Most Popular Entries

Mt. Rainier: Hahn, Delaney & Teams Summit!

August 29, 2021

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Jack Delaney, Henry Coppolillo, Tatum Whatford, Axel Ryd, David Shuer

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

Mt. Rainier summit! The teams led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn and Jack Delaney reached the top at 7:13 a.m. They reported clear skies, a light breeze, and smoke to the East. After spending some time at the crater rim marveling in the sights from the highest point in Washington, the team began their descent.

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Congrats Dr.Xue!

Posted by: tom on 8/30/2021 at 9:48 am

So exciting, congratulations Galen, Morgan, Paul & Richard!!!!

Posted by: Lori on 8/29/2021 at 9:13 am

View All Comments

Denali Expedition: Bond & Team Land a Double Pancake Flip on Rest Day

June 17, 2023

Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

June 16, 2023 11:38PM PT

On this glorious morning, we awoke to partly sunny skies and light snow showers (for those who don't know, this means mostly cloudy.) As temperatures warmed, we all gathered in the posh for another round of pancake Hibachi. Yours truly went for broke and landed a double pancake flip (that is one pancake flipping twice). Unfortunately, the blast wave of this extreme maneuver broke our big strong Andy's fork.

To make the most of our relatively mild weather and rest day, we headed out of camp and practiced fixed line travel and clipping pickets. The team did great and is ready for whatever gloves the mountain throws at them.

Famished, we made our way back to camp to gorge on snacks, mainly cheese. This helped quell our toilet paper crisis for the near future.

After dinner and a sweet treat of Jack's cheesecake the team retired to hopefully sleep deep and oxygen rich.

- Clown Fish/Joey

Mt. Rainier: Summit Climb Update

July 31, 2021

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Grayson Swingle, Erika Birkeland, Cal Smith, Keeley Rideout, Emma Lyddan

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 13,000'

The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb, led by RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer and Grayson Swingle, turned at 13,000' due to an impasse on the route. The team reported light wind and precipitation earlier this morning. They are currently descending to Camp Muir where they will pack up their remaining gear and continue onto Paradise.

Mountaineering Training | The Motivation Factor

May 26, 2014

Posted by:

Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training

A crux for improvement in most any athlete lies in maintaining motivation; maintaining the drive to begin, practice, and persist at a task until you have reached your goals. In a 2009 piece in Psychology Today, Jim Taylor wrote that there are three factors that affect performance: Ability, Competition, and Motivation. Motivation is the only factor over which you have control. Ability (both physical, tactical, and mental) is something that you are born with. Other outside factors influence performance as well such as the away game crowd in sports, or temperature, weather, wind, and conditions in mountaineering. Again, these factors are all beyond our control, and can only be anticipated and dealt with as they appear. This leaves motivation as the key component to success. When we are motivated, we train and practice in order to maximize our given abilities. This probably isn’t news to anyone, but how do you maintain motivation day after day in a training process that can take well over a year to reach its culmination? How do you maintain your motivation in the face of cold and wet conditions in the winter, hot and muggy in the summer, or when other elements in your life are pressing in and tempting you to skip a day of training? This is the point that sports psychologists refer to as “the grind”, the point at which training and practice cease to be fun or pleasurable and begin to sap at your motivation. How you respond to the grind is what separates a top performance from a mediocre one. When you feel your training and motivation beginning to suffer, be willing to admit it and decide what direction you are going to take. You can continue on your current trajectory, or you can redirect yourself toward your goals and redouble your efforts. Once you decide on a path, dedicate yourself to it and recognize that your training needs to hold a place of priority in your daily schedule. At the same time, take a moment to evaluate your training and decide what is working and what isn’t. If running is hurting your knees and causing you to dread your workouts, reduce the number of running workouts in your training and shift those workouts to a lower impact activity such as cycling. When the gym becomes claustrophobic, take your core workouts outside to the local park or woods. It’s something of a cliché to say that the difference between athletes and great athletes is their dedication to the game. Pelé once said that, “I used to train very hard. When the other players went to the beach after training, I was there kicking the ball.” While most climbers don’t have the time to dedicate themselves singularly to climbing like Pelé did, try to practice that same mental dedication. Ask yourself in the morning what you can do that day to improve and give yourself the best chance on Rainier or any other peak. Before you head to bed, ask yourself if you did everything you could that day to achieve your goals. Finally, if you have a novel trick that you use to stay motivated, post it in the comments below. Your trick may be just the ticket for another climber! Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

First, I just want to say I am looking forward to meeting everyone on this climb! I hope we will be able to summit and the weather doesn’t stop us from achieving that goal.

