Entries By jake beren
June 8, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
June 7, 2017
We are writing from our newly built snow fortress at
14,000'. After a leisurely wake up time and a hearty brunch of bagels and smoked salmon (with capers!), we set our sights on fortifying our camp with some snow walls. The team worked seamlessly to make a solid camp that can withstand wind and blowing snow. With our work for the day out of the way, we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in our cozy tents.
Our bellies are filled with a delicious dinner of chicken quesadillas, and we are looking forward to some more technical training tomorrow. Good night from 14,200 feet on Denali!
RMI Guide Jake Beren
On The Map
June 7, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Jake Beren & Team checking in. We moved to 14.000' Camp on Denali yesterday. Today we are busy building walls and fortifying our camp and getting settled in. We will spend tomorrow training and are enjoying the thinner air.
All is well!
June 6, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
June 5, 2017
Today the team woke to find a fresh coat of feather light snow over camp, with more coming down. We were content to snuggle back into our sleeping bags for a few more hours before the sun finally appeared. After a satisfying breakfast of granola with fresh blueberries, we spent the morning practicing ascending fixed lines in preparation for when we move from 14,000' Camp to 17,000'. We followed up our training with a delicious potluck lunch.
Now we are getting ready for bed with full bellies and well rested legs. If weather allows, we will try move up to
14,000' Camp tomorrow. Good night from 11,000'!
RMI Guide Jake Beren
On The Map
June 4, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,200'
June 4, 2017
Anticipating a long hard day we woke the team and fired stoves at 5AM. After a hearty breakfast of toasted bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon and capers the team quickly assembled for the climb. Skies were clear when we left camp and the temps quite cool, great for climbing! The plan for the day was to carry a cache of gear to 14k Camp to both lessen the burden of weight when we eventually move and to acclimate to a new altitude. We climb through several iconic features on the way including Motorcycle Hill, Squirrel Hill, The Polo Fields and finally Windy Corner. The team did great and were psyched to leave the sleds and snowshoes behind for crampons and an ice axe! Clouds started billowing in just as we reached 14k camp so we dug our cache spent a few moments to refuel, re-hydrate and breathe the new air at
14,000'.
The team is all now back at camp and doing great. Tomorrows agenda is unknown, a lot depends on the weather forecast. We may take a rest day or we may move camp up to 14k. You'll just have to tune in tomorrow to find out!
Thanks for following along everybody.
RMI Guide Steve Gately & Team
June 3, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
June 3, 2017
Waking early yet again, our team of intrepid mountaineers had a quick breakfast and fired downhill to our cache at 10,000 ft. Once packs and sleds were sufficiently filled we returned back to camp as the rest of the 11,000' Camp inhabitants were poking their heads out of tents. After a big lunch of rosti and stories, the team reviewed some climbing techniques and packed up for our next carry towards
14,000' Camp. If the weather cooperates we will bump supplies uphill tomorrow to set ourselves up to move locations. We have heard that 14,200 feet above the sea is a nice neighborhood and we aim to get in while prices are still reasonable. Location, location, location as they say.
The team is still doing great and we are ready for the next step.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
On The Map
June 3, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
June 2, 2017
Our team sends their greetings from
11 Camp! Everyone did quite well on the move here and we enjoyed another perfect weather day on our way up. We left early to beat the heat and it paid off. Once at camp we enjoyed some mellow camp construction and rest whilst our comrades made their way down from 17 Camp. It was great to see some triumphant souls and friendly (if scraggly) faces. Tomorrow we hope to back carry and claim our checked baggage and spend the rest of the day training and resting before working our way any higher. All subject to our beloved Mom Nature of course.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
On The Map
June 2, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
June 1, 2017
Greetings from our second night at the base of
Ski Hill/Camp 1!
Today we set off early and enjoyed perfect walking temps as we carried our checked baggage to 10,000 feet and cached a sizable load to make tomorrow's move more civilized. If the forecast verifies, we will try to move uphill in the early morning and make our way to 11 Camp.
The team is doing great and perfect weather has welcomed us into the Alaska Range. Big Ups to the first two RMI teams as they get rewarded for their patience and perseverance- Bravo!
We hope to check in from 11,200 feet above the sea tomorrow night!
RMI Guide Jake Beren
On The Map
June 1, 2017
Posted by: Jake Beren, Steve Gately, Megan Budge
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
May 31, 2017
The team woke up this morning, ate one last home cooked breakfast and gathered at the hanger where our gear was waiting at K2 Aviation. The bad weather of the last few days cleared up over night and we anticipated being able to fly into the range early this morning. We all spent a few moments finalizing our backpacks and duffels when K2 gave us the thumbs up. We quickly loaded up two aircraft with everything we'll need for the next three weeks and before we knew it we were in world of flowing ice, snow and rock.
A 45 minute plane ride takes you from the comforts of town and puts you rather abruptly in a harsh environment and every year I'm always amazed at how I never quite get used to how quickly life changes in Talkeetna. For many decades starting in the early 1900's expeditions would start there journey with a week or more of toiling through the Alaskan bush just to reach where we have flown in under an hour. I'll take the plane please!
An hour spent repacking and gearing up had us walking down the
Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier by noon. The skies were blue, the temps pleasant and the views massive. Only once in the last 4 years have I had the pleasure of walking up the Kahiltna Glacier with a view and the team did great readjusting to life in the range. Five hours of hard work brought us to our first camp at the base of Ski Hill at 7,800ft. We spent the afternoon setting up our camp. The team is now tucked in for the night getting some well earned rest. Tomorrow we will cache some gear at 10,000ft then return back to 7,800 to sleep. Forecast is calling for more good weather tomorrow and the team is excited to explore new terrain!
Thanks for following along everyone.
RMI Guide Steve Gately
On The Map
May 30, 2017
After a full day packing up, weighing our gear and some serious duffel shuffling we are all set to jet into the
Alaska Range tomorrow! Weather permitting we should head in mid morning and take stock of a most beautiful set of mountains. Our fingers are crossed for a grand adventure and we will keep you all posted on our journey. Take care everyone!
RMI Guide Jake Beren
August 31, 2016
Posted by: Jake Beren, Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The
Four Day Summit Climb August 28 - 31, 2016 teams led by
RMI Guides Jake Beren and Christina Dale were approaching the crater rim at 7:15 am. Jake reported moderate winds and cold temperatures but overall a very nice day for climbing. We look forward to seeing the groups at Rainier BaseCamp this afternoon.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Cheryl, I’m almost unbearably proud to call a woman like you one of my dearest.
Cheerleading so ridiculously hard with my five star dance moves for you ! (I’d like to think in a way that would make you turn bright red and step slightly to the side - the psych is that real)
Mind
Over
Matter
Keep crushing! You’ve already reached the summit of my heart .
Hugs ❤️
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah on 6/9/2017 at 12:17 pm
Jake Jirsa - We’re watching you! Keep it up man. You’re only a few inches from the top on the map!
Posted by: Jim and Kerynn on 6/9/2017 at 11:42 am
View All Comments