By Lauren Fischer, 2022 Climb for a Cause Participant
Over the years I watched people summit glacial peaks and was jealous, thinking I would never be brave enough. One day, an email popped into my inbox about Climb for a Cause, and I thought, “This is my opportunity to try!” Over the next six months, I trained and raised funds for WNPF by emailing my colleagues and documenting my training on Instagram to share awareness.
As the trip got closer, worries began to run through my head: What if my training isn’t good enough? What if I can’t do it? What if I cry on the mountain?
Anxious about what to expect, I arrived at the trailhead on the first day and met the other climbers and guides. I quickly learned I was the only person on the trip with zero glacial experience; this only added to my nerves. The first two days of our five-day trip were on a forest trail, and we encountered obstacles where we had to climb over a large fallen tree, cross rivers, and descend a “ladder.” Each of these tasks was nerve-wracking as I got used to maneuvering with the weight of my pack. The ladder was especially scary. As we waited for our turn to descend, we expressed our discomfort and tried to ease one another’s fears. One by one we moved onto the ladder and descended as a group, hyping each other up as we went and we all successfully made it to the bottom.
On summit day, we reached Blue Glacier where I put on my crampons for the first time, and our group was split into two rope teams. My steps were tentative as I learned to walk in crampons and move on a rope team for the first time. I made a lot of mistakes, but after crossing Blue Glacier and starting up snow fields we took a break and discussed how to move efficiently.
We reached the bottom of the summit block and stopped to look up the ~80ft vertical wall in front of us. The guides secured a top rope and split us into pairs. Each pair would climb attached to the same rope only a few feet apart.
As the first group climbed, the rest of us watched, and our fears increased as they got stuck at the crux of the route. We said things to one another like “I’d be okay if I didn’t make it to the top of the summit block” and “I should pee now so I don’t pee my pants in fear while climbing”. My climbing buddy, Matt, and I vowed to communicate and help one another up the wall. Matt was attached to the rope above me, and I followed directly behind. My grip was strong thanks to my climbing training, but the rest of my body was shaking with fear for the first few moves. Matt and I moved in sync up the wall, checking in and helping each other as we went. We made it to the top, and the last group followed behind us. We celebrated overcoming our fears and successfully reaching the summit!
It’s incredible how quickly things that only a few days before caused fear now felt easy, and we all moved with confidence.
After we were all lowered onto the snow field below there was an overwhelming relief felt across the group. We knew everything that was to come because we had crossed it all before. We roped up in the same teams as earlier and began our descent to basecamp. This time we moved across the snow fields, rocks, and Blue Glacier with strong communication and more ease. The next days we backtracked our way to the trailhead, moving through the obstacles faced earlier with no trouble: going up the ladder, crossing rivers, and climbing the large fallen tree. It’s incredible how quickly things that only a few days before caused fear now felt easy, and we all moved with confidence.
At the end of the trip, we had all faced a fear or worry, whether that was backpacking a high mileage approach (~20 miles!), being on a glacier for the first time, or climbing the summit block; we overcame it with our own perseverance and support of the others. And for the record, I didn’t cry on the mountain!
Each year, employees from Amazon, Microsoft, REI, and other local companies raise funds for Washington’s national parks by climbing Mount Rainier, Mount Shuksan (in the North Cascades), or Mount Olympus (in the Olympics). Through partnerships with experienced local climbing guide services, we enable individuals to join together to raise funds for our national parks, culminating in a three- or four-day climb to summit a peak over the summer.
Visit the Climb for a Cause page if you’re interested in taking on the challenge!