Kevin M.-when do you and your brother fly in to Seattle? I live in Washington and might be willing to pick you both up at the airport if you arrive at a decent time. Let me know.

See you all in July. Safe travels to you all.

Steph

Posted by: Steph on 6/13/2014 at 2:53 pm

Hello all, My brother and I are coming from out of town for this climb but we are running into issues with getting out to Rainier. I’m curious, How are the rest of you reaching the park? and also, would any one be willing to carpool?

Posted by: Kevin M. on 6/9/2014 at 9:48 pm

View All Comments

Cotopaxi Express: Wittmier & Team Hike to summit of Rucu Pichincha

November 2, 2021

Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Matias Francis

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador

Elevation: 15,354'

November 2, 2021 - 6:33 am PT

Yesterday we did our first serious acclimatizing by hiking Rucu Pichincha. It is a fun hike that includes a gondola ride to 13,000' where we began our ascent to Rucu Pichincha, with an official summit elevation of 15354'. The entire team made it to the summit after a few hours of hiking and a short scramble. We then hustled down to avoid the afternoon rains and arrived back at the gondola before getting wet. This morning we are headed to Iliniza to make a summit attempt on Iliniza Norte tomorrow!

RMI Guide Dustin Wittmier

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

That is Awesome Dustin!!! Best of luck to you and the team!!!

Posted by: Dave Kestel on 11/3/2021 at 4:05 am

Nice hike to the summit of Rucu Puchincha. Keep up the good work.

Posted by: Joel Cline on 11/2/2021 at 8:16 am

View All Comments

Guide Shack: Anne Gilbert Chase

February 16, 2012

Posted by:

Categories: Guide News

RMI Guide Gilbert Chase has been guiding for RMI since 2010. An accomplished rock and alpine climber, Gilbert’s winter is busy travelling the world on climbing and skiing adventures. We caught up with Gilbert after her recent Aconcagua Expedition to hear about the climb. RMI: It’s been a busy start to the year for you with an Aconcagua Expedition and a Rainier Expeditions Skills Seminar - Winter. Tell us about it! It has been a very busy start to 2012 for me. I flew down to Mendoza, Argentina at the start of January for my first Aconcagua Expedition. It was a great trip overall. Working with such a great group of folks as well as guides made the trip a very memorable experience. I had spent time in Argentina many years ago, so I was very excited to get back down there and check things out again. Both the mountain and the culture are beautiful and I highly recommend this trip for anyone who wants a challenging but wonderful mountain adventure mixed with great local flavor. I flew back to the states around the 1st of February and within a couple of days I was driving out to WA for a Winter Expedition Skills Seminar on Mt. Rainier. We had high hopes of a winter summit with a high-pressure system in the forecast. However, the reality of winter on Mt. Rainier with high winds and lots of precipitation kept our team at Camp Muir. Despite the bad weather, spirits were still high and we had a great week on the mountain teaching and learning skills to prepare us for future trips. Trying to do crevasse rescue in 40 mph winds with no visibility proved very challenging and very fun for most. RMI: Aconcagua marked your first International Expedition for RMI, what were you’re initial impressions of Aconcagua? Overall, I thought Aconcagua was a beautiful mountain. At 22,840’, it rises out of a colorful river valley to sit high above the surrounding mountains. I am a rock climber at heart, so for me all of the rock on the mountain, although not very good, was amazing. I was constantly looking for different cracks or faces that I could come back and climb. While we were on the mountain, it snowed almost every other day so there was a fresh coat of paint making the mountain look even more striking. I think even more than the mountain itself, I loved the local culture that surrounds every inch. Plaza Argentina, which is our Base Camp, is filled with local porters and cooks making a living by way of the mountain. It is such a unique and cool place to experience. RMI: How do you think Aconcagua compares to Denali? I think Aconcagua and Denali are very similar in many ways. I think Aconcagua is a good first step if people want a little more experience before Denali. Aconcagua is a big expedition but still with a few luxuries, such as great dinners at Base Camp and mules carrying our gear into Base Camp. Summit day on Aconcagua is a long and tiring day that requires not only physical but mental endurance. For me, the weather on my Aconcagua Expedition was way better than Denali, so that made life much easier. We had a pretty warm summit day, although still wearing down pants and down parka, but it is all relative when climbing in the mountains. RMI: Did you find any big difference between guiding an international expedition and guiding here in the U.S.? For the most part, guiding internationally and guiding stateside are very similar. The principles of guiding are the same no matter where you go. I think logistics can be the hardest part of an international expedition, especially when speaking a foreign language. On our expedition, we had an issue with delayed luggage and many phone calls with the local airlines that made our lives much more difficult. However, once on the mountain, I felt at home and comfortable working with clients. RMI: What recommendations do you have for climbers looking to head to Aconcagua? The route we climb on Aconcagua is not a technical route so I do not feel people need a lot of climbing experience before heading on this expedition. Obviously the more time spent in the mountains makes any expedition easier, but everything can be learned while on this mountain. I think being in the best shape of your life is a necessity, as we are carrying heavy loads most days and climbing at high altitude. Being in great shape makes life easier while climbing a mountain, because it is one less thing to think about and allows you to enjoy the experience that much more. I think everyone who is interested in climbing big mountains should head down south to Aconcagua. Not only is it a beautiful, big mountain, but the local Argentine people and culture make this trip very rewarding. Eating amazing beef while drinking a glass of tasty Malbec at 14,000’ after a day of climbing…what more can you ask for? RMI: What will you definitely bring next time you return to Aconcagua? My thermos goes with me on every expedition. It is great to have a hot drink whenever I want and not have to wait for the stoves to boil water at 19,000’. Also I bring my approach shoes on the mountain with me so I can get out of my boots after a long day of climbing. A good book and iPod go a long way as well especially when you are tired of talking with your tentmate about the weather. I pack pretty light so I can’t say there was anything extra I brought. RMI: Do you have a favorite memory or moment from the Expedition? On the long two day walk out from Base Camp, we got some local beta from the Arrieros [local muleteers] about a short cut that would save us a few miles. Although the short cut was a lot more beautiful and exciting it was definitely not shorter - in fact I think it was probably longer. We had to cross a river at some point on our trek out and our “short cut” took us through a very swift thigh deep section of the river. Most of the folks in our group stripped down to their skivvies to wade through the ice cold water. It was a hilarious scene that provided us with a good amount of comic relief for the day. RMI: What does the rest of your winter look like? In two weeks, fellow RMI Guide Jason Thompson and I are flying over to France to ski and climb for a few weeks. We are going to meet up with RMI Guide Tyler Jones who is ski guiding over in La Grave for the winter. We will be skiing and climbing in La Grave as well as Chamonix. They are having an amazing winter so far over in that area so I am super excited to ski some super good powder and climb some sticky ice. We fly back to Montana at the end of March and I will be ready to hang the skis up and dust off the rock climbing shoes. Hopefully, I will head down to the desert for a few weeks of rock scrambling and warm sunshine. RMI: What are your spring and summer climbing plans? Even though spring seems so far away at this point, I am really looking forward to rock climbing for the month of April around the desert towers of Utah and the volcanic tuft of central Oregon. On May 1st I fly up to Alaska to start my guiding season in the Alaskan Range. First I will be working the Alaska Mountaineering Seminar from May 1st through May 11th. This will be my first time working this program so I am super excited to be hanging around Base Camp for ten days and climbing some of the amazing peaks in that zone. After the seminar, I start a McKinley West Buttress Climb on May 15. I have not worked a trip this early on Denali before, so I am looking forward to the cold temps and easy walking on the lower Kahiltna Glacier. I hope the spring and summer finds all of you getting outside and climbing some mountains whether big or small. Enjoy every day and keep a smile on your face.

Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Teams Tag the Top

July 7, 2022

Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Josh McDowell, Augi Fleer, Matias Francis, Trevor Katz, Nicole De Petris

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Climb July 4 - 7 led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier and Josh McDowell led their teams to the summit of Mt. Rainier today. The guides reported windy conditions on the mountain but an overall clear and sunny day. They are currently at Camp Muir and will pack and ready for the remainder of their descent to Paradise.

Congratulation to today's climbers!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Wow!! So proud of the whole team and especially the Larson sibs! Thanks to the guides for keeping them all safe. What an adventure!!

Posted by: Elizabeth Larson on 7/7/2022 at 8:34 pm

Awesome! Congratulations

Posted by: Susan Decker on 7/7/2022 at 4:56 pm

View All Comments

Mt. Rainier: Teams Turn due to Wind and Precipitation

August 11, 2022

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Alex Halliday, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Cal Seeley, Brian Walters

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier

Elevation: 12,300'

The Four-Day climb led by Pete Van Deventer and Alex Halliday turned around at 12,300’ this morning. The teams were facing 45 mph gusts as a wet cloud cap descended on them. They reported that the weather at Camp Muir was far more favorable with a light breeze to welcome them.

