Mt. Rainier (14,411’) dominates the Seattle skyline and beckons to the adventurer in those taken by its’ majestic snow-capped cone. With over 26 glaciers, Rainier is the most glaciated mountain in the continental U.S. and is considered the longest endurance climb of all mountains in the same region. Many times I have dreamed of climbing it and that opportunity finally presented itself in the summer of 2000. Each year, the American Lung Association hosts a fund raising event called the ‘Climb for Clean Air’. In order to participate in the climb, each person must raise $3,000, which is not an easy task in and of itself. Having found out about this during Memorial Day weekend, I had a little more than two weeks to raise the funds and a month to supplement my normal workout routine with as many training climbs as possible. My wife was instrumental in helping to raise the funds by calling numerous people as I walked through the neighborhood and asked people at work. Together, we managed to hit the $3,000 by the June 15th deadline, thereby securing a position on one of the six climb teams. Altogether, the climbers ended up raising over $400,000 for the American Lung Association! I did some local hikes and climbed to camp Muir (10,188’) on Rainier in preparation. Lou Whittaker’s RMI guide services put us through climb school and donated the equipment for the climb day. The climb takes two days, the first usually being five hours or less up to camp Muir. Climbers spend the night and arise at around midnight to attempt the summit before returning to Paradise 9,000’ below. This is a journal of my Climb for Clean Air experience.

June 1, 5pm – Tiger Mountain training hike; this is the first time I have met some of the climbers. The volunteer coordinator is Bill Crone whom I have spoken with on the phone and via email. He’s a pleasant teddy-bear kind of man and has summitted Rainier eight times. He will not be climbing this year since he has a heart condition (sleep apnea), but is planning to have corrective surgery and climb again next year. The other climbers are Bill and Cindy – both novices at this type of climbing like myself. Bill C. takes the time to explain pressure breathing and the rest step – two fundamental things that must be done in order to make it to the summit of Rainier. I also learned a lot about what to pack and what to wear. The view from the summit of Tiger Mountain is grander than I expected. I had hiked this mountain before but never to the summit.

June 3, 9am – Camp Muir training climb; Still a bit sore from the Tiger Mountain hike, I hoist my backpack on and walk out of Paradise Lodge with a group of about 30 and proceed toward the Guide Services hut where we will begin our ascent to camp Muir. We are reminded to slather the SPF 40+ sunscreen everywhere, including in our ears and up our noses since it is a very sunny day. Second-degree sunburns are common on such days and with your face looking down at the snow, even the inside of your mouth can get burned if left open too much. Glacier glasses are a must so that the retina is not permanently damaged. With a 25-pound pack, ski poles and gaiters over my plastic boots, I am excited and ready to go. The pace is comfortable and I feel good. We rest every hour to an hour and a half and finally make it to Muir five hours later. Some people are experiencing some symptoms of altitude sickness, but nothing serious. The view is breathtaking with Mt. Adams to the East and the distinctive Mt. St. Helens to the Southeast. Camp Muir leaves something to be desired. There’s a solar powered toilet that grabs the attention of your nose long before you reach its’ door. A small-stonewalled hut houses 24-25 people for the night and another wooden one is where we will sleep on our climb. It looks like a shoe-box painted black. There are a few tents pitched nearby with Gibraltar Rock looming in the background. We rest for about an hour and then begin our descent. For me, the ascent was almost easier. The snow has gotten soft and we sink in deep with each footstep. The soft snow also makes glissading difficult, but we manage to slide quite well on the steeper portions. We arrive back at Paradise around 6pm. I am tired but not exhausted. It dawns on me that the real climb will be another 5-8 hour day of climbing on the heels of today’s climb and then a very long descent. I hope I make it. Feeling like I've had a successful day, I load up the car with my gear and start heading down the mountain. Glancing in the rear view mirror, I notice that my eyes are red, so I decide to pull off to the side of the road and take my contacts out. After removing them, my eyes begin to burn and I realize that I somehow managed to get sunscreen in them and I have no water left to flush them out. The drive home proves to the most difficult obstacle of the day as one eye cannot be opened for more than a couple of seconds and the other is not much better. I pull off the road further down the mountain and collect some water from a small waterfall to flush out my eyes. It helps momentarily, but this sunscreen is waterproof, sweat proof and rub proof! I flush them out once again at a McDonald's in Enumclaw and manage to get home safely.

