RMI Expeditions Blog
June 21, 2023
Posted by: Brent Okita, Mike Haugen, Nicole De Petris, Sam Hoffman, Charlie Harrison, Cal Seeley
Categories:
Elevation: 14,410'
RMI Guides Brent Okita & Mike Haugen reported a perfect day of climbing on Mt. Rainier today. The Four Day Climb June 18 - 21 reached the summit around 7 am and enjoyed some time in the crater before starting their descent. The teams started their descent from the crater rim just after 8 am and will return to Camp Muir. After a short break the teams will continue the final 4.5 miles to Paradise and be transferred back to Rainier BaseCamp later this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
June 21, 2023
Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,000'
Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - 11:52 pm PT
The word of the day is casual. We woke up casually. We ate brunch super casually. It started around 9:45 and ended around 12:30pm. We casually devoured breakfast burritos fortified by wild Alaskan game sausage provided by the legendary Bleys. Food comas quickly afflicted much of the crew. Everyone casually waddled to their tents for the afternoon to indulge in naps and further snacking. Some folks managed to stay conscious enough to read books and watch TV or movies. Eventually the dinner bell was rung and the tents casually began to rustle with life. Dinner tonight is a repeat of a classic - ramen but this time with the addition of some newly acquired Korean spice paste. It added some much needed flavor as our ability to taste is deadened at this altitude. Another weather day has passed uneventfully, but each day we wait we get more clarity about the weather for our potential summit window. Anticipation is slowly growing amongst the team as the day to begin our summit push gets closer.
RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the Bond Girls
June 21, 2023
Posted by:
Categories:
The word of the day is casual. We woke up casually. We ate brunch super casually. It started around 9:45 and ended around 12:30pm. We casually devoured breakfast burritos fortified by wild Alaskan game sausage provided by the legendary Bleys. Food comas quickly afflicted much of the crew. Everyone casually waddled to their tents for the afternoon to indulge in naps and further snacking. Some folks managed to stay conscious enough to read books and watch TV or movies. Eventually the dinner bell was rung and the tents casually began to rustle with life. Dinner tonight is a repeat of a classic - ramen but this time with the addition of some newly acquired Korean spice paste. It added some much needed flavor as our ability to taste is deadened at this altitude. Another weather day has passed uneventfully, but each day we wait we get more clarity about the weather for our potential summit window. Anticipation is slowly growing amongst the team as the day to begin our summit push gets closer.
RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the Bond Girls
June 21, 2023
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Dustin Wittmier, Michael Murray, Sam Marjerison
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - 9:45 pm PT
Snow day at 11,000'. Thankfully the wind calmed down as we went to bed last night. Through the night and much of today it was just light snow and a lot of cloud. As we ate dinner and told each other stories in the dining tent, the storm ramped up and now, as we climb in tents for the night, it is officially DUMPING snow.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Get your motor runnin’
Head out on the highway
Looking for adventure
In whatever comes our way
Get ready to start your engines boys. Motorcycle Hill straight ahead!
Posted by: Dan Allegretti on 6/22/2023 at 6:06 am
Happy birthday Mitch! Stay safe and warm
Love Mare
Posted by: Marianne Harvey on 6/21/2023 at 10:27 pm
June 21, 2023
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - 8:20 pm PT
After a night of heavy snow we had an awesome breakfast of blueberry pancakes. We then reinforced our camp in anticipation of the continuing storm. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and so I was inspired to write a poem about our adventure. Here goes:
Denali is the mountain, they call it the “great one”.
Here in North America it’s second to none.
To get to the summit, that is our goal.
Standing so majestic, it captures the soul.
On our way to the top, we have to dig deep.
With courage and strength, a reward we will reap.
On this journey, new friends have been made.
The memories we share will surely never fade.
Each step gets us closer to reaching our dream.
I know we can do it, we have a great team.
Look up to the clouds, the beauty that we see.
Rising so high, its name is Denali.
RMI climber Mark Kulow
June 20, 2023
Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,000'
Monday 19, 2023
The sun quickly parted from 14,000’ camp this morning and we were then met with slushy snow. We had a brunch fit for kings as Guide Andy procured brie and other items from descending parties. It added a certain sophistication to our bacon cream cheese bagels. The day kicked off with a chess open in the main tent, joined by a local chess legend from International Mountain Guides, the team *cough Lenhardt* were humbled by their opponents’ prodigious skill and unassuming demeanor. Nevertheless, Guide Jack, Katharine and our very special Big Strong Andy assembled an impromptu chess board made of duct tape and packaged substances whose legal status is in question back on the lower 48. The games were played with much merriment and sportsmanship. For his final act, Guide Joey prepared for us another purloined comestible. The meatballs tasted even meatier as we were not the ones who brought them up.
