Entries By dominic cifelli

Tuesday, June 18, 2024 - 9:24 am PT

Day 7 on the mountain and our first official rest day of the trip. A late wake up, a leisurely breakfast, jovial conversations, and a time to rest, recuperate, contemplate, and prepare for what’s next. It was a beautiful day on the mountain, the sun was out with a light breeze to keep us cool, and views of the Alaska range stretching out before us to drink in. We’ve hit that beautiful moment in any grand outdoor adventure. When a group of random people, be it an expedition team or just a group of folks traveling down the trail at the same speed, spend enough time together that individual goals truly become a shared group goal. Not just because we have group food and gear to carry, but because we have become invested in everyone’s success, not just our own. It materializes in many ways, from sharing tips and tricks on the best way to stretch that aching IT band or hip flexor, to creating a team wide charcuterie board from all our snacks, to sharing the extra face wipes you may have that others didn’t bring. That type of camaraderie is so crucial for the team. Bringing much needed levity and support through all the challenges already experienced and the many more still to come. Today’s date holds a special place for me, 7 years ago, I was lucky enough to exchange vows with my wife Sophia (here on the mountain too) promising to always be there for that next adventure, partners in all the crazy things either of us want to do. Today is also a bittersweet day, as Sophia and I will head back down to base camp to head off the mountain, Denali has proven to be every bit as hard and grueling a challenge as has been advertised and cautioned. But we leave happy for the time we have been able to spend on the mountain and the incredible experiences we have been able to have with such an amazing climbing team. We will be watching closely and cheering on everyone else as they continue on this amazing adventure, while we head home and contemplate the next step in our adventure. 

Happy anniversary Sophia, I love you dearly.

Oh little darling, don’t you look charming Here in the eye of a hurricane 

Real or imagined, what does it matter Look come inside, can I get you to stay

- Hurricane (Johnnie’s Theme) by Lord Huron

RMI Climber Tait Pollard

Monday, June 17, 2024 - 12:50 am PT

We got to sleep in! At least what we consider… The day started with wake up at 6:30am and leave camp by 8am. The route today was 11,000' Camp up Motorcycle hill, up Squirrel hill, across/up the Polo Field, around Windy Corner and stop at 13,500 to bury food and other items that we won’t need until 14,000' Camp and higher. Then head back to 11k camp We got moving with a little chill in the air and some slight wind. Enough to make us all continue to question what layers of clothing should we wear? It’s a constant struggle in the mountains. I literally wore three different types of gloves today as the temps changed. We’re now wearing crampons and carrying our ice axes, so it feels like the climb has officially started! We started right off with a long steep uphill - Motorcycle Hill, which alone took an hour! It was certainly a good way to warm up! Since it is Father’s Day, I took the time during the climb to think about my dad. He and I came out a week before the climb and took a small tour of Alaska between Seward and Talkeetna. It was a blast to hang with him. I thought a lot about him telling me how proud he is of me for climbing Mt McKinley. After all, we carry the same former name as the mountain! Aside from today, I’ve spent the past few days reflecting on the encouragement from friends and family. The mental game of the mountains can be tough. We know it’s physically tough, but mentally it can take a toll on you as well. Self doubt, anxiety, overthinking can set in bad. What’s helped me the most is encouragement like this: “I am so incredibly proud of you and excited for you to have this opportunity. You are going to be great. Be safe, show ‘em what you got, stay tough like I know you can, and help others.” I’ve reflected a lot on that one piece of encouragement. That’s the kind of stuff that can drown out the doubt and keep me moving forward. If you’re reading this blog you’re probably one of those people, helping to push all of us along and suppress the negative thoughts that can come in this environment. We all can’t thank you enough for your support and love. And letting us leave for a month...

The sun came out and we moved at a gentle pace. We buried food and such and then made our way back down. The best part of the day was right before dropping Squirrel hill and Motorcycle hill when Nicole, the guide on our rope team pulled me aside and asked me to take the lead and guide our team down the two remaining steep hills. I was speechless. I wasn’t sure I could do it. My other two companions on our rope team spoke up and told me that I’d be great, and that they hadn’t seen such raw mountaineering talent since reading about Ed Viesturs in “No Shortcuts To The Top”. I looked at Nicole and asked, “Do you think I can do it?” She pulled down her sunglasses, looked me straight in the eye and said “Think? No… I KNOW you can do it, and that’s the RMI difference!” Of course, none of the is true. However, I did lead our rope team down, but that’s because the guides like to lead from the back when going steep downhills. All three rope teams did this. Our guides, Dominic, Nicole and Seth are fantastic. They do so much to make this experience the best.

All in all, we had a great day and are very excited to enjoy a rest day tomorrow at the 11,000' camp.

RMI Climber Dave McKinley

We awoke to another beautiful day, although day has lost all meaning without night. The clouds had lifted and the mountain that yesterday’s correspondent described as a bride in her white gown, now looked even better without it. Carrying half our camp on our backs and in sleds, we climbed almost 3000 feet up the Kahiltna Glacier. All around hanging glaciers were spread like coats of icing, melting over the ridges. Long after our altimeters told us we were at the cache, Dom lead our caravan up a cliff, our sleds nearly swinging in the void beneath us. He claimed he had taken us further than advertised because we were such a “Strong Team.” Such praise from an RMI Guide is an almost certain indication of a Full Team Summit.

Our round trip was a little over 7 miles. Yes, you heard right, round trip. We’re now back in our camp at the bottom of Ski Hill to make the same climb tomorrow with the other half of our camp. Sisyphus didn’t complain so neither will we. Unlike other beasts of burden, we know that the journey is the destination, and we appreciate each step. So, we accept every challenge because that’s who we are. To paraphrase David Lee Roth: We’re not like this because we’re climbing Denali. We’re climbing Denali because we’re like this.

