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Posted by: Mike Walter, Jess Wedel, Michael Murray
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Saturday, May 11, 2024 - 7:10 pm PT
Skies were blue above us when I fired the stoves this morning. A foot or more of fresh snow blanketed camp and temps were frigid. Bagels, bacon, and coffee were warranted. By the time we left camp the skies were obscured. Deep snow, cold air, and a stiff breeze were the constants all day. Our team climbed strong and we arrived at 11,000' Camp by 2 pm. After a few hours of digging in a camp, some tent chilling ensued while the guides fired the stoves for dinner. Tomorrow we plan to retrieve our cache from 9400. We'll let you know how that goes. It's dinner time now and life is good at 11,000'.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition, May 5, 2024
We woke before 8 AM a wash with a lingering sunrise. Hughes of pinks, oranges and blues, a stark contrast against the black volcanic dust around and below us at base camp. Within just a few minutes of the groups rousing the dust was above us too, as Popo erupted with fury, more violent than we've seen since arrival in Mexico, we watched as smoke and steam billowed into the sky, becoming a dark cloud inching in our direction while we hoped it was a good omen. lt certainly was a sobering one. A reminder that we are merely guests here in every sense.
We ate a hearty breakfast of refried beans, corn chips, eggs, potatoes, and ham thanks to our team at Ixta base camp, coffee and tea were had as well. The anticipation and excitement among the group were as thick as the ash and at 10 AM we dawned our packs and jettisoned from the Basecamp led by our local guide Allan, 300 summits of Ixta, including many by running, with Dominic and Ben in the rear. We kept an eye on the clouds of smoke, but it didn't phase us on a spectacular and reasonably effortful climb to high camp at 14,500 ft we faced only a little
scree, and instead moved through an ocean of golden grass. Its fine blades seemed to hug us as we passed. People had the energy and breath to discuss life's most important philosophical questions like Buddhism, the true nature of millennials, and Gen Xers, and how one defines a soup versus a stew and what is chili and cereal with milk, and while we are still trying to determine the conversions for the Dominic unit, the climb was indeed three hours as promised, which was met by applause at high camp. We were greeted by the cheers, laughs and smiles of our incredible Porter team, who ran ahead of us to get camp ready for our arrival which marked personal high points for the majority of us.
We rested and relaxed, had a nourishing dinner of chicken Ramen, hot chocolate, cookies, and various preparations of, and some questionable, of spam, and after a final briefing retreated to our tents and sleeping bags early in preparation for our Alpine start to the summit of Ixta.
RMI Climber, Eric Obscherning
New Post Alerts:
Mexico's Volcanoes February 24, 2024
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Mike Bennett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
Elevation: 15,000'
Well, we now sit at the base of a huge mountain. All the acclimatization, organizing, bus riding and patient waiting has brought us here. Now just one last piece of preparation, which is to have our glacier school tomorrow. Tonight, we are in the lower hut at Cayambe and enjoying a quiet evening that included a delicious, traditional Ecuadorian dinner. The team is really bonding and Joe's preamble to tomorrow night's motivational speech already has us feeling excited.
Today was also an enjoyable travel day. We left the Intiyaya residences at a reasonable hour this morning, most of us getting a great night of sleep. That was followed by using our haggling skills to shop at the Otavalo market and get some last-minute supplies or souvenirs. We then had a nice lunch at a cozy little sandwich shop in the town of Cayambe. This place is generally a relief for folks as the owners are English, so the only things lost in translation are things like "chips" (french fries) or "rocket" (arugula). And now we are settled in for an early bedtime as we adjust to the early wakeup schedule.
Our plan at this point is to be standing on top of Cayambe in less than 36 hours. Of course, Mother Nature always has the final say, but if the weather continues to hold, this team is prepared!
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier
New Post Alerts:
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Seminar
Elevation: 6,500'
Posted by: Mike Walter, Alan Davis, Alex Halliday
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
On The Map
Kelby,
We have returned from Hawai’i. It was quite a bit different than these photos. 8-) Hoping for calmer weather for all of you in the days to come.
The Tidds
Posted by: Steve and Tina on 5/24/2019 at 4:08 pm
Good luck to the team and Tom Mulvey! May you find favorable weather.
Posted by: Jerry Suyderhoud on 5/22/2019 at 7:15 pm
Posted by: Brent Okita, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
On The Map
How much time do your clients spend getting used to the altitude, before they can handle 20,000’?
Posted by: harold hahn on 8/29/2016 at 2:10 pm
Bravo pour cette belle expédition, l’atteinte du sommet et le plaisir de le faire. Nous avons bien hâte d’entendre le récit de vive voix
Posted by: Roger Brosseau on 8/29/2016 at 10:19 am
Posted by: Billy Nugent, Katrina Bloemsma, Billy Haas
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
On The Map
Lucy - Great going. Enjoy your day off. We hope you have great weather for the rest of the climb. We miss you. Love, Carter, Walker and Christopher
Posted by: Carter on 1/18/2015 at 9:17 am
Glen, we are with you - in thought anyway. It is good to see photos, so we can see, too. Now, your training is paying off!
Posted by: Jerry y Rhonda on 1/18/2015 at 8:11 am
Posted by: Chase Nelson, JJ Justman, Steve Gately
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
Hey Dustin! Fingers crossed for clear skies and light winds!!
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 1/28/2024 at 5:09 am
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