Entries By lacie smith
May 20, 2024
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Daniel May, Lacie Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
Sunday, May 19, 2024 - 8:56 pm PT
Of Hypoxic Dreams, Luxury Items, and the Suspension of Olfactory Senses I was sitting at dinner, sipping a glass of aged Saperavi wine with a perfectly-cooked ribeye steak, describing to my friends an expedition up Denali. One of my friends then asked "so what happened after Camp 2?" I stared down into my glass and a panic set in: why couldn't I remember anything else of the trip? I shot awake, back to the reality of where I was: in a Trango 4 tent, at 11,000 feet, in the middle of the sunny night, cold, with my tent mates Chris & Ilya. There are still weeks to go. Our tent, tent 2, as it were (we have no idea which ones are 1 and 3, but we're in the middle, so we'll call it number 2), has been affectionately (or derogatorily?) referred to as the "manferno" and "the pile." And it was beginning to smell, as you might imagine after 6 days without showers, but the mind has a way of shutting out the involuntary gag reflex when confronted with fermenting sleeping bags, excessive sunscreen, and jambalaya in a confined space, heated by the nearly all-day sun.
Today was a rest day for the team, apart from a crampon refresher, to recuperate from the last few days of dragging sleds uphill, and to acclimate. A day to eat, and relax. In tent 2 today, we prepared a charcuterie board with various cheeses, meats, olives, chocolates, hot sauces, and crackers. The olives in particular added the missing ingredient in our mountaineering potpourri. With the aforementioned lack of breathable oxygen, you might even say that tent 2 is the perfect place to prepare for higher altitudes. Each of us finds solace with some small item to still feel human on days like today: a pillow, a paper book, or, in my case, an electric razor to avoid looking like a grizzly mountain hermit–at least from a distance, the smell would surely give it away up close.
Off we go tomorrow, crampons beating against the ice, sleds pulling on our backs, on to cache gear higher up to build the next pile.
RMI Climber Skyler Parkhurst
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Denali Expedition, May 12, 2024
May 18, 2024
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Daniel May, Lacie Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 11,200'
May 17, 2024 9:53PM PT
Well, I can't speak for the rest of my team, but my pictures are definitely not doing this place justice. I keep thinking about my sister, who's a professional photographer. She'd lose her mind over the views. (shameless plug - check her out at Alaska Light Photography). So far, the team has participated in some excellent bonding. We've covered important topics like the merits of various dinner bowls, pros and cons of carrying frozen carrots up 2,000 vertical feet, and what types of rare Pokémon would live up here. (Or is it Pokémen? Pokémon’s? Unknowable at 11,000 feet). Time and distance are different up here. 15 minutes can feel like 2 hours. The vastness of the terrain tricks the eye and a camp "just around the corner" is still an hour away. So, we take one step at a time, one breath at a time, and trust that every step is one step closer to the goal we’ve been working towards for months.
We’ll do it all over again tomorrow.
- Sarah and the Team
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition, May 12, 2024
Climb Strong , Climb High Dustin and Team!!!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 5/19/2024 at 3:29 am
May 17, 2024
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Daniel May, Lacie Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
Ever read or watch that movie about the guy that gets stuck on Mars? I thought it would be a good one to reread on Denali. You know crazy location, far away from civilization, intense weather. Somehow, I completely forgot about the bit where he was stuck for over a year. Too stressful to read in the tent, I think I'll switch to something lighter like Stephen Kings IT.
Luckily Denali and Mars can be quite different. Lots of white here on Denali (you'll likely recall that Mars is mostly a red color). We can also breathe the air without a spacesuit! Lucky us. Oh, and the views! I'd like to say that pictures don't do it justice, but they sometimes can capture some of the majesty. What they can't do is give you the awestruck feeling of watching an avalanche off in the distance, or the feeling of seeing the bluest blue coming from the frozen snowy waves of crevasses one hundred feet to either side of the trail. Quite striking.
At breakfast somehow, I'm already looking forward to dinner -- the guides, Dustin, Lacie, and Dan have been crushing breakfast and dinners. They've been crushing at the guiding too. Every suggestion or advice is gold, and we always know the plan for the following day clearly. Over breakfast a day ago I joked that in addition to being amazing guides they are also chefs and therapists. They joke that they are only somewhat adequate in the latter two. We all think they're quite exceptional at both.
