Most Popular Entries
Posted by: Zeb Blais, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 14,400'
Posted by: Brent Okita, JJ Justman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Posted by: Casey Grom, Leon Davis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
I’m with you in spirit. Stay strong on the climb. best of luck, you guys and gals, you can do it.
Love you Sydney, take care of them Casey and Leon.
Daddy
Posted by: Roger Osmun on 12/17/2014 at 9:11 pm
Go Team!Thinking of you all as you make for the summit.
Doug - be safe and climb with grace.
Love, Belladonna
Posted by: Donna on 12/17/2014 at 5:58 pm
Posted by: Brent Okita, Mike King
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Fred,
Happy trails ... Up and down. Enjoy the view. Psalm 91.
Posted by: Jon and Cathy on 8/24/2014 at 10:34 am
Good luck everyone, especially Fred and Warren, have a wonderful experience!!!!! We we will be on the lookout from below ;)
Posted by: The Newmans on 8/24/2014 at 7:56 am
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Lacie Smith, Will Ambler
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Thursday, June 12, 2025 8:54pm PDT
Denali dispatch -Don’t let her savagery fool you. This mountain has a mind of her own. Sun turns to snow and calm turns to wind. A cyclical pattern as unpredictable as the market’s response to earnings beat these days. Volatility is the name of the game, and a patience rooted in readiness is a must. When she cooperates never expect ideal but tolerable is enough. Embrace her wind and moodiness, it makes her that much more endearing.
We spent the day eating, resting, and visiting the edge of #4 the world. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Here are some more lessons learned for the loved ones back home.
1. If it has a name, it means the mountain wants it to be named. For example, Squirrel hill is “squirley,” that may take a minute to digest. The names mean obstacles, and the obstacles mean hard. Don’t let the inviting nature of the titles fool you. If your guide calls a part of the mountain anything other than the route, you know you’re in for it.
2. Pee bottles, I know to those back home this is a grotesque thought, but up here they are a gift. Embrace your gift. Own your gift. Treasure your gift. As Lacie said, under no circumstances, zero circumstances, does she leave her tent at night to pee. Now I understand her logic.
3. Nighttime and darkness are not symbiotic here in Alaska. Night is light and day is light. Another essential item is the eye mask but really the eye shield. It’s amazing how you can trick your “I need darkness to sleep” body into submission. The titled portions on the route are extra wreck you parts, the foundation of your hard as hell sundae, and the eye mask is the cherry a maraschino cherry on top. Does anyone even like those?
4. Ditch loops are magic. Sprinkled fairy dust when you need to throw off your pack. Punches and cream? Rumple punchskin? Puncharella?
5. Healthy is consuming the most calorie dense food you can. Frozen or thawed, who cares. Eat it and eat a lot of it. #frostingdoesnotfreeze.
6. Blue bags are a triple bag system for a reason. Do not roll. Do not wrap. Twist tie then knot, your pack and guide will thank you. Extra tips required for solving your personal poop problems.
7. A 38-degree tent is warm, sauna like warm. No cold plunges needed on this mountain, just walk outside and you’re set.
8. Foot baths in the cook tent are a no A forever no. A never again no.
9. When the guides say you have an hour before we are walking it feels more like five minutes. If you’re sitting around at any point, you are doing it all wrong. Remember cramming for tests in school? Bring that urgency and maybe you have a chance of being on time if you’re container store organized.
10. Lather on your sunscreen Even on the days you are not sure you’ll ever see the sun again. Bathe in your sunscreen. You can never apply it too often. Pro tip: bring a sunscreen stick for the extra miserable, inopportune moments you must reapply
10.Rest breaks go something like: parka, pee, sit on pack, drink, eat, apply sunscreen, drink again, throw your pack on, repeat. Super restful, obviously. Side note, just because you see another team resting it doesn’t mean you get to “rest” there too. Best not to get your hopes up.
