The day went pretty well on schedule. We were up at around 8 AM at high camp, thankful that the winds had not yet found our tents. It was obviously kicking a bit higher, with streamers of snow blowing off ridges and frozen dust devils dancing across our ascent route of the day before. But we were granted calm and sunny conditions in which to eat breakfast and pack for the descent. We bailed out of high camp at 11:20 and carefully picked our way down the fixed lines. Coming into Low Camp was a bit of a shock as there were dozens of climbers there and we'd gotten so used to having the mountain to ourselves. Folks were hanging there rather than ascending since forecasts say that the winds will build and dominate the upper mountain for several days. We shuffled our loads, repacked and headed down to Vinson Base, arriving by 5:30 PM. No flights back to Union today as the winds have the pilots hunkering down, so we set tents and enjoyed a victory dinner together at 7000 ft on the Branscomb Glacier.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Hello again everyone,
Day 4 started much like yesterday, luckily for us, with clouds below and clear skies above. Looming above camp was our first major obstacle of the climb, the 1,000' high Barranco wall, the only real technical part of this climb. Looking straight at it one would think its nearly unclimbable but thankfully for us there is a faint climbers trail that bobs and weaves it way via a series of ledges and steps safely to the top. Everyone did fantastic and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and were amazed watching the porters navigate this terrain with their loads still balanced on their heads.
Once on top of the wall we took a nice break to enjoy the views and snap a few pictures. The rest of the trail was mostly a traverse with spectacular views of the last few glaciers that cover the southern side of Kilimanjaro.
We arrived in camp right around noon and had a quick lunch then retired to our tents for a little rest.
All is well!
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Hey Steve and Brian! Been following your progress all week. If I’m getting it straight, tonight is the night! So good luck and enjoy every minute of it! You guys rock.
Posted by: Dave L on 8/24/2013 at 9:18 am
Chris and Jesse!!
You are almost at the top!!! You go girls! What an awesome journey for the two of you to be experiencing together. Stay strong and enjoy the view! Love you guys and cannot wait to hear about this amazing adventure.
Chris - You sure know how to celebrate your birthday! Woohoo!
Karen
Things are getting pretty darn exciting here. Our team is packed and ready to go! Everyone had a casual morning catching up on some well-deserved sleep.
After a hearty breakfast and for me...one too many cups of coffee, we packed our personal gear in two categories. One, we arranged our mountain duffels, which will be carried by our team of porters. This duffel holds all the items we don't need until we get to camp. And two, we packed our day packs we will carry on our backs as we trek. It's nice to have a lighter pack full of water and a few clothing items. Hey! Don't judge. It's just the way we do things on Kilimanjaro. And believe me, we put the luxury, in luxury travel.
We are super excited to hit the trails and enjoy the beauty of Kilimanjaro. For now it's another great gourmet meal at the lodge.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
The team had a leisurely start to the day with breakfast at 8 as everyone is still getting their internal clocks set. After getting packed up last night and checking out of the hotel today we made our way over to the big gondola. We rode two gondolas and one small chairlift up the mountain to our new home here at 12,000', where there are several huts including one for dining. The Garabashi Hut is also call the "barrels" because of the round shape of the huts. They are a little worn, but warm and dry nonetheless.
It was a pretty easy transition for the team and once everyone was settled we headed out the door on another acclimatization hike. We hiked for about 2 hours which took us up to about 13,500'. We then descended back to camp and had a great lunch of Bortch, a variety of fruits, salami, and cheese.
Everyone is doing great and are enjoying the beautiful weather and amazing views of the Caucasus mountain range.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
The team is making great progress. You’ll be at the top before you know it!! Praying for continued safe travels. From James’Madre
Posted by: Dolores Graham on 7/10/2013 at 4:24 pm
you all look great! ask Chris to point out where I would have stopped, Im sure u will all make it to the top. its great to be able to read these updates!
This is Casey and team checking in from ABC, Camp Two.
Today the team awoke early, had a quick breakfast and headed out the door at 4:00 am. The team did a great job climbing all the way through the icefall, past Camp One, and arrived safely at Camp Two. The weather was quite nice today with all the members feeling good and in high spirits. Our goal for this rotation is for all the climbers to reach and possibly sleep at Camp Three. If weather continues to cooperate the first wave will push up to Camp Three tomorrow.
