Denali Days - Musings from a McKinley Trip

In 2025, Seth Burn's RMI Expeditions McKinley expedition team decided to do something little different with their daily Expedition Dispatches. Instead of the normal news-bulletin updates, we got some very creative dispatches in the forms of bullets, fantasy scenarios, musings, and more. This blog captures some of their best work, and shows how climbers fill their days on the highest peak in North America.

Although they didn't make the summit due to weather, this team showed us the definition of "it's the journey, not the destination." If you're looking for insight into what it's like on "The Great One", this should give you a decent idea. The most impressive part? All this was sent via satellite communication devices, which aren't known for facilitating great wordplay.

Stuck in Talkeetna

Friday, May 16, 2025

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

First Glacier Days

May 20, 2025

Elevation: 7,800'

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

Letters Home

May 21, 2025

Elevation: 11,000'

Dear Baby Winter,

Just like in the book that we read before coming out here, “Oh the Places, You’ll Go,” today our group walked through an area that I can’t wait to tell you all about. We started this morning not entirely sure if we were going to continue up today due to the weather being a little iffy but Seth made the call for us to venture out with the goal of reaching 11,000' Camp. The walk up was incredibly challenging, the combination of wind and snow with weighted packs and sleds, made this climb like nothing I’ve ever done. The weather created what seemed to be a complete white out, like walking through a cloud. With only being able to differentiate by looking around at my fellow climbers. Thinking of you and your mother pushed me forward and most importantly our excellent guides kept us safe while out there. Each day that I’m here, Denali continues to teach me something that I hope to one day hand down to you and that’s that sometimes the most rewarding moments in life, are the ones that you’ve earned through working for them. Now it’s time for a hot meal, we’re having ramen tonight, cant wait! I miss you more than words will allow.

Love Dad (Juan)

Maureen's Restaurant

May 23, 2025

Elevation: 11,200'

The hottest new restaurant in Alaska is Maureen’s, currently located at the 11K camp on Denali. Started by a trio of up-and-coming chefs (Jackson, Ray, and Seth), who also happen to moonlight as mountain guides, Maureen’s serves up delicious Tex-Mex fare with Asian and Creole inspirations, reflective of the chefs’ diverse backgrounds. “Corn is pretty much my greatest inspiration; I can turn a tortilla into just about anything,” says Chef Jackson, citing his Iowan roots. The pop-up restaurant is small, seating 9 and squatting 1.

On a busy night of service, guests can hear Chef “Sweet Baby” Ray rapping to OutKast with an inexplicably thick Eastern European accent while whipping up a jambalaya in the open kitchen. The portions are generous, much appreciated on big efforts such as caching heavy packs of gear up to 13K ft.

When not working the breakfast shift, Chef Seth runs front of house, chatting up the regulars and offering sweet words of affirmation, which they desperately need to wake up each morning. There is relatively little to complain about, except maybe the limited beverage list (despite the chefs’ weird insistence on tasting the glacial terroir — it’s just hot water), the overpowering red polyester decor (reportedly Maureen’s favorite color), and the ever-present undertones of body odor. Dress code is casual, although insulated down is highly recommended. Gluten-free options are available upon request.

– Jason

Camp 3

May 24, 2025

Elevation: 14, 200'

Happy Friday Everyone!

To our family and friends back at home, I’m excited to share that we have made it to Camp 3—14,200’—a huge milestone in our journey! This is where we will call home for the next week or so while we acclimatize and hit the fixed lines around 17,000’ to prepare for summit attempts.

Today we woke up to a cool, crisp, bluebird sky, and that meant one thing: we were packing up Camp 2 and headed to Camp 3. After a quick breakfast, we packed up our camp, stuffed our packs to the breaking point, and loaded a couple of sleds with all our gear and food.

It was time to trade in our snowshoes and put on our crampons. That’s right—it was time to go climbing, finally! As we headed out with an ice axe in one hand and a trekking pole in the other, we stared up at Motorcycle Hill. It was time to go to work.

We had a 35-degree pitch with roughly 1,000’ of gain. From there, we made our way to Squirrel Hill—another 30-degree pitch—then up to the Polo Fields, where we finally got a bit of flatter terrain. The views are like no other and bring grace to the grind.

Then it was up and around Windy Corner, which didn’t disappoint, greeting us with some lovely wind :). We continued to embrace the day as we made our last push into Camp 3. We are home! Our biggest push in one day with 3,000’ of vertical gain.

