Entries from Denali

17,200 ft sure feels good! We pulled out of 14,000' at 10 AM. It snowed a few inches in the night but by morning the clouds were dropping down. We had a clear shot of the West Buttress and the South Summit. Our packs were a good deal heavier than when we carried. Today was tough climbing but the entire team did quite well. We reached our new home in 6.5 hours and set to building camp. Such work is tough enough, but it was double tough in the thin air. Eventually we had tents to take shelter in snd and a hot dinner out on the patio. We talked over the challenges we are likely to face going for the top tomorrow. It was a treat to greet Dominic Cifelli's triumphant team as they rolled back into camp -about when we were buttoning things up for the evening.  Fingers crossed for one more perfect day. 

Best,

RMI Guides Dave, Sam, Sam and Nick

Monday, June 24, 2024 - 12:05 am PT

We woke up this morning to a blue bird day and a quiet chill in the air. It was cold, crisp, windless; perfect weather for a trip up to high camp. People tend to think we stage our summit bid from high camp and, in a sense, we do, but the real waiting game happens at 14,000' Camp. It’s where you wait for the summit weather to align and today the door was wide open. We made our way up the headwall and the fixed lines for our second run and we were pros this time. Dialing in the techniques and tactics we learned on the previous run through. The heavier packs were noticeable on the legs and the heat of the day was noticeable on our dry throats but on we went. When we finally crested onto the namesake “ West Buttress” of the route. The sun gave way to cloud and the heat to snow. We got glimpses of the 360 views that this part of the route offers but never the full scene. On we pressed to the high camp of Denali at a height of 17,200 ft.

We set up shop, ate our meals, and are trying to recover for a summit push tomorrow morning. Tomorrow will be undoubtedly the hardest we’ve had on the mountain, and for many the hardest physical effort we’ve ever tried. The team can do it though. We’ve got this.

Wish us luck!!

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli

Sunday, June 23, 2024 - 9:33 pm PT

There seemed to be general agreement that last night's sleep was a good one. That could mean that we are getting acclimatized to 14,000'. But it could also mean we were justifiably tired after yesterday's carry. Today was easy, in any case. We ate, took naps and sorted gear for the big move up tomorrow. It was calm and sunny through the morning, but the afternoon clouded up and light snow started falling. It still doesn't count as a storm though.

We just need a couple more good days. 

Best Regards,

RMI Guides Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison & Nick Sinipius 

Sunday, June 23, 2024 - 10:14 am PT

Hello loyal readers,

This is our final dispatch. Yesterday we woke at midnight at the base of Ski Hill. A light breeze rattled our tents but the skies were clear. It was our fastest break down of tents and packing all trip. Motivation ran high with the thought of flying off the glacier. A slight refreeze of the glacier made for smooth walking pulling our heavy sleds. Everything was quite and still. A final push up hill weaving around crevasses brought us to a sleepy basecamp...it was 4am. Check-in for our flight wasn't till 7am, so we pulled out our sleeping pads and bags and took a nap. The lower airstrip was a bit too bumpy so we walked to the upper airstrip and by 9:20 am the planes landed and we were swept off the mountain we spent 19 days climbing up and down. A 40 minute flight dumped us off in civilization. Just like that we no longer needed to travel with all our belongings on our back. No longer did we need to poop in a bucket. No longer did we need to melt snow for water. We had all those amenities at our finger tips. It's been a fantastic journey. Everyone learned something new about themselves and learned that they can endure so much. It's been a privilege to be apart of this team. 