June 10, 9am – Second training climb to Muir; The weather is very different from last week’s climb to Muir. Instead of shorts, I have on my Gortex parka and pants. I am also carrying about 10 pounds more in my pack today. We pass several people on the way up who are returning from Muir. The reports of the weather up there are not great – gusty winds, snowing and whiteouts. We manage to ascend to 7,420’ just above Pebble Creek and take a break. The reports were accurate and we’re only about half way to Muir. If we continue, we will probably need to use the marker flags since the visibility is deteriorating. The barometer is also dropping which is not a good sign. The leader of the group makes the decision to head down and most of us feel good about it. It certainly isn’t pleasant weather. We arrive back at Paradise (5,400') where it’s snowing but not as windy. I will be spending the night at the lodge and attending climb school all day tomorrow. I’ve been told it is a lot of fun. Although I’m enjoying a peaceful night reading a book in the lodge, I miss my family.

June 11, 9am – Climb school; About twenty-five climbers gather by the Guide Services hut in preparation for climb school. The hut is very crowded since we are not the only group. I feel privileged to meet the legendary Lou Whittaker and Gombu (summitted Everest twice). The guide leading our group today is Kirk who has also summitted Everest (in 1975). We have five guides going with us today, including Kirk, Gombu, Phursumba Sherpa, Carina and a new guide in training. The day is packed full of learning, including proper handling of an ice axe, ropes, breathing, walking and self arrest. A lot of time is spent sliding down a steep slope practicing self-arrest and walking while roped up. It turns out to be as much fun as people said it would be. The weekend has been long, but I have learned a lot. When I returned home, I found my sleeping bag was wet. It had been at the bottom of my backpack, sitting in the snow for a good portion of a day – not something I would want to sleep in at camp Muir. Next time I will line my backpack with a garbage bag. I will probably also need a different parka – this one is old and the Gortex doesn’t seem to be doing as well as it should against the wet weather, not to mention that the snap on hood is annoying me.

June 17, 6am – Training hike up Mt. Si; I decided to hike up Mt. Si (4,167’) instead of making the long trip down to Rainier this weekend. Due to its’ close proximity to our house, I am able to walk to the trailhead of this mountain and ascend it in less than two hours. The view of Mt. Rainier is excellent today from the rocky summit of Mt. Si. Overall, I feel good, but my knee is slightly sore. The descent turns into a battleground between my sore knee and me. The constant pounding feels as though it is bruising the bone and the last half of the descent become quite painful. It becomes difficult to bend my knee at times but I push on relying on my ski poles to steady me. The ascent ended up taking only twenty minutes longer than the slow descent and I hobble home. A few hours later, I am almost unable to walk on that leg at all and bending it is out of the question. My hope for making the Mt. Rainier climb is dashed as I realize I have less than three weeks to go before the big day and I can hardly make it up our stairs.

