May 29, 2017
Another two feet of snow fell on us last night, and it was still snowing when I awoke to check the weather throughout the morning. So, another storm day at 11,200' Camp.
With all this snow dreams of skiing the deep 'pow' entered all our skiers' brains, but the only face shots we got was when the wind caught the snow we were shoveling from our tents and blew it back in our face. Oh well.
The snowfall intensity was remarkable. Fifteen minutes after clearing your tent it appeared that you had done nothing.
Since we had enjoyed a great rest day yesterday, I thought it better that we stretched our legs just a little today. So, we roped up for a short stroll down to 10,100' where we helped out our team behind us and carried some of their cache up to camp for them while they were taking a storm/rest day at 7,800'. Loads were light and in a couple of hours we were back at camp.
An afternoon relaxing back in the tents topped off our little walk, leaving the team feeling pretty darned good at dinner.
We're all keeping our fingers crossed for tomorrow. Send us positive thoughts for the weather. And thank you for the blog replies. We've gotten one batch sent to us so far and everyone loves hearing them.
Good night from 11,200' camp, hopefully for the last time.
RMI Guides Brent, Christina Dale and JT Schmitt
Hi my favorite nephew! What a story of a winter wonderland! Love the face shot story….gee should have packed those skis…you probably need a little more weight! Did you make progress yesterday?
Didn’t see a posting?
Praying for clear skies for today 5/31.
I am amazed at this feat and so proud of you and your team, JT.
Love you lots,
Auntie Gay
Posted by: Auntie Gay on 5/31/2017 at 7:12 am
Praying for the snow to stop! All our love and thoughts are with you and the team.
The sun will shine and you will continue on! We miss you and stay safe! Mom & Dad xoxoxo
Posted by: Sandra Friaglia on 5/31/2017 at 3:13 am
June 9, 2015, 3:39 pm PT
Awaking to light snow and little wind yesterday we decided to see if moving was realistic. Denali decided to make us earn it and we climbed through consistent wind and snow to make it up here. The team did great, and evening found us snug in our sleeping bags. This morning we battled the same wind and snow that followed us up from 7,800' as we fortified our living space, building artistic (yet functional) walls to protect us from the elements. This afternoon we will rest and recover from a few big days before retrieving our cache and sending a new one higher on the route. Great to be posted up higher on the Great One.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
Hi Meredith! We are following your progress like hawks. Kim and I pray for your guys, your happiness, and your safety. Hope this is everything you dreamed it would be and more. We are taking good care of each other and each time we are together, we think of you!
David
Posted by: David on 6/10/2015 at 3:18 pm
Hi Meredith! Hope you are having fun and that the sunny skies return. Thinking of you!!!!!!
Good evening warm comfortable people!
The team here at base camp continues to thrive midst the constant storm. We needed to stick our heads in it so we packed our sleds and made our way to the main flow of the Kahiltna and started walking upstream. Although the visibility was only a few hundred meters and the snow fell wet, we managed to make a seven-mile round trip journey up the expansive long frozen river. Everyone performed well and lessons in self care were earned. With the weather outlook looking bleak, we may have to take the first flight out tomorrow morning. Hopefully in time to call our mothers on Mother's Day!
RMI Guide Leon Davis
Hey Everybody, This is Casey Grom checking in from the Everest Base Camp Trek and Island Peak Climb. Just wanted let you know that everything's going great here in the Kumbu. After having an incredible day at Base Camp, the team descended yesterday through a little bit of snow all the way down to Pheriche. It's about 12 miles and it took our group a little over 7 hours, so quite a long day on our feet, but everyone did great! Everyone certainly enjoyed the drop in altitude and the thicker air. It was only 14,000 feet, but everyone could feel the difference. Everyone is doing great and last night we ran into two of RMI's finest Jeff "JJ" Justman and of course Dave Hahn who are leading our Mt. Everest climb this season. It was great to see those guys and touch base and wish luck to those guys and the climbing crew that is with them.
After getting a good night's rest, the team got out this morning and had relatively early breakfast. The trekking group headed back to Namche. The Island Peak team and myself headed up the adjacent valley and are relaxing here at Chukung. It was bit of a sad day saying goodbye to our friends that we spent so many great days with, but I am sure those guys are doing great now down in Namche enjoying the warm air, cell service and WiFi. Unfortunately for us, we won't have cell service or WiFI here in Chukung as there has been some issue with the receivers. Anyways, we're headed up the valley a little further and expect to be at Island Peak Base Camp tomorrow. We'll try to check in via satellite phone we can get reception up there.
Thanks a lot. We'll talk soon.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
This is Solveig checking in from Camp 4 @ 14,200'.
Today our team is enjoying a rest day, which nicely corresponds with a weather day. The wind has been blowing strongly and we have received nearly a foot of new snow in camp since last night. This afternoon we saw a few sun breaks but still the wind continues! We are keeping busy with ipods, books, and sport eating (not because you need to, but because it's fun!).
Yesterday the team constructed a cook shelter surrounded by high wind walls of snow blocks. We have been enjoying eating meals and taking a break from the confines of our tents in our plush livingroom/kitchen! The forecast looks like continued winds and snow through the weekend, so most likely more resting is in our future. Maybe tomorrow we will constuct a tunnel to Mike (Walter) and the other RMI team's camp!