Thank you for following along and for all the support,

RMI Guide Hannah Smith and Team

PC: Hannah Smith

Saturday, June 22, 2024 - 10:23 PM PT

Best day of the trip (so far)! Certainly as far as weather goes, this was a sweet day clear and cloudless at the start, calm and sunny throughout. But also, as far as climbing goes, this was the best. We left 14K at 9:30 AM, which was plenty cool as we were still in shadow.  We made steady progress up the steep glacial slopes -breaking a few people's personal altitude records in the process. And then we tackled the steeper ice of the fixed rope section. Topping out the ropes at 16,200 ft in perfect weather (basically we had light sweaters on) it was hard to resist forging on. We went another 90 minutes up the crest of the spectacular West Buttress, passing Washburn's Thumb, we reached 16,800 ft. There we dug a raven-proof cache and left our supplies. Our descent was careful but steady. We reached our 14K camp at 6:10 PM. We got in a good dinner before the sun went behind the mountain at 9 pm. Tomorrow we'll rest.

Best,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Saturday, June 22, 2024 - 6:05 PM PT

Rest day.  Rest days at 14,000ft mean a slow start with little movement until the glorious sun illuminates our tents making for more hospitable temps.  With the sun comes the wafting smell of hot blue berry pancakes that Nicole is frying up. That coupled with the need for hot coffee, pulls us from our warm bags and we step out into a day that can only be described as blue bird. After many rounds of coffee and pancakes, we gear up for a short walk to “The Edge of the World” an overlook just outside of camp with views some +6000’ down to the lower Kahiltna. This short excursion provides us with a chance to stretch our legs and begin to digest the loaf of bread each of us just consumed.  The rest of the day is filled with more of its name sake as we prepare to move higher up on the mountain. 

- RMI Guide Seth Burns and team

First thing this morning it looked a little windy up on the West Buttress. That was enough to switch our program to a rest day at 14,000. Of course, the wind died down and neighboring teams had no trouble climbing today, but we were happy to rest. Clouds came and went during the day and there were a few snowflakes but overall, the good weather is sticking with us.

Tomorrow will work just fine for that carry.  

Best Regards,

The RMI Guides & Team

Day 11 on the mountain.

We woke up at the 14 camp once again chilly but not quite as cold as the previous night. Everyone prepares for the day and makes their way to the mess tent. Hot water is ready! Coffee is essential, and then Cinnamon Toast Crunch with powdered milk and warm water. It is actually very good!!

Since coming to 14,000’ Camp, we have been admiring the headwall which directly faces the camp ascending about 2,000’ above. Today is our day to ascend and cache supplies. The headwall is like motorcycle hill on steroids! We made our way up to the bergschrund near the top and where the fixed ropes begin. The first step over the bergschrund was fun and exciting to ascend for most! And then using our ascenders made our way up to the top on the ropes. The incline is probably 60 degrees, and the practice yesterday was very useful, for most of us, it was the first time using these ropes and gear.

We all made it and cached our stuff. Descending was equally perilous but a bit more fun and of course, a lot faster! Wrapping the rope around our arm we just leaned forward and walked down. (I personally really enjoyed that!). We made it back to camp a little tired but excited to have ascended.

This place is incredibly beautiful but also can be merciless. This place has some of the most amazing views I have ever seen and dangerous corners and crevasses. It’s a place where you can simultaneously get sunburn and frostbite. We are constantly taking layers on and off. It can be so cold to have to wear a parka and then in a few hours just a T-shirt. Having the right gear and guidance is so important. We are blessed to have three outstanding guides. Dom, Seth, and Nicole. They are very capable, knowledgeable, and kind of superhuman! So, rest assured to all our loved ones at home, we are in very good hands.

We are also far enough along in this trip to start missing home and in particular our friends and families. For me, I miss my family, my kids Max, Emma, and Sophie mostly. Cannot miss this opportunity to tell you how proud I am of all three of you!!

Tomorrow is rest day, and then hopefully we scale the headwall again up to 17,000’ camp.

RMI Climber Cary Idler

Good evening, folks,

We got the rest we needed for our big day today. We woke early at 6am to pack up all our gear from 14k camp and make our way down glacier. What took us 2 weeks to climb up we are going down in  three days! Getting to 11k camp we have to go down some steep terrain with squirrelly sleds. It is tough work physically and mentally, but the team hung in there and got the job done.

