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Posted by: Mike King, Jess Wedel, Mike Bennett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
RMI Guide Mike King reported clear, calm, and beautiful views from the summit of Mt. Baker this morning. Congrats to the team for their summit of a classic climb of the Cascades!
The team will spend tonight at camp basking in their success before descending back to the trailhead tomorrow.
Posted by: Grayson Swingle, David Price, Tatum Whatford
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
RMI's Mt. Baker Easton Glacier August 16 - 18 team reached the summit of Mt. Baker this morning led by RMI Guides Grayson Swingle, David Price and Tatum Whatford. Grayson and team reached the summit at 7 AM PT and reported that it was a beautiful morning to be on the mountain. Once they have taken all the hero shot photos and enjoyed the views, they will return to camp to breakdown tents and repack. They will continue out to the trail head later today completing their program.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Posted by: Alan Davis, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar
Elevation: 20,301'
July 17, 2022 Ishinca Valley to Haraz
With a cold frosty morning and a hot cup of coffee we spent our last morning tearing down our Ishinca basecamp to head back to a night of civilization. Much to our chagrin, our bus broke down due to a leak in the air brakes. Thus, we were stranded for multiple hours on windy rough mountain roads. At least the sun was out and a rescue bus on the way. After another duffle shuffle we made it back to the hospitable Andino hotel in Huaraz with just enough daylight to dry out our tents and sleeping bags on our hotel decks. A well-deserved meal with hot showers were in order as our turnaround to head to our next objective is hours away.
July 18, 2022 Huaraz to Copa Base Camp
Another duffle shuffle and we were on our way to the Copa trail head just an hour north of Huaraz. The trail was in great condition, and we were in forests of eucalyptus until we reached about 13,000’ winding up and up until we reached our basecamp for Copa at 15,200’ over laguna Lejlacocha. The mountain was in the clouds for most of the day, but we were able to enjoy occasional glimpses of the glacier in between rain showers even a nice sunset. After a 4600’ gain in elevation, we were ready to eat a quick dinner and crawl into our warm sleeping bags to rest before our move to high camp tomorrow morning.
July 19, 2022 Attempt to Move
We were thwarted on our attempt to move from basecamp to our high camp at 17,200’ due to extremely high winds and cloud cap over the upper mountain this morning. Fortunately, we were able to rest in the sun at basecamp despite nearly losing our cook tent from the high winds ripping through camp. The winds finally subsided in the late afternoon and the Viscachas came out to play as well as the Andean geese. With the mountain looming in its majesty above our little basecamp, we came to a group consensus that we might as well try to go climbing tonight. As long as the weather stays calm, route conditions allow, and our bodies hold up, we’ll give it an honest go…
July 20, 2022 Copa Summit Push
It felt like a summer climb in the cascades, walking out of camp with only a few hours of sleep and anticipation, but we left our camp at 10pm after a cup of coffee to give it a go. 2 hours out of basecamp, past a glacial lake and through boulder fields of old, we wandered up to the bottom of an ice chute. Our entrance to the glacier. We quickly transitioned into boots and crampons and climbed the three pitches of rock and waterfall ice onto the steep snow slope that brought us to what would have been our high camp at 17,200.’ We paused here to add our hard-shells to arm ourselves against the windy night as we gulped down some gummies and chocolate covered espresso beans. As the night progressed so did the wind, sustained at 15-20mph with gusts of 30+ at our faces. Looking up between the occasional sandblasts from the sugary snow, the Milky Way and all its splendor still shone brightly, so we continued. We meandered through the steep snow slopes, crevasses, and seracs of the Copa glacier until finally the last pitch onto the summit plateau. 6,188m (20,301ft) and we arrived in a single push from basecamp. Something none of us thought we would pull off. 14,000’ to over 20,000’ and back in a day seemed out of reach, fortunately the weather was clear and just good enough that pacha mama (Goddess of the Andes) allowed us safe passage into this beautiful and sacred space. With tired bodies and full hearts, we celebrated one last mountain meal back in basecamp and slept hard to prepare for the walk back to civilization the next morning. Thankful for a safe and successful trip to this special Andean paradise.
