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Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Jess Matthews, Jenny Konway
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Posted by: Casey Grom, Chase Nelson
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Great job, everyone! What a weekend and chance to experience something new with all of you. My wife asks me why I do things like this and I tell her that beyond the enjoyment of being out in the world and seeing/experiencing first hand what many never will, I always learn something from it - the experience, the people and about myself. I will remember this for a long time - thank you.
Also, I have some pictures and I’d be happy to share - if you have some good ones, I’d love to see them. My e-mail is here.
Last but not least - hat’s off to Casey, Matt, Hannah and Taylor. Summit or not, you helped us do what we could do and you got us home safe - that is what is most important.
Posted by: John Mattke on 5/31/2017 at 12:46 pm
Ben - fix the links under the photos! I click on them and they take me to a Mt. Denali expedition.
Posted by: Malcolm Butler on 8/17/2016 at 9:23 pm
Posted by: Seth Waterfall, Ben Liken
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
We have prayed through the night that you and your team would summit this morning, June 19, 2018.
Posted by: Larry and Virgie Henry for Kari Henry on 6/19/2018 at 6:55 am
Go miki Mcadoo Kirby and Erik I will be watching for you
Posted by: Janice on 6/21/2015 at 6:28 am
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'
On The Map
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 18,000'
I had a reprieve from the blog yesterday as I was focused on my wife’s birthday…and I forgot to write it . Happy birthday again Tory, I love you and miss you and never want to be this far away from you, we all send birthday wishes from South America!
Today we moved to Camp 2 at 18,000' feet, Camp Guanaco, and we could not be more pleased. I think Dom’s description yesterday of the wind at Camp 1 can be expanded upon and I would contrast it to each sorry climber having their own miniature tornado that follows you and continually gut punches you while yelling the the lyrics of Achy Breaky Heart over and over for which you cannot escape. Trying to relieve yourself of #1 merely winds up on your boots regardless of the direction you are facing, leaving you with a frozen reminder of your wonderful experience at Camp 1.
Anyway, today I woke up to less wind and clear skies. I unzipped my sleeping bag fully taking in the aromas that I had deposited there over the last several days, too afraid to search my foot box for a dead Guanaco. After wiping the tears from my eyes and checking my pulse, I exited my tent to experience these clear skies. No headache and feeling cocky, I walked 30 feet up a ridge line to celebrate my fitness, only to experience my heart rate jumping from 70 to 130, altitude humbling me again. We had Argentinian bagels with bacon and cream cheese, a familiar flavor I thought I may have experienced before (yesterday). We packed up and headed out, feeling stronger than the previous day. Porters passed us without effort, carrying so much gear they looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Our carry was leisurely, a lot of photos and selfies, and pats on the back. Major daily decisions were beginning to materialize: should I brush my teeth today, weather windows to relieve ourselves, drinking, eating, should I use my wet wipes or help my team out by signaling my presence so they don’t lose track of me- my daughter and I share similar views on these important questions in the wilderness.
We arrived at Camp Guanaco early afternoon. We were welcomed by the German team (not really) broadcasting their Rave music across camp with a beat totally out of sync with our slow deliberate movements sparking visions of some remote college parties gone terribly wrong that I will go into no further detail. Privacy and individual space were no more, tents packed together, no one using their inside voices, and now sharing common areas/domes with other climbers- but no one yearned for the miniature tornadoes again.
There is an international feel to Camp 2, and with that comes an international difference in manners and hospitalities. I felt a need to share my thoughts on proper etiquette by covering up when sneezing or coughing, yelling in close proximity contributes to mountain sickness, and if a person is standing in front of you you can’t just walk through them. My attempt at conforming behavior inside the dome was brushed off, so after I took the non-conformists out at the knees and made them kiss the hand, I quietly exited the dome a champion celebrated by my team, like something out of a Marvel movie. We ate our dinner, breaking down the flavors and spices of our culinary experience, shared our desired and current superpowers, if you could drink only 5 drinks the rest of your life out of your fingers what would they be, then resigned to our tents for reading, audio books, and movies on our phones.
I don’t know if any of the above events actually occurred as the altitude is clearly impacting my thought processes and disinhibiting my frontal lobe. But I will share with you that my chosen Marvel name is Land Shark, and my alias is Jack Handy. My team are Thanos killers, but will settle for summiting Aconcagua if she smiles on us and deems us worthy. In the end, I don’t even know who plays Land Shark and puts on that androgynous hood, but I love that Saturday Night Live lore and I am bringing it back, much to the dismay of my coworkers and family. Goodnight everyone.
RMI Climber Brian Goltry
New Post Alerts:
Aconcagua Expedition January 8, 2025
Hey Brian et al - looks like you are having a great time. What an experience! Brian, I am sure all the fitness challenges you are experiencing and are able to overcome, are partially due to all the fitness challenges I set up for you in the backyard at mom’s house
Posted by: Lettie Kirk on 1/20/2025 at 4:31 am
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 21,500'
On The Map
So sorry to hear about the weather - a terrible disappointment, but look at how far you’ve gotten! Bob - bravo - there will be more mountains to climb!! Have a safe and uneventful descent, and we are looking forward to welcoming you back!!!
Posted by: John Horgan on 12/27/2016 at 9:41 am
Sorry to hear about the weather problems. Safe returns back down.
Bob - very proud of what you did and looking forward to seeing you on your return!
Joe and Karen
Posted by: Joe Reinkemeyer on 12/27/2016 at 9:38 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
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On The Map
Gary Ross, You really are going to great lengths to prove that happiness is found in being “cold, wet, tired and hungry”. I am following the RMI blog everyday and from the sound of things, you must be positively joyful!
Here at 465’ I am thinking of you and wishing you plenty of happiness along your journey up and down that magnificent mountain.
Mary
Posted by: Mary R on 7/4/2015 at 11:19 pm
We’re all rooting for you!! Happy 4th, miss you!! xoxo
Posted by: Anne Thomas on 7/4/2015 at 6:42 pm
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)
Posted by: Renee Duvoisin on 6/6/2017 at 4:18 pm
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