At 11k camp we picked up a little more gear and continued our journey Downhill. We were in and out of the clouds and rather toasty most of the day. The sun is quite intense reflecting off the snow. Most of us are sporting some Sunglasses tan lines for sure. After carefully, with light thoughts, crossing some crevasses, we arrived at our very first camp at the base of ski hill. A Quick set up of tents, melting snow for water, and bacon bagels for dinner and we are set to take a quick nap before heading out in the middle of the night down the Kahiltna Glacier.

Next stop is basecamp and hopefully a 9am flight back civilization. Crazy to think we can be showering and using running water in roughly 17hrs...crazy.

Keep those good weather vibes coming our way.

RMI Guide Hannah Smith and Team

Thursday June 20th (day 10 on the mountain)

We woke up to a chilly morning in camp 3 at 14,200 feet elevation. My tent mate Dave and I were lingering in our warm sleeping bags, listening to the crunchy steps of our teammates who had gathered enough courage to step outside.  Everything in the tent that could freeze had done so unless it was tucked inside our sleeping bags, including water bottles, sunscreen and even pee bottles…. The inside of the tent was crusted with a thin layer of frost that would rub off or drop down on us whenever we touched it.

I have to admit that the early mornings in the tent are my least favorite part of mountaineering. Just the thought of unzipping the comfortable sleeping bag and pulling on stiff, frozen pants, forcing my feet into rock hard, ice-cold mountaineering boots and crawling out of the tent into the outside winter land makes me shiver. Still, I know that only a few minutes later life is much better after taking care of the morning routine and sitting in the kitchen tent with a hot cup of coffee, courtesy of our guides. Today was an “active rest day” which mostly meant hanging around camp and doing some ascender training, but also entailed a back carry trip down the slope from our camp to retrieve the cache we left a few days ago at 13,500 feet elevation. By the time we left camp just before 10am the below zero morning had turned into a blisteringly sunny day, and coming up the hill back to camp with heavy backpacks we were sweating through our single base-layers. Otherwise, it was a pretty uneventful round trip if it wasn’t for the fact that I did a complete face plant going down the hill while fiddling with my phone and tripping over my crampons. What a rookie mistake…

Coming back to camp we were treated to an amazing brunch consisting of burritos hot from the camp stove served by our bad ass guides Seth and Nicole. They had been granted a day off from carrying loads thanks to their super human efforts the last couple of days, accompanying our team mates Tait and Sophia who decided to abort this climb, all the way from camp 2 to base camp and then back again (a 20 miles round trip with 5,000 feet elevation gain!), only to rejoin the rest of our team on the 3,000+ feet ascent with heavy packs & sleds to camp 3 the next day. Truly impressive!

Given that today was mostly a rest day I had an opportunity to reflect on the experience thus far. I’ve been on a number of guided climbs in different corners of the world over the years, including some that have been expedition style like this one. They’ve all been great experiences and my guides have generally been top notch. However, I do think there is an RMI Difference based on what I’ve seen so far.  Not only has the guiding been outstanding thanks to our world class guides Dom, Seth and Nicole, but the overall logistics, route planning and camp facilities have been flawless. Climbing mountains is hard as it is, so having delicious cooked meals (not freeze dried), 3-person tents between 2 of us, and a few extra rest days in the itinerary has made this experience as enjoyable as possible and will hopefully allow us all the best odds possible to summit the mountain. A special shoutout to our lead guide Dom who is expertly masterminding the giant chess game that it is to climb Denali while at the same time fostering a genuinely positive and supportive team environment.

Just a quick note on the team before I wrap. We’re all from very different backgrounds as highlighted in Rossi’s blog a couple of days ago, and with a variety of mountaineering experience. However, 10 days into the trip I’m really impressed by how we have bonded into a cohesive team that helps and supports each other. We’re now all seasoned Denali mess tent small talk, being an introverted Swede, I do enjoy listening to it! �� fantastic experience so far! And a gentle request to the Gunnarsson family to leave some comments - we can’t have Dave get all the attention!

RMI Climber Mattias Gunnarsson