Entries By seth burns

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 - 1:27 pm PT

Climbing mountains is hard. Ya that’s obvious, but I’m not only talking about the effort while on the mountain. Whether or not you make it to the summit there’s countless hours spent training, researching, anxiously thinking about what might be. Time spent away from friends and family because “ I’m going to go climb a mountain” and of course the countless question that follow from there. It’s hard to explain though, to those that don’t come out to these wild places to suffer so beautifully. To be trying to do perhaps the hardest thing we’ve ever done in the most remote and beautiful places in the world. It’s so uniquely vulnerable. We do it because we have to, or else we’d be spending those hours and days daydreaming of what could be. We have to find out for ourselves what it’s like and experience a grounding that nothing else can give you.

We summitted Denali, the highest peak in North America, at around 6:20 PM June 24. It was a beautiful day with light, but bitter, winds and clouds all around us but never above us. It was amazing. It was everything we had been working and hoping for over the past 13 days on the darn thing. We rest up tonight, an easier task than most days, and start our long descent back to where it all started 14 days ago, Basecamp.

Thanks to all the friends and family that might not quite understand why, but instead understand that we have to. None of this is possible without that support.

RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli

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

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

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

Wednesday, June 19, 2024 - 1-:20 pm PT

Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac insisted: “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent in the office or mowing your lawn. CLIMB THAT GODDAMN MOUNTAIN.”

Today was a big day for the team - 3200’ vertical over 3 miles. We moved from 11,000' Camp to 14,000' Camp and set up what will be our home for the next 4-5 days. Retracing our steps from 11,000' up the relentlessly steep Motorcycle Hill, up Squirrel Hill, onto Polo Field, up to Windy Corner, across crevasses and past the cache we left a few days ago, we finally crested the last slope and 14K camp came into view. Hiking through these massive cathedrals of rock and snow inspires awe. Traversing through these quixotically named places that mountaineering legends have written about enhances that awe so that it almost seems unreal.

Upon reaching camp, the task of sculpting our home out of snow was upon us. After a couple of hours, our tents were secure on the snow platforms we had built, while our tireless guides (and a couple of our tireless team members) crafted the kitchen and bathroom out of the bottomless glacier.

Most of us have been feeling the physical effects of altitude at 14,000' Camp, some more than others. Today, as in all other days, we rallied remarkably well as a team, pitching in and assisting to the best of our abilities to help one another and do what is needed for the team to succeed. It is a beautiful reflection of what humanity can be when a group of strangers with different backgrounds and in different stages of their lives can come together for a common cause and help one another to achieve a singular goal. While each of us has our own personal motivations for embarking on this great adventure, no doubt Jack Kerouac’s entreaty has something to do with why we are all here.

So let’s go team: let’s climb that goddamn mountain.

RMI climber Chris Brockmeyer

Wednesday, June 19, 2024 - 12:20 AM PT

Привет от 11ти лагер. Нашия екип се наслаждава на почивния ден с кравай с крема сирене исьомга за закуска. След това Доминик, нашия лидер на експедиция, поднесе информационен урок на системи за евакуиране от ледникови пропасти. До момента нашите дневници са главно фокусирани на движението ни из планината през деня, затова ще направим нещо различно, ще ви запозная с нашия екип, за да се принесете внашето ежедневие.

На моето въже екипа се състой от Доминик- лидер, Крис Брокмауер или на кратко Брок, Аз - Роси, и Крис Раитс или Скитълс. Доминик е от Ню Джързи, и живее във Вашингтон с жена си Емили, и двата им лабрадора. Дом и Емили, обичат да прекарват свободното си време в природата и тичат по пътеки. Брок е от Калифорния, но живее в Ню Йорк със семейството си. Той е присъствал на десетки Тони награди и гали по работа, но предпочита да катери и ходи на походи в Адерондекските планини. Крис Райтс  е от Саинт Луис, където е бил главен прокурор за над 20 години. Тези дни се наслаждава на живота в Брекенридж, където е ски учител и притежава  билярдна маса  на най- високото място в Колорадо. Той е проверил с неговите съседи за това твърдение.

