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Greetings once again from Camp 1. We woke up this morning to a bit of a mixed bag, with a large cloud cap spinning up high, but clear, sunny skies over camp. After dragging our feet over breakfast and watching the clouds, it seemed that things were moving in the right direction and dissipating. Once we decided the move was a go, the team did a fantastic job of crashing camp and getting packed for the move. Just as fast if not faster however, was the change in the weather trend. The clouds that had been dissipating rebuilt ever stronger, and we began to rethink our decision. After some more staring at the clouds, scuffing of feet, and sighing, we decided the prudent decision was to reset camp and take a rest day. Prudent that decision turned out to be: not long after the tents were back up, our wintry mix began to fall again, and within an hour or two, a repeat of our thunder and lightning storm from yesterday. With a lot of tent time today, and weather persisting this evening, we decided to treat ourselves to a delicious pasta dinner cooked by the camp cook, Olga. It was a nice break from the tents to share a meal, stories, and jokes around a table with a roof over our heads. With full bellies, we are retiring, with hopes that we wake up to a better scene tomorrow, and can continue our upward progress. RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Jeff Martin, and team

On The Map

The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz June 11 - 16, 2023 led by RMI Guide Eric Frank reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning via the Kautz Glacier. After two days of training at BaseCamp and Paradise the team began their ascent via Paradise.  They established camp and spent the next two nights on the mountain practice and learning more alpine skills including some crevasse rescue training.  This morning the team made their summit attempt, they checked in around 7:30 from just below the Wapowety Cleaver.  Eric reported a beautiful day with no wind and warm temperatures.  However, when they reached the summit the winds were strong.  The team enjoyed a bit of time on the summit before starting their descent back to camp. They will stay tonight on the mountain and continue their descent tomorrow, perhaps with a bit more training.

Nice climbing team!

This was the third day of rest for my team. We began it in the usual way, by collecting outside the dining tent for coffee in the sun. Except this morning we sat in light fog until the sun finally burned it all away. Even in fog, sitting on a few thousand feet of ice, it wasn't uncomfortable as now we are past mid-May and temperatures are relatively mild. Kent Harvey, Seth Waterfall and I are by now on pretty much the same internal clock... Erica, being a teenager and therefore presumably in need of more sleep, sometimes still needs a morning yell when the breakfast gets served. With the fog gone, we watched Melissa Arnot work her way safely down through the lowest part of the icefall. She is feeling better and we figure a couple of days BC rest will make her a strong addition to our upcoming summit bid. We could hear Ed Viesturs and Peter Whittaker from time to time on the morning radio, working their way up through the Yellow Band and ultimately the Geneva Spur, the final barrier guarding the approach to the South Col. They, along with Jake Norton, Gerry Moffatt, and John Griber, reported calm and easy conditions on the Lhotse Face and it was obvious they were making fine progress on their way into high camp. Tendi and Lama Babu spent last night at the South Col, building up the camp for the rest of our team and even scouting the first few hours of the route to the summit to make sure that the fixed ropes were still useable after last week's snowstorms. Erica Dohring and I went for a light hike toward civilization after breakfast. We didn't go all the way to Gorak Shep as neither of us wanted that much (or that little) civilization at this stage of the game, having gotten quite used to basecamp living and not requiring too much more than that before the summit. But the trail toward Gorak Shep is still useful. Basecamp is in a dead-end valley... there really aren't any exits, save some very burly climbing routes that might take one up Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse or Nuptse... or of course, one could wander up the Khumbu Icefall, but we only intend to do that one more time. The trail down-valley toward Gorak Shep was the next best thing for us on this morning. We still need to rest and recuperate from our pushes to high altitude, but then we also need to stretch our legs for this final push to the highest of altitudes. We were relieved to note that the trekker traffic had greatly diminished on the trail, along with the yak trains and porters... not that we don't like yaks, trekkers and porters, just that it is easier walking on an empty track now that the season has moved along. Erica and I got just far enough down the trail to enjoy an unobstructed view of Everest's rocky summit pyramid. Before heading back to Base, we sat watching the mountain for a time, not picking up any of the usual signs of wind... no cloud plume spawned by the summit, no streamers of snow. It all looked pretty serene and contrary to the forecasts, which still call for winds of 40 and 50 knots on these days. It gave us hope that our first summit team will luck out with calm conditions tonight so as to launch their final push. Most of the other teams are in the camps behind and below them now, lining up for what could be a busy four or five days of Everest summiting. We hope they all succeed and that the Jet Stream drifts far to the North in our next days of rest. We are torn between fully imagining the challenges and discomforts that our first team faces, now that they are safely tucked in the tents at Camp IV, and giving our imaginations a break (since we'll face all of those same challenges ourselves soon enough). Tonight will be an interesting time. Linden Mallory will do the important work of staying up through the night, here at basecamp, so as to monitor the first team's progress. They don't have to go for it tonight. Winds may build up on the Col and prevent an attempt, but our gang would still have the ability to hunker down and wait a day for better conditions. But of course, the clock is now ticking... the team is now breathing bottled Oxygen (with the exception of Ed Viesturs) and using up resources -to say nothing of brain and brawn cells... We hope they get their break soon and jump all over the opportunity.

