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The rains came in the wee hours at Machame Camp this morning. We were all snug in our sleeping bags and dry in our tents, but each of the team heard the showers and wondered how things might be if it all didn't quit by morning. Well, it didn't quit, but things weren't too bad, as it turned out. We geared up in waterproof clothing and got out into light showers and persistent mist. We'd breakfasted and busted out of camp by eight AM, climbing a steep and slippery trail with big lava-block steps. We climbed for several hours in the cloud, wondering just which grand views we were missing. It never got unbearably wet and we were spared from the possibility of overheating from too much sun. Most of our altitude for the day had been gained and we were beginning the leftward traverse which would bring us to the Shira Plateau when we climbed out of the clouds. It seemed we were in a great garden of wildflowers as we proceeded around the corner to Shira. And then we could see - for the first time - the upper slopes and glaciers of Kilimanjaro. It was an exciting moment, made better by the realization that we only had some easy downhill walking left to go in order to reach camp at 12,570 ft above sea level. We were looking out over an endless sea of cloud and enjoying the sunshine for a time...the clouds washed back over camp in the mid-afternoon. By then though, we were well-fed and well-sheltered in our new and higher home. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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July 15, 2014 - 4:21 pm PT Hello again from Huaraz! Relaxing day we had after all the travelling today... A two hour walk after breakfast took the team the overlook above town from where we devised the closest peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. It served also to get the blood pumping, on this the first day above 3,000 m, elevation we reached yesterday by car, so all benefits. We had a great meal afterwards (pizza from the stove oven restaurant of "El Horno", a classic in Huaraz) and an easy afternoon of pre-packing the duffles prior to tomorrow's departure to the trailhead. We´re getting ready for dinner and an early bed time; Cashapampa trailhead and eventually Llamacorral Camp await tomorrow. Next post will be from the trails. Best regards, Elias de Andres Martos

May 25, 2015 - 5:33 pm PT Despite a poor forecast for today, we awoke to calm and only scattered clouds which allowed us to return to our previous camp and retrieve our cache. The scattered clouds made for some pleasant walking temps and our loads felt lighter than ever before... A nice change for our tired shoulders. We spent the afternoon reviewing climbing techniques for our carry up to 13,500 feet (hopefully tomorrow). Everyone is feeling well rested and we are crossing our fingers that tomorrow will bring another nice day! RMI Guide Brent Okita

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We went to bed last night hoping for lighter winds than the previous night, and thankfully the weather gods delivered the goods. The team enjoyed uninterrupted slumber, and woke today to more blue skies. The weather has definitely gotten a little colder than it was down below, so our morning was a slow roll through hot coffee and cereal. As the sun climbed higher, the temps warmed and the crew enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere of cards and conversation in our tents. We continued resting throughout the day, conserving energy for tomorrow's move to Camp 3. If all goes well and the weather continues to hold, we'll be checking in from the highest reaches of this beautiful mountain over the next couple of days. Keep it dialed in for more updates! RMI Guide Garrett Stevens & Team

There were many bright spots to what was otherwise a very cold, snowy and windy week on Mt. Rainier. Our team met on Sunday for our six -day Expedition Seminar and our day of prep was well used as we got our gear all ready for a possible push to Camp Muir the next day. However, the weather on Monday was marginal for moving to Muir, so we got a great day of training on the mountain and camped at about 6,200’ below Panorama point. Tuesday was blue bird and made for excellent hiking conditions to Camp Muir which the entire team reached in good shape. From there the weather conditions deteriorated and Wednesday saw temperatures reaching 2 degrees F with winds averaging 30-40 mph. But that did not keep us from training. Our team only ascended a few feet higher than Camp Muir at 10,188’, but we had a great experience and learned a ton, much of which came courtesy of Mother Nature. Friday the winds abated enough to allow us to descend back to Paradise, although it was still windy, snowy and a white out much of the time. But everybody did really well cramponing and snowshoeing down to Paradise. We later celebrated the week and our time together sharing a burger and a cold one at our favorite local restaurant. From the comfort of the dining room I could take stock of the really bright spot of the week: sharing time with a remarkable group of individuals. RMI Guide Brent Okita

Hi all, We woke to another beautiful day in the Khumbu. Crystal clear skies and surrounded by magnificent mountains, including Ama Dablam in the morning light. What a sight! It was our second night in Deboche, and the group is doing really well. After breakfast we started hiking along the Imja River, following its banks until the valley walls narrowed and we began the climb up to Pangboche. Pangboche is a small village, but a very important stop on our trek to Basecamp. It is here that the Lama Geshe gives his blessing for a safe expedition. Each climber receives a "kata" and blessing card and this is followed by his blessing. The tradition is for the climbers to take a picture holding the blessing card while on top of Everest and then mail it back to him. One whole wall is covered with pictures of climbers, spanning many years. To take part in this ceremony is an honor and gives valuable insight into the Sherpa culture. After leaving Lama Geshe's house, it was a short walk to the oldest monastery in the Khumbu. Though simple and basic, it has been standing for over 400 years! Still traversing above the Imja River, the valley opened up and a junction in the trail marked the way to Pheriche. We are now all settled in for the afternoon at our tea house. Some are reading and playing chess and the rest of the team is playing Texas Hold'em. Tucker has been cleaning up the last few nights with the card games, but he is about to run out of luck...

The Four Day Climb May 27 - 30 led by RMI Guides Hannah Smith and Dominic Cifelli reached 11,200ft, Ingraham Flats, today before high winds forced the group to descend.  All climbers returned safely to Camp Muir around 4:30 am. They plan to leave Camp Muir at 9 am for their descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them in Ashford this afternoon.

PC: Arianna Drechsler & Hannah Smith

The Sahale Mountain - Quien Sabe Glacier August 10 - 13 team reached the summit of Sahale this morning. RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall checked in to let us know her team was doing well, they had reached the summit and were descending back to camp. They will spend tonight on the mountain and complete their program tomorrow after reaching the trail head. Congratulations to the Sahale Climbers!

May 26, 2017 Welcome to our team's first dispatch! We had two unsuccessful attempts to fly into Kahiltna Base Camp yesterday. The current weather on the mountain has only left us with short windows to make a landing. With our returned attempts it allowed us to do some more dry land training and re packing to give us a head start when we do land on the glacier. The team is excited and prepared to start our expedition. Our extra night in Talkeetna provided us with another evening of good food, company and playoff hockey! As we speak the hanger crew is telling us to get our boots on and load up the planes again. We hope the third time will be the one! Thanks for following our team and we'll keep you posted along the way! RMI Guides Tyler, JM and Bryan

June 9, 2015, 4:22 pm PT Last night we had a fiesta with the Upper West Rib team. It was a posh full of laughs, stories, and quesadillas. This morning we slept in and enjoyed a bagel and salmon breakfast over stories and Via coffee. The team spent most of the day in the posh battling it out at Phase Ten (a card game). The rest of the day has been spent lounging and grazing on food. We are hoping for some good weather this weekend and with good neighbors, good food, and some good tunes we are sitting pretty up here at 14,000'. RMI Guide Tyler Jones

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