Today we could see the light at the end of the tunnel. By the end of the day we would be back in civilization, back using the wifi. All that stood between us was seven hours of walking and a two hour jeep ride. All went well on our walk out, besides a sprained ankle. But with a good tape job by our doctor Jorge and some ibuprofen we made it. Promptness isn't much of a thing around here, so after waiting for just over two hours our jeeps arrived and we made the bumpy ride back to our holiday inn in Talkot. Tomorrow we will take a bus back to Dahngadi where we fly back to Kathmandu. We are quite excited for our showers tonight and a bed. What a journey, RMI Guide Hannah Smith

Mexico’s Volcanoes: Day 1 - Team Meets in Mexico City

October 7, 2017

Posted by: Christina Dale, JT Schmitt

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico

Hola! The team convened this evening at the lovely Hotel Geneve in the Zona Rosa region of Mexico City. To everyone's relief the earthquake damage proved to be minimal in this area of the city, and hopefully that continues to be the trend for the entirety of the trip. The team met each other for the first time in the lobby of the hotel, whilst seated in high backed lounge chairs, surrounded by paintings and towering bookshelves which made for a rather regal setting to begin our Mexican adventure. After meeting the team and going over a brief synopsis of the days to come, we took a short walk through the Zona Rosa to a lively establishment that served authentic Mexican food, tasty margaritas, as well as a full mariachi band. Although we were not able to sing along to the tunes with the rest of the patrons, I am sure we enjoyed the food just as much as the locals sharing the restaurant with us. Tomorrow we depart Mexico City and head for the former training site of the Mexican Olympic team, La Malinche, and begin our acclimatization with a trip up the extinct volcanoe. Buenas noches, RMI Guides Christina Dale, JT Schmitt and the rest of the RMI Mexican Volcanoes team!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Good luck I’m praying for good weather for you! Be safe.
Team leader- team gramma neenee

Posted by: Ellen Smith Eaton on 10/9/2017 at 7:26 am

Yeah team! Good luck with weather, enjoy the challenge and have fun! Xtina and JT top notch! Special regards to Craig FLKHGN.

Posted by: Elias on 10/8/2017 at 6:06 pm

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Denali Expedition: Hahn & Team Carry to 13,500’

June 23, 2017

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Hannah McGowan, Hannah Smith, Avery Parrinello

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 13,500'

June 23, 2017 10:00 pm PST It didn't seem terribly cold this morning at 5:30, Around 17 F or so, which made it a little easier to get up and rally for "the carry". We got out on the trail by a quarter to eight. Finally we were wearing crampons and holding ice axes like mountain climbers (to this point it has been snowshoes and ski poles). The track was in great condition -well packed snow- due to the large number of teams that have passed through since the last storm. We cruised up the steep Motorcycle Hill, and navigated the squirrely Squirrel Hill and found ourselves in the Polo Field below the end of the West Buttress before the sun caught us. Another hour brought us to a decidedly calm Windy Corner. We slipped around the corner, getting great views of Foraker, Hunter and finally Denali, in the process. We cached food and fuel at 13,500 ft -our target for the day- and had an easy walk back down to camp at 11K with relatively empty packs. It was exhilarating to be out of the deep valley at last and to be crossing ridges and turning corners with all the big views. But it was also nice to get back to our camp and to have a calm afternoon to rest after our labors. We ate dinner and made preparations for our big move up to 14K tomorrow. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Very exciting to see the progress and clear skies. Wishes for good luck and weather to the team.