Our Four Day Summit Climb Teams led by RMI Guides Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs and Tyler Jones reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The Teams reported a beautiful day with light winds and great views. The teams have started their descent and are en route back to Camp Muir. RMI Guide Walter Hailes and the Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons team reached the Summit of Mt. Rainier in the early morning via the Emmons Route. The team returned to Camp Schurman and will spend the remainder of their time on perfecting their mountaineering skills. They will return to Rainier Basecamp on Thursday afternoon. Congratulations to Today's teams!

Hello again from team Aconcagua. Sorry it has been awhile but the last few days have been very busy on our end. Now that we are back in Mendoza sipping red wine and eating great beef we can fill you in on the mountain adventures. Last Thursday, the 19th, we moved from our Camp 2 at 18,000' to Camp Colera (meaning: anger) at 19,600'. It was a short move under beautifully clear skies, but we were tired nonetheless from the thin air. We set camp, ate dinner early, and prepared for the early start of our summit push. The stoves were kicked on early at 3 am to start the long process of boiling water for breakfast at altitude (I believe we are picking up a theme: the length of time it takes to do anything at high altitude is very, very long). We had a beautiful, warm, calm morning for the culmination of our goal. The moon was a sliver, but showing at the bottom, like a saucer, rather than the side as we usually see it in the northern hemisphere. At 5 am, bags were packed with food, water, and extra clothes and storm gear for our day. Crampons were on our feet, and we began the ascent from camp under the light of headlamps, wearing our parkas. There were many groups headed for the summit with us since the weather was supposed to get worse the following day and for several days after. Many groups, like us, had moved their schedule up in order to take advantage of the end of our weather window. The climb travels many switchbacks up a series of benches to our second break at the Independencia Hut, elevation: 21,000 ft. As we reached it, streams of headlamps from fellow climbers stretched below us. Taking a break here, we refueled our bodies with hot cocoa and alfajors, an Argentine treat. As the horizon began to show signs of light, we started the long traverse to the base of the Canaleta, which is a large snow couloir that takes you to the summit. Despite the thin air and tired legs, the team was feeling strong as we climbed the last couple of hours and last 1,000 ft to the summit. It was 1:40pm as the last of our boots stepped onto the top of the tallest mountain in the western hemisphere. We celebrated together with hugs and cheers and relished in the moment for what we had just accomplished. Although we could have stayed on top for hours, the clouds and snow were rolling in and forcing us to start the long descent back to our camp and our sleeping bags. We arrived back at camp at 4:30pm, just as the wind was starting to pick up and our bodies were starting to fully tire. Everyone quickly jumped into their sleeping bags and enjoyed an evening of ramen noodles and an early bedtime. The next morning we woke with sore legs and headaches from dehydration, but everyone was ready for another long descent back to base camp. We broke down camp and at 11am we headed back to Camp 2 and eventually Camp 1 to pick up both personal and group gear that we had cached days before. This is the worst part of any expedition, since our packs get heavier with each previous camp we visit. As we left camp 1 to make the last push down to base camp, our packs were weighing upwards of 25 kilos. We walked into base camp at 4:45pm with huge smiles on our faces and were greeted with tang and fresh fruit from the Grajales crew. As we chatted and laughed about where we had just been the previous day, we realized that the hardest and most dangerous part of our trip was over and we had all made it down safely. We feasted on steak and papas fritas that night and toasted to our 14 days on the mountain. We slept well that night with full bellies and happy hearts, resting up for the 21 mile walk out of the valley and back to the entrance of the provincial park. Fourteen days doesn't seem like that long a time, but Sunday we realized how deprived of color we had been, as we walked past brilliant green and yellow clumps of flowers descending the Relinchos valley towards home. Our packs were light and birds were singing nearby, making our steps light and quick. As the day wore on however, our steps slowed as the 15 miles we had to walk that day ticked past. An exciting river crossing of the Vacas river found many of the group in their skiveys, wading through thigh deep glacial waters. The late afternoon temps made the cool water dip welcome however. The last few miles were a long affair, but we arrived in camp to the smell of the arrearos cooking us a feast of an asada. One pound of slow cooked steak per person, tomato salad, fresh baked bread, and local malbec wine sent everyone to bed with full stomachs and a beautiful, uninterrupted view of the stars. Most chose to sleep outside of the tents, for views of the southern cross, and beyond! Six miles of walking the next morning brought us to Punta de Vacas and the end of our walking! Everyone piled into the van for a tired drive to Mendoza. Showers, and shaves brought everyone back to life, and Monday night the group enjoyed a celebratory dinner at the "patio," a local parilla (Brazilian style steak house but Argentinian!). The group dreamed up a wonderful way to commemorate the climb: a locally published coffee table book of Aconcagua that each signed to everyone else, so that we'll remember the faces, friendships, experiences, and stories that we have grown over the last three weeks. The guides would like to thank an incredible team of climbers for their dedication, strength, perseverance, and laughter. Gabi's 25th was a special one. And further, the team would like to thank everyone for their notes, thoughts, and positive vibes while we were headed to the highest point in the western hemisphere! Goodnight and good luck, The RMI Aconcagua Crew