RMI Climber Kris Reitz

The jagged, monolithic peaks of the lower Kalithna begin to make themselves visible again.

We have just torn down camp. The anticipation of this moment has been building even greater since our departure was delayed by yesterday’s fog. The midnight sunshine just beyond the horizon still illuminates us deep into the night making the time of 1:55am seem wildly incorrect. We begin to move.

It’s now 3:12am. We’ve descended the hazy 600ft from base camp and sit just beyond the danger of the house-sized seracs looming off the side of Mt. Frances. Directly in front of us as we sit and replenish ourselves with food and drink is Mt. Crosson. Just left of it looms the beautiful Mt. Foraker, its upper half hidden just hidden behind a small cloud system. Our rest comes to an end. It’s time to begin the ever so slightly increasing grade up towards our next camp.

As we move the air is light and serene. Other than the sound of our snowshoes crunching the snow beneath our feet and our sleds sliding, there is no other noise for miles around us. In my left earbud plays Fryslan by Phil Cook. The pattern of our movement becomes hypnotic. My world becomes managing my pace to avoid stepping on the rope in front of me, interspersed with seconds of beholding the ether that surrounds me. To our right, an orange and magenta hue begins to materialize in the Alaskan sky as the sun begins to return from its brief absence beyond the horizon. Looking upward towards it presents our desired destination, veiled in a partially transparent fog, like a bride on her wedding day, Denali appears. It beams with a beauty matched by very few other things in this world.

We continue forward entranced by the sight. The weight of our heavy packs and sleds begin to melt away as we gaze upon the peak. A solemnity fills the moment that feels religious in nature. There is no more music playing in my earbuds. It is just the rhythmic beating of our snowshoes that fills my ears, and this epic sight that fills my eyes. I am totally absorbed. Quickly as this moment came, so it did depart, as again the mountain would hide itself behind an immense fog, abruptly returning us to the physical realm.

Enriched by this experience, we press forward, climbing steeper terrain before reaching a plateau which will lead us to our next camp site. The going is slow and heavy. Chilling cold air pockets move through our path at times. We break one final time before making the final mile push to camp. Upon arrival our guides probe the area upon which we will be building our living quarters for the next couple days (hopefully). We finish just before 9am. Crawling into our sleeping bags for “night,” we adorn the proper attire of sleeping masks to block out the now powerfully shining rays of the sun to spend the day resting for the journey which is set to continue early tomorrow morning once again.

As I now lay in my sleeping bag, my tent mates asleep beside me, I sense a number of emotions within me: satisfaction, anxiety, excitement, connectedness, all of which seem to stem from the same place: a determination to succeed at this challenge as a team. I close my eyes as gentle folk music softly plays in my earbuds once again. “One thing at a time,” I remind myself.

For now, all there is to do is to rest.

RMI Climber Thomas Goossen 

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 - 2:13 pm PT

Stuck at Basecamp

Today was going to be the day, the start of the trip. The launching point of our grand adventure. We were ready. We had practiced our ice axe arrest, learned how to rig our sleds, and relearned how to use the bathrooms here. The CMCs. We went to bed anxious, ready, and excited. But that’s when the snow started, and kept going. We were socked in a cloud with no sign of any mountains around us and no viable window for a move to our next camp. So we sat and sat and drank coffee waiting for our time to come. When the sun finally showed itself, it was just too warm (I know, shocker) to head out. The biggest crevasses on our climb form on the lower Kahiltna and with the mushy snow from the strong sun/ warming temps plus the variable weather, we stayed at Basecamp. We’ll try again tomorrow to get to the base of Ski Hill, our Camp 1.

Wish us luck!

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli

The Expedition Skill Seminar - Emmons team May 31 - 5 June led by RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli endured some epic wet weather during their six day training and climbing program. After two days of technical training and climbing school the team headed to the White River Entrance of Mt. Rainier donned their packs and climbed to the lower Emmons Glacier.  The team spent two days in rainy and snow weather before descending to the trailhead and returning to Ashford.  On Wednesday the team spent another day training to complete their program.

Here's hoping for better weather next time!

The Four Day Climb May 27 - 30 led by RMI Guides Hannah Smith and Dominic Cifelli reached 11,200ft, Ingraham Flats, today before high winds forced the group to descend.  All climbers returned safely to Camp Muir around 4:30 am. They plan to leave Camp Muir at 9 am for their descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them in Ashford this afternoon.

PC: Arianna Drechsler & Hannah Smith

The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guides Casey Grom and Dominic Cifelli reached 12,300' on Mt. Rainier early this morning. The team reached the mid-point of Disappointment Cleaver, but the strong winds of 40 - 50 mph forced the team make the decision to descend safely back to Camp Muir. They will return to Rainier Basecamp in Ashford later this afternoon. 

Congratulations Team! 

RMI Guides Dominic Cifelli & Jack Delaney led their Four Day Climb May 10 - 13 to Ingraham Flats this morning. Route conditions prevented the climbers from going further, they were able to take advantage of the nice weather to do a bit of training before returning to Camp Muir.  The teams have packed up and are descending to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them back in Ashford this afternoon.

The Five Day Climb led by RMI Guides Dominic Cifelli and Daniel May completed their Orientation and Climbing School days and then ascended to Camp Muir on Saturday.  Today they were able to do some training at Camp Muir, then packed up their gear and descended to Paradise.  The team will conclude their program this afternoon at Rainier BaseCamp.