Posted by: Bettie S on 6/24/2017 at 4:50 pm

Dad, I’m so proud of you!! I had an amazing time on my hike this past week and I can’t wait to tell you all about it when you come home. But first, you have a mountain to conquer! Best of luck to you and the rest of your team. Don’t forget to take a picture with Teddy at the top! Love, Pookie

Posted by: Madeline Brennan on 6/24/2017 at 3:07 pm

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Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Explore Tarangire National Park

September 29, 2016

Posted by: Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

Safari just doesn't get any better than this. We cruised out if the Plantation Lodge well fed and ready to go. Of course shopping and a visit to a Maasai village were on the agenda today. Both of which are always interesting and amusing. We couldn't spend too much time on either, for the call of the wild was a big priority for this team. As usual, Tarangire National Park impressed even the most veteran of game viewers. It is always amazing to see survival in its purest form. We were all glad the wildebeest (and not us) was the meal for that pride of lions we viewed tearing it apart. We had just entered the park gate when we encountered them on their lunch break. We rolled our way through the park and exited the other side to the remote and tented Kikoti Camp. This place is nothing like the camps on Kilimanjaro, believe me, it would be very easy to spend a lot of nights here. Luxury is the word that comes to mind. We enjoyed a great dinner and are thrilled to be spending our last night in Tanzania in this awesome location. Like I said, it’s tough to match this one. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

Kilimanjaro: Hahn & Team Arrive At High Camp

August 27, 2016

Posted by: Dave Hahn

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

Elevation: 12,500'

Yet another day of perfect weather. Morning down at Karanga Camp was easy and pleasant with strong sunshine and no wind. There is still a sea of cloud down below us, but that has just become the normal way of things. At breakfast, we talked of the incredible night skies we've been experiencing. The Milky Way, the planets, the Southern Cross and a thousand other constellations have been taking advantage of the moon's absence. The bulk of Kibo has been glowing brilliantly just in starlight. We got out of Karanga at 8:45 AM and cruised into 15,200 ft Barafu Camp by noon. The entire group is moving well and strong. We practiced walking and breathing techniques along the way that ought to save us energy on the climb early tomorrow. It was a quiet afternoon of eating, drinking, resting and prepping for the ascent. Freddy, Tadey, Filbert, Wendelin and Ayumi... our guides, stopped in after lunch to make sure everybody was feeling good about the challenges that lie ahead. We'll be up at 11:30 PM and eating "breakfast" at midnight. Big day tomorrow. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

The Summit awaits…hope you can sleep! You must be up there by now…what a triumphant journey for you, Deborah. Be strong, rest step, drink it all in! Congrats sister xo

Posted by: Susan Finzel-Aldred on 8/27/2016 at 5:49 pm

Brian, the night sky must be beautiful from up there! Enjoy your awesome climb! Love you!

Posted by: Marilyn Palmer (Brian's mom) on 8/27/2016 at 3:55 pm

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Denali Expedition: Hahn & Team Summit!

July 8, 2016

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Ben Liken, Bridget Belliveau, Hannah Smith

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 20,310'

Friday, July 8, 2016 - 3:19 a.m. PDT Hey, this is Dave Hahn calling in from 17,000ft on Denali. We summitted today. It was a hard day- 14 hours out there, mostly due to new snow. It was a difficult day to guess what the weather was going to do. We spent a lot of it socked in cloud and light snow, but the good thing was we didn't have much for wind. So it was a hard day, but we're all safe back at high camp. We'll let you know a little bit more about it in these next couple of days. Bye for now. RMI Guide Dave Hahn

RMI Guide Dave Hahn calls in after their successful Denali summit.

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Congratulations on making it to the summit! Michael Waters, I am so excited to hear about your adventuring when you return :) I hope you logged that EarthCache @

Posted by: Megan Brown on 7/8/2016 at 10:29 pm

Was never a better feeling to hear your voice last night David, from the top of Denali! All your hard work has paid off, what an adventure you’ll have to remember for the rest of your life. Hats off to you and an obviously strong & determined Team 8, so proud for you and that moment. A huge thank you to Dave Hahn and the rest of his team for making your wish to summit this mountain a reality. His expertise & knowledge is immeasurable, how awesome is it to say you’ve summited Denali with such a respected and admired mountaineer! Now we’re all ready for you to safely travel home so we can hear all about it, love you long time!!

