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Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - 5:35 PM PT
The team enjoyed an excellent rest at 14,000 ft. today. We started the day with breakfast burritos. These weren't just any breakfast burritos. These burritos were so expertly prepared that they earned the coveted Alden Mills "Best Breakfast of the Trip" endorsement. After breakfast, we lounged, drank second and third rounds of coffee, and planned out the rest of our day. The planning was not very hard, since we really didn't have much to do. We took a walk out to a feature appropriately name the Edge of the World, and gazed 6,000 ft down into the NE fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. On the walk back to camp, the team practiced some rope skills that will greatly enhance our efficiency on summit day. After the hard work was done we ate as much cheese, sausage, and bread as we could in preparation for our summit bid. Now we just wait for a weather window to move to High Camp, and head for the top. The team sends their best to everyone following along back at home.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
On The Map
We did it! 100% on top!!! The entire team stood on the
highest point in Europe.
We were pretty lucky with the weather, as it was near perfect, so the decision to climb early and avoid the forecasted weather paid off. We started at 3:30am with a snowcat ride up to 15,000' then hit the trail in a decent breeze that thankfully mellowed out a few hours later. It was a beautiful and welcomed sunrise as the sun helped warm us up.
The team did a fantastic job of taking care of themselves and climbed strong. We summited in clear skies with a wonderful view of the entire Caucasus Mountain Range, which is something I haven't had often here on
Elbrus.
After descending a short ways back to the saddle between the two summits that Elbrus has, a few of us decided to climb the second summit while the rest of the team descended safely back to camp. I've been pretty lucky the last few climbs and have pulled off the double summit a few times. It was a bonus for sure.
After everyone returned to camp, we had a quick lunch and are currently relaxing with smiles on our faces.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and a happy crew
On The Map
February 5, 2017
After a very snowy and windy period here at Base Camp the sky's finally broke and the sun started shining. So we got a load of gear together and carried it up to 16,200 ft. It was a perfect day for climbing, not to hot and not to cold. We are now back a base resting after a hard days work. I think I smell some chicken dinner coming from the cook tent, can't wait!
February 4, 2017
After three days of approach we have arrived at
Plaza de Argentina, our Base Camp. The day began with an icy creek crossing on mule back just as the sun came up over the mountains. Then we were off on a 6 hour jaunt up valley in pleasant overcast conditions. But by the time we arrived at camp winds were howling and snow was falling. The rest of the day felt like full on winter. Tomorrow is a rest day that will be met with lots of eating and some prep for the next day. Spirits are high!
RMI Guide Ben Liken
On The Map
July 4, 2015 1:11 am PST
This was the day. The weather was a whole lot better than the last few days, but it wasn't perfect. A little blustery. We needed to take advantage though to get out of 11,000' and up to
14,000' Camp. Even having had a handful of teams break trail on the route before we made our effort today, we still anticipated a tough haul with knee deep snow on such steep hills. Motorcycle took longer than normal, Squirrel took longer, the Polo Fields went on forever, Windy Corner was windy (and it took longer). It was all pretty tough going until we got around the corner and reached our cache location from the other day. Finally there was less new snow, less wind and a decent track to follow. It was still uphill though. It took us 8.5 hours to cover what should have taken 6 hours, but what a wonderful feeling to roll into 14 Camp after thinking of it so much when we were stuck down below. We've got different and magnificent views now, of Denali, but also of Mount Foraker and Mount Hunter and about a thousand other peaks when the clouds allow. We did a late dinner after camp was built and then hurried in to the tents for the night. It is colder up here, and colder still when the sun goes behind the mountain. Everybody deserves good rest after such a big day.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
7:45 a.m. - The Four Day Summit Climb, led by
Leon Davis and
Mike Soucy, crested the summit rim of
Mt. Rainier. Leon reported a nice day with light winds. Both teams began their descent just after 9:00 a.m.
The Four Day Summit Climb teams led by
RMI Guides Mike Walter and Tyler Reid reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. The teams enjoyed some time on the summit on what Tyler Reid described as a "beautiful day". They began their descent from the crater rim just before 8 am and will return to Camp Muir for a short break and then continue down to Paradise this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's
Summit Climbers!