June 20 – I paid the doctor a visit and was pleased to hear that no permanent damage was done to my knee. The injury was merely an ailment common to runners that could be alleviated with proper stretching of some ligaments and more quad exercises. As for Mt. Rainier, it is not out of the question, but I may have to take some anti-inflammatory pain medicine along with me as well as stretching and doing leg exercises according to the doctor’s instructions. Attended the last climb meeting (the first one for me due to my late start) at REI. Two seasoned climbers talked about what to expect on our climb days. From Paradise to Muir will be routine, as almost everyone has made that climb at least once. Once at Muir (around 5pm), it’s lights out at 7pm. They said the hut where we sleep can get quite warm, as it will be packed full of climbers (24-25). We were encouraged to bring earplugs, as there’s always someone who snores and that’s the only person sleeping. Dinner will be provided for the Clean Air climbers as well as plenty of water and breakfast, compliments of Lou Whittaker. Eating, drinking water and getting rest were the topics emphasized. We were also given preparation tips for the summit attempt the next morning which arrives seemingly a few minutes after laying down – midnight to be exact. Breakfast will be served and the 24 person team will split into two teams for the summit attempt. Harnesses, helmets and crampons are put on in the wee hours of the morning and the teams rope up and will remain so until the summit. If someone has to relieve him/herself on the upper portion of the mountain, it is done with little privacy, although no one pays much attention. Solid waste must be carried off the mountain in "blue bags". The dark climb to the summit will pass over crevasses and through some other areas where rocks frequently fall. These subjects made most people a bit uneasy and rightfully so, but the fact that we are travelling with world-class guides and their attention to safety encouraged us. If anything seems wrong to them, the team will turn around. The teams are scheduled to arrive at the summit (God willing) around 8:00 or 9:00am. Depending on the weather, a rest on top may last 10 minutes to an hour and then the descent begins. A celebration dinner is provided upon our return to Paradise Lodge along with a free night’s stay there (and a shower).

June 26 – My knee is feeling much better and I am no longer feeling pain in it when ascending or descending stairs, so it would appear that I am still on for the climb. Only ten days remaining – I’m excited and a little nervous too. On the day of our descent to Paradise, my family is planning to meet me for the celebration dinner and the night at the Lodge. I am hoping the kids are on good behavior, but that can change as quickly as the weather on Rainier. Planning for the worst and hoping for the best on both fronts.

July 5 - It's the night before my climb. After a good dinner, I'm back at Whittaker's Bunkhouse in time for a "fireside" chat with Lou and the other climbers. The chat used to be held at Paradise Inn by the fire, but since there's no fireplace at the Bunkhouse to gather around, we're meeting on the grass. Lou turns out to be an interesting and humorous man - very likable. He discusses what will take place on our climb and what route we'll be taking. The route is up the Ingraham Glacier - a very good route according to Lou and it hasn't been in this good of shape for about 10 years. The folks from the Lung Association hand out fund raising rewards (vests) and we also receive a bag of goodies. I'm a bit excited about tomorrow.

July 6 - It's CLIMB DAY! I got very little rest last night at the Bunkhouse as it sits near the road, so the noise from the traffic kept me awake as well as the excited anticipation I'm sure. I got my rental equipment and then gathered with our group (24 total) to listen to the head guide discuss the day's events. We finally get started after making clothing and packing adjustments. This is it. I hoist my 38 pound backpack on and we're climbing. There are some low clouds as we approach Pebble Creek (about 1/2 way point to Muir). As we climb above the clouds, we are given a wonderful glimpse of the mountain and it helps to energize me after my sleepless night. About five hours from when we started, we reach Camp Muir. As with the training climb, I'm tired, but not exhausted. Being part of the second group of twelve to arrive in camp, I am one of the last to find a place to sleep in the small hut. We were told that the lower levels are generally cooler than the third level of the beds, but the upper level is the only remaining choice for me. I have a very warm sleeping bag and tend to be warm at night anyway, so I am not thrilled as I unpack my sleeping bag. We are told to gather around for an explanation of the equipment that will be used tomorrow. The guides explain how to adjust the helmets, how to put on the harnesses and head lamps, etc. Afterwards, we are supposed to get suited up and get our equipment checked. Shortly thereafter, dinner is served (pasta, veggies and canned peaches - not bad for camp food). My boot liners are airing out and drying in the early evening sun and we're told to be in bed by 7 PM, which comes quickly. The air in the hut is pungent as everyone removes their boots and sweaty socks and clothing. It doesn't appear that this will be a restful night either.