Today we hoofed it to about 10k feet, buried some stuff, and made our way back to the base of ski hill. If the weather is good tomorrow, we’ll make an even longer trek out of our current camp. If it's not so good, we'll hang out here. I know which one my feet would prefer.
Да луны и обратна,
RMI Climber Ilya Dvilyanski
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Denali Expedition, May 12, 2024
May 16, 2024
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Daniel May, Lacie Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
Thursday, May 16, 2024 - 12:11 am
We are camped at the base of Ski Hill, planning to carry tomorrow.
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition, May 12, 2024
May 15, 2024
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Daniel May, Lacie Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - 9:44 pm PT
Hello everyone! It's been a hectic couple of days packing and prepping for flying on today. We arrived at Kahiltna Basecamp following a smooth and scenic ride from Talkeetna. The team spent the day acquainting themselves with life on the glacier and enjoying this beautiful place. Tomorrow we plan to head for the base of Ski Hill. Everyone still smells pretty good and we are feeling motivated to start moving.
RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition, May 12, 2024
Sending you guys love from Portland. Jazzy says hi, Sarah! <3
Posted by: Hannah on 5/16/2024 at 3:52 pm
Dan!
Way to go snookums, I couldn’t be more proud of you! Keep up the great work!
With Love,
Your Aunt Bon Bon
Posted by: Aunt Bon Bon on 5/16/2024 at 6:21 am
RMI's May 12th Denali Expedition led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier, Dan May and Lacie Smith have spent the last few days traveling to Talkeetna, Alaska, packing gear and weighing all the gear. They are now at the K2 Aviation hangar and getting ready to fly to the Kahiltna Glacier and get this expedition started.
Good luck team!
New Post Alerts:
Denali Expedition, May 12, 2024
Good luck and Godspeed!
Posted by: Matt Milford on 5/15/2024 at 8:06 am
Hey Dustin! All the best to you and your team!!!
I ll be following you and sending thoughts of blue skies , calm winds and strong legs and lungs!!!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 5/15/2024 at 3:45 am
August 5, 2023
Posted by: Seth Burns, Lacie Smith, George Hedreen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,131'
Summit Sulphide Glacier!
RMI Guide Seth Burns checked in today from the Summit of Mt. Shuksan. The team had a great day of climbing with light winds. Seth was also able to share these photos of the Team's training day and approch to camp.
Congrats Kaitlan and whole team on the summit!
Posted by: Victoria and Stewart on 8/6/2023 at 2:41 pm
WOOO!! Amazing photos, thanks for sharing. congrats Kaitlan and the rest of the team!!!!
Posted by: Corey on 8/5/2023 at 11:10 am
July 27, 2023
Posted by: Seth Burns, Sam Marjerison, Lacie Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz team led by RMI Guide Seth Burns reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Seth reported clear skies and light winds on the summit. The Kautz route offers some of the most unique and advanced terrain. The team has spent the week preparing for their summit attempt honing their mountaineering skills such as snow & ice anchors, crevasse rescue, ice climbing, fixed line travel, belaying and other technical skills, before making a summit attempt from high camp.
Congratulations Team!
Congratulations Nic Harkin on your summit today! Woo hoo! Well done
Posted by: Dianne Israel on 7/27/2023 at 2:56 pm
July 21, 2023
Posted by: Avery Parrinello, Lacie Smith, Cal Seeley
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb led by RMI Guide Avery Parrinello stood on Columbia Crest under clear skies early this morning. A team of RMI Guides worked tirelessly the last two days to ensure the route was safe and climbable for the many climbers on the Disappointment Cleaver Route. Their efforts did not go un-noticed as today's team was able to reach the 14,410' summit successfully. The team is in route back to Camp Muir where they will pack up before descending to Paradise.
Congratulations Team!
July 16, 2023
Posted by: Steve Gately, Leif Bergstrom, Lacie Smith
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 9,131'
On Friday in the North Cascades, RMI Guide Steve Gately and team reached the summit of Mt. Shuksan via the Fisher Chimneys. The team spent their final night in the mountains at high camp near Winnie's Slide before descending to the trailhead.
This team always seems to have the most creative posts. (Definitely have been getting a kick out of reading these every day.)
Posted by: Some guy from Puyallup on 5/20/2024 at 1:45 pm
A new literary classic is born- “The Manferno” by Skyler Parkhurst!
Love you, great job so far, and keep up the pace! Go team!
Posted by: Matt Milford on 5/20/2024 at 10:09 am
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