McKinley Expedition: Burns & Team Makes it to Camp 4
Posted by: Seth Burns, Ben Thorneycroft, Margo Kerr
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 14,000
Saturday, May 31st, 11PM PST
Burns Team Makes it to 4327 meters
We woke early to a very cold morning and started packing our things. Today was the day we would move to camp 4. After a breakfast of granola, and powdered milk for the brave, we packed our backpacks until it seemed they would bust. The sun broke the rim of the mountain as we prepared to set out. We underdressed as we expected to warm up as we climbed, it would be the theme for the day as the hot sun battled the cold wind. After we climbed each steep hill we were rewarded by another steep hill to climb. On our brakes we pondered if we would rather be a strawberry with humans thoughts or a human with strawberry thoughts. As I climbed I thought it would be nice to be a strawberry, no mountains to climb or life to worry about, just sit on the vine and enjoy the sun. I tried to have strawberry thoughts as I climbed, no fatigue or suffering, just enjoy the sun on my face turning it a nice ripe red. Finally camp 4 appeared on the horizon like Shangrala, we had made it.
- RMI Climber James
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