The Mountain

Day 81: Even from Seattle and other points north, Mount Rainier dominates the western Washington skyline, or to be more accurate, I should say that from points north, the peak shows its full majesty. Up close where I live, the lower portion is generally obscured by foreground ridges. It isn't until you get to Paradise or Sunrise that it really comes into perspective, often drawing a breathless "Wow!" from visitors. Long-time residents speak of "The Mountain" with capital letters. You seldom hear us say "Mount Rainier" unless we're talking to tourists.

At 14,410' feet, any climbing route on the Mountain can be called a "world-class" challenge. The Camp Muir route is the easiest, and generally requires two long days from Paradise to summit and back. Longer and a bit more challenging, the Emmons Glacier route (east side) is also popular with alpinists. In my heyday, I made six successful summit bids on five routes, doubling up on the plod through Muir. Of my climbs (none technical), an ascent via Kautz Glacier was the most demanding. My husband and I carried full expedition gear to the top and overnighted in the crater.

To look at me now, you wouldn't think I'd been the tough little nugget that I was in those days. In addition to climbing, I was on the Mountain as often as not, hiking to remote locations off-trail, camping out for weeks at a time alone. That spirit of adventure is still alive within me, but alas, the knees and hips disagree when my brain suggests a 20-mile dayhike "for old times' sake." That said, I'm not quite ready to roll over yet, so don't be surprised if some sunny summer afternoon, you run into me at Indian Henry's, Grand Park or up on Panhandle Gap. I don't turn around until I'm "halfway," however far that may be. The second half is the trek home.