A couple of days ago we hit an important benchmark, and had a successful day for the team. It was just as we did the previous morning we set out, only this time we actually left Basecamp. Everybody else did too...I've never seen quite so many in the Khumbu Icefall. Since it was effectively "closed" yesterday, the traffic of two days was wedged into one.
I was very excited for the great job that Erica was doing - but I'll admit that the crowding and congestion in dangerous places was something I was continually uncomfortable with. I suppose it was business as usual in the busy season - but as I said - I hadn't seen things quite so bad before. From small teams that seemed unacclimatized and unskilled blocking the route, to massive Sherpa teams of 30 and 40 coming down all at once.
Sure, there were plenty of the usual encounters with friends. I was happy to see Apa Sherpa gunning for his world record 19th Everest summit. There were Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs, Jake Norton and John Griber, who we hadn't seen for the better part of a week. And as usual it was fun to run into Vern Tejas, Scott Woolums and a sampling of the great cast of characters that Everest attracts every spring.
Mostly though, I kept my concentration on my small tight team of Erica, Seth, Kent and Ang Kaji. Our training and patience paid off. Even with the numerous hold-ups, we pulled into Camp 1 at 10 a.m., having spent a respectable and reasonable 4 hours and 45 minutes in the big jumble. I was especially proud to find that we had enough reserve energy to blast quickly through the dangerous avalanche zone near the top of the Icefall and the start of the Western Cwm. It was a great feeling to be in the Cwm itself - back on the glacier surface instead of continually being under large, heavy and unstable things. By that point, we'd found the sunshine and warmth and it was clear that we had passed our first big test on the road to the summit. And how!
At Camp 1 we climbed into the tents to escape the big reflector oven heat of the Cwm at midday. It took a few hours of running stoves to melt enough snow for the water we badly needed - but then we had not much else to do - just rest, relax, acclimate!
The following day our Sherpa team had the real acclimatization of the day. Lam Babu and Tendi were part of a cooperative team of Sherpas from different expeditions that set out for the arduous and important task of setting fixed ropes on the Lhotse face. They succeeded in a big way, fixing not one but two parallel lines to 24,000 ft. This will allow safer flow of traffic on the steep blue ice of the Lhotse face. Lam Babu and Tendi also sited the First Ascent Camp 3 location - an important milestone where flat spaces big enough for a tent are few and far between. The alternative - hours of chopping with an ice axe on a 40 degree slope - is best avoided.
We saw the tiny dots inching up the Lhotse face from Camp 1 at the other end of the Western Cwm. Our day was easy-and a relief after a windy and mean night. We were hit repeatedly with cannon blasts of wind rocketing down the 3,000 ft. face of Everest's west shoulder. The wind was noisy - and a strain - threatening to flatten our tents and uproot us from our moorings. Kent Harvey came out of his tent, smiling about the good sleep he'd gotten - but Seth and Ang Kaji didn't get a wink, Erica was somewhere in the middle, as was I. Even so, we took advantage when the wind quit in the morning-brewing up coffee and then stretching our legs with an hour-long walk up the Cwm. We knew we wanted to be back in camp before the sun made work in the Cwm unbearable.
It was good to see Gerry Moffatt and Melissa Arnot getting an early start down from ABC. They were bound for Basecamp and showers and comforts that our team isn't really missing yet. We kept in radio contact with Peter Whittaker and Linden Mallory down in Basecamp throughout the day.
Today we fired the stoves at 5 a.m. and left Camp 1 by 7:30 a.m., bound for ABC (Camp II). The route from C1 goes seemingly right under the summit of Nuptse. I know that isn't actually possible, but it is physically difficult to bend one's neck back far enough to take in the 5,000 ft. of vertical relief straight up to the summit.
We crossed a half dozen easy ladders over crevasses, and then got on "easy" terrain, clomping up the glacier in our crampons. Our biggest challenge seemed to be getting out of the way of the many friendly Sherpa on the route. The guys going up had come all the way from Basecamp under heavy loads, the guys going down had already emptied their loads at ABC, and so were moving fast down to Basecamp and smiling a lot.
Erica moved along as if she'd been to ABC a number of times. At such points I have a tough time reminding myself that she is seventeen - and an even tougher time remembering what I was capable of when I was seventeen (not this - but sometimes waking up on time and perhaps dressing correctly).
Erica is not the only 17-year-old on Everest this year. In fact, two "Johnnys" were both camped within 100 meters of us last night -one with Damian Benegas and one who is working with Scott Woolums. And they both appear to be doing great. But I'm pretty sure that Erica is the first 17-year-old that I walked into ABC with.