 На другата въжена линия поведени от планинския лидер Никол, са Кери, Матиас, и Давид. Никол е от Сан Франциско, и прекарва повечето лета като гид за РМИ, през останалото време обича да катери и съчетава нейната бакалаварска степен  по архитектурно инженерство.  Кери е гръбначен хирург от Нова Каролина, който се натъква на  неговата професия след кратък период в строителството. След като се усетил, че  “има мозък” (по негови думи), той се насочва към философия и после хирургия, защото се използват отверки и пирони като встроителството. Матиас е мой съимигрант от Швеция. Той  живее в Бостън със семейството си, но неговата страст е в катеренето на високите точки на Европа и Азия. Давид, съснай- големия фен клуб от нашия екип, е от Кентъки, но в момента е директор на ски училище в Охайо. Където имат нужда от само три дни и температури под нулата натрупат машинен сняг на 100 акра терен, за да отворят ски пистите за клиенти. Много е горд от новите системни продобивки като РФИД, нон стоп воден източник  и т.н. Не на последно място е въжения екип воден от Сет. Катерачите са София, Нате и Томас. Сет е от Тенеси, но живее във Вашингтон с жена си. Най- интересния факт за него според мен е, който научих за него до момента е, че Сет е прекарал неговия меден живеят в Ню Уорк, тяхната страст е многодневни походи, и достигането на най високите точки на всеки щат. София като докторант на Философия ни обясни възможно ли е да пътуваме през времето, и различните версии на Аз, през междузвездните системи. Нещото което е очевидно от пръв поглед за Тате е абсолютната обич към София. Те ни подсигуриха със нови сладки и солени храни за останалите дни на експедицията. Благодарим ви за Вашата щедрост. Оставих един от най- оживените характери на екипа за последно. Томас, който е от Ванкувър, Канада, и е фокусиран на по техничен терен в неговата страст към планински терени, именно ледниково катерене, много стръмен терен из Аляска за сега. Денали е просто тест за сега. Той учи да бъде кинезеотерапевт и е инструментален в тези почивни дни като ни показва упражнения за специфични мускули, който ни помагат да сме във форма. Отделно той е главния ресурс на шеги и забавни истории.  Това е нашия шарен лагер обединен от една обща цел - върха на Денали! ефърт  20 мили и 5000 фута височина до базови лагер и обратно,  да се върнат при нас и да продължим да катерим към 14ти лагер.

RMI Climber Rossi Simeonova

Tuesday, June 18, 2024 - 9:24 am PT

Day 7 on the mountain and our first official rest day of the trip. A late wake up, a leisurely breakfast, jovial conversations, and a time to rest, recuperate, contemplate, and prepare for what’s next. It was a beautiful day on the mountain, the sun was out with a light breeze to keep us cool, and views of the Alaska range stretching out before us to drink in. We’ve hit that beautiful moment in any grand outdoor adventure. When a group of random people, be it an expedition team or just a group of folks traveling down the trail at the same speed, spend enough time together that individual goals truly become a shared group goal. Not just because we have group food and gear to carry, but because we have become invested in everyone’s success, not just our own. It materializes in many ways, from sharing tips and tricks on the best way to stretch that aching IT band or hip flexor, to creating a team wide charcuterie board from all our snacks, to sharing the extra face wipes you may have that others didn’t bring. That type of camaraderie is so crucial for the team. Bringing much needed levity and support through all the challenges already experienced and the many more still to come. Today’s date holds a special place for me, 7 years ago, I was lucky enough to exchange vows with my wife Sophia (here on the mountain too) promising to always be there for that next adventure, partners in all the crazy things either of us want to do. Today is also a bittersweet day, as Sophia and I will head back down to base camp to head off the mountain, Denali has proven to be every bit as hard and grueling a challenge as has been advertised and cautioned. But we leave happy for the time we have been able to spend on the mountain and the incredible experiences we have been able to have with such an amazing climbing team. We will be watching closely and cheering on everyone else as they continue on this amazing adventure, while we head home and contemplate the next step in our adventure. 

Happy anniversary Sophia, I love you dearly.

Oh little darling, don’t you look charming Here in the eye of a hurricane 

Real or imagined, what does it matter Look come inside, can I get you to stay

- Hurricane (Johnnie’s Theme) by Lord Huron

RMI Climber Tait Pollard

Monday, June 17, 2024 - 12:50 am PT

We got to sleep in! At least what we consider… The day started with wake up at 6:30am and leave camp by 8am. The route today was 11,000' Camp up Motorcycle hill, up Squirrel hill, across/up the Polo Field, around Windy Corner and stop at 13,500 to bury food and other items that we won’t need until 14,000' Camp and higher. Then head back to 11k camp We got moving with a little chill in the air and some slight wind. Enough to make us all continue to question what layers of clothing should we wear? It’s a constant struggle in the mountains. I literally wore three different types of gloves today as the temps changed. We’re now wearing crampons and carrying our ice axes, so it feels like the climb has officially started! We started right off with a long steep uphill - Motorcycle Hill, which alone took an hour! It was certainly a good way to warm up! Since it is Father’s Day, I took the time during the climb to think about my dad. He and I came out a week before the climb and took a small tour of Alaska between Seward and Talkeetna. It was a blast to hang with him. I thought a lot about him telling me how proud he is of me for climbing Mt McKinley. After all, we carry the same former name as the mountain! Aside from today, I’ve spent the past few days reflecting on the encouragement from friends and family. The mental game of the mountains can be tough. We know it’s physically tough, but mentally it can take a toll on you as well. Self doubt, anxiety, overthinking can set in bad. What’s helped me the most is encouragement like this: “I am so incredibly proud of you and excited for you to have this opportunity. You are going to be great. Be safe, show ‘em what you got, stay tough like I know you can, and help others.” I’ve reflected a lot on that one piece of encouragement. That’s the kind of stuff that can drown out the doubt and keep me moving forward. If you’re reading this blog you’re probably one of those people, helping to push all of us along and suppress the negative thoughts that can come in this environment. We all can’t thank you enough for your support and love. And letting us leave for a month...

