Blog: "Climb of a Lifetime: Lessons from Climbing Mount Rainier"

This blog was originally published here ⬇

In July of 2021, I joined an unforgettable climb on arguably the most iconic peak of the Cascade mountain range: Mount Rainier.

The day before I started my climb, I receive a text from a family member saying, “All my friends that did what you are doing said the physical part was hard but not as hard as the mental.” Anxiety, excitement, and everything in between struck me shortly after reading that text.

As soon as we arrived at Paradise until we reached Camp Muir, a thousand thoughts occupied my mind: Did I pack too much? I wonder if I’ll cry at the summit. What if an avalanche happens and I get caught? Those clouds look ominous, what if we can’t go on? After months of reflecting on my time on “The Mountain,” it became clear that the mental aspect was, indeed, the most difficult part for me.

If you’re preparing for a climb this summer or if you’ve considered climbing Mount Rainier, here is what helped me stay mentally focused through one of the most difficult, yet rewarding experiences of my life.

Kacee’s all smiles at high camp (Ingraham Flats)

Our lead guide, David, clarified the four main objectives that he has for every group he leads:

Safety

Have fun

Have a true mountaineering experience

Summit

These four points became critical in every decision we made. Any time my mind struggled with the climb, I kept repeating these four objectives to myself.

Although we are never 100% safe, there is safety in trusting your team, trusting your gear, and trusting your abilities.

The first few miles through Paradise is a great time to get to know your team before you start huffing and puffing through glaciers and loose rock. You’ll be amazed at how much trust you can build in someone in just a few hours of hiking and several much-needed snack breaks.

Knowing and trusting your gear also plays a role in your safety. For months leading up to the climb, my gear obsession exponentially grew. Rather than questioning everything you buy, test your gear outside and call the guide company you’ll be with – they will know first-hand what works best for you and the given conditions of your climb.

Your safety is also reliant on your own abilities and training. Although the training days will feel long, you will be amazed at how much strength you’ve built in all the months of preparation. Your training will come in handy in unexpected times, for example moving quickly through rockfalls or carrying the extra weight of a teammate.

When conditions were unfavorable and I could feel my anxiety rise, I remember repeating to myself, “our number one goal is safety.”

Throughout the trip, there was some form of both “Type 1” and “Type 2” fun. Type 1 fun is enjoyable while it happens, plain and simple. The downtime we had at Camp Muir was so fun. We made faces at the Muir webcam, laughed about our aches and pains, and ate amazing food.

Type 2 fun is terrible now, but fun when you look back at it. I remember spending hours in the tent listening to the harsh winds and ice falling in the far distance. As miserable as that sounds, I look back at those long hours and realized I was able to laugh through all the stress that came with the unknown of reaching 14,410 feet.

Your fun scale will change throughout and after the trip, so even though you might not be enjoying every second of it, there will be moments that you’ll remember for a long time.

It’s not every day you get a crevasse selfie!

Climbing mountains is not just about reaching the top. It’s traveling through glaciers, making smart decisions, dealing with extreme weather, finding solitude, and so much more.

In addition to the usual trip agenda, our team had an opportunity to be lowered individually into a crevasse. As I descended backwards, the silence within the crevasse on Ingraham Flats was beautiful, yet terrifying. Not many people can say being in a crevasse is Type 1 fun, but in that moment it really was.

Our team experienced so much in three days and I ultimately left Mount Rainier wanting to do more.

Kacee is lowered into a crevasse at Ingraham Flats

If you haven’t guessed by now, my team did not reach the summit this time, and that is okay!

At 3 am on the last day, David decided to call off the summit bid due to the extreme weather and the fact that one of the ladders on the route was down.

There was an audible sigh of relief from the team knowing that we made the right call. You should never go into a climb expecting to summit – that mindset will drive you to make foolish decisions in the mountains.

In the book, Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, the Mountaineers climbing code says to “never let judgment be overruled by desire when choosing the route or deciding whether to turn back.”

These four objectives, in their specific order, helped me work through the mental challenge of climbing Mount Rainier.

If you’re interested in having a true mountaineering experience at Mount Rainier, Mount Shuksan, or Mount Olympus, be sure to check out our Climb for Cause program and learn how you can give back to the parks while going over the top.