Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Posted by: Mike Walter, Seth Burns
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,131'
RMI Guide Mike Walter called from the top of Mt. Shuksan this morning. The team enjoyed a beautiful, hazy morning at 9,000' ft. The team made it back to camp and will enjoy a night's rest before they head back to the trailhead tomorrow.
Hello again everyone,
The team had a good night’s rest last night and today was just a short 3 hour hike up to 15’000' to our high camp. It started out sunny, but then quickly clouded up thankfully for great hiking temperatures. The Equatorial sun at this elevation is quite intense, a little break was needed.
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 11:30pm, 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 8 hours if things go according to plan.
As per usual on a Casey climb, one lucky trivia 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.
Wish us luck!
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Summit Bound Crew
Posted by: Tatum Whatford, Roland Scott
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
Satuday, September 3, 2022 8:00 am PDT
Hey y'all,
On summit of Baker at 7:45.Moderate winds and smoky skies. 100% of team on top.
Tatum, Roland, and Team
Friday September 4, 2022 9:00 pm PDT
Hey y'all,
Yesterday we had perfect weather for our hike to camp without a cloud in the sky. We made camp at 6,100. Today we had a good school day with light winds and smoky skies.
Tatum, Roland, and Team
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Alan Davis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Nikki Champion and Alan Davis walked to Ingraham Flats and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise. The weather on the mountain is warm and calm. Due to hazardous route conditions the team was unable to climb higher on the route. The team has started their descent and will be back at Paradise in the early afternoon.
Congratulations Team!
Hey good jobs to teams up there giving it a shot. I keep seeing teams getting turned around for “hazardous route conditions” on the last few posts. Can anyone let me know the key hazards turning teams around (heading up this week) Please lemme know good job up there!
Posted by: Tyler on 9/3/2022 at 5:32 pm
Hello everyone!
Right out of camp we were faced with the only significant technical obstacle for this climb. This hurdle is the great Barranco Wall, which rises about 1,000 ft and looks as intimidating as it sounds. Thankfully there is a nice narrow trail that weaves its way up and through the wall and all the way to the top. Most of it feels more like steep hiking, but there are a few places that require the use of our hands to help us climb up.
The team did a good job of moving steady and allowing a few porters through with their loads precariously balanced on their heads. Which was astonishing to see!
After reaching the top we took a nice break and enjoyed the amazing views of the ice-ladened south face and valleys below. The team continued our hike for a few more hours up and down through a few valleys before reaching today’s endpoint.
All in all, it took only about 4 hours for us to reach our next camp called Karanga, named for the big and beautiful valley which it overlooks.
Casey and crew
You’re reaching new heights of both the mountain *and* your life. Way to go, and keep those steps humming!
Posted by: Gloyboy on 9/3/2022 at 5:17 am
Congratulations on scaling Barranco wall! Continued prayers for all the crew.
Posted by: Elaine on 9/2/2022 at 2:25 pm
Posted by: Steve Gately, Matias Francis, Ben Luedtke, Charlie Harrison, Mike Bennett, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
The Five-Day teams led by Steve Gately and Matias Francis enjoyed a beautiful walk to the Ingraham Flats this morning. The team decided not to climb due to unfavorable route conditions but enjoyed two days of great weather and lots of hands-on training. The teams will pack up camp and head downhill this morning. We expect the teams back at Basecamp in the early afternoon.
Howdy everyone back home.
All is well in Tanzania. We’ve had great weather and the team is humming along really well.
We hit the trail just after 8am and hiked for an hour before taking our usual 15 minute break, then back on the trail for another hour and so on. All total today we hiked for just over six hours before reaching Barranco Camp. Our gracious Kilimanjaro porters have been working very hard and we arrive once again to a camp set up and ready for us.
Along the way we passed around the famous Lava Tower reaching just over 15,000' setting new altitude records for many. We also passed by many of the giant groundsels and towering Senecio trees that made us feel as if we were in some crazy Dr. Suess story.
