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On The Map

Hello again everyone,

The team had a good nights rest last night and today was just a short 3hr hike up to 15’000ft to our high camp. Everyone is excited and maybe just a touch nervous, which is very normal! 

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, then hopefully hit the trail around 11:30pm. It’s a bit busier then I’ve seen previously, hence the slightly early departure tonight. Hopefully that will get us out in front of the majority of the other climbers. 

The team has been doing great thus far and I’m expecting us to reach the summit in 7 to 8hrs if things go according to plan. 

We had another trivia challenge, and one lucky winner will get a phone call from the summit. 
So, everyone back home please keep your phones handy and if you receive a call from a strange number please answer. We are 8+hrs ahead of the east coast time zone. 

Casey Grom and the RMI Summit Team!

Saturday, June 25, 2022 - 10:04 pm PT

We did another 5 AM wake up.  It was cool in the morning shadows, but not uncomfortably so.   Breakfast fortified us for a 7 AM departure up the steep Motorcycle Hill.  To finally be in crampons rather than snowshoes felt great.  Our first rest break -midway up Squirrel Hill- gave us brand new views of the Peters Glacier and Denali’s Northwest Buttress, in addition to ever closer views of the formidable granite forming the end of the West Buttress.  We finished off Squirrel and came onto the “Polo Field” below the end of the Buttress.  One more pull got us to the saddle below Windy Corner where we took a break before tackling the corner itself.  The Corner is always exciting, traversing steep slopes with huge chunks of granite just above us and crevasses just below… all while trying not to stare too long at the Kahiltna Glacier far below, or at Mount Hunter and Mount Foraker in all their glory.  Finishing the Corner leaves one looking straight at Denali’s South Peak for the first time.  We cached food and fuel just beyond the corner, spending about 50 minutes there at 13,500 ft before starting down.  We actually walked down into a layer of wildfire smoke that had moved in.  Luckily the smoke didn’t stick around for too long.  We were back at camp at 1:30 PM and diving into the tents shortly afterward to get out of the intense high altitude sun. 

It was a good day of climbing and we’ve had a few now… so tomorrow looks good for a rest day to solidify our acclimatization before moving up. 

Best Regards,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Tuesday, June 28, 2022 - 11:42 pm PT

Let me tell you about the pain cave. It’s made of self doubt stalactites and poorly spaced foot buckets where you think you have found purchase with your crampons and yet they slide again and again. It’s got stalagmites forged from the tears of mountaineers who came before you. It’s a fearsome place indeed. But we are a powerful team and WE CARRY ON.

That is right readers, this intrepid group scaled the hairy fixed lines once again to move our camp to 17,000' today. What stroke of luck to have such incredible weather for our move day. To be traversing the airy Washburns’s Thumb in nothing but a sun hoody is the stuff of dreams. Our RMI guides continue to provide important services such as lying to us about the steepness of the grade on the trail we cannot yet see, and assurances that today will likely be considered a harder day than our planned summit day tomorrow. Andy, keep up the bluffing, it’s working like a charm.

Todays highlights included Steve’s reunion with his hula hoop, the view from 17 Camp when we finally arrived, the fact that most of us are higher than we’ve ever been, and the team spirit embodied by Yann who selflessly swung into action helping his teammates set up tents when they arrived exhausted. There was also the traffic on the running belays which was reminiscent of Seattle’s I-5, but really, who can complain when it’s a fraction of the normal peak season crowd.

With a bit of rest this evening, some much needed calories (an entire mountain house plus snacks), and a continuous deep well of motivation to draw from, we sit eager with anticipation for tomorrow - the big day!!!

RMI Climber Holly

The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Brent Okita and Kiira Antenucci reached Ingraham Flats at 11,200' on their summit attempt before poor weather forced them to turn and retreat to shelter of Camp Muir. The team is going to enjoy the morning on the mountain before descending. 

Congratulations to today's team! 

Monday, January 17, 2022

What a crazy 36 hours! We arrived at Aconcagua Camp 1 excited for the true expedition to begin, but little did we know, the mountain had other plans. We crawled in our tents after dinner with moderate winds slapping the tent walls, but what began as moderate mountain winds soon grew into freight train roars. Gust after gust battered the tents as we scrambled to secure more guy lines and add more rocks to the anchors. What started as 40 mph gusts soon grew to 80 mph and greater! It felt as if the mountain was unhappy with our presence on its flanks. The wind was relentless all night, making the guide's job tireless as we constantly left the safety of our tent to check on the security of the others. No one slept a wink as we all constantly felt the need brace the walls of our tent as the roar of the train built high in the mountain and finally crashed angrily into our camp. As the sun rose, the wind flowed unabated but with less severity as it had throughout the night. With the light increasing we were able to survey the damage. One out of the three tents didn’t survive, but all climbers woke unscathed, albeit a little sleep deprived. Despite their experience, it was the guides whose tent was left broken and battered and who had to seek shelter in the emergency dome tent set up by our logistics company for just such an occasion. With the sun rising, the group sipped coffee with 1,000-yard stares until the caffeine kicked in and we were able to process what just happened. With a broken tent and the forecast changing for the worst, the mountain forced our hand. The guides made the tactical decision to retreat back to basecamp to regroup and pick up our spare tent we had left behind. However, this does not mean the adventure is over. We plan to rest where the air is thicker, wait out the bad weather, and continue on up the mountain in two days. Everyone is tired, but in good spirits after such a trying night on Aconcagua. Wind is what this mountain is famous for and it delivered in spades. Two nights of good sleep in basecamp will have us rested and ready to give it another go. Let’s just hope the mountain decides to let us pass.

RMI Guide Nick Scott

The Four Day Climb June 22 - 25 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning led by RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer and James Bealer.  The teams reached the crater rim at 5:30 am, they enjoyed clear skies and a light breeze during their climb.  The route remains in good shape and teams were making good time on their descent.  They were at 13,500' around 7 am heading back to Camp Muir.  They will enjoy a short break at Camp Muir to refuel and repack, then descend the remaining 4.5 miles and 4,500ft to reach Paradise.

Congratulations to today's teams on reaching the summit of Mt. Rainier!

The Mt. Baker - Easton Glacier September 11 - 13, 222 led by RMI Guides Seth Burns, Tatum Whatford and Nicole De Petris reached the summit of Mt. Baker yesterday.  The team reported smoky conditions but they were able to practice their glacier travel skills and make it to the summit.  The team descended from Sandy Camp today and are back at the trial head.

Congratulations to the team!

After two very long and tiring days, walking more than 20 miles and descending more than 14,000ft, we are finally back in civilization! Shower, clean beds, real food…oh my! We are all feeling like human beings again after a wonderful shower and a celebratory dinner out. It’s good to back in comfortable surroundings after such a trying trip, but at the same time sad that the adventure is coming to an end. Climbers are planning wine tours and sight seeing adventures during the 1 or 2 days they have left in the country. Hopefully, they return to you all, reading at home, rested and ready to retell all their stories and show you all the photos! It was one hell of a trip! 

Thanks for following along everyone.

Cheers!

RMI Guide Nick Scott