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A leisurely, big breakfast of eggs, bacon and hash browns was had after sleeping in fairly late yesterday. When we finally got out of the posh we were surprised to find that planes might be flying soon. Yes, we were keeping an eye on the weather, but it wasn't really that good yet. At first we couldn't really believe it and the team indulged in some leg wrestling antics (which the women handily won).Then we heard the words, "RMI Okita, two Otters are in the air for you".So we went from slow mo to go go as we tore our tents down and packed in a matter of about twenty minutes! I think some folks were motivated to leave. As we brought the last of our stuff the fifty yards to the glacier landing strip we saw the planes come into view. By 1:00 we were in town, unpacking group gear and trying to dry stuff that was soaked from the unseasonably warm temps and rain. We'll not discuss our evening affair in much detail except that the food was good and the libations rather excessive. We're on our way to the airport now, twenty three days after flying on to the mountain. No summit to boast of this time. But looking back on it all, it's the people we climb with and share adventures with that inspires me to live the life of my dreams. Summits may be nice but are somewhat ephemeral. Friendships formed while climbing mountains last a lifetime. Thanks to the wonderful group of climbers with whom I've shared the past three weeks. You're the best! And now they are on their way back to you, with stories to tell and memories to share. Indulge their eccentricities. Should they reach for their pee bottle in the middle of the night or ask for a "swirl" after dinner, don't worry. They'll recover from these mountain habits in time. Thanks for joining us these past three weeks! Goodbye, RMI Guides Brent, Christina and JT

After an adventurous summit on Lonquimay, the last couple days have been focused on simply ski touring in the beautiful terrain this region offers. Yesterday we drove through the longest tunnel in South America to the Las Mellizas range, touring from the base of an abandoned ski area called Los Arenales. We had lunch on a mini summit called Mirador de Los Volcans and our ski descent dropped us into our first close encounter with Araucarias (monkey puzzle trees). With 15 cm of new snow and a bit of a break in the weather, today we skied beautiful long laps from another mini summit adjacent to Volcan Lonquimay - warm, smooth powder, definitely the best snow of the trip. As I type, Sergio is preparing a traditional Chilean asado (barbeque)...an eating experience I have been thinking about for the last year. I have no doubt it will be our best meal of the trip (and the bar has been set high). RMI Guide Tyler Reid

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

On The Map

Hey this is Seth calling from the summit of Kilimanjaro. We have every single last member of the team up at Uhuru Peak. That's 100% of us 11 plus 5 great African guides. It's a nice day, clear skies all night long. The rain we had before, the last two days, just disappeared. There is a cloud deck down below us. We just had the nicest summit day. Everybody is doing great and we're gonna head back down. We have a long drop, it's about 9,000 feet down to our last camp. And then we are on safari. We will check in when we get to our last camp. Ciao. RMI Guide Seth Watefall

On The Map

The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Billy Nugent along with the Expedition Skills Seminar - Paradise led by Zeb Blais reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The teams reported clear skies with cold temperatures on the summit. Both teams began their descent from the crater rim around 7:40 am. The teams will return to Camp Muir for a short break before continuing down to Paradise. The Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons led by Solveig Waterfall checked in this morning from Glacier Basin. They will be descend from Glacier Basin back to the trail head and return to Rainier BaseCamp later today. We look forward to seeing all of the teams back in Ashford later this afternoon. Congratulations to today's Summit Climb Teams!

June 14, 2014 - 10:55 pm PT Well another day has come and gone, but Denali refuses to give us a decent weather window to climb.The team is all prepped to go, and we have had numerous conversations that will improve our efficiency and safety up high. At this point we are just keeping our fingers crossed and watching both the forecast and morning skies to decide when we will move upward. Thanks for following along. RMI Guides Eric Frank, Geoff Schellens and the UWR team

On The Map

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - 10:03 pm PT

Hello from Talkeetna! After a long day of travel we have arrived in this lovely little town, our launching off point.  The excitement is tangible as we settle in, looking forward to a day of packing and prep tomorrow.

RMI Guide Seth Burns

The Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons led by RMI Guide Dan May reached the Summit of Mt. Rainier at 11:32 am today! The team has spent the week training and perfecting their alpine skills, and today this hard work has paid off as they traversed the Emmons Glacier to reach the top. They will spend another night at Camp Schurman before descending.

Congratulations Team! 

The Four Day Climbs led by RMI Guides Steve Gately and Nick Scott reached the summit of Mt. Rainier shortly before 9:00 AM. Steve reported 100% of the climbers reached the summit! Steve also reported perfect weather and a great climbing route. The teams will spend a little time on the summit celebrating before beginning their descent. We look forward to seeing both teams in Ashford this afternoon. Congratulations climbers!

May 30, 2014 - 10:16 pm PT The Alaska Range remains untouched by eager climbers awaiting a green light on a weather window. Our team awoke to our second day of uncertainty, hopes high that we might catch a break in this persistent southwesterly storm. Everyone's enthusiasm and patience has been key while we perfect the "Talkeetna hang". We spent the majority of our day at the hangar working on vital skills that will get us moving quickly once we hit the glacier. Everyone's psyched for tomorrow's potential, feeling optimistic that we might get our chance to fly! RMI Guide Tyler Jones and the gang