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Video by Sgt. Sean Callahan

Mission: McKinley

United States Army Alaska

Aug. 4, 2013 | 22:50

The team, led by instructors from the Northern Warfare Training Center here at Fort Wainwright, have been training for this event since mid-February and succeeded in reaching the summit at 8:02 p.m. June 1. Three of the team members are from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, also stationed at Fort Wainwright. The Soldiers began their adventure May 20, when they flew aboard U.S. Army Alaska Aviation Task Force CH-47 Chinook helicopters to the National Park Service base camp on Kahiltna Glacier at the 6,800-foot level of the mountain. Mount McKinley is the highest mountain peak in North America with a summit elevation of 20,320 feet above sea level. Although climbing such a large mountain is an accomplishment hundreds of mountain climbers strive for on a yearly basis, the command team at the NWTC say they have already succeeded by going above and beyond the basics, gaining more advanced skills and passing these skills down through the Soldiers they have taught to their parent units back at Fort Wainwright. The nine climbers ascended in three three-man rope teams. Rope Team 1: First Sergeant Tom Dow (NWTC) Home town: Cortland, N.Y. Staff Sergeant Seth Toy (NWTC) Home town: Conde S.D Staff Sergeant Joshua Sedivy (NWTC) Home town: South Sioux City, Neb Rope Team 2: Staff Sergeant Zachary McGee (NWTC) Home town: Ledbetter, Ky. Specialist Colton Carr (1-25th SBCT) Home town: Clay County, Ala Specialist Jacob Pendigrist (1-25th SBCT) Home town: Clearwater, Fla Rope Team 3: Karl Slingerland (Army civilian with NWTC) Home Town: N.Y Sergeant Travis Jenkins (NWTC) Home Town: Titusville, Fla Private First Class Giovanni Aleman (1-25th SBCT) Home Town: Riverside, Calif. This is their story.