Entries By seth burns
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,800'
Tuesday, May 20, 2025 - 12:31 pm PDT
Well, we woke up this morning to much better weather. Headed over to the cook tent for a quick bowl or two of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and coffee. Breakfast of champions! We got our sleds and packs ready to set off for our first cache of the expedition. Everybody was anxious to get going after a great rest day. Many other teams had the same idea, and we certainly didn’t mind a few of them in front of us breaking trail after we got about a foot of snow at camp in the last 24hrs. All three teams were moving great up the mountain led by our fearless leaders Seth, Jackson and Ray. They rock! We had three breaks on the way up and as we moved up the mountain, clouds and a wisp of wind and snow started to move in. We reached 10,200' and cached our gear and food. Super nice being able to walk downhill with a light pack and no sled! We made our way quickly downhill passing teams as we did on the way up. We are now snug back at our lower camp waiting for what we know will be an amazing dinner of jambalaya. Being originally from Louisiana and all…no pressure on Chef Ray. Ha!
Our team is really firing on all cylinders and feeling good. Happy for that! Hydrating, fixing feet and getting some rest are on the agenda after dinner. Oh, and the skies parted on the way back a bit giving us spectacular views when we arrived back at camp, so grateful to be in this moment.
RMI Climber Shannon and Team
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Sunday, May 18, 2025 - 9:57 pm PT
After the late night we enjoyed sleeping in a bit to wait out the storm. We woke up to the rhythmic sound of snow on the side of the tent. We had a lovely breakfast of bagels with lox and warm drinks before going back to the shelter of our warm tents. About a foot of snow fell overnight and into the early afternoon. Life on the glacier is peaceful. Reading, playing cards, and sharing stories made the time go by pleasantly. We organized our resources and are hoping to carry tomorrow. Just before dinner the visibility improved and we were able to watch the birds rejoice in the break in the weather. Dinner was accompanied by stupid jokes and cheerful laughter. Today was a great day, the team is in good spirits.
Peace, Love, and Gratitude,
RMI Guides Seth, Jackson, Ray, and Team
Thank you for these daily posts! You are in a majestic place with a group that sounds like a dream team! Thank you Jason and Grace for taking us along via your GPS tracker. May all of you enjoy this incredible experience. Be safe and lift up your eyes to the mountains!
Luv,
Grace’s folks- Lela & Victor
Message from Grace’s grandparents: We are so proud of your perseverance. We are looking forward to hearing about all of your adventures! Lots of Love, Granmie & Grandaddy
Posted by: Lela & Victor Ling on 5/19/2025 at 3:34 pm
Will.
Happy to hear you have started this amazing journey. Glacier life sounds beautiful and peaceful. Enjoy god’s beauty, be safe. Wishing the whole team the best. Praying for you all. HUGS !!
Love, Mom Sergi
Posted by: joann sergi on 5/19/2025 at 12:30 pm
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 7,800'
Sunday, May 18, 2025 - 1:53 am PT
We woke up this morning with the feeling that we would fly today and in the end we were right. A little after noon we got the call we had been waiting for. And quickly got into our boots. After a circuitous and beautiful flight we landed on the Kahitna Glacier. Despite the later hour, with good weather and high stoke, we quickly left base camp and made our way to Ski Hill. The team is very happy to be on the mountain and making our way up.
RMI Guide Seth Burns and team
Be safe sweetheart you got this! i’m so proud of you and I hope you have a great time and see lots of amazing views. I love you love, mom.
Posted by: Laura Hittmann on 5/19/2025 at 5:09 am
You’ve got this Will!!! What an adventure!
We love you!! Can’t wait to hear about it and see the awesome pics!
Safety to all!
Love, Mom
Posted by: Annette Sutila on 5/18/2025 at 2:16 pm
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Saturday May 17, 2025 2:07 pm PDT
Seth Burns and Team checked in from Talkeetna, they are loaded and Flying onto the Kahiltna Glacier.
Let the climbing begin!
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Godspeed out there Will. We’re excited for your journey and thinking about you every day.
Posted by: Andrew and Nicole Gonzales on 5/18/2025 at 5:30 am
Have fun out there, Juan and team! I’ll be cheering for you every step of the way.
Posted by: Jackie on 5/17/2025 at 3:17 pm
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
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Friday, May 16, 2025 - 10:19 pm PDT
We started our day with breakfast at latitude 62 and ended our day with dinner at latitude 62. Can anyone guess where our day will start tomorrow?!
