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Posted by: Casey Grom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek
JJ and Team ready for Summit Bid
So glad the weather is clear for you all to begin the summit climb. Know it will be an experience of a lifetime. We are so proud of all the team- WOW!
Look forward to hearing all about it from Kalani and Dom!
Posted by: Susan Clayton on 8/4/2013 at 5:00 pm
Go Team Barrel 1. Have a great summit.
Posted by: Elsie Bemiss on 8/4/2013 at 6:00 am
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Nick Sinapius, Ben Thorneycroft
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Monday, June 2, 2025 - 10:30 am PT
After our last post after descending to 11,000', things happened quickly. We went to bed to moderate snowfall on the tents and woke to something of the same. With clouds all around, and a cloud cap above on the mountain, and after three big days, we didn’t rush out of 11,000' Camp, but took the time to get some coffee, breakfast, and repack into sleds, duffels, and packs for the snowshoe to Base Camp. By midmorning we were ready, and started out. That walk is always special, as the clouds and light played on the lower peaks of the range, there is a certain quiet and reflectiveness to the descent as we contemplate all we have just done, and how soon we will hopefully be home and this will all start to feel like a bit of a dream. We passed several teams headed uphill, still looking fresh, stubble only a day or two old, excited for everything to come. We made a brief stop at the base of Ski Hill to pick up our cache, then continued through the long flat stretches of the lower Kahiltna. Finally it was time for one more burn, the roughly hour stretch up Heartbreak Hill that would bring us to our destination. All day we had walked in and underneath clouds and didn’t hear much in the way of airplane traffic. Quite truthfully as we took our final steps into Base Camp, a message arrived via inReach from K2 asking if we were at Base Camp yet - weather hadn’t been flyable that day, but things were turning. So we arrived, but rather than sit and recover, we continued the movement and prep, quickly pulling apart sleds and bags, organizing, digging up our Base Camp cache, and shortly thereafter we got the news that two planes had launched to come get us. Just before 7 pm, the two red otters dipped out of the sky on the final approach to Base Camp. We loaded, and before we knew it, were being whisked back to town. Just as we seemed to swing into a stroke of luck with our summit day window (there hadn't been one since), we walked into quite a bit of luck with flying off as well. By 8:45 pm that evening, we were showered and sitting on the deck of the Denali Brew Pub enjoying a meal that hadn’t been boiled in water.
Nick, Ben, and myself would like to thank this team for the incredible dedication they showed throughout this expedition, to themselves, to each other, and to us. That teamwork and selflessness was the key component in the success of our climb and it was such a pleasure for us to climb with this team.
Signing off for this year,
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition May 8, 2025
Posted by: Jess Wedel
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek and Lobuche
Elevation: 17,716'
Hi there!
We left base camp early this morning and made our way to Lobuche high camp. We said goodbye to everyone that made our stay so wonderful.
The trail was crowded with yaks and trekkers but we ducked and dodged and eventually made it back to Gorek shep and then on to Lobuche.
After a quick lunch, we headed uphill to Lobuche high camp! It was a windy day and the forecast looks like the wind will continue for the next few days. We plan to climb tonight and see if we can safely make it to the top and back down.
We’re headed to bed early to try to get some rest before an early wake up.
Two of our teammates that planned to just trek made it safely back to Pheriche where they will wait for us to get down from the climb.
Cross your fingers the wind dies down!
RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team
New Post Alerts:
Everest Base Camp Trek & Lobuche, March 16, 2024
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Calvin Jiricko, Bailey Servais, Mitch Valaitis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
After several days of training and climbing, the Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz July 14 - 19 team, led by RMI Guides Walter Hailes, Calvin Jiricko, Bailey Servais and Mitch Valaitis, put it all together and made their climb to the summit of Mt. Rainier. Walter reported a beautiful day with light winds and good climbing conditions. The team started their descent from the crater rim around 7:30 am. They will return to their High Camp for their final night on the mountain. Tomorrow they will finish up any training, descend to the trailhead and return to Rainier BaseCamp to conclude their adventure.
Congratulations to the team!
Posted by: Jess Wedel, Sam Marjerison
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek and Lobuche
Elevation: 17,716'
We woke up this morning, packed our bags and said goodbye to our home on the glacier. One last delicious breakfast to fuel some of us for our climb and some of us for our descent.
With big hugs and big thank yous to our base camp staff we took off. The Lobuche climbers headed downhill back through Gorekshep, to Lobuche village and then broke off the trail and headed up to Lobuche High Camp where we’re ready to make a run for the summit tomorrow.
We said goodbye to Sam and the trekking team as they continued downhill to Pheriche. Sam reports everyone is doing well and enjoying the thicker air.
We’re excited to climb Lobuche but boy are we missing being together as a team.
RMI Guides Jess, Sam and crew
New Post Alerts:
Everest Base Camp Trek & Lobuche, March 16, 2024
Pickleball Steve. We miss you 12 feet above sea level. Air is good. Be safe see ya soon
Bob. Chill
Posted by: Bob Chillemi. on 4/1/2024 at 10:03 am
Greetings from Sea Level on Hilton Head Island!
Wishing all a great day.
Special call out to Pickleball Steve.
May the ascent and return be full of amazing vistas, fueled by strong legs, full lungs and boundless energy.
Be safe and happy
Joe
Posted by: Joe Murphy on 3/30/2024 at 12:46 pm
Posted by: Mike King, Joe Hoch
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
We had a nice relaxed day off in Puebla yesterday. The team struck out in some smaller groups to walk around Puebla. Seems like good food, drink and site seeing was had. Today we head to Tlachichuca for a quick stop at Servimont’s historic soap factory turned climbers hostel to repack for our last summit attempt, Pico de Orizaba 18,491’. The remainder of the day will be spent taking trucks up a long and windy road to the Piedra Grande hut. Once there we will go for a short hike uphill to see the rocky and circuitous trail we will begin our climb on. We’ll check in hopefully from the summit tomorrow morning with a more detailed report once back down to the hostel. Thanks for following along.
RMI Guide Mike King
Hello to ALL from Austin, Texas!!
Looks like it’s all going as planned.
Keep your eye on the sky high destination.
Be smart, be safe and enjoy the journey.
Posted by: Wheat and Kristin Belt on 3/29/2015 at 6:24 am
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