Erica, Seth, Kent, Ang Kaji, and I hit camp at 10:30 a.m., and celebrated with round after round of Tang toasts. We're here for 2 nights and I'll tell you all about the place tomorrow.
The team had a good nights rest last night and today just a short 2.5hr hike up to 15’000ft to our high camp. It started out looking like we might have some sun, then luickly clouded up. Thankfully we arrived at camp right before a little squall blew through bring snow/hail.
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 11pm and have a quick breakfast at 11:30, then hopefully hit the trail right at midnight. 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.
I’m also going to bring our Satellite phone to hopefully make a few calls from the summit. One lucky trivia winner will get 2. This winner is a big fan of gymnastics!
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.
Hey Team. Conrad and I were there 2 yrs ago!! My birthday!!!
Casey and Crew!!! The absolute best!!!!!
God speed See all 5 on safari!!!!
We saw 4!!! Ouch. Missed the leopard!!!
Go get him/her!!
Enjoy. Monumental!!!
Posted by: Stanley Golovac on 1/28/2020 at 3:41 pm
I cannot even believe my own, amazing mother just called me from the summit of Kilimanjaro to tell me that they made it and that she loves me. I teared up a little bit just realizing that they set this goal so long ago and now they’re finally accomplishing it.
I am so proud of you mom and you too Sheldon. I love you both very much.
The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Mike Walter reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning around 6:30 am. The Expedition Skills Seminar - Paradise led by Leon Davis also made a successful climb to the summit today after several days of training on the mountain. Both teams began their descent around 7:30 after enjoying the sunrise and views from the crater for almost an hour.
The teams will return to Camp Muir for a short break and to re-pack their gear before continuing the descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing both teams in Ashford later today.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Awesome job bro! im so proud! I bet it was amazing! GO JARYD U
Posted by: Parys Michelle Unangst on 8/1/2014 at 8:50 pm
Congratulations Jaryd & team on this tremendous achievement!! So happy you had the opportunity for this wonderful adventure Rad! Grampy wants to know what peak is next? Can’t wait to see you to hear all about it and see pictures. Be safe and love you! G’Pa and G’Ma
After our beautiful bluebird day on Mount Frances we went to bed satisfied with our climbing. We spent our last full day dialing in rescue techniques and ice climbing in crevasses.
Yesterday we woke up early for our flight back to Talkeetna and enjoyed a celebratory toast. A sweet success! Everybody left for home with lots of knowledge on modern climbing techniques and as more experienced climbers.
Thank you very much team for the great times in the Alaska Range and I'm already looking forward to next year's Alpine Seminar.
All best,
RMI Guide Andres Marin
Howdy, from the Kahiltna.
Today we made more progress moving nearly all our groceries, gas, and cold weather climbing equipment up to 10k just below Kahiltna Pass. The team climbed strong and moved very efficiently completing the big carry in just five hours round trip - not bad considering the 6ft+ deep hole we needed to dig to fit 15 days of food, gallons of gas and extra personal equipment for our 12-man crew. The weather was in our favor with nice travel temperatures and overcast skies that quickly turned to moderate snow just moments after our team's arrival back to camp just below Ski Hill. With a bit of remission of the snow tomorrow we'll pack camp and move to 11k, where the crampons and ice axes come out and the steeper climbing at altitude kicks in. We will update you again soon.
RMI Guide Tyler Jones
Hiiiii Ben!
Sounds like a lot of fun! We are glad the weather is on your side, we are sure it will stay that way. Be safe. God Bless. and take lots of photos!
Em and JB
Posted by: Emily and James on 6/8/2011 at 7:59 pm
Tyler, enjoyed climbing with you and Pete May 20-23. I am amazed by what you do every day! Thanks for the well-written updates. I’ll be back next year for Rainier again. Will follow you on Denali to see if I’m up to the challenge. Stay safe. —John
Congratulations, Larry. It looks really cold in the photos, but I could not tell how technical the climb was. Barbara in Dallas
Posted by: Barbara gunnin on 12/9/2013 at 11:04 am
Juan
Otro éxito mas y un ciclo cerrado por fin.
Recibe un fuerte abrazo de Mary,Beatriz y Alejandra
Nos vemos para festejar!!!
Posted by: alejandro on 12/9/2013 at 9:13 am
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