As I sit here and write this—and I know the team feels the same—with a sunburnt face, a back that feels like it carried an elephant, and feet that feel like they ran an ultramarathon, I couldn’t be more grateful and proud of this team and all we’ve accomplished over the past six days. Getting to Camp 3 took everything we’ve got—congrats, team!

To our guides: every day you continue to inspire us, nail the weather reports, and keep us moving upward. Thank you for all your efforts!

That’s all for now—time for dinner (bacon mac and cheese!) and some much-needed rest days. Onward and upward this team goes! Keep sending the positive vibes and prayers our way—they’re working!

- Will

Life Hacks from the Top of North America

May 26, 2025

Elevation: 14,000'

We continue to hang at 14,000' Camp, acclimatizing, resting, going on small walks to stretch our achy legs, and working on the skills that we will need to ascend the higher reaches of the mountain. After a leisurely morning, our guides had us practice using our ascenders, clipping in and out of anchors, clipping in and out of anchors, and descending the fixed lines using the trusty arm wrap. We repeated until Seth was confident that we could perform these drills with cold hands.

As the pace of life has slowed during this phase of the expedition and we have many (many) hours in the tent with our own thoughts, I’ve curated my top 5 life hacks from the top of North America:

      1. Say goodbye to dish detergent and sponge - fresh powdery snow makes a great all-natural scrub for cleaning your single bowl, mug, and spork. Just step outside, grab a handful of nature’s Dawn, and get to work! Please be sure you select a patch of snow that is indeed white.

       2. Alternatively, forget the dish washing routine altogether and embrace the complex layerings of flavor that can only be experienced when you brew tea in the same mug as last night’s corn soup, or slurp Cinnamon Toast Crunch with undertones of Madras Lentils.

      3. Worried that your sticky-fingers roommate will take your last slice of leftover pizza, or a sneaky coworker will swipe your oat milk creamer AGAIN? Here’s what you gotta do: wrap your precious perishables in a trash bag and bury it deep in the snow! Your goodies will stay cold and fresh, and hidden from greedy scavengers. Just budget a good 20 minutes to dig it up when you need it.

      4. Too lazy to take dry clean only items in for a proper cleaning? Just set dingy laundry like sleeping bags and boot liners out in the sun to sanitize. At least, we think it’s working - our noses have become desensitized to our collective eau de parfum naturel.

        5. Lastly, to all my nocturnal urinators: A pee bottle is the greatest luxury you can add to your life. Not only does the pee bottle save you a trip outside the tent in the middle of a cold night, but you can then tuck it in your sleeping bag as a sort of cozy hot water bottle. Just make sure it has a spill-proof lid. 

In all seriousness, we love and miss you all back home! Sending so much love to ma and pa in Vancouver, David in NYC, Grammie and Granddad and family in Nova Scotia, all the fam in Toronto and Boston, and our supportive friends in Seattle!

A special shout out to our youngest reader, Gene, burgeoning outdoorsperson and super rad human! Say hi to your mom for me!

Love,

RMI Climber Grace

Rest Day Rambles

May 27, 2025

Elevation: 14,000'

Day 10 of eating our way across Denali brought to you by RMIGuides.com…as we all lay in our tents in the frigid cold morning air, waiting with bated breath for the verdict go/no go for the day, are we going for a stroll up to 17,000' Camp or will we chill at camp for another day waiting for our perfect window and eating as many snacks as humanly possible? The more important thing we were all waiting to hear is “breakfast in 5”. Because snacks are definitely not enough calories obviously for this group.  These words drive us all to struggle out of our cozy sleeping bags, and put on our puffy pants and jackets, hats and boots as quickly as possible to see what delicious 5 star Yelp meal awaits us to start our day…this morning, they had me at “bacon”.  This word is special to me as I live with the most incredible vegetarian on the planet, my spouse Dr. Lauralynn Jansen, who is an amazing cook and human being, but there is no way in hell she is ever cooking bacon in our kitchen. Gotta get it when I can! Love ya babe!  We stagger out of our tents making our way to the warm cook tent like we haven’t eaten in days and get settled shoulder to shoulder and all check in on each other and on our sleep for that night, sipping a hot drink as we wait for our gourmet bagels and BACON!!

Jason apparently got a full 7 hours and was bragging just a bit. Said he was amped to get the acclimatization hike and summit attempt all knocked out today and call it good.  He may need to lay off the moxy a bit or the rest of us need to get on board and step up our game! I think the rest of us were not necessarily on the same page….as far as my sleep, the outstanding loaner inflatable mat allowed me about a good solid 15 minutes of comfort as it proceeded to slide right out from under me like it was greased up with Crisco prior to me using it.  I relished that precious 15 minutes however.  I’ll take the short stints of comfort when I can get it. 

