After waiting at the airstrip in Talkeetna all morning due to socked in conditions at basecamp, the sky cleared and off to the mountain we flew. We arrived to beautiful weather at our basecamp on the Kahiltna Glacier.
We set up camp, did some crevasse rescue practice, ate dinner, and prepared our sleds. Currently, we are tucked away in our tents trying to sleep through the midnight sun before our very early departure up the frozen glacier to 7,800 ft.
RMI Guide Mike Haugen
Today we carried to Camp 1 (16,400'). It took 4:30hs to get there and 2hs to get back to basecamp. Everybody did great work carrying the loads (food, fuel and some personal gear). This evening the mountain offered us a nice surprise, it snowed 1 or 2 inches so now the mountain looks brown and white, beautiful views!
Tomorrow we will rest and prepare for our move to Camp 1 the next day.
We will continue updating.
This is Gabriel checking in from Aconcagua, we are at Casa de Piedra at 10,700'. Yesterday and today we have hiked through the Vacas Valley and everybody in the team did great. Finally, this afternoon we caught our first view of Aconcagua. The spirit of the team is very high and everybody is enjoying the trip. Today we had a persistent front wind during the hike, but the good thing is that the winds on the top of the mountain and at high camps were much stronger these past few days and we were not there.
Tomorrow morning we will cross the river with the help of the mules, so we will see who in the team receives the "Best Mule Rider!" Award. Later in the afternoon we will get to Plaza Argentina, our Basecamp were we will spend a few days.
We will be sending more dispatches and some pictures from Aconcagua basecamp.
Gabriel, Tyler and Jake.
Today we headed to Tarangire National Park known for its abundant elephants, and it didn’t disappoint. Not sure how many we saw, but it was quite a few, and we got pretty close once again.
There were lots of giraffes, impalas, monkeys, ostriches, and many, many birds. Unfortunately we haven’t seen any more big cats, but we will head out early in the morning with hopes of seeing them in the cooler temperatures.
We are spending our last night here in Tanzania at Nykani Tented Camp, which has beautiful tented rooms with screened windows to allow the sounds of the African bush in. So, if you have ever used or heard the term “Glamping”, this is an extreme version of that.
Everyone is doing great and hoping to see a few more big cats on our way out of the park tomorrow morning. Then it will be back to our main lodge near Arusha for a brief stop before catching our flights home.
Thanks for following, your loved ones will be home shortly
The team had a good nights rest last night and today was just a short three hour hike up to 15,000' to ou high camp. It has been full sun with amazing views most of this trip, and the equatorial sun at this elevation is quite intense, but thankfully there was a gentle breeze to keep temperatures enjoyable for hiking.
The team has just wrapped up lunch and discussed in great detail the plan for tomorrow’s climb. Everyone knows what we’ll be wearing, what will be in the pack, as well as the schedule.
Our game plan will be to wake at 10:30pm and have a quick breakfast at 11 pm, then hopefully hit the trail right before midnight, to hopefully avoid some of the traffic as it looks a bit busy here at camp. The team has been doing great thus far and I’m expecting us to reach the summit in 7 to 8 hours if things go according to plan.
As per usual on a Casey climb, one lucky trivia winner will get a phone call from the summit of Kilimanjaro.
So everyone back home please keep your phones handy and if you receive a call from a strange number please answer. We are 7+hrs ahead of the east coast time zone.
If you receive a call it will be on Saturday late evening
Friday, June 15, 2018 - 5:50 PM PT
Today was a prime lesson in the Three Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. We got some comments and stares yesterday while building 7 foot walls around our Camp with such blue skies and warm temps. This morning we got even more remarks from people as we continued to build. By 4 pm the winds had picked up to 30+ mph gusts and the Pigs who had built their homes from straw were in full scramble mode while our Pigs rested in their tents surrounded by snow bricks. We practiced some skills for climbing the fixed lines, they gets us higher on the West Buttress and will hang out while Denali does what Denali wants to. Currently it's demanding that we, "respect it's authority".
