Entries from North Cascades
Hi! This is Solveig checking in after a successful summit day on Mt. Shuksan. We left camp just before 5 AM this morning and enjoyed perfect weather all the way to the summit. The team climbed strong and we made it round trip in a little over eight hours, with a nice rest on the summit. Our plan is to relax in the sun here in camp and begin our descent early tomorrow morning.
Thanks for following along!
RMI Guide Solveig Waterfall
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
September 5th, 2014 - 4:10 pm PT
Hi Everyone!
This is Solveig checking in from our camp here on Mt. Shuksan. We arrived in camp yesterday evening and enjoyed the sunset over dinner and hot drinks before crawling into the tents for a well-deserved rest. It took us the majority of the day to climb the 3,700' to camp and everyone did great carrying big packs and working hard in the heat.
We awoke this morning to warm temperatures and clear skies, and even clearer views of the surrounding Cascade Range. After we reached sufficient levels of nutrition and caffeination, we set off up the Sulphide Glacier to begin our day of technical training. Our morning was spent revisiting basic mountaineering techniques and by early afternoon, we transitioned to practicing moment skills on rock and and belayed climbing and rappelling.
Back in camp our team is relaxing and rehydrating in preparation for our summit bid early tomorrow morning. Wish us luck and we'll check in again after we return to camp tomorrow!
RMI Guides Solveig Waterfall, Leon Davis, Garrett Stevens, and team
Posted by: Solveig Waterfall, Leon Davis
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,127'
RMI Guides Solveig Waterfall, Leon Davis and team reached the Mount Shuksan summit! The summit was a nice reward after weathering a storm that dumped 4" of rain on them at the beginning of their climb. Today, no precipitation as they made their way to the top. The team is currently on the descent back to camp and will hike the rest of the way out tomorrow morning.
Congratulations!
Posted by: Mike Walter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Well, we're all safely out of the mountains after a great week of climbing and training on Mount Shuksan's Sulphide glacier. Our climbing team gained proficiency moving in diverse terrain in the mountains, including crevassed glaciers, steep snow and ice, and 4th & 5th class rock. We also practiced lots of knots and hitches and crevasse rescue systems.
We packed a lot into the past week, and the weather was perfect throughout. Our team was strong and cohesive and we all reached the summit Mount Shuksan in good style. It was a pleasure to climb with everyone. Nice work team!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Another excellent day on Mount Shuksan in the North Cascades...this time we woke up before dawn and cramponed up the Sulphide Glacier to the base of the summit pyramid, where we ditched the crampons and ice axes and climbed 4th and 5th class rock for 800 vertical feet to the summit!
Our entire team reached the summit in good style. The weather was perfect so we hung out on the summit for over an hour before descending. We were back in camp around 2 p.m. for a round trip of a little over eight hours. The training over the past week really paid off and nobody struggled with the technical terrain at all. Congrats team!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Posted by: Mike Walter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
8/26/14 8:30 pm PST
We had another great day of training today here on Shuksan's Sulphide Glacier. We spent the bulk of the day ice climbing in a crevasse and practicing crevasse rescue with mechanical advantage systems.
There was barely a cloud in the sky all day, and the forecast looks similar for tomorrow. That's good news for us, as we're planning to make our summit attempt tomorrow. We'll let you know how it goes!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Posted by: Mike Walter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
We had another great day of training today on Mount Shuksan. We ascended the Sulphide Glacier and then stepped onto the Upper Curtis Glacier where we spent much of the day running laps on the steep ice pitches known as Hell's Highway.
Afterwards we practiced some 4th class rock scrambling on the ridge just west of the Sulphide Glacier.
The weather has treated us well so far, and the forecast looks favorable for the rest of out week here. Everyone is doing well and enjoying the beauty of the North Cascades.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Posted by: Mike Walter, Steve Gately
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 6,200'
Our Expedition Skills Seminar - Shuksan team is enjoying nice weather here in the North Cascades. Our camp is tucked in at 6,200' amongst stunning alpine scenery on the flanks of the Sulphide Glacier. We have unobstructed views on Shuksan's summit pyramid to the north, and the northern Picket Range to the south. Baker Lake winds its way south through the valley bottom, far below us.
We just returned back to camp after a morning out on the glacier practicing various climbing skills such as ice axe arrest and cramponing. This afternoon we'll work on some technical skills starting with knots and hitches.
Everyone is doing well and enjoying the alpine air.
Cheers,
RMI Guide Mike Walter and Team
What a spectacular adventure!!! Thanks you Seth and the entire team for helping us reach the summit in record time! Contratulations to the Team!!!
Posted by: Seth Casden on 8/25/2014 at 6:10 am
RMI Guide Geoff Schellens just called from the summit of Sahale Peak! The team had a great climb and ended up above the clouds with great views of the surrounding North Cascades peaks peeking out.
The seminar team has had a fun week of training and climbing, reaching the top of Aiguille and Sahale Peak. Tomorrow they will finish their training and descend back to the trail head before parting ways.
Posted by: Mike Walter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
We just wrapped up our 5 day North Cascades Custom Climb in Boston Basin. Dan, Augie, and I took advantage of the excellent weather to get some serious climbing done on Sharkfin Tower, Sahale Mountain, and the West Ridge of Forbidden Peak. Special thanks to Dan and Augie for coming out to the Pacific Northwest to push their comfort zone with real alpine adventures and wild terrain. Let's do it again next year!
RMI Guide Mike Walter
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Way to go boys! What’s next?
Posted by: Jeanne on 9/7/2014 at 4:43 pm
Good Luck and Congratulations for all you have accomplished so far!!!! Looks GREAT!!
Posted by: Anne and Mike on 9/6/2014 at 12:30 pm
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