The Expedition

On May 11, 2010 I will begin the journey to Talkeetna, Alaska - just outside the boundary of Denali National Park. Teaming up with a strong group of climbers from Rainier Mountaineering, Inc, we will begin the ascent of Mt. McKinley as soon as the weather allows us to fly onto the Kahiltna Glacier at 7000 ft. Over the course of the next 18 to 22 days we will ascend the challenging slopes of Mt. McKinley reaching the summit at 20,320ft, returning to base camp thereafter. Taking a day's rest, I will begin the necessary preparations for the kayaking portion of the expedition. LJ Groth of White Salmon, Washington will be joining for the kayaking leg of this expedition - beginning at the highest point of navigable water flowing from the Kahiltna glacier. Over the next 7-10 days, we will navigate the upper tributaries of the Kahiltna river, joining the large volume of the Tenhana and Susitna Rivers which pave the way to the sea at Cook Inlet. Upon completion of this expedition, it will be the first time in history that someone has traced the path of water from the summit of the highest mountain in North America to its final resting place in the sea.

This adventure is the first step towards my next major goal of tracing the Summit2Sea expedition from the summit of Mt. Everest to the Bay of Bengal. The river flowing off Mt. Everest joins the Ganges in India, which is one of the most polluted rivers in the world, while supporting one of the world's highest density of humans. This endeavor has also never been attempted, and by navigating the 600+ miles of waterway, the expedition would provide a perfect opportunity to explore the various peoples and cultures who use the river in both positive and negative ways.