Entries By raymond holt
Posted by: Tatum Whatford, Joe Crawford, Raymond Holt, Dylan Anderson, Julian Kral, Ben Porter, David Rathbun, Nina Bridges
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'

The Five-Day Climb teams, led by RMI Guides Tatum Whatford and Joe Crawford, reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning! After taking in a beautiful sunrise above the clouds, the climbers began their descent from the crater rim around 7:00 a.m. They'll pause for a well-earned break at Camp Muir before continuing down to Paradise, with plans to return to basecamp later this afternoon.
Congratulations to today’s climbers on a successful summit!
Posted by: Will Ambler, Casey Grom, George Hedreen, Raymond Holt, Avery Stolte, Celeste Wilson, Margo Kerr, Erika Barrett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb June 30 - 3 July led by RMI Guides Will Ambler and George Hedreen reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. They enjoyed some time in the crater before starting their descent around 7 am. Will reported sunny skies and light winds. The teams will return to Camp Muir for a short break and repack, then continue the final 4.5 miles down to Paradise. They will conclude their adventure this afternoon with a celebration at Rainier BaseCamp.
Congratulations to today's climbers!
Posted by: Brent Okita, Jess Wedel, Raymond Holt, Brooks Ordway-Smith, Josh Geiser, David Rathbun, Miles Watson, Tate Hughes
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'


Yes, it's official—Brent Okita has reached his 600th summit of Mt. Rainier, setting a world record for the most successful ascents of the iconic 14,410-foot peak! This incredible milestone was achieved during a Four-Day Climb led by Okita and fellow guide Jess Wedel. The team reached the summit early this morning, and they’re expected to return to basecamp this afternoon for a well-deserved celebration.
To put this into perspective, 600 summits equates to approximately 5.4 million feet of elevation gain—and that’s only counting successful climbs. It doesn’t include the countless additional feet from training, attempted climbs, or even biking from Ashford to Paradise. Brent’s dedication, endurance, and passion for mountaineering are truly legendary.
Congratulations also to the RMI Clients that were able to climb and share the rope with Brent and Jess today. It was very important to Brent that he accomplish this record while guiding RMI Clients to the top.
That is Incredible Brent!! Congrats!!! I was lucky to have climbed with you a few years ago.
You Rock!!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 6/14/2025 at 3:29 am
Holy smokes. That is a lot of Rainier summits. Congrats to Brent! (I probably will have to drink a Rainier beer on his behalf.)
Posted by: Some guy from Puyallup on 6/13/2025 at 2:04 pm
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 348'
Friday, June 6, 2025 - 6:37pm PT
After three weeks in the mountain we flew from Kahiltna Base Camp this morning. While warming our hands with a final cup of coffee at base camp, we got the message that we had all been waiting for. K2 had launched their planes. Thirty minutes later, the distinctive red and white Otters roared over and landed in the snowy white landscape.
While weather kept us from standing on top this time around, we had a resoundingly successful trip. I cannot thank our climbers and my fellow guides enough for all of their work, effort, laughs, determination, and patience during this trip. Until next time,
RMI Guide Seth Burns
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Congratulations to you all on the incredible experience of a lifetime!!!
Posted by: Carol Yu on 6/11/2025 at 5:10 am
My eyes are teary catching up on the team’s journey. What an experience. I’m sad for ya’ll that the weather didn’t cooperate. But I feel relieved that it sounds like all of you are returning safely and with so many new memories and experiences. Congratulations to you all on the experience of a lifetime!!! Shannon, excited to hear all about it. Way to go ya’ll!!!
Posted by: Emily Pembroke on 6/8/2025 at 6:12 am
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 7,300'
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 - 10:14 pm PT
When we think of Sisyphus, we think of a man cursed to repeat the same arduous task each day with no end in sight. Each day he must think this is it - he has rolled this massive boulder to the top of the mountain, and surely his quest must be complete, right? Yet he awakes each day to the boulder back at the foot of the mountain, only to start again. How tragic! How crushing!
