In just 24 days I will be standing at the foot of one of our country’s most coveted mountains. Sure, I’ve been up 14ers in Colorado which take you from the base to summit in about 4,500′, but Rainier is a monster in its own right. Rainier’s height from base is twice as high giving our team an ascent of 9,010′. Our team… In February of 2006 I began to assemble a team that is now at the solid number of 8 (Brad and Becky Davidson, Jon Waldron, Erick Waldron, Brett Harrison, Ashley Tuggle, Wil Watkins, and myself). All have purchased airline tickets, bought gear, and train appropriately. Speaking of training…what must one do to prepare for a trip like this?? Well the standard answer to the question “how to prepare to hike in an upward fashion with a full pack”…is to “hike in an upward fashion with a full pack.” I’ll put the pack on with a treadmill at full incline about 2 weeks before the trip…as for now, it’s all about physical fitness. I hate lifting so I’ve become quite creative with exercises that replicate activities on the mountain. Chin-ups (to pull myself out of a crevasse), stairs (obvious), and push-ups are just a few. As for coordination - I give most of the credit to Ashley Tuggle. She spent 40 days on a NOLS course last summer in the Himalayas on glaciated terrain mostly above 14,000′. I “commissioned” her to coordinate and organize the trip. It’s been hard letting go of the reigns but she has done an outstanding job planning for the actual climb.

So why would I want to take a chance of falling in a crevasse, being blown off the top of a volcano, or sliding off the side of the glaciated mountain you might ask. The adventure has been calling since I saw this mountain at the age of 12. I have longed to play on such a mountain and done maximum planning to remove as much risk as possible. So join me (in whatever capacity) and wish me well as I set forth to enjoy a week on the mountain.