July 7 - The wake up call comes around 1:30 AM and I have gotten about three hours of sleep at best. People were getting up all night and climbing up and down the metal ladder to go to the bathroom. The quarters were snug and the guy sleeping next to me kept tossing and turning. Several people were snoring (the ear plugs helped). Today we attempt the summit. While still in our sleeping bags, we are prepped on what to wear and what the weather is expected to be like. We're fed instant oatmeal, cold cereal, cold Pop Tarts and hot chocolate before getting our harnesses, helmets and other gear on. As we walk outside, everyone is taken by the magnificent starry sky. It is looking like the weather will cooperate with us as the guides expected. We are grouped into four or five person rope teams. A long trail of head lamps can be seen heading upward out of Muir on the way toward the summit - quite a sight. My team is the last to leave. The head lamp casts a two or three foot circle in front of me as I walk and I keep it on the rope. When the rope moves, I move. Shortly after leaving camp, we step over the first of many crevasses along the way. This one is only about six inches wide but very deep. As we approach Gibralter Rock, the terrain gets rocky and steep. It is difficult going over rocks with crampons on and especially in the dark. As we get to the top of the rocks, we turn toward the Ingraham Glacier and I get a strange sensation of being on the edge of a cliff. I dare not turn my head too far to look for fear of loosing my footing. We finally get back onto snow and take our first break on the Ingraham Flats (11,200'). As soon as we drop our packs, out come the down parkas, water and food. Fifteen minutes later, we're climbing again. There will be three more breaks before the summit. A few people decide they've had enough and call it quits and a guide leads them back to Muir. The next portion of terrain is steeper and we'll be travelling longer before the next break due to the "debris field" - large ice formations protruding upward from the glacier that can break apart and cause avalanches. We cross several more small crevasses and then one that's about eight feet across. An aluminum ladder with boards spans the gap, but there is nothing to hang on to nor any fixed rope to clip in to. The ladder seems narrower than a normal ladder to me and I am careful not to stumble on my crampons as I slowly make my way across the dark chasm. The glow of the coming sunrise illuminates the clear sky as we make our way to the top of Disappointment Cleaver. The wind picks up and I'm shivering in my down parka at the next break. I'm also finding that my appetite is dwindling, but manage to eat a Baby Ruth candy bar and guzzle some water before hoisting my backpack on. A beautiful sunrise now floods the sky as we find it increasingly difficult to breath in the ever thinning air. We cross more crevasses, some requiring a bit of a jump to provide the momentum to get across. Another one requires the use of our ice axes to pull us over. 'Tis an eerie feeling not to see the bottom. Our last break is at about 800' shy of the summit. I'm tired, but the end is in sight - or more accurately, the 1/2 way point. I'm still concerned about my knee and the trip down.

8:30 AM - The SUMMIT (14,411')! The view is incredible! The guide says the weather doesn't get any better than this. We'll only remain on the summit about one hour. Some choose to walk to the opposite side of the crater to sign the registry but I have other business to attend to and pull out a blue bag. The trek down is hot, so we stop to strip down to our thinnest layers. My knee is holding up so far. As we approach the Ingraham Glacier, we're able to see the route we ascended for the first time and the dangers of the debris field. As we pass through the debris field, the glacier is making loud cracking sounds. Each rope team moves through this area separately and quickly. Below us is evidence of a recent avalanche - not a comforting sight. We finally make it back to Camp Muir around noon and take a break before packing up our sleeping bags. As we descend from Muir, I notice my knee starting to hurt. By the time we reach Pebble Creek, it is bothering me quite a bit and I fall behind my group. The second group catches up to me and a guide offers to swap backpacks with me, making it easier on my knee. I hobble down the remaining third of the mountain to Paradise and find my family waiting and I'm happy to see them. Like the other climbers, I am in desperate need of a shower, so hugs and kisses are delayed a bit. The celebration dinner went well and there was excitement in the air around Paradise Inn. The kids' behavior matched the excellent weather on the mountain. Lou Whittaker, Gombu and our guides presented each of us with a certificate and we also got T-shirts. All in all, it has been a wonderful adventure and I'm glad I did it, but I don't think I'll be repeating it. Tomorrow, it'll be time to go home and sit in the hot tub.