We awoke at 11pm at the Cayambe hut to get an alpine start on our climb. Unfortunately, when we took a look outside we encountered sideways rain. We continued to monitor the weather throughout the night with hopes of getting a late start on the climb. Finally, around 5 am the wind and rain subsided enough for us to get out of the hut and do some climbing. By that time our we could not reasonably make it to the summit and back. We climbed up to 17,000 feet and did some training in the morning sun. That was a new high point for most of the team! Resting today in a beautiful hacienda outside Quito. Here we’ll learn crevasse rescue and set out sites on the next volcano, Antisana.

RMI Guide Avery Parrinello

Hi, Since we did not use one of our weather days while on the mountain, we had the whole day today in Kislovodsk. After our long push to get off the mountain yesterday, and the birthday celebration dinner that followed, most of us were happy to have a rest day of sorts. We had to deal with drying and sorting gear one last time so it is ready for our flight tomorrow, and then it was time to get re-connected with the rest of the world since we had been out of touch for the last nine days. The weather here was beautiful today in town, sunny skies and about 90 degrees. We decided to head down to the pedestrian mall in the center of town to do some shopping, find an ice cream store and stroll through the city park. Being the height of the summer season, there were many people just out enjoying the day. With a few souvenir purchases under our belt, we walked around admiring the different buildings, statues, fountains, and shops. With our attention turning to dinner, we found a great restaurant right in the middle of the square. We luckily had a waiter who could help us decipher the menu and helped us order an incredible meal. He thought we were crazy with how much food we ordered, but we ate it all. There were three different meat dishes served in a huge bowl with charcoals underneath to keep it warm, fresh salads, and perfectly grilled vegetables. It was the hands-down winner for our best meal in Russia. Tomorrow we head to the airport to fly north to St. Petersburg, the last leg of this journey. We'll check in once we get there. All the best, RMI Guides Jeff Martin, Pete Van Deventer, and the Elbrus Northside Team

High winds blew cold snow in our faces the entire three-hour trek to Gorak Shep today. Buffs up, gortex layers on, and hands balled up in our gloves gave us some protection but it still leads to chapped cheeks and tired climbers. We met up with the other RMI team, led by the famous Casey Grom, for some tea and jokes along the trail. They are heading down to the land of hot showers and warm evenings as we head up to Everest Base Camp tomorrow. Some of our team took the afternoon to rest and relax while others braved the winds and hiked up Kala Patar (18,500 feet). We had beautiful views of Nuptse and the Khumbu Glacier but Everest didn't want to show its true height to us today. Hopefully this wind slows and we have an easier trek into basecamp tomorrow. RMI Guide Christina Dale

I am thrilled to announce to the blogosphere and those actually following that our intrepid group of mountaineers all reached the summit of 18,996’ Volcan Cayambe this morning at 6 am.  Having been on this mountain close to a dozen times, I can honestly say this was likely the nicest route conditions and weather combination I have ever experienced.  Excellent snow texture, light wind and perfect temps made for a day that will be hard to follow on our next two objectives.   

Our day began slightly less than perfect with an 11pm alarm jolt which politely ripped me from my sleep which I had finally achieved a mere 30 minutes before.  Oh the joys of an honest alpine start.  

After flipping a coin to decide if I should put my harness on before doing something usually done before the harness goes on, the quarter landed tails so I harnessed up and hoped for the best.  While continuing to ready ourselves, one of our team members opted not to join the climb because of a strained knee which was heartbreaking news, so upon departure, we were six instead of seven.  Maria, you were with us in spirit the entire way! 

As the climb progressed, even the local guides couldn’t stop commenting on how beautiful the night was.  This is also Hannah’s first big mountain in Ecuador so she better not get too used to this.  Especially on Cayambe.  We all need to crack a cervesa and toast the weather gods.

With incredible summit photos and hugs proof of our ascent, the descent went as smooth as the climb.  Three hours after leaving the top everyone was safe and sound back at the hut drinking coffee and eating freshly prepared scrambled eggs.  Shortly after breakfast we loaded the trucks and headed back to town.

By 3:30 this afternoon we had put a serious dent in our hacienda's beer supply and couldn’t believe we were standing on the summit a mere eight hours previous.  Ah the beauty of not having to pack up camp and keep marching!  This is how mountain climbing should be (most of the time).

Now the team is continuing to celebrate and fight off the exhaustion that comes with ten hours on the move at altitude.  They are strong in more ways than one!

Congrats to a job well done.

RMI Guide Adam Knoff

The Four Day Climb reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at about 7:45 am PDT. RMI Guides Dave Hahn and Josh McDowell lead their teams up the Ingraham Direct Route on what Dave Hahn described as a near perfect climbing day. They crossed the crater to reach Columbia Crest, where they celebrated with high fives and selfies before starting their descent.

Congratulations Team!