Entries from Denali
May 28, 2022
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Erika Birkeland, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Friday May 27, 2022 10:41pm PT
We had a forecast that was promising. It would be blowing up high in the morning but would diminish and that Saturday looked like a promising summit day. So we woke early, and saw what we expected - winds blasting up high but otherwise clear and blue. We are a quick breakfast, broke camp, and were walking before most other teams. As we climbed a huge plunge of snow left 17 and jetted far into the atmosphere. We were glancing at it wondering how quickly the winds really would die. We were sheltered from it and moved from cold in the shade to very warm in the sun as we climbed the fixed lines. As we needed the top, a full roar made itself heard - wind in the other side of the ridge. We stepped around and into it - maybe 15 mph, not enough to knock you around but COLD. It was going to be a full-fledged fight to keep faces unfrozen, so we made the quick decision to turn back and head for 14 Camp. There it was calm and warm.
Tomorrow looks nice and well regroup and rest from today. We have some hope that Sunday into the beginning of the week will give us a shot.
RMI Guides Pete, Erika, Leif, and Team
May 28, 2022
Posted by: JT Schmitt, Matias Francis, Jackson Breen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Friday May 27, 2022 10:37pm PT
It was a beautiful day today at 14,000' camp. We slept in, ate breakfast burritos, then napped, read and ate some more.
After reviewing some more mountaineering skills, we ate more burritos for dinner. With the sunny skies, warm temperatures and the menu today, it almost felt like we were in Mexico.
Stay tuned for what we get up to tomorrow!
RMI Guide JT Schmitt and the Denali Team
Great progress so far! Hope you enjoy some well deserved R&R!
Posted by: Ramsay Bader on 5/29/2022 at 6:56 am
Go Team RMI - sending positive thoughts and wishes from Mount Washington NH!
Posted by: Jennifer Huntington on 5/29/2022 at 3:47 am
May 28, 2022
Posted by: Mike Walter, Henry Coppolillo, Abby Westling
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Friday, May 27, 2022 6:55pm PT
We attempted to reach 17,000’camp today but were thwarted by high winds just above the top of the fixed lines. After several days waiting for favorable weather, we were all antsy to get moving, but the risk of frostbite made descending an easy call. We are currently back at 14,000’ camp and are going to assess our options for the coming days.
RMI Guide Henry Coppolillo and Team
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; It is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill
Posted by: Jami L on 5/28/2022 at 8:53 pm
We are so proud of you Michael! Keep on keepin’ on!! We are all rooting for you! Love you lots!
Posted by: Anne P on 5/28/2022 at 6:47 pm
May 28, 2022
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 7,600'
May 27, 2022 10:40pm PST
Hello everyone!
After a day of organizing gear in Talkeetna, we successfully flew onto the Kahiltna Glacier ready to start our much-anticipated Denali Expedition!
The last few days have been full of expedition preparation. We spent the day napping and prepping to move to the night schedule for these first few days but after hearing the weather, and talking to a few other guides on the mountains, we decided to avoid what would have been a cold windy walk in the dark and started climbing around 8 am this morning. Surface conditions made for fast moving, and the wind kept us cool. We rolled into the base of ski hill just a little after 1 pm Before taking off the boots, we unloaded group gear, and made camp.
The remainder of the evening will comprise of eating some well-deserved burrito meals, deciding what gear to cache, and getting some rest before we carry some of our gear up to 9600'.
RMI Guides Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan and Team
May 26, 2022 6:48pm PST
May 24th Denali climb checking in with our first dispatch!
After spending all day organizing, pack and repacking in Talkeetna yesterday, we woke up to perfect weather and were able to jump on the first flight around 9AM this morning. We unloaded the planes, set up camp for the first time and took a quick nap before doing a midday brunch and reviewing skills. With the warm temperatures, we will be on the night schedule for the first couple days - so we've all crawled back into our bags. and plan to wake up in the night and make our first move to the base of ski hill. Glad to be on the mountain!
Check in tomorrow.
RMI Guides Nikki Champion, Taylor Bickford, Emma Lyddan and Team
Wow—impressive operation! Glad you have good weather and it sounds like you’re right into it. Pulling for you Rob, so keep pushing the protein!
Posted by: Marilee Utter on 5/28/2022 at 10:13 pm
Good to see you are on your way and on schedule. Hope the Weather Gods will be kind in the days ahead
Posted by: Bob Edge on 5/28/2022 at 9:27 am
May 27, 2022
Posted by: JT Schmitt, Matias Francis, Jackson Breen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Thursday, May 26, 2022 10:14 pm PT
Our first full day at Camp was a beautiful one! We slept in and then did a back carry to get all of our gear up to our camp here at 14,200'. Then we enjoyed relaxing and enjoying the sun for the rest of the day.
Tomorrow is going to be a much deserved rest day!
Thanks for following.
RMI Guide JT Schmitt and the RMI Team
Love seeing this top of the world images and imagining all you strong climbers taking it in. Good luck and thanks for sending these back down to the rest of us cheering for you!
Posted by: Sarah Williams on 6/1/2022 at 6:50 am
Hi Ken! Really enjoying the updates and pictures of the magnificent scenery!
Hope you and your teammates are all doing well!
Diane & John
Posted by: Diane & John Bertosa on 5/28/2022 at 10:52 am
May 27, 2022
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Erika Birkeland, Leif Bergstrom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,200'
Thursday, May 26, 2022 9:53 pm PST
As we suspected, it was blowing snow off the ridges above us this morning. There isn't much snow available to move, so when you see snow plumes you know the wind is ripping. It sounds like the pattern will change tomorrow so we weren't too bothered. We put some energy into organizing for our move to 17,000', took naps, and didn't mind staring up at the snow plumes above with like minded guides and climbers. Pretty standard activities whe you are at 14,000' Camp.
