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The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Ben Luedtke reached the summit of Mt. Rainier and were greeted with Snow!  A summer storm with clouds, snow, and low visability kept the team from spending too much time on the summit. The team is on the descent, and in route to Camp Muir where the weather is currently a mix of rain and sleet.

Congratulations Team!

The Mt. Baker Easton Glacier crew for July 26 - 29 reached the summit this morning led by RMI Guides Nikki Champion and Alan Davis.  The team gathered at the trail head on Monday and spent the last few days on the mountain learning glacier travel skills.  Today they put their training to work and were rewarded with 100% of the team reaching the top.  They will spend tonight back at camp and walk out to the trail head tomorrow, concluding their program.

Nice work team!

Blog- Interview style with father and son 

We beg your indulgence for any poor grammar, mispelllings, provocative language, or boldface lies. We are writing on an iPhone on the bus back to CDMX. Also some of us apparently watch Anthony Bourdain videos during class. 

Hardest part of the peak? 

G-Descending the glacier, I was leading our rope team. i wanted to set a good pace but didn’t want anyone to slip.

 

What was the make or break elevation? 

G- 16,800.  It reminded me of being at the top of the DC on Rainier. It ‘s  a point where you have to commit to finishing.  Climbing Ixta was a great reference point. Once we got past 17,100, it was a new highest altitude for each of us, and once I got there I believed I could get to the summit. 

 

What did the mountain teach you about life?

G- When things feel too hard you have to dig deeper. 

 

Describe Pulque, and how did it affect your progress up the mountain? 

E- One of the things I was most looking forward to in Puebla, after watching Anthony Bourdain’s “no reservations” in my math class, pulque or as we referred to it Mexican cactus jizz was as one would expect, pretty awful. The one redeeming quality was that it did give me the extra confidence to push through the glacier on orizaba, cause if I can tank half a liter of Pulque I can do anything.

G- I would describe Pulque as the glue you use to hang wallpaper, but slightly less appetizing, came in a cool jug though. I don’t drink, so I didn’t try it, but I am sure it puts hair on your ice ax. 

 

 How much sleep did you get?

G- That question presupposes that I got any sleep. I might have accidentally napped for 30 minutes.

E- I slept like a log from a cool 7:00 pm to when la jefa (Lacie) shook us awake at 12:30 am 

 

First thing you did when you got to the hostel/ or off the mountain?

G- tried to clean up the tent but fell asleep on Eli’s sleeping bag. 

E- shower beer.

 

Best mountain snack on Orizaba?

G-our amazing guide gave us meat sticks which we could not find in Mexico. 

E- my 400 mg of caffeine through various supplements including guu, shot blocks, and a yerba mate from the states.

 

How did you prepare in the morning?

G-1st question my sanity, then put leukotape on my heels. I never get blisters when I tape up and that small ritual of taking care of my body prepares my mindfor the climb. 

E- Threw in headphones and blasted some Strokes until I was able to start fighting the cold and leave the comfort of my sleeping bag.

 

How many times did you eat shit?

G- Not expressible in a number, it’s more a state of being. Fortunately it only happened when I was wearing my approch shoes lower on the mountain. I also caught myself as many times as I fell. Falling your way down the mountain can be a safe, acceptable means of descent. 

E- Question not applicable.

G- Show off. 

 

Worst part?

G- A couple of climbers had to turn around part way through, which was the absolute right judgment call, but made me question if I should go down too.

E- post summit I had a headache for about an hour and a half which blowed.

 

What new mountaineering techniques did you learn?

E-How to breathe through my nose which was only possible from 12 to 18 thousand feet. As well as more technical skills such as: climbing with a rope, walking flat footed, the most optimal height for a hiking pole( which I will be gatekeeping), and how to take a very scenic piss. 

 

What was it like to breathe at 18k feet?

G- surprisingly easy! that elevation was my biggest worry about the trip, and I am grateful it was not a problem. 

 

Describe the labyrinth. 

G- to quote Gimli: “an impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks.” I really enjoyed it because it involved scrambling through mixed Ice and rock, and made my rock climbing brain happy. 

 

Best part of Orizaba?

G-Walking up to the summit with my son was a high point of my life, not just of the trip. Also I enjoyed climbing through the base glacier above the labyrinth and listening to the crackle of the ice which was like shattering glass under my crampons.

E- Finally reaching the summit and taking in the views from 18 thousand feet above sea level.

 

What did you enjoy about Mexico on rest days?

G - Exploring central Puebla. It’s a gorgeous city and I will definitely come back.

E- The amazing food we found by wandering around aimlessly.

 

How hard was it for your dad to convince you to skip a week of your final semester of high school? 

E- It was a pretty hard decision, I had to choose between sitting through my brainless Math, Government, and Bio classes or go to Mexico and climb some of the highest peaks in North America, while eating great food and meeting amazing people.