Hello to all our friends and family back home, and we'll check in again tomorrow!
RMI Guide Solveig Garhart
Sunday, May 26, 2019 - 8:16 AM PT
Hello from the Ruth Glacier Base Camp.
What a great day and climb we had yesterday. Our climb of Mount Dickey went well and while better accomplished over 2 days, we had to single push it in order to nail the weather. Saved by the bell, we pulled back into camp as the rain started, and it's been coming down ever since. Double reason for a well deserved rest day today. We'll enjoy a good steak (and I'm not kidding) meal and revisit our climb that provided arguably the best views of the Alaska Range.
Regards, Lucy, Corell and ElÃas
Hello folks back home.
We’re still here on Kilimanjaro.
Day 3 for us was pretty similar to yesterday. Cloudy and rainy for almost the entire hike. This team is in good spirits though despite the weather being less than ideal. We haven’t completely ruled out descending and making a run to the beaches in Zanzibar!
Our morning ritual has been waking around 6:30 and getting everything in our tents packed up before heading into our very spacious dinning tent for quite the feast. Normally there is fresh fruit, fried eggs, bacon, and plenty of hot coffee awaiting us, obviously we’re being spoiled up here by our wonderful staff!
We hit the trail usually around 8am and hike for an hour before taking our 15-minute break, then back on the trail for another hour. All total today we hiked for just over six hours before reaching camp which was set up and ready for us thankfully.
Along the way we passed around the famous and beautiful Lava Tower reaching just over 15,000 feet setting new altitude records for some.
Please send us some sunshine for tomorrow.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew
Update after successful summit:
Weather could not have been better. Same with the team. What we learn about ourselves and others up in the outer limits of our atmosphere never ceases to amaze me. Outstanding efforts today by three teens, Aaron , Hunter, and Morgan. Each along with one of their parental units, etching out some family history. A fine example of good parenting to bring out the best in these adolescents under some very demanding conditions. What they did today can put a new perspective on everyday challenges. Put that one in your tool box. The rest of us didn't do too bad either. Making good time to the top and back down safely to our last camp, Mweka, here at 10,000ft. Our total summit day only took about 15 hours. We will be back to creature comforts tomorrow after another three hours of descending.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
[Link to summit call audio]
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls from Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
June 8, 2016 - 2:25 p.m. PDT
Hi from High Camp on Denali! We were in a holding pattern this morning as we had high winds and very cold temperatures. Now the day has warmed up and winds have died a bit, but we are sitting in a very thick cloud. The tents are warm as always with the sun's intense radiation shining through. So we sit and wait, snoozing, mixed with conversation, laughter and anticipation. When our window arrives we are in crouching tiger position, ready to launch on our summit push.
RMI Guide Tyler Jones and Team
Sorry to hear you are stuck at camp. Eric is keeping me informed about what that must be like. I imagine it’s more fun than the Builder, and less miserable than attending a rainy losing ND game.
Today I drove to North Lame (or some town nearby that looked exactly the same). It was 95° and smelled strongly of cows. I sat in a windowless conference room for 6 hours and then drove back. My coworkers made a big deal out of eating Rocky Mountain Oysters, which I think sounds like a good name for a local minor league team.
Remember, if you can’t climb because of the cold, use your artistic eye to find an ice cave ballroom.
Love,
Mary
Posted by: Mary on 6/9/2016 at 6:28 am
PULLING FOR YOU GUYS EVERY DAY. THE RMI POSTS ARE GREAT.
BE SAFE
SENDING BEST WISHES TO ENTIRE TEAM AND ESPECIALLY MY FAMILY DAN AND ERIC.
This was a short, but significant day for the Kilimanjaro team. We climbed the great Barranco Wall. Things started out pretty clear and sunny down at camp, and we got great views of the massive and steep walls of Kibo above. The glaciers and frozen waterfalls all looked tenuously attached to the mountain and stuck out in stark contrast to our desert-like surroundings a mile below. We waited until 9:45 AM to give the army of hard-working porters first shot at the narrow ledges of Barranco and then we began working our own way up. Our local guide team, led by capable and calm Freddy, shepherded us from ledge to ledge, making sure we always knew where the next good solid handhold was. We made steady progress and soon topped out on the wall, 750 steep vertical feet above our starting point. It only took a couple more hours then of traversing several valleys to reach Karanga Camp at 13,160 ft. We got in just in time as it began to rain and even snow a bit shortly after our arrival. We'll see if it is just the normal afternoon buildup of moisture, or some more significant shift in the weather.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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Hi my favorite nephew! What a story of a winter wonderland! Love the face shot story….gee should have packed those skis…you probably need a little more weight! Did you make progress yesterday?
Didn’t see a posting?
Praying for clear skies for today 5/31.
I am amazed at this feat and so proud of you and your team, JT.
Love you lots,
Auntie Gay
Posted by: Auntie Gay on 5/31/2017 at 7:12 am
Praying for the snow to stop! All our love and thoughts are with you and the team.
The sun will shine and you will continue on! We miss you and stay safe! Mom & Dad xoxoxo
Posted by: Sandra Friaglia on 5/31/2017 at 3:13 am
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