12. Most people don’t realize there is a dry cleaner up here. The life of luxury, truly Your sleeping bag isn’t just your haven of warmth, but it serves as your personal drying machine. You know when you do laundry and you fill the machines to capacity to fit it all in one load? Or when you’re bringing groceries inside and you load up both arms to make one trip? That’s your sleeping bag. Fill her up and let her go to work.
13. Rest step. It’s as essential to your movement efficiency as brushing your teeth is to your smile.
14. Bring a pillowcase. One that smells like home. A little bit of comfort in the uncomfortable.
15. Do not assume relationships. Father, daughter, mother, son, grandparent, grandchild etc. Sure, everything is fine when you get it right. But when you get it wrong, well, someone walks away like a small child without a piece of candy from a candy store. My aunt said she is the butterfly on my pack, or this trip and she nailed it. To all the butterflies on with us, thank you. Your encouragement and belief fuels us in the valleys and celebrates with us on the mountaintops
Thank you for the continued prayers, we can’t wait to make it back home to all of you. Weather permitting, we are on the move again tomorrow, our last big push to embrace all the hard this mountain has left for us. We may have underestimated her beauty, but we never underestimate her boss-ness.
Love,
RMI Climber Caroline and Team
New Post Alerts:
Mt. McKinley Expedition May 29, 2025
Hey Dustin! It sounds like you have an Awesome Team with you!!! Sending Well wishes to you and your team for Monster strong legs to climb those beautiful steep grades, Massive big lungs to bring in the cool crisp Alaska air , The BEST Attitudes on the mountain AND Bluebird skies for all of you!!!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 6/14/2025 at 3:26 am
Posted by: Daniel May, Mac Nolde
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
RMI Guides Dan May and Mac Nolde summitted Mt. Baker with our Footprints of Fight team right at sunset. They enjoyed beautiful couple of days training and honing their mountaineering skills at the base of an iconic peak in the Cascades.
Congrats team!
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Jackson Breen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
With today's move to 11,000' complete, we are done pulling sleds uphill, and are retiring the snowshoes until we come down! There was much celebrating. It was sunny in camp this morning and we let that dry tents and sleeping bags for a bit, then pulled it all down, packed it all up, and started walking back up Ski Hill. It was an incredibly pleasant day and we trundled along to 11,000' in good time. The team is clicking at getting stuff done, and tents were up in no time. Good thing to, as a big black wall approached from the west and enveloped us in fat snow flakes. It's incredibly calm, but we are building an inch or so of snow an hour, falling quietly, straight down. At another time of year it would evoke holidays, wood stoves, and cozy winter vibes, but right now it's making summer feel quite far away. Our intention is to take a rest day tomorrow at 11, refresh some climbing skills for the terrain above, and get ready to cache higher the next day.
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition, May 7, 2024
Hi Jackson! This is your grandma Breen. Just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you and how amazed I am of all your adventures and accomplishments! I love you and be safe!
Posted by: Carol Breen on 5/14/2024 at 11:49 am
On The Map
Congratulations Dori & team!! What a wonderful accomplishment!
Posted by: Robin Knudson on 9/8/2015 at 8:02 am
Sending lots of love to all! So proud of Jenell and everyone!!
Posted by: Katrina on 9/8/2015 at 4:33 am
RMI Guide Adam Knoff calls in from High Camp.
On The Map
Good luck Greg!! We’re sending your team lots of warm wishes and positive energy!
Posted by: Danny and Erin on 6/1/2015 at 3:45 pm
Have a wonderful climb today! Wishing everyone good luck!
Posted by: Jessie on 6/1/2015 at 10:54 am
I couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone and especially Caleb and Brent. True professionals in every sense. Thank you for the unforgettable experience.
Posted by: Jed on 9/29/2015 at 11:43 pm
Congratulations Kevin, a major accomplishment. I’m sure the view from the “top of the world was worth the climb”! Safe travels back home to you family. I hope to see you soon to hear all about it.
Posted by: Scott L. Robik on 9/28/2015 at 11:20 am
View All Comments