McKinley Expedition: Climber Patty Checks in from Team Breen
Posted by: Jackson Breen, Lacie Smith, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 11,000'
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 – 8:57 pm PT
On May 26th, the RMI Denali team was waiting for a person to walk through arrivals who was aiming to be the youngest woman from her country to claim all seven summits. They waited at the Anchorage airport for minutes, then hours, eagerly watching for her to walk through the arrivals gate.
She never did.
Instead, it was I that showed up, knock-kneed and nervously shrill, a meager replacement Instead of an international overachiever, this will just be one missive from one woman trying desperately to conquer one summit, breaking no records in the process whatsoever. The lawn will have to wait another three weeks.
I wish I could tell you that I’ve been strong and tough and loving this experience so far, but it would be truly embarrassing to tell you the number of hours I’ve wasted fantasizing about having a strong man here who volunteers to carry my heaviest things for me. Feminism, I will sell you down the river in exchange for a lighter sled and a fresh veggie tray.
As a woman whose personality is better suited to all inclusive resorts in tropical locales with five star spas attached, I have felt a growing sense of dread and fear. After all, having to buy equipment from a store called ‘40 Below’ does not bode well for my internal body temperature, which hovers barely above hypothermic during an Arizona heat wave. Although I do think the down camp booties will look rather flattering next to my Pomchi back home.
I was delighted to discover that dragging a sled is just like staggering home drunk from the bar. I can do this! I exclaimed to myself, I’ve been training my whole life for this. The lopsided jerking of the sled with each slow step reminiscent of brooklyn all nighters, of which I am a pro. Perhaps this mountain won’t be too bad after all.
But then the mountain laughed at me and called my bluff. A gentle breeze turned into a personal crisis, as I found myself pulling on my summit parka at 10,000 feet, less than halfway to said summit. Setting up tents at the airstrip took us just under six minutes. Here, it took all hands on deck and just under two hours before we were tucked into our nylon ice caves. Just think of this as a cold plunge, I told myself, it’s good for your lymphatic system.
The sauna relief didn’t arrive until 12 hours later, when our tents transformed into sweat lodges and we took the opportunity to do alpine laundry, taking full advantage of a rest day by stuffing ourselves with highly processed carbs. Forget the summit, leave me here forever, please and thank you. Perhaps later on I will even treat myself to half a wet wipe and a daydream about indoor plumbing.
RMI Climber Patty
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Comments (1)
How is it possible that each and every team member of this group is so poetic and expressive?!
Patty, I don’t know you personally, but I volunteer as tribute to be your friend ;-) My favorite verse, “A gentle breeze turned into a personal crisis…” Forgive me if I admit to almost spitting my coffee out when reading that. I promise I’m not laughing at your predicament. My other favorite, “Feminism, I will sell you down the river in exchange for a lighter sled and veggie tray.” Literally giggled at this. Patty - you’re stronger than you think - keep it up!
Rooting for all of you! - Team Kuhl
Posted by: Team Kuhl on