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Update - August 26th 5:35 pm
Just checking in from camp! All our safe and sound after our successful summit of Mt. Shuksan earlier today.
Original Dispatch
Hey everybody! It is Billy checking in here from the summit of Mt. Shuksan with 100 percent of our crew. We all styled our way up the Central Gully. And yeah, we're enjoying a nice sunny day on top, a little bit of smoke in the air but not too bad, a little bit of breeze but again not too bad. We'll check in once more when we get back into camp safe and sound. So that's all for now. Whelp, see ya.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Posted by: JJ Justman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Southside
RMI Guide JJ Justman sent the following video as a Mt. Elbrus summit day recap. Enjoy!
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
The Plantation Lodge was just too comfortable... we couldn’t leave at the crack of dawn. A leisurely 9 AM departure sufficed. Before leaving the Karatu area, we stopped for some souvenir/gift shopping and a try at negotiating prices. Then we dropped back down the escarpment into the Rift Valley and cruised through the bustling town of Mosquito River. Out in the dry country beyond town, we pulled off the highway to tour a small Maasai village. The residents danced for (and with) us, showed us how to make fire without modernity, and then took us two-by-two into their small houses -built of sticks, mud and dung- to describe the basics of being Maasai. Tanzania has over 120 different tribes, but the Maasai stand out because they are attempting to hold on to their traditional methods. Thus educated and enlightened, we lit out for Tarangire National Park. This park has very different ecosystems compared to Manyara and Ngorongoro. It is made up of arid and expansive forests and savannas cut by three wandering river courses. Impala, gnu and zebra are seemingly everywhere. We began seeing extended families of elephants, including some little fellas less than a year old. We learned to distinguish between male and female giraffes by the shape of their horns. We stopped to look at giant baobab trees and termite mounds and mongoose. We were getting spoiled... the team began demanding to see grizzly bears and tigers too. Actually, just when it seemed we’d go catless for the day, we came upon nine very alert and animated lions, close up. They wandered down to the river giving every impression that they were starting a hunt. In early evening we came to Balloon Camp deep within the park. The friendly staff oriented us to our bush hotel, which included advising us not to walk around without a guardian after dark. There are no fences between us and the critters of Tarangire. We watched the sun go down on our last full day in Africa and then sat for some “bush TV” as they call the campfire. A crew of cheerful and colorful Maasai came to sing, chant, jump and dance as it got fully dark and starry. We then enjoyed a barbecue buffet under those same stars.
In the morning, we’ll start to diverge, as Emily and Phil head off to the Serengeti and the rest of us explore a bit more of Tarangire. Seems a shame to break up the team, but our trip is winding down.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Posted by: Mike King, JT Schmitt, Ben Ammon
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Monday, June 11, 2018 - 5:35 PM PT
Not much to report from 11,000' Camp. Today we woke to snow, after breakfast we were shoveling snow and about every two hours since there has been more snow to shovel. The one caveat is that the wind is light. The Team has been working on "out chilling the storm" as a long time RMI guide once put it. We are hopeful that the weather begins clearing tomorrow so we can put a cache in striking distance of 14 Camp. Everyone is healthy and warm.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Good afternoon from the Root Canal Glacier! We just descended from a successful, safe and adventurous climb up the Ham & Eggs Route on Moose's Tooth. We left yesterday at 6am, with great weather and enthusiasm. The route started very well, in great condition. The upper half, though, was bullet proof ice, which slowed our progress a bit. But we managed to maintain our calfs alive pitch after pitch of relentless intermediate angle blue alpine ice. After finishing, we stuck to our plan of spending the night at the col; perched at 10,000ft, on the exposed and corniced saddle that greets the few mortals who venture up this, one of the most impressive granite massifs of the Alaska Range. After a true alpine bivi, with our ropes as sleeping pads for the bottom half of our bodies, a two-person tent for three, and a belay to go to the bathroom, we woke up to questionable weather this morning, and so, we started our descent; some 16 rappels back down to the glacier. Now we’re back to our fresh vegetables, steak and beverages of choice at our camp. Our next report will be after we fly out from Talkeetna.
RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos
Posted by: JM Gorum, Hannah Smith, Avery Parrinello
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 9,000'
Well, this morning went about as smoothly as it possibly could have thanks to the team's expert preparations yesterday. We had breakfast in the hotel, and then walked next door to make our final preparations for departure. After a short shuttle ride to the mouth of the Vacas River, we checked in with the park service and headed up the valley. We had cloudless skies and a consistent breeze all day, so it never got unbearably hot.
The team arrived in camp around 3:30 this afternoon, which left plenty of time for relaxing and exploring. Dinner consisted of more food than we could eat, prepared by the mule drivers on an open flame. Most folks are crawling into bed now, and since the weather is so nice we're going to forgo the tents and sleep under the stars. All the team says hello to everyone at home.
RMI Guides JM Gorum, Hannah Smith, and Avery Parrinello
On The Map
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Summit Climb teams led by RMI Guides Walter Hailes and Hannah McGowan reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team reported clear skies all the way to the top!
Congratulations to today's teams!
Congratulations to Welles Wiley and Gi Lee on reaching the top! And to everyone else on the trip!!!
Posted by: Roxanne Wiley on 8/20/2017 at 12:07 pm
We had a successful day traveling by planes, trains and automobiles! After a long day we have arrived in the little ski town of Cheget. It is raining cats and dogs so our evening dinner is inside the warmth of our comfortable hotel. The team is having fun as we slowly ease into the adventure. Tomorrow we will get out and stretch the legs with a good acclimatization hike. Stay tuned for some action packed photos and videos.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
On The Map
Good afternoon from Kilimanjaro. The group is all doing good after a really strong showing on the trail today. We are at Karanga Valley which sits at 13,100ft and is our last camp before high camp.
We tackled the Barranco Wall this morning and had a pretty smooth ascent up the steep slopes. We climbed it in exactly 1.5 hours which is what we were aiming for. When we were about 2/3 of the way up we could look back down on last night's camp which looked like a camp for ants. The rest of the way felt like a dance off with a bunch of ups and downs.
Everyone agreed that this was the most picturesque day so far.
We're all relaxing now before dinner and tomorrow we head up to Barafu Camp at 15,000ft. I'll check back in from there.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
On The Map
RMI Guide Jess Wedel and custom climbing team reached the summit of Glacier Peak yesterday evening just in time to watch the sunset from the top.
With the forecast for the next couple of days looking rather grim, the team took advantage of the good weather and made their summit bid on the second night of their trip, after a successful climb the team returned to camp in the early morning for some much needed sleep. They will spend today at Glacier Gap camp and descend to the trailhead for the conclusion of their trip tomorrow morning.
Nice work team!
Jess, Thanks for putting up with all my complaining, and keeping me from throwing in the towel with 1000 feet to the summit. What an amazing sunset summit. Truely breathtaking. Best wishes on your next adventures!
Posted by: Brian Dury on 7/23/2025 at 10:08 am
Thanks for an amazing trip Jess!! I’ll never forget that sunset summit!
Posted by: jason tonn on 7/22/2025 at 7:26 pm
Alex,
After hunting around the RMI website we are 90% sure this is your expedition. Stay warm and tend to the small details: feet, hydration, etc… Best to the whole team- and Malin says you did this to yourself :)
Posted by: Matt & Malin on 6/12/2018 at 9:50 am
Scott, I’ve got my eye on you - and the summit! Keep your leg warm!
Love, Mom
Posted by: Connie Selgrath on 6/12/2018 at 8:29 am
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