Posted by: Casey Grom, James Bealer, Jackson Breen, George Hedreen, Joey Manship, Charlie Harrison
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,080'
The June 13 - 16 Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Casey Grom & James Bealer were unable to make a summit attempt due to high winds overnight as well as avalanche conditions. The Camp Muir telemetry shows winds over 70 mph. Around 7 am the weather had improved, the team was going to do some avalanche forecast training. The teams have packed up and started their descent from Camp Muir. We look forward to greeting them at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Photo: James Bealer
On The Map
Posted by: Adam Knoff
Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
Saturday, February 12, 2022
As I write this from my top bunk in the third row of five from the hypoxic altitude of 15,100 feet, I have a strange nostalgia of a sixth grade slumber party. With nine grownups stacked side by side, telling jokes and having laughs, I wonder if we aren’t actually at RMI’s Ecuadorian summer camp.
Hannah was a camp counselor in her younger years but come tomorrow, our activities should resemble more of a mountaineer trip than that bad 80s flick.
But, before we put the cart before the donkey, let’s hear about today.
It started famously with chirping birds, hot coffee and a lovely breakfast. This got everyone all fired up for our mega shopping extravaganza at Otavalo, Ecuador’s largest craft market. After we crushed our huevos, we then needed to carry our big bags down the street a ways to load up because the day before, Hector our driver, accidentally ripped a chunk of the entrance gate off with the bike rack and was put in the penalty box 50 yards away. Wait, I don’t think Ecuador has hockey.
Once loaded we left our beautiful hacienda and our brave group of summer camp mountaineers dispersed into the stalls of color and crafts ready to finagle the deal of a lifetime. I highly doubt this happened but with wobbly espanol I think we all managed something. Don’t worry significant others, you’ll probably get a gift.
After the market we had lunch at a sandwich shop shared with some “hot and rugged” older bikers, (that wasn’t my quote) and then proceeded to the secret rendezvous point where we did a covert transfer from the bus to the 4x4s.
It was here we finally found some real adventure! Fifteen miles up the windy cobblestone road, we hit a mud bog likely to make any redneck proud! With our trucks tearing up the track, only to fail 30 feet from gripable salvation, we worried we might not make it to the hut. I think we cheered, never fear Jaime is here! And he finally won the mud track battle. With all the trucks passed the crux we had a relatively smooth go up to the refugio.
A fine dinner of coke marinated chicken and water grass soup readied us for bed, so here we are. Snuggled up just waiting for someone to start snoring!
Find out tomorrow if that happened.
This is Entertaining Adam!! 2 blogs a day please! LOL Brings back Awesome memories! All the best!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 2/13/2022 at 12:25 pm
Posted by: Mike King, Camille Leininger, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
The Mt. Baker Coleman Deming team July 23 - 25 reached the summit today around 6:45 am. RMI Guide Mike King reported a warm night and great views north to Vancouver of the North Cascade peaks. The team returnted to Camp before noon. They will continue their descent to the trail head and conclude their program this afternoon.
Nice job team!
What a great climb with a great group of people. Truly appreciated our amazing guides that were flexible with the route.
Posted by: Heather on 7/26/2021 at 7:48 am
How Awesome of a challenge Jake! Great job Team! Looking forward to seeing pics and hearing about your climb
Posted by: Jodi Walny on 7/25/2021 at 6:15 pm
Is your guide any relation to George Mallory? Good luck in your adventure. Hope to see you back on the softball field soon.
Posted by: John Hubbard on 4/22/2011 at 7:50 am
i am reading this the day of your climb. my thoughts and prayers are with you today and always. what a great adventure to share….a true bond. love, aunt mary
Posted by: aunt mary on 4/20/2011 at 10:37 am
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