Thanks for reading,

RMI Climbers Greg and Eli Robillard

It was again very chilly this morning as we packed up our bags and prepared to leave our teahouse in Namche, but as soon as we started hiking the steep steps that lead out of Namche warmed us up quickly. The first few hours of the trail traversed along the hillside beyond Namche, contouring along the steep slopes above the river far below. Occasional stupas with prayer flags streaming for their gold topped spires dotted the ridge lines we traversed. The trail was bustling with activity; trains of yaks carrying loads to and from the villages higher up the valley plied the narrow path along with children heading to school, trekkers, and the average Khumbu "commuter" walking between the villages. It was another crystal clear morning and the views of Everest and it's neighboring mountains were incredible. Finally reaching the end of the traverse in the village of Kyangjuma, we paused for some tea, much to the delight of the local Sherpani women selling jewelry along the side of the trail. With our packs a bit heavier, we descended through the pines to the river crossing at Phunki Tanga, a small village of only a few buildings sitting at the base of our big climb for the day. The trail from there ascends through pine forests, rhododendron trees, and into junipers in a seemingly endless series of switchbacks. The southern exposure of the hillside is fully exposed to the midday sun and we were soon very hot, hiking in t-shirts and shorts - a drastic change from the cold temperatures of the morning. We settled into a steady pace, slowly ticking off the switchbacks one by one, until all 1800' of the climb lay below us and we created the ridge into the village of Tengboche. Tengboche is dominated by the large monastery overlooking the center of the village, and equally by Everest and Ama Dablam which loom largely in the distance. A breeze was blowing down from the valley above and we quickly pulled on our warmer coats as we passed the monastery's front gate. In Tengboche we treated ourselves to a slice of apple pie at the local bakery before descending the other side of the ridge a few minutes to our next tea-house in the village of Deboche, tucked away in the forest of rhododendron just below the monastery. The team is acclimatizing well and everyone felt strong today on the trail, easily navigating the trail while keeping up the light hearted jokes and banter which has become the norm on the trail. We are sending our best to everyone back home and appreciate all of the comments and good wishes left on the blog. RMI Guide Linden Mallory

On The Map

Today was a big day for our climbing team... everyone was keyed up for an early-morning start and nervous about just what surprises the Khumbu Ice fall might hold for us. I'm sure I was responsible for a good deal of the nervousness, having tried mightily in this last week of training to pass on my own respect, fear and awe for the great tumbling and turbulent glacier we needed to sneak through. I'd portrayed this morning's mission as something of a final exam and a dress rehearsal, all rolled into one. Get up at the normal obscene hour we choose for taking on the Ice fall (we like the thing to be cold and frozen solid underfoot... Less chance for breaking crevasse bridges) then stick to a business-like schedule and pace in climbing safely up to the midpoint of the Ice fall... then come back down, just as safely, just as business-like. Simple... But not really so simple. Necessary though, in my book, to see that we are strong enough, skilled enough, and acclimated enough to responsibly make the move to Camp One before we actually make the move to Camp One. Even experienced mountain climbers have very little in the way of similar passages in the course of their previous climbs. The track up through the Khumbu Ice fall is unique (thank God). We can't afford to have an exhausted climber in the upper reaches of the Ice fall, teetering and tottering across ladders and ice fins... and we absolutely don't want a climber to pull into the extreme height of Camp One at nearly 20,000 ft without adequate strength reserves, inviting possibly fatal altitude illness. So we needed a test... halfway up and down in good time and in good style. Bill and Sara, Linden and myself certainly didn't catch any slack from Mother Nature in our attempts to relax during the night before our test. To begin with, there was a spectacular full moon rise over Everest's West Shoulder... The kind of thing that required a bunch of trips out into the night to observe so that one could be sure one wasn't missing anything. Once we'd given up on the moon, there were a series of thunderous ice avalanches off Pumori that required an occasional head stuck out the tent zipper in order to see the immense powder clouds billowing in the aforementioned moonlight. Around one or two AM there came a bizarre and violent lightning storm with endless peels of real thunder (as opposed to the avalanche facsimile) and this was followed by a concentrated downpour of snowflakes pelting the tents. I, for one, was thankful when my alarm finally rang at 4 AM, allowing me to give up on the sleep concept. After such an eventful night, it was stunning to emerge from the tent to find a peaceful, clear and brilliantly lit up pre-dawn sky. We could already count a number of headlight beams swinging back and forth in the Ice fall. Our climbing team convened in the dining tent for a hurried attempt at jamming down calories and coffee (don't worry, 16 year-old Sara hasn't taken up the coffee habit... yet) and then we pulled on climbing harnesses and helmets. Mark Tucker got up to see us off and to follow our progress on his radio...At 5 o'clock we shouldered packs and shook Tuck's hand as we circled the Puja alter, breathing in a little juniper smoke -an offering to the Gods- on the way. Then we were clomping out of camp in our big expedition boots. A few minutes later we were at the base of the first Ice hummock and it was time for crampons. Then came the hard work, an hour or more of careful trudging toward the first ladders... nobody was "warmed up" and nobody was feeling spry, nobody was able to envision feeling better with the passage of a few hours filled with strenuous and dangerous uphill labor. But we smiled at each other and patted each other on the shoulders and we concentrated on good foot placements and steady breathing. When the angle steepened and the fixed rope began, we put the last week's practice and training to good use. A quick break at the first ladders gave a chance for a few more calories and a couple of minutes off our feet. By now we were mingling with a number of Sherpa teams as well as Westerners out doing variations on our own training program (Lam Babu and our own Sherpa team were taking a well-deserved rest today after having carried round-trip to ABC (at 21,300 ft) yesterday) After the rest we got into more challenging terrain in the "momo" section of the glacier... where the ice towers and jumbles strongly resemble a giant tilted plate of steamed momos... naturally. Safely through that and it was into the "popcorn" section with some steep and breathtaking climbing over glacial rubble that resembles... well, you know. Then came a section I dubbed the "football field" not because you could play a ball game there but because every ten yards brought a new crevasse line to be hopped. Some of the crevasses required a few careful steps on ladder rungs with fists full of fixed rope to get steady and balanced in the process. But then... after about 2.5 hours we were reaching our goal for the day... "The Dum", which I am told was the name that early climbing Sherpas applied to the gear dump they made in the area back when it was too complicated to get through the entire Icefall in a day... "dump" being far too long a word to utter in such an oxygen-starved place and "dum" being preferable. Whatever... the Dum is a safe place to sit and it is the halfway point of the Ice fall. Mission half-accomplished, we were happy and relieved... all were feeling good and strong having worked through the nerves, the jitters, and the plain old inevitable discomfort of getting to 18,900 ft. Another quick break in the cool morning breeze and then all we had to do was get back down safe. The test continued... no room for tired steps or fumbled carabiners jumping down through the footballs, the ladders, the popcorn and the momos. And we did it, marching back into camp by 10 AM in strong sunshine (a few hours ahead of the daily snowstorm) and with new found confidence in our ability to get through the rest of the Khumbu Icefall and up into the Western Cwm. A day of rest seems sensible first though. Best, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Monday, July 1, 2019 - 9:24 PM PT Denali is a mountain that definitely tests a group's patience. We woke up around 6 to look at the weather and Denali was still a bit too testy up high for us to make our move. This is to be expected when climbing big mountains and our team has accepted this challenge of waiting like a cobra to strike at our good weather window.... which will hopefully be tomorrow. The team is in great spirits and spent the day resting up and sport eating so we have the energy to get to the summit. Although not as nice as 14k camp, 17k is treating us well. Keep your fingers crossed for us for tomorrow! RMI Guide Mike Haugen and Team Siete

