First Giving

(WTNH) - When Roger Hess' best friend, David Roth, was diagnosed with a brain tumor, he knew he had to do something to help. Roger partnered with FirstGiving.com and decided to climb Denali, one of the seven summits of Mt. McKinley in Alaska.

Denali offers one of the world's greatest expedition challenges. While it is exceeded in elevation by peaks in South America and Asia, its arctic environment with extreme temperatures and harsh storms and its great height above the Alaskan plain make it a severe test of personal strength, team work, and logistics. No peak in the world has greater relief: Denali rises 17K feet above its surrounding plain. In contrast, Kilimanjaro rises 14K feet over its surrounding plains and Everest, 13K feet. From our landing spot on the Kahiltna Glacier Denali's summit rises another 13K feet. As the tallest mountain on the North American continent, Denali is one of the 7 Summits. The mountain requires great physical effort, skillful & cautious mountaineering and expedition practices, & patient acclimatization & climbing over a 3-week period.