The initial seed that would lead me out to Mount Rainier was planted back in January 2018 by a conversation with a co-worker who shares a love of the outdoors. Upon actually trying to figure out what it would take to climb Rainier, I was quickly met with an impasse, as all guided trips for the 2018 season were already sold out. I tucked away my little mountaineering idea into the recesses of my brain, and merrily carried on with my mundane day-to-day for the next few months.
Flash forward to the very tail end of July 2018. My work situation had changed considerably, and I found myself in an NYC hotel room casually perusing various guided Rainier expedition websites (as one does in major metropolitan areas). That’s when I finally stumbled across the diamond in the rough. A spot had opened up on one of International Mountain Guide’s trips. I hastily made a few phone calls, filled out the appropriate paperwork, sent in my deposit, and in a matter of 24 hours realized I would soon be hucking myself at an active volcano at the end of August.