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Expedition Skills Seminar - Peru: Young & Team Arrive at Ishinca Basecamp

July 17, 2019

Posted by: Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar

Elevation: 14,400'

Hello from the Ishinca Valley in the beautiful Cordillera Blanca! Oh boy, what a treat it is to finally be in the mountains after 4 days in and around town. It is a beautiful setting here at Ishinca Base Camp, nestled between massive snow and ice covered giants at 14,400’. The peaks around us soar up to 20,000’ and it’s a sight to behold. It took us about 4 hours to make the move here from the trail head. We donned day packs after leaving the bulk of our weight with the donkeys and arrieros, and enjoyed a light weight walk all the way in under sunny skies. Soon after setting up camp, the afternoon rains reared their ugly heads, but luckily we were already warm and dry in our tents. Tonight, believe it or not, we were treated to a trout dinner with baby potatoes, chicken soup, and jello. We live our best lives here in Peru, and our cook Emilio is a huge part of that. Tomorrow, we’ll take’er easy. A little walking, a little technical training, and maybe even some napping. We’ll fill you in tomorrow. Until then, thanks for following along! RMI Guide Robby Young and Team ‘Trucha’ PS - Spanish word of the day is Sombra (Shade)

Bolivia Expedition: Frank & Team Explore La Paz

May 21, 2017

Posted by: Eric Frank, Caleb Ladue

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Bolivia

Elevation: 11,942'

Hola! The sun has set on our first day in Bolivia! The group just returned after a great tour through La Paz. We checked out the fruit filled markets, quiet plazas and even had the opportunity to ride the gondola up to the rim of the city and into it's sister town El Alto. La Paz sits in a valley at the toe of the altiplano, or high plains, and the gondola brings commuters out of the valley, and 500 meters up onto the steppe. Our timing couldn't have been better as the sun was setting on the Altiplano upon arrival. From our vantage we could look out over the city and see our climbing objectives Huayna Potosi and Illimani standing tall against the plains. we are regrouping in a moment and we will head out for our kick-off dinner and celebration. RMI Guide Eric Frank

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Hey Kimmer!! Yea baby!! #smashville-Lucky is so happy the Preds won!! Have fun and stay safe on your climb- are you climbing Chimichanga or Charro first?? You’ll be awesome sauce either way xoxoxo Lora, Sophia & Michael

Posted by: Lora Sue on 5/23/2017 at 7:13 am

Hi sweetheart-
I, as well as Bud, Jesse, Taira and Adryan) are praying non-stop for you, your guides and your climbing mates. Tell Kim that the Predators won as her papa had hoped. I sure wish the Wild were in the mix but we’ll have to wait until next year I guess. It looks like a soggy week for you so stay warm and take it slow. Love you, sweetheart! Mama

Posted by: Bird on 5/23/2017 at 5:17 am

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Mexico Volcanoes: RMI Guide Zeb Blais & Team Acclimate on La Malinche

November 10, 2014

Posted by: Zeb Blais, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico

Elevation: 14,636'

Our crew is on our way to a big buffet breakfast and Ixtaccihuatl after our first day in the mountains. Yesterday's acclimatization hike on La Malinche was a tough introduction to altitude. Dark clouds had gathered at the top as we started and we watched them closely as we pushed up into thinner air. With a short summit window, our entire group pushed hard and worked together to make the top. The weather gods smiled on us and clouds cleared briefly as we scrambled up the last bit of rock to the top. After a few photos, it was time to get ourselves down to thick air and a warm dinner. La Cabana restaurant set out a generous spread for us and we ended our day with great food and full bellies. We'll be checking in soon from Ixta. Cheers from RMI Guides Zeb Blais, Robby Young and the crew!

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff and Team Train and Re-Design Camp

July 2, 2014

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Lindsay Mann

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

July 2, 2014 - 12:09 am PT Thank you for all of the blog comments. It is great to hear from everyone back home and it is always reinvigorating. Today we got to sleep in and then scurried down to our cache above Windy Corner. It was nice to be reunited with our food, clean underwear and base layers that we left buried in the snow for a few days. We then spent the afternoon doing some kitchen redesign, fixed line training and more sorting of food. Tomorrow is an exciting day! We will get to see some more challenging and exciting terrain-- carrying to the top of the fixed lines! RMI Guide Adam Knoff and Team

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Excited to see you are moving towards FOOD! Hope you got there ok. Love the pics And thinking of you. We are at the pool today! Sorry, had to say it.

Posted by: Ginni Fennema on 7/3/2014 at 3:02 pm

What an awesome adventure! We are reading all the blog posts. The pictures are amazing!

