific Ocean wall in Yosemite, i never would have began to climb. Climbing has changed my life and i owe it all to you guys (along with Jimmy) Keep charging on, and be safe.

Posted by: Samuel Short on 4/23/2012 at 12:29 pm

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Glacier Peak: Summit!

July 9, 2022

Posted by: James Bealer, Erika Birkeland, Evan Sather

Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades

Elevation: 10,541'

The Glacier Peak Climb with RMI Guide James Bealer reached the 10,541' Summit yesterday. The team spent most of the approach to high camp in the clouds, but got incredibly lucky on summit day, as the clouds parted, and the peak showed off beautiful hues of pink. The team had a clear day for climbing. For two of the team members this summit completes their quest to climb all FIVE Washington Volcanoes!

The team will descend about seven and a half miles to the trailhead today and celebrate in Darrington.

Congratulations Team!

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Aconcagua Expedition: Jake Beren & Team Depart Mendoza

December 14, 2011

Posted by: Jake Beren, Elias de Andres Martos, Geoff Schellens

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua

Hello everyone, Our team has arrived in Mendoza excited and ready to start our Aconcagua adventure! After finishing up our permits, grabbing the last minute supplies at the grocery store and gear shops, we are ready to head out of town. It is a beautiful day here in Mendoza and should make for a great drive to Penitentes where we will ready our gear for the mules and have one last night of Argentine cuisine before switching to the equally appealing mountain cuisine that will fuel our climb. Tomorrow we will leave civilization for a few weeks and start the climb. Wish us luck everyone and stay tuned as we work our way up this beautiful mountain. RMI Guides Jake Beren, Elias de Andres Martos, Geoff Schellens

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Hey Rich! Checking in every other day & thinking of you always. Have an amazing time & send me a postcard from the top!! Stef

Posted by: Stef on 12/18/2011 at 11:09 pm

Dave G. Thinking of you constantly, have a good and safe climb. Love you.

Posted by: Connie on 12/16/2011 at 1:36 pm

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Mt. Rainier: Weather Keeps May 14th Team at Camp Muir

May 14, 2022

Posted by: JT Schmitt, Alex Halliday

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 10,080'

Strong winds and about a foot of fresh snow prevent the Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides JT Schmitt and Alex Halliday from leaving Camp Muir. Big spring storms and winter like weather are keeping all climbing teams from reaching the summit.

The team will enjoy the stormy morning with a leisurely breakfast before starting their descent. We expect them to return to Rainier Basecamp in the early afternoon.

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Glad you’re staying safe! Enjoy the rest of your adventure, mountaineers! We look forward to hearing about the trip and seeing photos!

Posted by: Jane and Doug Green on 5/14/2022 at 9:48 am

So excited to watch your progress! Stay safe and have a fabulous adventure! Love from Michigan!

Posted by: Charlene Hatfield on 5/14/2022 at 8:34 am

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Kilimanjaro: Team Enjoys Final Day at Tarangire

August 27, 2022

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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

We were up before the sun at Lokisale, our tented hotel in the outback of Tarangire. It was wonderful to sip coffee as the baobab trees took shape with the rising sun. Some heard a lion passing near to camp. The great staff put out a fine and fast breakfast for us and then we said goodbye and hopped into the Landcruisers for one final morning of safari. We cruised the “swamp” -a vast expanse of grass- with no other cars around. There were herds of zebra and elephant, wildebeest and Cape buffalo stretching for miles and miles. Eventually, Saiman and Izach pointed our vehicles toward the distant park entrance, but on the way, we saw the good stuff… a leopard climbing a tree, a lion hunting, hyenas crunching the bones of a kill… some final scenes to sustain us during endless airplane travel homeward.

It was a few more hours back to Rivertrees Inn, and then showers and packing for travel. We had time for a last dinner together out under the big trees, and then we were headed to the airport and a million lines and our goodbyes to each other.

It has been a fine two weeks of seeing the world together. Thanks for following along.

Best Regards,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn and Team

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Mt. Rainier: Five-Day Team Stand On Top!

August 1, 2022

Posted by: Nikki Champion, Steve Gately, Emma Lyddan, Nicole De Petris, Roland Scott, Cal Seeley

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14, 410'

The Five-Day Climb led by Nikki Champion and Steve Gately reached the summit at 6 am this morning. After a warm walk uphill to Camp Muir on Saturday, teams enjoyed a good night's rest and a beautiful day of training before their ascent this morning.

The teams are currently on their descent and will return to Basecamp this afternoon for a celebration of their accomplishments! Congratulations team!

