Entries By seth burns
September 17, 2023
Posted by: Seth Burns, Mike Bennett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 10,781'
RMI Guides Seth Burns and Mike Bennett our leading our last program of the season. The Expedition Skills Seminar - Baker met on Thursday to begin their mountaineering skills training. On Friday the team made it up to basecamp on a beautiful sunny day. The team has been working on their cramponing, rope travel and ice axe arrest skills. Today they put them selves to the test and reached the summit of Mt. Baker via the Easton Glacier. They were in and out of the clouds with moderate winds. The team has a few more days to climb and train in order to complete all of their seminar skills.
Nice work team!
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 19, 2023
Posted by: Seth Burns, Henry Coppolillo
Categories: Expedition Dispatches North Cascades
Elevation: 8,816'
Wednesday, July 19, 2023 - 3:00 pm PDT
Hi there,
It was a beautiful day of climbing on the West Ridge, nice temps and not a cloud in the sky. We are back at camp soaking our feet in the creek and enjoying a lazy afternoon.
RMI Guides Seth Burns, Henry Coppolillo and Team
July 6, 2023
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Like we’ve said before, the weather hasn’t been in a good mood here in Alaska. Keeping with that trend, was the dramatic ending to our long and hard-fought expedition. As we resigned ourselves to sleeping yet another night on the glacier, we got the call that planes were in the air.
Hopeful, salad eyed, and smelly we packed our stuff and waited for our return trip home. Then the rain started. As we stared down the southeast fork of the Kahiltna, we could only hear the buzz of the planes and the patter of the drops on our coats. Muttering “ cmon, cmon” as if to plead with Mother Nature to abate and let the clouds lift. We willed the weather to let up just enough for the pilots to pull off a landing and high tail it out of there.
We slept in beds last night, took showers, and celebrated like it was going out of style. We can’t wait to see our friends and family soon. Thank you all for following along and cheers to another great, successful expedition on Denali. See you next year!
RMI Guides Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Dan May and Team
July 5, 2023
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
Wednesday, July 5, 2023 - 12:55 am PT
The team woke up to snow and wind distorting the shapes of the tents we call home for the last 21 days. We hit snooze and hoped for the best. While I wouldn’t say the best ever came the allure of Roestis, showers, and beds pulled us out of our sleeping bags and into the fray. From 11,000 ft to the base of Ski Hill was a near total whiteout. We persevered through the wind, moisture, and visibility to reach basecamp at about 6pm, but conditions didn’t allow planes to come and land. We’re hopeful that tomorrow we’ll be back in civilization.
RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli
Yay! Mission almost accomplished! Such an amazing group you are
Posted by: Kim on 7/5/2023 at 8:53 am
Sunday, July 2, 2023
While it hasn’t been unlike Denali to act up at inopportune times. Today was a low blow. We descended from High Camp today under mostly clear skies and on top of tired legs. We were awarded new views from the West Buttress that were previously shrouded and the team descended fast and well.
At 14,000' Camp we took a good break and then kept the train going. Clouds were billowing, wind was picking up, and snow was falling as we passed Windy Corner, which once again held true to its name. A storm was coming. We’re in that storm right now, hoping for it to abate and to get off the mountain we’ve called home for the past 19 days.
We’re hopeful, but not too optimistic we’ll be able to walk to the airstrip tomorrow.
Wish us luck.
RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli
Wishing you luck with the weather and praying you’ll be walking to the airstrip tomorrow!!! You are a brave and amazing team. I can’t wait to read tomorrow’s post! Love you, Alex!!!
Posted by: Kim on 7/3/2023 at 8:36 pm
I salute each and every one of you for your patience and determination on this climb that has been full of challenging weather. Stay safe. You’re in the home stretch!
Posted by: Doreen on 7/3/2023 at 2:07 pm
July 2, 2023
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 20,310'
Sunday, July 2, 2023 - 3:56 am
The RMI Denali Expedition June 11 led by RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli reached the summit of Denali on Saturday evening. The team is safely back to camp at 17,000'.
Nice work team!
Dear Saurabh
Congratulations on your team’s spectacular and adventurous climb to the ultimate height of 20310 ft above sea level in trying weather conditions and chilling cold amidst snow storms . Kudos to the dedication ,commitment, disclipline and team work which enabled you to reach your goal। We are proud of you my son . May you achieve even more goals in your life.
Ravi and Anjali
Your dad and MOM
Posted by: Ravi on 7/2/2023 at 8:17 pm
That’s awesome!! Congratulations everyone!!
Posted by: Jenni on 7/2/2023 at 6:37 am
July 1, 2023
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 17,000'
People like to throw around the word ‘Conquer’ in reference to the mountains they climb. As if they defeated the mountain when they touched its apex. I find this to be a distasteful representation of summiting a mountain and as we crawled into our sleeping bags in the crisp, cold air of Denali’s 17,200K we certainly didn’t feel like conquerors. Tired, cold, and atrophied from the last 18 days on the mountain we slept knowing that Denali had granted us the opportunity to touch its peak and not that we had bested it.
The team awoke to clear skies and one of the first green lights we received from Denali, it was time to climb. At 10:25, we started our journey upward not reaching the summit until a hard, but well fought, ~10 hours. We are back down at High Camp; tired, sore, but satisfied with the effort and accomplishment. We start downward tomorrow in search of all of the cravings we have been fantasizing about.
RMI Guide Dominic Cifelli
July 1, 2023
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Seth Burns, Daniel May
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 17,200'
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Friday, June 30, 2023 11:47 pm PDT
The gods of Denali blessed the team with the weather window needed to begin the hardest three days of our lives. We began our assault up The Wall and eventually the fixed lines. The sun was surprisingly warm and persistent. The black rocks jutting from the frozen snow reminded me constantly of the Oreo McFlurry I will no doubt consume when I get off here. We are thinking of you all as we attempt to summit tomorrow.
RMI Climber Travis and Team
Lisa and Blair wishing you luck!!!
Posted by: Blair Johnson on 7/2/2023 at 7:16 am
Peace, gratitude and mental toughness…you’ve got it!!!
Posted by: Kim on 7/1/2023 at 9:35 pm
Thanks Seth, thanks Mike for a great seminar! Enjoyed the mountain and great instruction during our time on the rocks and ice!
Great climbing Matt! Keep bagging those summits!
Blessings,
Don
Posted by: Don Davis on 9/19/2023 at 7:23 pm
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