After breakfast we decided to take a walk around the camp to stretch out the legs and do some meet and greet with other climbers which ended up being bartering for toilet paper and kielbasas (shocker) as we certainly need to make sure we do not run out of food or TP at this stage of the game. That kielbasa could potentially save our lives for sure in the long run and you know, that TP speaks for itself.  We also had a nice visit with the Park Rangers and we made our way back to camp to some yoga, stretching, pushups, 7-min abs, and some squats to get the blood pumping. Oh how I miss going for a run, but this will do for now as the energy expenditure and effort is about to go up exponentially in the next few days much to our chagrin. Welcome to the reality of why we are here. 

Some home renovations also took place today for our three musketeers tent that needed some leveling work for sure. Team effort, supervised by Task Master Juan (much less critical than previous Project Manager Ethan for sure) provided a much needed leveling upgrade to our snow flooring which will hopefully keep me from unintentionally violating tent space as I roll off my mat. We were also super pumped to see our RMI Team come in from their summit that gave us hope for our team and the effort it will take to reach the top.

Meanwhile, the cook tent was transformed into Casino Royale with Ocean’s 15 blowing up (minus Brad Pitt and George Clooney- sorry guys) as Farkle die were flying and high stakes betting was taking place for Snickers, gorp, sausage, Oreos and other high value items that we certainly don’t have enough of already.  If memory serves me correctly, Senior Juan put the smackdown on the other players and holds bragging rights until the next game fired up.  In addition, Christmas came early as Seth showed up later in the day with an additional inflatable mat for us to use so we will be living large in Musketeer Central.  A special thanks to Grace for burning the incense as it’s getting a bit ripe in these parts let’s be honest and it was lovely to the smell…We have really enjoyed this down time to enjoy each other’s company and continue to rest, hydrate and of course eat… speaking of eating, we hear the hot water brewing as our Master Chef Seth once again prepare the evening meal of Jambalaya and Oreo Cheesecake deliciousness. Shut the front door!  Thank you again to our fearless leaders Seth, Jackson and Ray.  Especially for taking care of my feet. I continue to embrace and appreciate each and every moment of this journey and look forward to what tomorrow brings to this team. 

Thanks for all of your support! It is greatly appreciated!

-RMI Climber Shannon

Poetry at Altitude

May 28, 2025

Elevation: 14,000'

Once upon a time in a land far far away,

7  Denali climbers were sleeping dreaming of the next day. 

Before sun had risen they awoke to a rattle,

loud stoves were a burning, breakfast before the next battle.

They packed and readied getting out of warm beds,

The climbers excited for the next challenge ahead.

Folks started with cold toes up the steep mountain side,

But quickly warmed as legs churned and turned their tide.

Up the fixed lines to the climbers next cache,

They reached the spot, oh boy what a dash?!

Back down they went making truly great time.

Home for ramen dinner while the sun did still shine.

Now back in their tents, the days sure do fly by,

Dreams of the summit with hopes set sky high!

Farewell for now as guides need sleep too,

The team will check back tomorrow with updates for you!

RMI Guide Jackson Breen

Weather Days

May 30, 2025

Elevation: 14,200'

The rest day at 14K. Waiting on the weather.

99% of people come to Denali with the sole aspiration of reaching the summit. Don’t be like these folks, they are basic and miss out While tent-bound and waiting for our weather window (hopefully Saturday or Sunday by the way, put it on your calendars), we’ve been busy with:

1. Building an ice monument at camp to honor the ice Pharaohs that will last a thousand suns.
2. Setting up an HOA and developing our surrounding community.
3. Reenacting 12 Angry Men, except the crime is who left a covert poop in our bathroom?
4. Putting up “Wanted” posters for Shannon’s friend, the elusive Bill “Big Moxy” Marshall.
5. Filming our workout tape, Body by Denali, guaranteed to deliver muscle loss in 22 days.

Once we complete all these side quests, I think we unlock a free ride to the top.

-  RMI Climber Jason

Waiting It Out

May 31, 2025

Elevation: 14,200'

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

Finding Meaning in Not Summiting

June 2, 2025

Elevation: 14,200'

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

Haikus of a Denali Descent

June 4, 2025

Elevation: 7,800'

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

Reflecting on the Journey

June 5, 2025

Elevation: 7,300'

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