We'll wake up and hope Denali welcomes us higher tomorrow.
RMI Guides Pete, Erika, Leif, and Team
May 26, 2022
Posted by: Mike Walter, Henry Coppolillo, Abby Westling
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Winds and a windy forecast continue to keep us posted up at 14K. Today is a bit breezier, cloudier, and cooler at camp. We're still looking at a potentially improving weather pattern for this weekend, hopeful that wind speeds with subside and we'll be able to move up to high camp. We're about as acclimated to the altitude as were going to get on this expedition. Now it's a matter of good fortune if we get decent weather for a shot at the top. That's always a big "if" when climbing high peaks.
There's not much new to report from Genet Basin. The tents continue to stack up here, joining us in waiting for a climbing window. There are plenty of teams anxious for the opportunity to move higher. We'll keep you posted with any changes, but for now we're still in a holding pattern.
RMI Guides Mike, Henry, Abby and Team
Feeling SO proud of you, little brother. I was thinking that pushing your body to its limits in the mountains might be the easiest part of all this; it’s all the other ways that this trip is pushing you that I’m particularly awed by. You’re amazing. Thinking of you every day and rooting for that wind to settle down so you can go up and get ‘er done!!
Posted by: Rosie Read on 5/27/2022 at 12:48 pm
Hang in there guys. We’re thinking of you and hoping for better weather. The weekend starts tomorrow ,, we anxiously await your next report.
Be safe
Jan Beaudway
Posted by: Jan Beaudway on 5/26/2022 at 4:38 pm
May 26, 2022
Posted by: JT Schmitt, Matias Francis, Jackson Breen
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,000'
Thursday, May 26, 2022 - 1:09 am PT
Today started with a classic case of the Denali waiting game due to another snowy morning at 11,000' Camp. After breakfast we waited (mostly packed) in our tents to see what the weather was going to do.
As we waited in nervous anticipation, the only sounds you could hear was the flit, flit, flit of snow falling against the tent, the occasional clang of a pot from somewhere in camp, and the ziiiiiip of a tent opening just enough for a restless head to peek out and look up the mountain.
At around 930 the clouds broke enough for us to see that the winds were not blowing around the newly fallen snow, so in organized chaos we finished packing up and departed camp.
We then spent the day in and out of the clouds which saved us from the heat we have become quite accustomed to trying to avoid.
And now we are all set up at 14,000' Camp and looking forward to some rest after a hard week!
RMI Guides JT, Matias, Jackson and the rest of the RMI team.
Enjoy your R&R at 14, and good luck when it’s time to move higher! Great following your excellent progress upwards!
Posted by: Henry & Kathy Huntington on 5/26/2022 at 9:11 am
AMAZING! Keep the post coming. They are a highlight of our day. :)
Posted by: Pat & Amy Breen on 5/26/2022 at 8:08 am
May 26, 2022
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Leif Bergstrom, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,000'
Wednesday, May 25, 2022 - 10:13 pm PT
As the forecast promised, we watched evidence of wind evolve above us across the Alaska range today, but our home at 14,000' Camp was calm, warm, and quite pleasant. We made the most of it, repairing gear that's malfunctioned, visiting with friends across camp, and napping. Tomorrow is most likely more of the same, so we'll spend time organizing so that when the weather switch flips, we're ready. Yesterday as we headed up, another team that was taking a rest break told us that we "were a Porsche 911 turbo engine". We'll hope to fire that up on Friday.
RMI Guides Pete, Leif, Erika, and team
Wednesday, May 25, 2022 - 4 pm PT
Once again I write from our comfortable camp in Genet Basin. There is not very much new to report. It is mostly sunny and calm down here. The story is different up above, where a large lenticular cloud had encapsulated the upper mountain. Our friends at High Camp have reinforced their snow walls and are hunkered in their tents. We are all hopeful for the decreased winds that are forecast for Friday afternoon. In the mountains, you are at the whim of the weather, and it is a fool's journey to act otherwise. Hopefully our patience will pay off soon with an opportunity to move higher. Until then, we're in chill mode. Reading, music, conversations, and crosswords are on the itinerary. A big breakfast scramble with plenty of coffee was a highlight this morning. It's important to savor the little things as we wait for our chance for further climbing forays.
Is wonderful to see everyone is in such thoughtful and knowledgeable hands.
Posted by: Anne on 5/25/2022 at 7:23 pm
Safety is priority #1. Your wise in waiting for safe climbing conditions. Hang in there, this will happen soon.
Posted by: Larry Shears on 5/25/2022 at 7:02 pm
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We’re keeping track of all of you every day. What an amazing experience, just seeing the beauty of your pictures and reading how aware and skillful you have to be with Nature especially the great Denali. I hope you are learning a bit more about yourselves, too. Much love and prayers for your
safety and well being. Barbara/Mom
Posted by: Barbara J Corona on 5/29/2022 at 6:55 pm
Go team! Thanks for sharing your daily updates. I hope the weather calms down so that you can proceed. For the football fans amongst you, Real Madrid won the Champion’s league final yesterday against Liverpool, thanks to their amazing goalkeeper Courtois. Weather is amazing in Barcelona (this is for Albert).
Posted by: Imma on 5/28/2022 at 10:56 pm
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