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On The Map

On The Map

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 - 10:29 pm PT

Things started to turn nicer up on our big hill. The snow and clouds blew out today, winds quieted, and we spent the day addressing logistical hurdles. The first was that we found out last night that the downline of the fixed lines hadn’t been freed of its icy tomb, so there was a rope going up but not down- recipe for a traffic jam. We made a plan with teams from AMS to send a couple of guides from each team up to sledge hammer out the lines. Accordingly that meant we couldn’t go for a carry as a team. Additionally another guided team needed a guide loan to get their back carry in. So, Nick helped another team with their carry, got back in time for Ben and Pete to head uphill, then Nick took the group to the Edge of the World to look down on the lower Kahiltna Glacier and our first camp at Ski Hill. We were all reunited this evening over a tortellini dinner, and we’ll assess whether to get our carry in tomorrow!

Full team day.

RMI Guides Pete, Nick, Ben, and team

PC: Pete Van Deventer, Edge of the World. From Previous Expedition

I went to bed tired after three successive nights of little to no sleep. I entered my sleeping bag fearful of seismic disturbances both inside and outside my tent, but fatigue overtook me and I slept with dreams of everything dolce de leche. Woke up to a blue bird day and ready to reset. Not much to say about a rest day- eat, drink, hike a little, eat, play Farkle, talk random minutia, and then eat- you get the picture.

Today I thought would be a good day to share gratitude. I am very grateful for the Argentinian people, so welcoming, huggers and hand shakers, space violators- I love that. I am grateful for the 6 other strangers I am climbing with, thrown together with high individual expectations but how quickly we formed a team of working together for a common goal. Nate- from Illinois, works in the medical device industry and in the Air Force reserves, family man and enjoys a good beer, gentle bear and unable to be poked as he will always laugh it off, always willing to help, not a single swear word in his vocabulary but I am holding out hope. Eric- from Indiana, train engineer, energy is off the charts and he can laugh at himself, authority on rock bands and an avid 4-wheeler, can talk to anybody about anything, always willing to help. Erica- from LA and owns her own business, extremely tough but easy going hanging out with 6 other guys in the mountains with pretty offensive language (outside of Nate), aspiring Farkle master, also quick to contribute productively to a conversation, always willing to help. Ethan- from Indiana, owns his own business, near master of obtuse trivia particularly movies for which he says he never watches them, doesn’t take long for him to get a room laughing, cheats at Farkle, always willing to help. Dom- from WA, our guide and team leader, quick to read a room and join into any conversation from conspiracies on why the world is flat to Farkle strategies, affable, knowledgeable, humble, glad he is leading us. And last but not least, Ben- from a lot of places but most recently I think AZ, our other guide, the uncle every kid wishes he had with his mastery of riddles and bad Dad jokes even though he has no offspring, affable, knowledgeable, humble, also glad he is helping lead us. 

I think I am in good hands with these new friends of mine. So on our first rest day, I am grateful. That’s no cap…

RMI Climber Brian G