Posted by: Lisa Albert on 7/3/2014 at 10:04 am

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Mt. McKinley: Upper West Rib Team Moves to 11,000’

June 5, 2014

Posted by: Eric Frank, Geoff Schellens

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

Today we packed up our camp at 7,600' on Mt. McKinley and began climbing at 8:30 AM under perfectly blue skies. Our team was strong and did very well on the move, despite the hot temps once the sun was high. 11,000' Camp is currently the size of a small town with all the climbing teams that flew on the same day that we did. After setting up our new camp folks enjoyed an afternoon nap before dinner and hot drinks. We are all happy to be here at 11 camp. Thanks for following along with us - The Upper West Rib Team

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Team - I feel a bit of wimp here as I armchair mountaineer along with your great adventure. I’m actually kind of envious of you all in that pristine and beautiful setting. Keep up the good work and enjoy!

Posted by: Lisa Stenderup on 6/5/2014 at 9:53 pm

Mom Stenderup here… My Baby Boy is marching up a 20,000+ Foot mountain and I (with other Moms ) am stressing out!!! However, what can I do at this point?.....,except cheer you on, pray for your safety…and send lots and lots of love ..to ALL of you…because you are a TEAM!!! “One for all , and all for one!”!!!

Posted by: Patty Stenderup on 6/5/2014 at 6:51 pm

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Mt. McKinley Expedition: Mallory & Team Move to 17,000’

July 7, 2011

Posted by:

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,000'

When the alarm sounded this morning we stuck our head out of the tent and saw nothing but clear skies. The wind was blowing high up near the summit, sending whisps of snow flying off the ridge lines, but conditions between 14 Camp and high camp at 17,200' (17 Camp) were perfect: it was go time! It was cold again as we at breakfast and broke down camp but the team kept to task, by now everyone is comfortable working in the cold temperatures. Just after 8 am we headed out of 14 Camp, climbing the slopes back to the fixed lines and up to our previous high point at our cache at 16,200'. We climbed well to there, managing the bigger packs on the fixed lines without any problem. After a break to eat and drink we set out up the West Buttress proper, climbing right along the ridge line for the final 1,000' to camp. The West Buttress is widely regarded as the finest climbing of the entire route and today did not disappoint: it was a simply spectacular afternoon of climbing. The sun was out, there was hardly a breath of wind, and the snow conditions were perfect. The team climbed strongly, weaving back and forth between the outcroppings of granite that pepper the ridge line and across the intermittent stretches of thin snow ridges between where the slopes fall away several thousand feet to each side. The big packs, high altitude, and exposure kept us focused and it was a hard day of climbing, but by the time we reached camp everyone was excited and smiling. We set to work right away upon reaching 17 Camp, shoveling out a few previously used tent platforms that we're buried under several feet of new snow, touching up the snow walls in case the winds pick up, and setting up and anchoring down our tents. It was a calm and warm evening so we sat outside afterward, eating dinner and gazing across the patchwork of clouds below that stretched off into the interior of the North Slope of Alaska. If the perfect weather that we have right now sticks around we're hoping to take advantage and make our summit bid tomorrow. The team is tired from the day but recovering well now that we're in camp and excited about giving it a shot tomorrow. We'll let you know how it goes. RMI Guide Linden Mallory

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Dad, heard about your summit, congrats! Hope the trip down goes well, thinking about you as always.

Posted by: Nick Marini on 7/8/2011 at 8:45 pm

For Frank - Praying for the good weather to continue for the team. Can’t wait to see the photos you bring back!

Posted by: Michelle M on 7/7/2011 at 4:23 pm

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Mt. McKinley Expedition: Cifelli & Team Take Rest Day at 14,000’ Camp

June 26, 2025

Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Ben Luedtke, Mike Bennett

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska

Elevation: 14,000'

Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - 8:51 pm PT

It’s been 8 days since my last dispatch. Eight days since those heady times at 11,000' Camp, when our pounds and pounds of food seemed excessive, when trading for extra toilet paper and coffee were moments of mirth; now we covet our remaining pounds of food, and those trades seem like masterstrokes of genius.

Our first week at 14,000' is coming to a close, our team has experienced wind, snow, and searing heat. Being simultaneously as hot and cold as we have ever been in our lives. While the recent weather has not been as amenable to a quick summit as we would have liked, this past week has still been an incredible and hard to describe experience. The views (when they are available) are breathtaking, reminding us of how lucky we are to be here at all, and how thankful we are for our family, friends, and coworkers supporting us back in the real world allowing us to stay focused on our goal.

The team’s morale remains high, supported by our amazing guiding team of Dom, Ben, and Mike, who keep us active, both physically and mentally, every day. Special shoutout to Dominic’s wife for providing the team a rousing trivia night via satellite messaging a few days back.

As we enter our second week at 14,000', the team is a coiled spring, ready to launch as our hopeful weather window approaches, but until then thank you for all the love and support as we wait out the weather (but god save us if the hot sauce runs out).

