Most Popular Entries
On The Map
Posted by: Walter Hailes, JM Gorum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,200'
.jpg)
On The Map
Brett,
We are so proud of you! Garrett and I miss you but we’re doing great and we’re happy thinking about you, Alden, and Chip on this amazing adventure! We’re sorry we missed your sat call. We love you!!! Xoxo
Posted by: Kate on 6/2/2018 at 9:55 pm
Alden, keep pumping brother. Me and the lady buglettes are behind you and your team 110%.
Bugman
Posted by: Matt Lattig on 6/2/2018 at 6:10 pm
Posted by: Mike Walter, Robby Young, Alan Davis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
On The Map
Hi Tom My Man!
If I have it right today is summit day. May the force be with you and may we be the wind at your back. You’ll find a pint at the summit we left for you, enjoy :-), Hujo and Katie.
Posted by: HUGH DE PENTHENY O KELLY on 5/31/2018 at 7:20 pm
Tom, rock on dude! Back in Bay for a few days, hiked with Jacquie and MSLDH’s yesterday. Back on PCT Wednesday Tuolumne north. Good luck to all!
Posted by: Christopher Rumm on 5/27/2018 at 8:55 am
Posted by: Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Torres del Paine
Posted by: Eric Frank, Tyler Reid
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Great news! Congratulations to John (and team) from your So Cal fan club: Athena, Jody & GrandPa
Posted by: SoCal Gunns on 6/10/2017 at 7:08 pm
Dear Lori and Dave - So great to see your smiling faces ontop of Mt. Kiliminjaro today!! You made it!! Wow!!
Have a great rest of the trip!!
Love,
Leslie
Posted by: Leslie Busch on 7/19/2015 at 1:36 pm
WOW - great job - so proud of Derick & the whole team!
Posted by: wayne and catherine salkowitz on 7/19/2015 at 12:49 pm
On The Map
Best of luck Dad! -Madison
Posted by: Madison Mason on 7/9/2015 at 9:52 am
Good luck today, Dad and Dennis!
Love,
Linds, Daniel, & Wyatt
Posted by: Lindsay on 7/9/2015 at 8:34 am
Go Miki!!!! I can’t wait to see your pictures. You got this girl!!! Love you!
Posted by: Christine on 6/22/2015 at 10:28 am
Matthew, Aaron, & Stephen—Congratulations take many pictures and have a safe trip down. Love Dad
Posted by: Michael Brown on 6/22/2015 at 7:46 am
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 14,000'
Sunday, May 25, 2025 - 10:16 pm PT
We continue to hang at 14,000' Camp, acclimatizing, resting, going on small walks to stretch our achy legs, and working on the skills that we will need to ascend the higher reaches of the mountain. After a leisurely morning, our guides had us practice using our ascenders, clipping in and out of anchors, clipping in and out of anchors, and descending the fixed lines using the trusty arm wrap. We repeated until Seth was confident that we could perform these drills with cold hands.
As the pace of life has slowed during this phase of the expedition and we have many (many) hours in the tent with our own thoughts, I’ve curated my top 5 life hacks from the top of North America:
1. Say goodbye to dish detergent and sponge - fresh powdery snow makes a great all-natural scrub for cleaning your single bowl, mug, and spork. Just step outside, grab a handful of nature’s Dawn, and get to work! Please be sure you select a patch of snow that is indeed white.
2. Alternatively, forget the dish washing routine altogether and embrace the complex layerings of flavor that can only be experienced when you brew tea in the same mug as last night’s corn soup, or slurp Cinnamon Toast Crunch with undertones of Madras Lentils.
3. Worried that your sticky-fingers roommate will take your last slice of leftover pizza, or a sneaky coworker will swipe your oat milk creamer AGAIN? Here’s what you gotta do: wrap your precious perishables in a trash bag and bury it deep in the snow! Your goodies will stay cold and fresh, and hidden from greedy scavengers. Just budget a good 20 minutes to dig it up when you need it.
4. Too lazy to take dry clean only items in for a proper cleaning? Just set dingy laundry like sleeping bags and boot liners out in the sun to sanitize. At least, we think it’s working - our noses have become desensitized to our collective eau de parfum naturel.
5. Lastly, to all my nocturnal urinators: A pee bottle is the greatest luxury you can add to your life. Not only does the pee bottle save you a trip outside the tent in the middle of a cold night, but you can then tuck it in your sleeping bag as a sort of cozy hot water bottle. Just make sure it has a spill-proof lid.
In all seriousness, we love and miss you all back home! Sending so much love to ma and pa in Vancouver, David in NYC, Grammie and Granddad and family in Nova Scotia, all the fam in Toronto and Boston, and our supportive friends in Seattle!
A special shout out to our youngest reader, Gene, burgeoning outdoorsperson and super rad human! Say hi to your mom for me!
Love,
RMI Climber Grace
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Grace, love these hacks! Looking so forward to reading the next chapter about your amazing adventure!
Love, Granmie and granddaddy
I wonder how many of these hacks you will decide to keep post Denali :))
Luv you and stay safe
Mom
Posted by: Lela Ling on 5/26/2025 at 11:21 am
Love your hacks, so creative , yet so practical for adapting to life at 14,000 feet! Thank you for sharing. It almost feels like we are right there with you :-)
Posted by: Victor Ling on 5/26/2025 at 9:24 am
Thank you Jesus
May God continue to bless and guide you in your accomplishments. May you continue to be blessed in God’s miracles.
Love y’all be safe and enjoy your trip back down.
Love
Tia Becky
Girly
Posted by: Rebeca Woods on 8/6/2018 at 6:27 pm
View All Comments