RMI Guide Mike King
Hey Scott! Totally echo what Julie said (except for the “babe” part). Good luck with the weather—pretty much rounds out everything you can possibly come across on the mountain, doesn’t it? Hang in there bud. Hope you brought a good book.
~Chris
Hi Scott. Perseverance - the secret of all triumphs. Kick some booty. Wishing you safe steps and glorious sunrises. - Judy
Posted by: Chris Beaudette on 6/16/2018 at 1:52 pm
Scott-looks like you and team my be stuck at 14,000 for a while due to weather! Not as cold as last time! Maybe guys can get caught up with all the amazing comments people have been sending! You’ve got this babe! Keep warm, hang tight, and then just HOP up to the summit in time! Love you!
Julie
Posted by: Julie Faulkenburg on 6/16/2018 at 9:28 am
Last night at 9:30 pm PST Dave Hahn called from the Kilimanjaro summit! Please click the audio button below to listen to his update from the Roof of Africa.
7:48 am PST
By any measure, this was a big day. For one thing, it began yesterday. At 11:30 PM precisely, we woke at 15,200 ft to begin our summit attempt. The moon was brilliant, high clouds and wind were non-existent... It was the perfect night for climbing. Our team assembled in the dining tent at midnight to swill coffee and porridge. By the time we were walking out of camp at 12:30, we'd already sung a few rounds of happy birthday to the 18 year-old twins, Max and Simon. Philip Mbise, our lead guide, brought the team skillfully, politely, and steadily through a hundred potential traffic jams. Everybody was out and on the move, but many were having the normal difficulties with the altitude, the terrain and the cold, so by merely keeping our team at a rock-steady "Pole Pole" pace, Philip passed team after team as we worked higher. Most of us didn't turn our headlights on until just before the crater rim, when we tore through a moon shadow. We hit Stella Point -on the rim- at 5:30 AM, still in darkness, but with an enchanting light show going on between imminent daybreak in the east and moon mania in the west. One hour later... at exactly 6:30, the sun rose and our entire team arrived together at Uhuru... The true summit of Kilimanjaro and Africa. It was cold, we'd been wearing down jackets for the last few hours to the top, but it was an absolutely magical and beautiful moment. There, at 19,340 ft, we celebrated those birthdays, the bonds of family and close friendships, and the wonders of the world. As we watched, a shadow of Kilimanjaro formed in the atmosphere to the West, exactly coinciding with the only landform breaking the surface of the cloud sea, the 16,000-foot pyramid of Mount Meru. As if that weren't enough, the full moon sat just above the twin apexes of ethereal and stone summits in the sky. We took pictures, hugged one another and wandered about wide-eyed and exhilarated. We left the summit at 7:00 and two hours and fifteen minutes later, this strong team was back in high camp. We had a grand feast of a brunch, capped off with a birthday cake which was hand delivered to Barafu from Arusha just yesterday. And then, at 11 AM we skedaddled and headed for Mweka Camp. Walking in pleasant weather, we reached camp at about 10,000 feet by 2:15 -earning a restful afternoon lounging in our forest camp.
The shoutouts today go to our own team... All of whom broke their previous altitude records. Special mention to 14 year-old Ella Green who absolutely crushed the day. To 16 year-old Zach Ginn, who would have gone on for another 5,000 feet if the mountain hadn't abruptly ended at 19,340. To our three 18 year-old brothers... Tyrone Green, Simon and Max Mount each of whom demonstrated uncommon discipline, maturity and good humor on a long tough day.
The loudest of shoutouts to Philip, to Freddy Kileo, to Gama Samvel, to Naiman Metil, to Venance Vicent, and Said Mwanja for flawless guidance.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
RMI Guide Dave Hahn calls in from the Kilimanjaro summit!
Congratulations! Happy birthday to the twins! Sounds truly amazing! I can’t wait to hear about the details and see the pictures when you return! What a team! I’m so proud of Ella! You guys rock!!