The sun came out and we moved at a gentle pace. We buried food and such and then made our way back down. The best part of the day was right before dropping Squirrel hill and Motorcycle hill when Nicole, the guide on our rope team pulled me aside and asked me to take the lead and guide our team down the two remaining steep hills. I was speechless. I wasn’t sure I could do it. My other two companions on our rope team spoke up and told me that I’d be great, and that they hadn’t seen such raw mountaineering talent since reading about Ed Viesturs in “No Shortcuts To The Top”. I looked at Nicole and asked, “Do you think I can do it?” She pulled down her sunglasses, looked me straight in the eye and said “Think? No… I KNOW you can do it, and that’s the RMI difference!” Of course, none of the is true. However, I did lead our rope team down, but that’s because the guides like to lead from the back when going steep downhills. All three rope teams did this. Our guides, Dominic, Nicole and Seth are fantastic. They do so much to make this experience the best.

All in all, we had a great day and are very excited to enjoy a rest day tomorrow at the 11,000' camp.

RMI Climber Dave McKinley

We awoke to another beautiful day, although day has lost all meaning without night. The clouds had lifted and the mountain that yesterday’s correspondent described as a bride in her white gown, now looked even better without it. Carrying half our camp on our backs and in sleds, we climbed almost 3000 feet up the Kahiltna Glacier. All around hanging glaciers were spread like coats of icing, melting over the ridges. Long after our altimeters told us we were at the cache, Dom lead our caravan up a cliff, our sleds nearly swinging in the void beneath us. He claimed he had taken us further than advertised because we were such a “Strong Team.” Such praise from an RMI Guide is an almost certain indication of a Full Team Summit.

Our round trip was a little over 7 miles. Yes, you heard right, round trip. We’re now back in our camp at the bottom of Ski Hill to make the same climb tomorrow with the other half of our camp. Sisyphus didn’t complain so neither will we. Unlike other beasts of burden, we know that the journey is the destination, and we appreciate each step. So, we accept every challenge because that’s who we are. To paraphrase David Lee Roth: We’re not like this because we’re climbing Denali. We’re climbing Denali because we’re like this.

RMI Climber Kris Reitz

The jagged, monolithic peaks of the lower Kalithna begin to make themselves visible again.

We have just torn down camp. The anticipation of this moment has been building even greater since our departure was delayed by yesterday’s fog. The midnight sunshine just beyond the horizon still illuminates us deep into the night making the time of 1:55am seem wildly incorrect. We begin to move.

It’s now 3:12am. We’ve descended the hazy 600ft from base camp and sit just beyond the danger of the house-sized seracs looming off the side of Mt. Frances. Directly in front of us as we sit and replenish ourselves with food and drink is Mt. Crosson. Just left of it looms the beautiful Mt. Foraker, its upper half hidden just hidden behind a small cloud system. Our rest comes to an end. It’s time to begin the ever so slightly increasing grade up towards our next camp.

As we move the air is light and serene. Other than the sound of our snowshoes crunching the snow beneath our feet and our sleds sliding, there is no other noise for miles around us. In my left earbud plays Fryslan by Phil Cook. The pattern of our movement becomes hypnotic. My world becomes managing my pace to avoid stepping on the rope in front of me, interspersed with seconds of beholding the ether that surrounds me. To our right, an orange and magenta hue begins to materialize in the Alaskan sky as the sun begins to return from its brief absence beyond the horizon. Looking upward towards it presents our desired destination, veiled in a partially transparent fog, like a bride on her wedding day, Denali appears. It beams with a beauty matched by very few other things in this world.

We continue forward entranced by the sight. The weight of our heavy packs and sleds begin to melt away as we gaze upon the peak. A solemnity fills the moment that feels religious in nature. There is no more music playing in my earbuds. It is just the rhythmic beating of our snowshoes that fills my ears, and this epic sight that fills my eyes. I am totally absorbed. Quickly as this moment came, so it did depart, as again the mountain would hide itself behind an immense fog, abruptly returning us to the physical realm.

Enriched by this experience, we press forward, climbing steeper terrain before reaching a plateau which will lead us to our next camp site. The going is slow and heavy. Chilling cold air pockets move through our path at times. We break one final time before making the final mile push to camp. Upon arrival our guides probe the area upon which we will be building our living quarters for the next couple days (hopefully). We finish just before 9am. Crawling into our sleeping bags for “night,” we adorn the proper attire of sleeping masks to block out the now powerfully shining rays of the sun to spend the day resting for the journey which is set to continue early tomorrow morning once again.

As I now lay in my sleeping bag, my tent mates asleep beside me, I sense a number of emotions within me: satisfaction, anxiety, excitement, connectedness, all of which seem to stem from the same place: a determination to succeed at this challenge as a team. I close my eyes as gentle folk music softly plays in my earbuds once again. “One thing at a time,” I remind myself.

For now, all there is to do is to rest.

RMI Climber Thomas Goossen