Mt. Rainier - July '08 |
(Note: Click on Picture to Start Slide Show)
Click here to view short video at the summit. Use back button to return.
Click here to read a full trip review by our friends and support team at the base.
After our failure to summit last year (Aug.'07), we were somewhat consoled by our guide's words that "Mt. Rainier is the toughest endurance climb of the lower 48". Afterwards, bruised, battered and dejected I pledged never to return, however recanted several months later at the insistance of Judge, Tim & Jodi. Unfortunately Tim was forced to cancel due to a pending hernia operation, but the rest of us were successful in reaching the summit on July 16th, perhaps due to better training, a smarter approach and help from Mother Nature with great weather. We also discovered after the climb our personal guide, Lhakpa Rita Sherpa is a mountain climbing celebrity...... having ten successful summits of Mt. Everest. I have told everyone that this is my last mountain. It just hurts too much and I can't keep up with the younger climbers.