Posted by: Lisa on 8/9/2017 at 4:56 am
Congratulations team Taos!
Fantastic achievement.
Safe journey back down.
The Wilderness Adventures Team reached the summit of Mt. Baker via the Coleman - Deming route in the early hours Wednesday, July 26th lead by RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall and Steve Gately. The team had a great climb and beautiful weather.
During this program, the teens learned various techniques which meet the challenges set forth by Mt. Baker. Including basic mountaineering skills; efficient mountain travel (rest-stepping and pressure breathing), various safety practices including use of helmets, harnesses, and avalanche transceivers, climbing in balance, proper use of our ice axe, self and team arrest, and moderate cramponing.
Congratulations Team!
June 10, 2017
Good evening from Alaska. It shouldn't be raining on the glaciers of this Range. But it is. We've been confined today to our tents and kitchen tarp to stay dry, as a wet cloud and on and off rain took over most of the day. No climbing or outside training we could do, but for the hour or so that we got a break, we moved camp, as our tent platforms became 1 foot tall pedestals due to the high temps. We're all looking forward to an improvement on the forecast, and continue to climb on this sanctuary of alpine dreams that Little Swiss is!
Elias, Chase and team.
We last gave a shout from 7,600’ at the base of Ski Hill on our descent. It was a long day, beginning with the sun hitting 17 Camp, where we packed up all of our belongings, and headed back down the West Buttress. Conditions couldn’t have been better, and before long we were shedding layers as quickly as we could as we walked into the heat of 14 Camp. An hour of repacking and grabbing more of our gear that we had cached there as well as visiting with RMI Guide Tyler Jones’ team had us ready to move out again. By 11, the air felt thick and the temps were even warmer. RMI Guide Jake Beren and team had been nice enough to dig up our cache, so once more we repacked, adjusted our sleds, traded crampons for snowshoes, and kept beat footing our way down the mountain. We rolled into 7,600 at 10 pm, and though there was a lot of discussion of just continuing on to Base Camp, we decided to throw up the tents for a few hours. We were rewarded with spectacular light as the sun dipped behind the surrounding peaks, and it was a special last night on the glacier. By 4 am we were up and walking again. The few hours of sleep had added some spring to everyones’ step and we flew down glacier, reaching Base Camp in 2.5 hours. We parked next to the runway just as the sun hit. At 9 am on the dot, our good friends from K2 Aviation showed up in three Otters to pick up ourselves and Mike Walter’s team, and by 10 we were in flip-flops back in Talkeetna. Everyone enjoyed the ensuing leisurely day of sorting gear, showers, ice cream, coffee, a celebratory dinner, and a few hours in the classic Fairview Inn. Everyone has split now, finishing plane journey’s back home to loved ones.
Thanks so much to our team. They climbed in great style, were equal to the task when things got difficult, put up with a lot of tent time and waiting, and ultimately were able to power through a move to 17 and a summit day without having carried there. We summited an hour or so after Mike Walter’s group (the first guide service summit of the year), on the first viable summit day that had presented itself during our entire stint on the mountain. We were rewarded with incredibly clear views, warm temps, and an overall fantastic day. The views on the way out were pretty stunning as well. Thanks also to all of you for following along. Sore feet and legs are fading away but folks are already talking of their next climbs to come. We look forward to it!
Best,
RMI Guides Pete, Jess, and Jenny.
Congrats for making it to the summit Rachel ! :) Pallavi.
Posted by: Pallavi Chahal on 6/8/2017 at 12:46 am
Congratulations Rachel Calvert, Pete and team! Have been following the blog and was so pleased to hear all made the summit safely and saw the beautiful Alaska range on a clear sunny day.
Rachel - will have to catch up with you and see your photos when you are back in Australia.
Renee Duvoisin (2015 summit team)
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Good luck on your climb. Will be following the posts. Love, Aunt Ruth
Posted by: Ruth Cook on 6/17/2011 at 7:27 pm
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