Bert Gildart: Writer and Photographer

©Bert Gildart: Though thousands of people climb Mount Rainier each year, I suppose completing the feat is something deserving of a few minutes of fame, for as we returned from a breakfast out this morning, Craig Geyer, the owner of the Mounthaven Resort, was moving his arms up in down in an expression of praise. Somehow—and I’m not sure how—he was aware of my accomplishment.

Yesterday, in fact, I did successfully climb the 14,410-foot mountain, but I must acknowledge that I made it only through the grace of God, Paul Baugher—a damn good guide—and lots of well wishes from both family and friends.The climb took three days, and yesterday morning, from our base camp of 12,000 feet, we started at 1 a.m. and completed our ascent at 7:30. Then, we turned around and descended almost 10,000 feet to our cars, contributing, I’m sure to the foot-full of blisters and the big toenail that I’m sure to loose. For me the descent was more demanding than the actually climb.

And now, because of complete and total exhaustion, I will have to save details for the next several blog postings. At those times I will be posting photos of the climb (and these may be some of the most dramatic of my 30-year career as a photojournalist) and of the magnificent country that unfolds in a way no other place in the world can offer than Mount Rainier.

I feel privileged to have made the climb—and blessed that I was able to accomplish my goal.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 13th, 2007 at 1:39 pm and is filed under National Lands, Natural History/Conservation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.