On The Map

Hello again. After a rest day yesterday at Ama Dablam Base Camp, where we practiced some of the rope techniques we'll implement on our ascent, today we're in a holding pattern for the weather. Our camps are stocked thanks to the help of our Sherpa, and we're ready to go when the time is right. In the meantime, we continue to execute expedition life; patience at it's best. RMI Guide Elías de Andres Martos

Hi, this is Brent along with Leon and Lindsay calling from 17,000’ camp on the West Buttress here on Mt. McKinley. We have just gotten up to our high camp here today after a grueling but a great climb in which everyone climbed super well. Right now it’s about 10 o’clock and the guides are just getting into their sleeping bags after getting dinner and filling up water bottles and all that good stuff. Currently the conditions are pretty good, a little windy just 20 mph winds. We are in a bit of a white out, a little snow blowing but not too bad. We are up here now, the forecast isn’t for horrible conditions but not bluebird, perfect conditions either. And that’s ok for us because we wouldn’t mind a rest day after our big climb up from the 14,000’ camp this morning. We’ll be waking up early to check the weather just in case we have a perfect day. If that’s the case and there’s no wind then we are going to go for the summit tomorrow morning. So wish us luck on that. Otherwise we’ll be here and we have plenty of supplies to last us through any storm that might come our way. That is all from 17,000 foot camp. RMI Guide Brent Okita

On The Map

The Four-Day climb led by RMI guides, Steve Gately and Devin Guffey, reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. The team enjoyed nice weather and a busy route. 

The team will be back at Basecamp this evening to celebrate their success and all their hard work. Nice job team!

We all slept hard last night, enjoying the thick air of Namche after many nights up high and appreciating the comforts of our teahouse after the long day yesterday. The morning broke as another clear day and we left Namche enjoying the the warm morning sun on the trail. The first few hours brought us back down the Namche Hill, far easier and quicker on the descent than at the beginning of the trip. The trail, calm at first, gradually filled with porters, yaks, donkeys, and groups of trekkers and we were all amazed at the activity on the trail - a far cry from the more remote stretches of the upper Khumbu. Spring continued to bloom lower in the valley, the red and pink rhododendron dotting the hillsides and flowering cherry trees shading the trail throughout the valley floor. It was a beautiful walk back to Lukla and we all remarked how familiar our surroundings have become after close to three weeks on the trail. We arrived in Lukla in the late afternoon and sat on the stoop of our teahouse watching the hills around us and reflecting on the trip. It has been a great adventure and we all are both sad to see it end but excited to return home and share our stories. Tomorrow the group takes a flight from Lukla to Kathmandu and I head back to Namche on the way back to Everest BC to rejoin the Everest Expedition. The weather forecast is looking good for flights and the team should be back in the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu by late morning. Thanks to everyone for your support and comments throughout the trip. RMI Guide Linden Mallory

On The Map