RMI Climber Tate Bishop

New Post Alerts:
Mt. McKinley Expedition June 9, 2025

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Hi Mikayla, I sent you a message yesterday, however it didn’t post properly. Anyways, I think of you and your teams struggles everyday. I sending you warm wishes and huge cyber hugs. Bloom where you are planted and keep your eye on the prize. I’m praying for you and the team. We love you!! Papa the Bear

Posted by: Dan DeMers on 6/26/2025 at 4:02 pm

It sounds like it’s time to dig deep Denali climbers! How exciting! Stay safe, Onward and upward!

Love you Cakes!

Posted by: Michelle DeMers on 6/26/2025 at 3:42 pm

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Kilimanjaro: Grom and Team Ready for Summit Bid

September 8, 2018

Posted by: Casey Grom

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 15,000'

Jambo Everyone back home. Well we’ve finally arrived at our high camp, after a good nights rest and a short hike up to 15’000 ft. It has been mostly sunny all day with great views of Kilimanjaro and our route for tomorrow. Everyone is doing well and feeling good at this new altitude which is a good sign for things ahead. The team just wrapped up lunch and discussed in great detail the plan for tomorrow’s climb. Everyone knows what what we’ll be wearing and what will be in the pack as well as the schedule. Our game plan will be to wake at 11 pm and have a quick breakfast at 11:30, then hopefully hit the trail right at midnight. Normally we try to leave a touch later, but there are quite a few climbers here tonight so we’re going to try and get a jump-start on most of them. I’m expecting the team to reach the summit in 7 to 8 hours if things go according to plan. There have been several rounds of trivia with the winner getting a chance to make a satellite phone call from the summit. So everyone back home please keep your phones handy and if you receive a call from a strange number please answer. That’s all for now. And keep your fingers crossed for us! RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili Crew

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Congratulations Julie and team!!!
Looking forward to some great photos!!!

Kathy Sands

Posted by: Kathy Sands on 9/10/2018 at 6:51 am

Well Done, Congrats to the entire team, happy birthday Daniel C
Keep the pics coming

Posted by: Lance Gore on 9/10/2018 at 5:17 am

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Mt. McKinley: Nugent & Team Take a Rest Day

June 28, 2015

Posted by: Billy Nugent, Mike King, Sean Collon

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

June 28, 2015 5:18pm PST Resting here at 14 after a big day yesterday. Clouds and sunshine are in and out along with the occasional bout of flurries. Nothing major to report. Now that we are poised and ready we are just playing a chess match against the weather. Hoping to get that window that will take us to the summit... RMI Guide Billy Nugent & Team

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I love you! You got this, Uncle Yeti. :)

Posted by: Morgan Deanenne on 6/29/2015 at 7:11 pm

Thoughts are with you as you push for High Camp…go team.

Doug - “A world without dragons is a world not worth living in.” ― R.A. Salvatore, Streams of Silver

Stay safe - move with grace.
~Belladonna

Posted by: Belladonna on 6/29/2015 at 2:04 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team - Murphy’s Law

June 20, 2014

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Lindsay Mann

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 7,300'

June 20, 2014 - 7:14 am PT Three O Clock PM Talkeetna time. The kids in orange vests that load and unload the planes we were to fly in asked if it was okay to unload the 2,700 pounds of gear weighing down the aircrafts still grounded by ugly mountain weather near Mt. McKinley. Sure we all said. By this time the thought of messing around with gear just to pass the time seemed like a safe plan. The flying conditions were reported to be bad all day so the perceived notion that we would fly at all was dwindling. The forecast for the next few days looked worse so I knew unloading those planes was the best move we could have made. Not more than 20 minutes after our climbing outfits came off and we were literally heading into town for a beer, base camp called, said conditions looked good and if anyone was ready, load 'em up ASAP and get them in! So, off with the jeans and tennies, on with boots and a mild-hurried panic and onto the plane. Forty-five minutes later we were on the glacier! Yeeee haaaa. Everyone is buzzing with good energy and the days to come. Wish us luck on our move to Camp One. RMI Guide Adam Knoff

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Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Sounds like you are moving up the mountain. Great start!! Love you Jay and Mary. Mom

Posted by: Susan Lampas on 6/21/2014 at 10:56 am

This is exciting news! We are thrilled to be able to follow this adventure. Good luck to everyone on the team and love to Mary and Jay. Dan and Diane

Posted by: diane roketenetz on 6/21/2014 at 7:41 am

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Most Popular Entries

Expedition Skills Seminar - Peru: Young & Team Arrive at Ishinca Basecamp

Bolivia Expedition: Frank & Team Explore La Paz

Mexico Volcanoes: RMI Guide Zeb Blais & Team Acclimate on La Malinche

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff and Team Train and Re-Design Camp

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Mt. McKinley: Upper West Rib Team Moves to 11,000’

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Mt. McKinley Expedition: Mallory & Team Move to 17,000’

Mt. McKinley Expedition: Cifelli & Team Take Rest Day at 14,000’ Camp

Kilimanjaro: Grom and Team Ready for Summit Bid

Mt. McKinley: Nugent & Team Take a Rest Day

Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team - Murphy’s Law

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