Being on safari is nature at its most basic form. To see the food chain in the realm of nature makes you ponder on life itself. You take away a certain fresh outlook on the meaning of life on these safaris. And to see the living prehistoric creature that is near extinction, the rhino, keep the wheels spinning. We had a chilly start to the day up in the cloud forest on the flanks of the
Ngorongoro Crater. We decided to stop in at a Maasai Boma or village where for 20 dollars each they gave us warmth in one of their cow dung huts with its dirt floor, no chimney, wood-burning modular homes. We got out of there pretty quickly but left with the flavor and fragrance of a life a bit different than ours. Nice folks and enjoyed the visit. The clouds eventually burnt off to a picture-perfect day in the bottom of the crater, the Eighth Wonder of the World. Yes the trigger finger took a bit of a warming up but no animal, bird, or plant escaped the lens of these safari pros. We even had some shots taken with out a memory card due to some rough roads and a bit too over excited at the chase of the perfect picture. Lots more opportunity for photos tomorrow as we move to yet another amazing park in
Africa.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Hello everyone!
Today has been a day of a little work and a lot of rest. We woke up to a delightful breakfast of bagels with cream cheese and bacon and after some casual conversation it was time to go retrieve our 10,000' cache. All was well except for a minor raven attack......thankfully the only casualty was a bag of ramen noodles. It was a 3 hour round trip and before long folks were back to relaxing and drinking glacier fresh water. Our plan for the rest of the day is to keep hydrating and get ready to carry a load to
13,500 ft tomorrow. Stay tuned as we continue our slow but steady climb up this giant pile of rock and ice.
RMI Guide Ben Liken
On The Map
Sunday, May 19, 2024 - 10:59 pm PT
This morning every peak around us, including Denali, was wearing a funny cloud hat - lenticular clouds and a sign of high winds. It made the decision pretty clear: we would rest at 14,000' Camp today. We did all of our usual rest day things and watched as camp was engulfed by a calm, white cloud, before it started to snow lightly. Despite all that, the tents were catching quite a bit of solar radiation and it was quite warm and comfy inside. We made a decent start at building snow walls to protect camp should the weather turn worse. The forecast sounds decent tomorrow, so we are hoping for weather in the morning that let's us carry to 17,000'.
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
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Denali Expedition, May 7, 2024
A few years ago I had the pleasure to work with
Caleb Ladue, RMI guide on his first trip here on
Aconcagua. We spent Christmas with our group at base camp. Caleb had bought a bunch of treats and little bottles of champagne for our team to enjoy, one of which was TANG mimosas. He had somehow grabbed a sock from each climber without them knowing and when the team walked into our dining tent there hung a stocking for each of them. Caleb passed away in a skiing accident not far from where we are now in the Andes last fall. In his memory, we started our holiday morning off with stockings and hot drinks delivered to the Team’s tents. The champagne would have been to heavy to get up this high and not benefited our acclimatization so we opted for coffee.
The Team is doing well and excited for a rest day. The weather is supposed to get windy for the next 3-5 days. Advancing our schedule isn’t in the cards so we will wait to see what the weather gives us and hopefully have a summit bid Sunday-Monday. This will get us back to Mendoza for flights home. Until then we are going to reinforce camp and enjoy the calm air and warm tents.
The office sent in your blog comments, we will read them during breakfast, thanks for supporting the Team from a far, it means a lot to them. Merry Christmas from 18,000’.
RMI Guide Mike King
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110-102 GSW! Durant 43 pts!
Posted by: Tracie on 6/6/2018 at 8:32 pm
Hey Brett! Currently watching GSW vs. Cleveland! GSW are up 2 games to 0 and currently it’s the 4th quarter of the 3rd game. Score is 88-87 GSW! It’s so cool to watch your ascent! Stay safe everyone!!
Love, Tracie, Brian Erickson and Kennedy
Posted by: Tracie on 6/6/2018 at 8:07 pm
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