Events & Climbs

Climb of a Lifetime: Lessons from Climbing Mount Rainier

As soon as we arrived at Paradise, a thousand thoughts occupied my mind: Did I pack too much? What if an avalanche happens and I get caught? After months of reflecting on my time on “The Mountain,” it became clear that the mental aspect was, indeed, the most difficult part...

Sneak Peek: Live Packages at the 2022 Auction for the Parks

To whet your appetite for Auction for the Parks on April 30, we’ve pulled together a sneak peek of some of the packages that will be featured in our live auction. Take note and be ready to bid – from spending a day as a glacial ecologist to a four-night...

Climbing for a Cause with Type 1 Diabetes

If I take too much insulin or get too much exercise, my blood sugar can drop quickly to dangerous levels, which can make activities like hiking, biking, and running challenging. But I embrace that challenge because those activities - and being outdoors in our parks - are some of my...

Climbing for a Cause on Mount Rainier

Eli VanderBilt joined WNPF staff on a climb of Mount Rainier, led by guides from Alpine Ascents International (AAI), at the end of July 2021. While the group ultimately didn't summit due to weather, all who participated had an incredible experience learning about authentic mountaineering. After the team safely made...

3– 2– 1 Auction: A Package Preview

You’re ready, right? REALLY READY. And you’re not the only one. We’re ALL just itching to be in the parks this summer and fully experience their unique exquisiteness. So here, to whet your appetite, is a sneak-preview of some of the packages and parcels you can bid on at this...

Pacific Runderland - All for the Parks

To give you a little history of how this race came to life, I’ll give you a brief history of myself and my family. Growing up, my family and I spent many seasons at Cougar Rock Campground (or “Koo-Koo Rock” as we kids would call it) in Mount Rainier National...

3 Cheers for YOU!

I’m going to guess I’m not the only one who’s glad to feel this year rushing by. But, even with the many changes happening in our world, the Fund’s fiscal year end still comes around on September 30th (we align it with the Federal Government/National Park Service fiscal year for...

A Tale of Music in the Mountains

Once upon a time, there were two women minding their own business. Anastasia, a classically-trained violinist and avid mountain climber, worked as a railroad police officer. She felt deeply unfulfilled in her career and had a dream of pursuing an adventure-inspired life. Rose, a classically trained pianist and Nationally Certified...

The Journey to the Top: Training to Summit Mount Rainier

It feels like yesterday that we just finished our climb up Mount Rainier last July, which got cut short due to an ice fall that completely wiped out the route we were on. Blocks of ice the size of houses fell from 13,000’-11,000’, completely destroying everything in its path, including...