Mt. Rainier: Paradise Seminar Reaches the Summit

August 27, 2021

Posted by: Grayson Swingle, Seth Burns, Emma Lyddan

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

RMI Guide Grayson Swingle topped off the Paradise Seminar week- literally. They are on the Mt. Rainier summit right now! The team spent the week on the flanks of Mt. Rainier learning valuable mountaineering skills. Yesterday they moved to Camp Muir where they started their summit bid early this morning. We look forward to congratulating them this afternoon at Rainier Basecamp.

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Dave Describes What the Teams Are Up To

May 17, 2009

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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest

Elevation: 17,500 ft.

This was the third day of rest for my team. We began it in the usual way, by collecting outside the dining tent for coffee in the sun. Except this morning we sat in light fog until the sun finally burned it all away. Even in fog, sitting on a few thousand feet of ice, it wasn't uncomfortable as now we are past mid-May and temperatures are relatively mild. Kent Harvey, Seth Waterfall and I are by now on pretty much the same internal clock... Erica, being a teenager and therefore presumably in need of more sleep, sometimes still needs a morning yell when the breakfast gets served. With the fog gone, we watched Melissa Arnot work her way safely down through the lowest part of the icefall. She is feeling better and we figure a couple of days BC rest will make her a strong addition to our upcoming summit bid. We could hear Ed Viesturs and Peter Whittaker from time to time on the morning radio, working their way up through the Yellow Band and ultimately the Geneva Spur, the final barrier guarding the approach to the South Col. They, along with Jake Norton, Gerry Moffatt, and John Griber, reported calm and easy conditions on the Lhotse Face and it was obvious they were making fine progress on their way into high camp. Tendi and Lama Babu spent last night at the South Col, building up the camp for the rest of our team and even scouting the first few hours of the route to the summit to make sure that the fixed ropes were still useable after last week's snowstorms. Erica Dohring and I went for a light hike toward civilization after breakfast. We didn't go all the way to Gorak Shep as neither of us wanted that much (or that little) civilization at this stage of the game, having gotten quite used to basecamp living and not requiring too much more than that before the summit. But the trail toward Gorak Shep is still useful. Basecamp is in a dead-end valley... there really aren't any exits, save some very burly climbing routes that might take one up Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse or Nuptse... or of course, one could wander up the Khumbu Icefall, but we only intend to do that one more time. The trail down-valley toward Gorak Shep was the next best thing for us on this morning. We still need to rest and recuperate from our pushes to high altitude, but then we also need to stretch our legs for this final push to the highest of altitudes. We were relieved to note that the trekker traffic had greatly diminished on the trail, along with the yak trains and porters... not that we don't like yaks, trekkers and porters, just that it is easier walking on an empty track now that the season has moved along. Erica and I got just far enough down the trail to enjoy an unobstructed view of Everest's rocky summit pyramid. Before heading back to Base, we sat watching the mountain for a time, not picking up any of the usual signs of wind... no cloud plume spawned by the summit, no streamers of snow. It all looked pretty serene and contrary to the forecasts, which still call for winds of 40 and 50 knots on these days. It gave us hope that our first summit team will luck out with calm conditions tonight so as to launch their final push. Most of the other teams are in the camps behind and below them now, lining up for what could be a busy four or five days of Everest summiting. We hope they all succeed and that the Jet Stream drifts far to the North in our next days of rest. We are torn between fully imagining the challenges and discomforts that our first team faces, now that they are safely tucked in the tents at Camp IV, and giving our imaginations a break (since we'll face all of those same challenges ourselves soon enough). Tonight will be an interesting time. Linden Mallory will do the important work of staying up through the night, here at basecamp, so as to monitor the first team's progress. They don't have to go for it tonight. Winds may build up on the Col and prevent an attempt, but our gang would still have the ability to hunker down and wait a day for better conditions. But of course, the clock is now ticking... the team is now breathing bottled Oxygen (with the exception of Ed Viesturs) and using up resources -to say nothing of brain and brawn cells... We hope they get their break soon and jump all over the opportunity.

Peter Whittaker on the radio with Linden Mallory.

Peter Whittaker explains choice to stop climbing for the night.

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Most Popular Entries

Mt. Everest Expedition: Flight of the Climbers

Vinson Massif: Team Reaches High Camp

On The Map

Mt. Everest Expedition: Acclimating Hike to Camp 2

On The Map

Glacier Peak: Summit!

Aconcagua Expedition: Jake Beren & Team Depart Mendoza

Mt. Rainier: Weather Keeps May 14th Team at Camp Muir

Kilimanjaro: Team Enjoys Final Day at Tarangire

Mt. Rainier: Five-Day Team Stand On Top!

Mt. Rainier: Paradise Seminar Reaches the Summit

Dave Describes What the Teams Are Up To

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