Or is it? In his essay, “The Myth of Sisyphus”, Albert Camus posits that perhaps Sisyphus is not doomed to a life of despair, but is actually a deeply satisfied individual. (Mind you, I have never read this essay and have only a surface-level knowledge of French existential literature let alone Greek mythology, so take this with a Denali sized grain of salt). But consider: this man wakes up each day with a clear task. It’s tough work rolling that boulder but he has some sweet views along the way. Every day he completes his task and must feel satisfied with a day of hard work. He goes to sleep feeling accomplished each night. How many of us can say that we have a clear task each day with no other distractions, a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day, and the delicious feeling of going to bed bone-tired which always produces the best sleep?
Our team made it back to Kahiltna Base Camp today, the last leg of an epic three week expedition. We now wait for skies to clear enough for a flight back to Talkeetna. Although the mountain’s infamous weather system ultimately prevented our team from making a summit bid, we are deeply satisfied with the gifts that The Great One has provided us. We were awed by the austere beauty of the Kahiltna and and vastness of the surrounding peaks and ridges. We were pushed to our limits and learned to dig deeper than ever before; whether it be cramponing on blue ice, being blown around on Windy Corner, struggling with all things altitude, or keeping our extremities warm in -40F windchill. We - a group of strangers prior to May 13 - became not only friends but teammates, encouraging each other in our hardest times, cheering each others’ successes, and cracking the most ridiculous and obscene jokes all day and late into the night.
Climbing Denali/Mt. McKinley has been physically and mentally the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Yet each night I went to sleep in the tent feeling a deep sense of gratitude and accomplishment.
Thank you to our incredible guides (Seth, Jackson, and Ray) for showing us the way, and more - from whipping up breakfast and dinner each day, to performing minor foot surgery, to digging Sisyphusian amounts of snow on the daily, to dealing with all of our client shenanigans. You each have unique gifts that helped me get farther than I thought possible.
Thank you to the rest of the team - the Dont-nalis :) Shannon, David, Ethan, Will, Juan, and of course my other half Jason. I am deeply grateful to have met and befriended each of you. I look forward to our paths crossing again on this great expedition of life.
Love,
RMI Climber Grace
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Grace, thank you for this beautiful reflection for what may have been a defining moment for each of you. I want to thank each of the RMI guides and all of the climbers for these daily blogs. You have taken us on this virtual journey that few ever physically experience. This journey may be coming to an end, but the memories and experiences will live on along with your new friendships. Can hardly wait to see you and Jason in person!
Love,
Grace’s folks, Victor and Lela
Posted by: Lela & Victor Ling on 6/5/2025 at 11:52 am
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,800'
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Tuesday, June 3, 2025 11:11pm PDT
We left 14 today. Wind and snow. made it to the base of ski hill. Set up camp, had dinner. Hope to continue to the airstrip tomorrow!
Haikus of a Denali Descent
Downhill we trotted
To the airstrip we plotted
Stopped short at ski hill
Wind blowing so far
Windy corner not that hard
Our team is so strong
Talkeetna awaits
Hopes of flying tomorrow
One more stretch to go
- by RMI Guide Jackson Breen
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
We know you all must be disappointed about not getting to the Summit. But Denali’s conditions are notoriously unpredictable, and you met every challenge with immense courage, skill, and endurance. You should absolutely be proud of your resilience in the face of such harsh conditions. What’s clear from the daily blogs is that you will all return with incredible memories, lasting friendships, and valuable new skills for your next mountain challenges.
Posted by: Chris & Theresa Mizer on 6/5/2025 at 8:24 am
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 14,000'
Monday, June 2, 2025 - 11:07 pm PT
We slept soundly last night despite strong winds and snow thanks to the fortress our team built. After breakfast, we discussed the intense stormy weather we are currently experiencing and the forecast that has no adequate weather windows in site. This lead our team to the tough decision that we need to start heading down the mountain. The team took this in stride as they have taken everything throughout our program. With any luck we will start our journey down the mountain tomorrow picking up caches and shaking hands with other RMI teams along the way. Once back at Basecamp we will wait patiently for our brilliant pilots at K2 to come whisk us away and take us back to Talkeetna!
