Bezema is an avid mountaineer with considerable technical experience, including organizing and leading annual climbs in the Alps for a local mountain club.  His own glacier experience includes the summits of Mont Blanc (France), Trafoier Eiswand (Austria), Monte Zebru (Italy), Ortler (Italy), Fluchthorn (Austria), and winter ascents of Dreilanderspitze (Austria) and Piz Buin (Austria).  His resume includes many other peaks of lesser altitude, but with more technically demanding routes.

One of Henk's greatest wishes is to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each of the world's continents.  Denali will be his first, representing North America's pinnacle.  The others are Aconcagua (South America), Elbrus (Europe), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Vinson (Antarctica), Kosciusko (Australia), and of course Everest (Asia).

In early 1998, Henk responded to a posting Keith McPheeters had left on a popular internet message board about mountaineering.  McPheeters was searching for possible climbing partners for a Denali expedition in 1999, and was requesting specifically for interested police officers.  Keith was pleasantly surprised by Henk's response from half way around the world.  After a series of introductory e-mails, a training climb was planned to Mount Rainier (Washington) in order for the team to meet and familiarize themselves with one another.  Bezema made his first trip to the United States with a good friend and climbing partner, Ria van de Hoef.  They were met in Seattle by Keith McPheeters and Steve Evans.

Unfortunately, the Rainier trip did not go as planned.  Henk's and Ria's equipment was lost by the airline and they left the country after waiting several days in the shadow of Rainier.  However, the team took advantage of the time together by explaining their climbing and rescue techniques, touring Seattle and Mount Rainier National Park, and generally getting to know one another.  Although the team was unable to stand on the summit together, they were convinced that the experience proved they would make a compatible team.  In that regard, one of the trip's objectives was satisfied.  Keith and Rocky did stand successfully on the summit of Mount Rainier, while Steve conceded to a knee injury.