As the snow falls, the team, hydrated and breathing light, await further developments in weather to allow for progress later in the week. Our pieces continue to act in concert for the real checkmate.
RMI Guides Andy, Jack, Joey and Team
Love these missives! Ya’ll are in the midst of, and living a great story. Fingers and toes crossed and prayers sent up for a break in the weather and a safe, successful, summit!
P.S. We all love you Mikayla!
Posted by: Michelle DeMers on 6/20/2023 at 2:53 pm
June 20, 2023
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Dustin Wittmier, Michael Murray, Sam Marjerison
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
Monday, June 19, 2023 - 10:07 pm PT
At 5 AM there were already some signs of the storm coming in up high but thankfully it was calm where we were. We left camp at 7:30 and gained 1,000' in 90 minuntes. We put up camp at 11,000' right next to Dom's RMI team and dug in deep. By midday it was snowing and the wind was coming up. We sat out the afternoon in tents. Dinner was in our dining tent in reasonably good shelter as it got a bit meaner outside. We saw a number of unsuccessful teams passing through headed down.
June 20, 2023
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
Monday, June 19, 2023 - 8:49 pm PT
We awoke early to crisp cold air, and stepped out of our tents onto the fresh snow which was like a field of frozen Baja-blast. We then headed downhill to bring up our cache, The sound of our snowshoes crunching on the ice sounded not too unlike biting into a fresh Crunchwrap supreme. Once we reached our cache we stuffed our duffel bags like they were beefy 5-layer burritos, and then we were on our way back up the “unrelenting” hill to camp. The sight of our orange sleds sliding across the glacier resembling slices of bacon gliding across a skillet. Out in the distance we had a spectacular view of Mt. Denali, a colossal tower of ice and black rock, looking like a delicious Oreo milkshake.
Once back at camp, after a quick meal of smoked salmon and cream-cheese bagels, there was no time to rest as we prepped our camp for some snowy and windy weather for the next few days, cutting ice blocks and building walls in an assembly line like a bunch of McDonald’s workers prepping the most delicious McDouble….And it looks like this McDouble will be our home for the next few days.
RMI Climber Joey Myers
Joey I wish I had a sack full of burritos to give you for this epic writing!
-Lucy
Posted by: Lucy Ross on 6/20/2023 at 8:07 am
Hey Joey…sounds like you are earning your keep and yearning for some basic food!
Enjoy your latest adventure and stay safe. Looking forward to seeing photographs, including the one at the summit!
Posted by: Doreen O'Toole on 6/20/2023 at 7:58 am
June 19, 2023
Posted by: Walter Hailes, Taylor Bickford, Lacie Smith, Leif Bergstrom, Nick Sinapius, Tom Skoog
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Our Five Day Climb June 16 - 20 led by RMI Guides Walter Hailes and Taylor Bickford reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. The team delayed their departure from Camp Muir due to a few inches of new snow and cold temperatures overnight. Once they reached Ingraham Flats, 11,200', on their ascent they were enjoying sunshine and no winds. The cloud deck was below them as they continued their ascent. The teams reached the summit and will return to Camp Muir for their second and final night on the mountain. Tomorrow, they will descend to Paradise and return to Rainier BaseCamp.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
thanks for the update!!! Glad to hear you made it and were wise to wait for a few extra degrees on the thermometer:) Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His,
Eileen & Dave Conklin
Posted by: eileen conklin on 6/19/2023 at 5:54 pm
June 19, 2023
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Dustin Wittmier, Sam Marjerison, Michael Murray
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 10,000'
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Sunday, June 18, 2023 - 10:02 pm PT
A much better start to the day today. We made good use of it and were on the trail by 6:50. Glacier conditions continue to be excellent with few crevasses. We intended to move to 9,500 ft but the team was doing so well that we pushed on up to 10,000 at Kahiltna Pass. Word is that a storm will hit tomorrow evening. We wanted to be closer to the shelter of 11,000' Camp and took the precaution of sending Dustin, Michael and Sam up with food and fuel to lighten loads tomorrow. They were back in camp at 6pm. We enjoyed dinner together in the dining tent. The fathers on the team told of their children as we marked Father's Day on Denali.
I feel certain that your window will be wide open to make that summit! And what a thrill it will be!!!
Posted by: Mary McKinley (Tante Mary) on 6/21/2023 at 8:32 pm
Sounds like a nice relaxing day. There’s lots of anticipation, excitement, and support in my little corner of the world for your reach for the summit. Ultreia!
Posted by: Michelle DeMers on 6/21/2023 at 3:38 pm
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