The teams are on their descent back to Basecamp, with warm showers and good food in their sights.

RMI Guides Travel to Nepal To Climb Manaslu Without Supplemental Oxygen.

September 17, 2022

Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Dominic Cifelli, JT Schmitt

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Guide News

Elevation: 16,000'

RMI Guides JT Schmitt, Dustin Wittmier and Dominic Cifelli are in Nepal on an expedition with the main objective to climb Manaslu without supplemental oxygen. They departed the United States on September 1st and are able to check in from basecamp:

Hello,

We arrived at Manaslu basecamp on September 11th after four days of trekking through remote valleys in Nepal. Most days were spent shrouded in a cloudy veil, but we were treated to the occasional view of rugged glaciers clinging to high mountains. Staying in tea houses, we were immersed in Nepalese and Sherpa cultures through conversation and enjoying traditional foods together.

Six days after arriving in basecamp we are well established at 16000’ and have made our first rotation on the mountain. We spent three days moving to as high as Camp 2 at 21,000’, setting up our tent and caching gear. On that rotation we spent two nights at Camp 1, letting our bodies acclimatize to sleeping at 18900’.

Currently we are on our third rest day, waiting out torrential rains; and the report from higher on the mountain is that there is significant snow accumulation. It is beneficial that Wi-Fi is available in basecamp so we can continue to monitor weather forecasts, waiting for a window to make a second rotation.

We are hopeful we will be able to push through some marginal weather tomorrow to take advantage of a small, upcoming window. Our second rotation will hopefully allow us to reach Camp 4 at 24,300’, to cache some gear and set us up for a summit push.

RMI Guides JT Schmitt, Dustin Wittmier & Dominic Cifelli

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Stay strong team! Love you Dom. Uncle artie

Posted by: Art cifelli on 9/21/2022 at 4:30 pm

Hey Dustin!!!
This is So Awesome!! You Are Strong!! You can do this!! After all you pulled my old farmer a$$ to the top of Cotopoxi!!!
All the best for Strength and Stamina Dustin!!!
Farmer Dave

Posted by: Dave Kestel on 9/19/2022 at 7:17 am

View All Comments

Aconcagua Expedition: Summit Day!

February 6, 2022

Posted by: Luke Wilhelm, David Price

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua

Elevation: 22,841'

While not everybody reached the summit of Aconcagua today, we all soaked in the entire experience. It was a perfect day to simply be in the mountains. Stars illuminating the landscape this morning. A windless day with not a cloud in the sky. Shadows creeping across peaks far in the distance, helping gauge the time of day. It was very easy to be distracted from the strenuous climbing by the surrounding beauty.

Till next time,

RMI Guide Luke Wilhelm

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Tim,

Don’t know if you summited or not, but it doesn’t matter. It’s all about the journey and you have been on quite a journey over the last few years! We love you and can’t wait to see you and hear about your adventures. Now, get down and back home safely!

Love,

Dick and Irene

Posted by: Richard & Irene Simpson on 2/7/2022 at 6:51 pm

Congratulations! We’re so proud of all you! What a gorgeous day you must have had… and no matter what the outcome, we know this was a whole team effort. Way to go. Now get back down safely!

Posted by: T and B on 2/7/2022 at 4:07 am

View All Comments

Previous Page Next Page

Check Availability

Most Popular Entries

Mt. Rainier: Hahn, Delaney & Teams Summit!

Denali Expedition: Bond & Team Land a Double Pancake Flip on Rest Day

Mt. Rainier: Summit Climb Update

Mountaineering Training | The Motivation Factor

Cotopaxi Express: Wittmier & Team Hike to summit of Rucu Pichincha

Guide Shack: Anne Gilbert Chase

Mt. Rainier: Four Day Climb Teams Tag the Top

Mt. Rainier: Teams Turn due to Wind and Precipitation

RMI Guides Travel to Nepal To Climb Manaslu Without Supplemental Oxygen.

Aconcagua Expedition: Summit Day!

Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Translate

Log In

Register With Us

Check Availability

Most Popular Entries

New Post Alerts:Expedition Dispatches

New Post Alerts:
Expedition Dispatches