We spent the morning talking about the finer points of Denali climbing while learning and practicing some new skills. In the afternoon, our pilots at K2 along with the Denali base camp manager saw a break in the weather. Giddy with excitement, we loaded up the plane with all of our bags, put on our mountain clothes, and patiently waited for our chance for take off. Unfortunately, mountain weather can be a fickle beast and the mountain wasn't ready to let us in just yet. We became mesmerized by some classic Denali climbing films and fantasized about when we would soon be in those very spots.
Waiting is inevitable in the mountains, but always hard, especially at the beginning of a trip. I could not be more proud of our team's attitude. They are taking everything in stride and with a smile. We are enjoying constant laughs, telling stories, and building camaraderie that will enable us to run when our feet hit the ground. We will be ready to fly when our time comes. Hopefully that time is tomorrow morning!
RMI Guides Jackson, Ray, Seth and Team
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - 9:00 PM PDT
Well, we did not fly today. The clouds around Talkeetna and especially on the Kahiltna kept the planes on the ground. While this is not exactly what we wanted it is not unusual. Our friends at K2 aviation run a professional outfit and do everything they can to get us safely on and off the mountain. While they kept their eyes on the weather, we spent the day enjoying coffee, going over rope skills, eating plenty of food, and even going on a nice run.
If you're reading this, send us clear sky vibes.
RMI Guides Seth, Jackson, Ray, and Team
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 348'
Wednesday May 14, 2025 - 8:52 pm PT
Our first full day in Alaska greeted us with a beautiful and crisp morning. Today was a day of packing and repacking, prepping for the weeks ahead. While at time tiresome, we were laying the groundwork for a successful climb. By the end of the afternoon, bags were packed, food checked, and our team organized into our two flights. Excitement is high as we hope to fly to basecamp tomorrow.
All the best- RMI Guides Seth, Jackson, Ray, and team.
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Everyday is a grind, but the ending will be amazing, keep pushing! Remember each moment!
Posted by: Josh Durkiewicz on 5/15/2025 at 9:12 am
Posted by: Seth Burns, Jackson Breen, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska
Elevation: 348'
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - 10:03 pm PT
Hello from Talkeetna! After a long day of travel we have arrived in this lovely little town, our launching off point. The excitement is tangible as we settle in, looking forward to a day of packing and prep tomorrow.
RMI Guide Seth Burns
New Post Alerts:
McKinley Expedition May 13, 2025
Thank you so much for setting up this thoughtful webpage. We’ll be following along with the update! Wishing you all strength, endurance, good weather, and an amazing experience!
Love you Grace and Jason!
Posted by: Carol, Yong & Ruihua on 5/15/2025 at 8:14 am
Will, what an incredible adventure - soak in every moment!! We cannot wait to hear about it!! Xoxo
Posted by: Nicole and Drew on 5/15/2025 at 5:18 am
Posted by: Seth Burns, Hannah Blum, Raymond Holt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Expedition Skills Seminar – Muir, May 4–9, led by RMI Guide Seth Burns, successfully reached the summit of Mt. Rainier at approximately 9:15 AM today. The team encountered cold and windy conditions during their ascent from Camp Muir to the top of Disappointment Cleaver. However, upon reaching 13,200 feet, the winds eased, giving way to sunshine and clear skies.
Over the past several days, the team has been based at Camp Muir, where they focused on building essential mountaineering skills. They will spend one final night on the mountain before descending to Paradise tomorrow.
Well done, team!
PC: Hannah Blum
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Seth Burns, Drew O’Brien, Will Ambler
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir September 4 - 9 led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier, Seth Burns, Drew O'Brien and Will Ambler reached the summit of Mt. Rainier today. The team has spent the last several days training on the mountain and enjoying the views. Today they put their work to the test and made their summit attempt, reaching the crater rim around 7:30 am. After enjoying a bit of time on the summit the team is descending to Camp Muir where they will spend the night. Tomorrow they will descend the remaining 4.5 miles to Paradise. A team celebration will be in order tomorrow afternoon before they conclude their six day program.
Nice work team!
Hello Juan, my sweet son! I pray that you are enjoying this for as bad as you wanted it. I hope that is a great adventure for you and that your toenails are not falling off and you’re not cramping too badly. I love you sweetheart stay safe keep sending updates please love mama.
Posted by: Laura on 5/21/2025 at 4:29 am
Trust you have a blast Jason and Grace! Cheering you on!
Posted by: Trevor Davies on 5/20/2025 at 4:15 pm
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