Posted by: Sondra Schnautz on 7/8/2016 at 9:18 pm

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Denali Expedition: Beren & Team Rest and Recover at 11 Camp

June 9, 2016

Posted by: Jake Beren, Katrina Bloemsma, JM Gorum

Categories: Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,000'

June 9, 2016 - 8:11 pm PT "Nature does not hurry, yet all is accomplished" Lao Tzu Today was a much needed rest day for our squad. While we may have been strong enough to move to 14 Camp, we opted to rest and recover from the effort of yesterday's carry. Sometimes being patient can be tough on a day with good weather, but it pays to be conservative. We had clear weather in the morning, but it quickly turned nasty, making our call to rest even easier. Spending the day napping, feasting and getting ready for the move sets us up for the upward launch whenever Denali lets us go. RMI Guide Jake Beren

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Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Glad to hear that all is well and that the team is rested. Enjoy the breaks when you get them and stay focused when on the move.

Posted by: Kaylor on 6/11/2016 at 7:01 am

Happy Birthday Ryan! Stay safe!

Posted by: Daryl Newman on 6/10/2016 at 5:03 pm

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Alpamayo: Schellens & Team at High Camp

July 29, 2015

Posted by: Geoff Schellens

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Peru Seminar

Elevation: 17,880'

Hello from High Camp. Today we woke up with the sun hitting our tents at Moraine Camp and not a cloud in sight. We had breakfast and coffee and packed up. This was our first time with crampons and ice tools of the trip. It took a stretch or two but we all fell into a good cadence. Soon we found ourselves nearing the Col but a few steep steps of snow and ice separated us from camp. Though it was difficult with heavy backpacks we all climbed very well up to the Col. Here we finally got our first view of the southwest face of Alpamayo that we will climb. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen and our line is striking and direct. Everyone is very excited for the ascent. The team did very well today and everyone is happy and healthy. Most likely we will take a rest day tomorrow and climb on Friday. Thanks for following along with us. RMI Guide Geoff Schellens and the Alpamayo Team!

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Wow!!! That is QUITE A MOUNTAIN!!!!! I appreciate the nightly reports so we can follow along with you. The blue skies DO make the mountain look magnificent….ONWARD AND UPWARD!!! Happy climbing! How are the donkeys ??? HEEE HAWWW!!!!!!!

Posted by: Patty Stenderup on 7/30/2015 at 9:51 pm

Go Geoff and team!!! Cheering for you all from Ashford. Go guys!

Posted by: elias on 7/29/2015 at 10:38 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn and Team Practicing Patience

July 8, 2015

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Steve Gately, JM Gorum

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

Tuesday, July 7, 2015 - 10:56 pm PT Not surprisingly, this morning wasn't quite right for moving higher. It was socked in, snowing and a little blustery through the night. By morning, the blustery part was finished at 14 Camp, but we could hear the big winds still raking the crest of the West Buttress, a few thousand feet overhead. The team met for pancakes in the POSH and then dispersed to do camp chores and more wall building. In the afternoon, as the storm seemed to be losing a little energy, RMI Guides Steve Gately and JM Gorum raced up to 16,200' to fetch back some of our cached food. With the extended forecast being a little sloppy, we want more supplies at 14,000' just in case avalanche conditions should develop between here and the cache site. They were up and down again in less than two hours. As we ate dinner, the upper mountain weather continued to improve. By bedtime, there was plenty of optimism that despite the forecasts, we'd get the break we need for moving to high camp. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Every extra day waiting for safe conditions to ascend is another day to spend soaking up the wisdom of Master Hahn. And pretty soon you’ll all be snow masons with the great walls you’ve been building. Good luck all on the next stage of the journey!

Posted by: Charlie Thomas on 7/8/2015 at 7:40 pm

we anxiously await the climax to the summit but happy to hear of the precautions taken by the team leaders…thinking about you Pat!

Posted by: mom and dad grengs on 7/8/2015 at 12:36 pm

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