The team is in good spirits and doing great.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the Kili crew
Karl, Derek,
Congrats to the Summit!!!! What an achievement! Cheers! Jack & Mary
Posted by: Jack on 9/4/2022 at 6:48 am
To Eric: We all look forward to reading the updates each day and can’t wait to hear all about the trek! We miss you and love you. Stay safe.
Posted by: Vicki Sutton-Beattie on 9/2/2022 at 9:36 am
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Jack Delaney, Seth Burns, George Hedreen, Jenna Burkey, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 12,300'
The Four Day Climb August 28 - 31 led by RMI Guides Avery Parrinello and Jack Delaney were unable to summit today. Climbers reached 12,300, the top of Disappointment Cleaver, before deciding to turn back due to unfavorable route conditions and warm temperatures. The teams were back to Camp Muir just after 7 am. They took some time to repack before beginning their descent from Camp Muir back to Paradise. We expect the groups to be at Rainier BaseCamp in the early afternoon.
Hello again everyone
The team had a really nice day here on Kili today, waking to clear skies and a beautiful view of Kilimanjaro looming in the distance. We had a light cloudy layer which helped keep us cool while on the trail, which was nice as the sun can be quite intense here near the equator.
We started the day waking at 6:30 to start packing up before moving into our dinning tent for a nice breakfast with porridge, fried eggs, toast, avocado and even some fresh fruit, and most importantly plenty of hot coffee.
We hit the trail shortly after 8am and slowly made our way up the rocky trail with occasional views of Kilimanjaro above. The trail climbed up a blunted ridge and eventually out of the trees and allowed for some truly spectacular views of the valley below. The team hiked for a little more than four hours before reaching out next camp that sits on the Shira plateau, which is the remnant of an ancient lava flow.
Everyone is doing very well and we are currently relaxing in camp.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Guten tag Herr Stowers-
We’re rooting for you in Clinton.
What an awesome experience!!
Can’t wait to hear all about it when you return.
Eric & Daniela
Posted by: Eric and Daniela on 9/1/2022 at 8:13 am
Bob and John,
That photo is heaven!!! I can’t imagine the beauty of that moment!!! Eat well and wish you both the strength to continue forward!!!!
Sending hugs
Mom Candy
Posted by: Candy Sinner on 8/31/2022 at 8:06 pm
Hello everyone,
Today the we had an early start and left behind our beautiful lodge as we have headed to the mountain towards the start of the climb. We left around 8am and drove along the rural country side and small villages for 2 hours before reaching the Kilimanjaro National Park entrance.
Most of the area surrounding Kilimanjaro has been cultivated and primarily used for coffee and banana production, plus a variety of other agriculture needs. There are still a few areas that have been untouched and resemble more of a savannah that Tanzania is known for. Kilimanjaro’s base is mostly forested and resembles more of a jungle, this area is called the cloud forest.
Once we arrived at the park gate we had all of our gear weighed and divided into loads for our porters and other staff to carry before hitting the trail. Once everything was in order we started our climb slowly making our way up the winding trail that ascends continuously through the thick forest. Thankfully the overhead canopy provided a bit of relief from the hot sun overhead.
The team hiked for about five hours, reaching 10,000' and arriving at our first camp. After settling into camp and get situated the team was served a nice warm meal for dinner.
Everyone is doing well and looking forward to a good nights rest.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Wow, looks like a lot of fun! I hope you are having a great time Katy!
Posted by: April M on 9/2/2022 at 3:50 pm
Go Sultan - You got this!
Posted by: Jimmy on 8/31/2022 at 7:21 am
Congratulations Eric, what an amazing accomplishment! Can’t wait to see the pictures and hear the stories!
Posted by: Kim and Jack on 9/4/2022 at 8:24 am
Great job John and Bob and all the climbers!! I hope you loved the summit!!
Posted by: Brigid Miller on 9/4/2022 at 7:10 am
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