RMI Guide Jackson Breen
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
I am so sorry for the team, I know it was really disappointing, not being able to summit the mountain. You should all be very proud of yourselves., what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! Definitely this team gave it all that they have, congratulations to all of you for a great client and effort .
Love Juan‘s mom
Posted by: Laura Hittmann on 6/3/2025 at 6:27 pm
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Monday, June 2, 2025 - 3:45 pm PT
We woke up at 17 Camp to large plumes of snow sublimating off Denali Pass. We slow rolled putting on every layer of clothing we had waiting for water to boil, hoping the wind would subside by the time breakfast was ready. To no avail. By the time we were packed and headed downhill the wind had reached our front door and we were blown down the West Buttress back to 14 Camp with our tails between our legs. Reuniting with friends back at camp and worsening weather reassured us that we had made the right decision.
We have gained a lot over the last couple of weeks; new friendships, good conversations, silly jokes, and some peace from the fast pace of modern life. Though reaching the summit isn’t out of the cards yet for our team, we are beyond satisfied with what the mountain has given us so far. Climbing brings people to their best and their worst, it can cause great joy and great fear. It is a very vulnerable and intimate relationship.
In this world of rat races and anonymous faces it is refreshing to be with good people in a beautiful place. Thank you Mt. McKinley for brining us all together.
Peace, love, gratitude--
RMI Guide Ray Holt
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McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 17,200'
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Saturday, May 31, 2025 9:20pm PDT
After 8 days in the comfort of 14,000' camp we went climbing today. The team packed up and we made our way once again up the fixed lines. The west buttress did not disappoint, delivering panoramic views. The weather could not have been better with only the slightest of breezes and the occasional cloud. While tired, the team is ready to hopefully take advantage of a small weather window. Send good weather vibes our way!
RMI Guide Seth and Team
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
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Friday, May 30, 2025 - 7:57pm PDT
Waiting at 14,000
Our guides warned us that days at 14,000 feet could be among the hardest. Not because of the altitude, the vertical climbs, or the heavy loads—but because of the waiting.
Today, we hoped for a weather window to move to 17, the penultimate step in our push for the summit. Instead, we were sequestered in camp by wind and snow. Nerves and hopes for tomorrow run high. These are the days that can wear on you—but I am fortunate to be part of an intrepid, resolved, and collegial team.
I am inspired by you, my fellow climbers—by your humor and strength, your spirit of adventure and fierce determination, your perseverance and positivity. We came together by different paths, but we now share a common journey. When I falter, you wait. When you ascend, I cheer. We move together, always supporting, never judging.
I am equally emboldened by our guides—by their friendliness, focus, and vision. They work while we rest. They carry the heavier loads. Though their frustration with our poor packing skills and questionable foot care is sometimes apparent, their patience, calm, and capability give me confidence—not in the outcome, which even they cannot promise, but in the possibility. There are a thousand reasons—weather, injury, error—that any one of us might not summit. But these three remarkable people are the reason we can try.
I don’t know what the next few days hold. But I know this: the ten of us will face what comes together, as we have faced everything so far—one expedition, one team, one rope.
– David and team
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Take care of my sister! I love you Shannon. I am very proud of you.
Posted by: Mariah Phares on 6/2/2025 at 12:46 am
In awe of Shannon and team for your resilience, determination and spirit! Following closely on Garmin.
Wishing you great weather and a safe climb from base camp.
Posted by: Jenn & Ted Tucker on 6/1/2025 at 8:42 am
Congratulations everyone (especially Trishita)! Great job and you continue to inspire us!
Posted by: Sanjay Banerjee on 7/7/2025 at 7:20 pm
Great job, everyone (especially Trishita)! So glad you got to summit
Posted by: Connor Boyle on 7/7/2025 at 4:27 pm
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