I've known Toby most of my life. A lot of which I couldn't believe he would actually be friends with me. We hadn't talked a whole lot in the last 10 yrs or so but when he called and suggested we climb Mt Rainier, I was in. No question.

I have to be honest, I was really surprised when Jim said yes to my proposal. I wouldn't say we knew each other well at the time. Our kids were in the same class at school. When I approached him about it, I knew he was a pretty avid climber and hiker. He had been featured in a film called Pauls Boots where he hiked part of the AT with somebody else's boots on his back. I asked him to think about it. 

My dad

has this thing about going to funerals. He pours over the obituaries in the local paper and if he knows the person or even ran into them once, he attends the funeral. I love him for this. Some people say that you can judge a person by the people that attend their funeral. I don't think that's why my dad goes. I think he just wants the person to know they were recognized in this life, if even just for a brief smile in passing.  

I would say we're judged by the people willing to share a tent with us for 4 days. I had one of the greatest times of my life and I wouldn't have changed any of it. Had we not summited, at least I would have had the chance to sleep in a tent with two of the coolest people I know. 

"Orson: The report, Mork. 

Mork: This week I discovered a terrible disease called loneliness. 

Orson: Do many people on Earth suffer from this disease? 

Mork: Oh yes sir, and how they suffer. One man I know suffers so much he has to take a medication called bourbon. Even that doesn't help very much because then he can hear paint dry. 

Orson: Does bed rest help? 

Mork: No because I've heard that sleeping alone is part of the problem. You see, Orson, loneliness is a disease of the spirit. People who have it think that no one cares about them. 

Orson: Do you have any idea why? 

Mork: Yes sir you can count on me. You see, when children are young, they're told not to talk to strangers. When they go to school, they're told not to talk to the person next to them. Finally when they're very old, they're told not to talk to themselves, who's left? 

Orson: Are you saying Earthlings make each other lonely? 

Mork: No sir I'm saying just the opposite. They make themeslves lonely, they're so busy looking out for number one that there's not enough room for two. 

Orson: It's too bad everybody down there can't get together and find a cure. 

Mork: Here's the paradox sir because if they did get together, they wouldn't need one. Isn't that zenlack?"

-Mork and Mindy, 1979

This trip report is dedicated to the family and friends that made our summit possible, those that were with us throughout the entire trip starting in November of 2016 in training, gear, patience, encouragement, and even in spirit. One thing is for certain; we are not alone. 

Back Again?

On the mountain we had talked a lot about whether or not we'd ever be back to climb Mt Rainier again. In some of the research we did it came up that many only climb it once. A big factor in that is the fees you need to pay to gain access to the mountain; one to get into the park and one to camp anywhere on the mountain. There are so many cool mountains to climb in Washington and the surrounding Cascades that don't require the fees and once people have climbed Rainier they go spend the rest of their climbing days elsewhere, on Mts that don't cost anything to climb. Honestly, the fees weren't that bad, but that rationale did make some sense to me for a little while until I thought about our kids. My kid is 8 right now. He just got up his first 14er in Colorado entirely on his own power this past summer. Jim's daughter is the same age as my son and a wicked rock climber already, and Toby's daughter is somewhere south of a year at this point. We'll be back to Rainier one day, hopefully when our kids finally see this trip report.