Author: Jacque Tietjen

Outdoor Athlete, Photographer, Speaker, Writer

What Everyone Needs to Know About Landscape Photography

by Jacque Tietjen

Long time, no write!

One of my goals for 2024 is trying to get back into the habit of regular blogging.

For today’s adventure, I want to talk specifically about photography and capturing your adventure.

Landscape photography has been a passion of mine since my teen years. This is why I do what I do. I have learned a lot over the years. I majored in photography in early college before I switched to teaching, but I honestly learned more about capturing the landscape by getting OUT there and actually doing it and expirimenting with it. SO, without further ado, here are some things I have learned that you may not expect, and I believe are applicable to ANY skill level.

This is what everyone needs to know about landscape photography:

anyone can take a photo of the landscape, but a good photo takes more than you think.

Everyone has a smartphone, and a lot of people these days also have professional cameras for the sake of social media. However, just because you have a nice camera, doesn’t nessisarilly mean the photo is automatically amazing. It takes YEARS of practice. Even I still end up with a mix of good photos and bad photos each trip and I have been doing this for over 20 years! I take THOUSANDS more photos than actually get uploaded to my site or socials because it isn’t always as simple as a quick snap and go. Some days I am not even trying and it works out, other days I work my butt off for a particular shot and it doesnt pan out like I had hoped. A good landscape photo comes down a few technical things: composition, lighting, focal legnth, aperture, and framing. However, there is one component that is more important than the rest… Ultimately, a truly good landscape photo connects you to the imagery and tells a story.

Composition

Composition is all about how the elements in your photo are arranged. While there are many compositional rules to photography that can be implemented, there are 3 compositional rules to always keep in mind with landscape photography:

  • The rule of thirds
  • Depth
  • Symmetry

The rule of thirds and is one of the most BASIC photography rules every photographer should know. think about dividing your photo into thirds both vertically and horizontally. Your landscape should closely line up with one of those third lines and prominent subjects should be focused onto either the right third or left third of your photo.

This Delicate Arch Photo meets the rule of thirds and rules of depth,
showcasing layers in the landscape.

Depth is incredibly important especially with wider landscape shots because your goal is to capture all the layers in the landscape. It showcases that flow of the land, giving the illusion almost of movement. If you take a photo that comes out looking really “flat” try to reposition yourself, your focal legnth and aperature, or shoot in a little bit different direction to see if you can get more layers to your landscape.

Symmetry is another important component in landscape, ESPECIALLY for reflection photos! You may still have the rule of thirds at play for your mountain scape but your true landscape line will actually split right down the center of the photo. If you are lucky enough to get a perfectly still lake with no wind, and can’t quite tell which way is up in your reflection, you have done your job.

This crowd favorite of “When Season’s Collide” is compositionally my favorite photo. I zoomed into a very particular point on the hill across the lake where the snow and fall leaves meet and it created an element of symmetry with aligning the natural split down the center of fall vs winter.

LIGHTING

If I go for a hike midday, the likelihood of good photos is honestly lower with the harsh mid day sun. Have I gotten great midday shots before? Yes! But it definitely isn’t the norm. The lighting on those days really has to work out PERFECTLY for where I am at. For example: These two Chasm Lake photos below were taken a year apart. The first one, I caught much earlier in the morning, with the Diamond face of Long’s Peak in full sun. In the second photo, the sun was masked behind clouds, leaving a darker cast on the Diamond. While I could edit the second photo to be artsy and moody, in a general sense, the sunny photo is better, and I love this photo, but these still aren’t the “best”.

Typically shooting at sunrise or sunset gives you much better lighting. Every photographer knows the “Golden Hour” is Queen, but in landscape, Alpenglow is KING.

Long’s Peak in morning alpenglow

The pinks and oranges cast on the mountainside are unique to Landscape Photography. This happens as the light bends around the curvature of the earth as it is just rising or setting. Golden Hour can still give some excellent landscape shots, but capturing the alpenglow is one of the best ways to light up your landscape.

Focal Legnth

Knowing when to shoot wide and when to zoom in will really depend on what and where you are trying to shoot. Your focal legnth determines how wide or zoomed in a shot is. This is where I personally let nature quite literally speak to me. I find if there is comething I want to draw more focus to then I will zoom in and set my aperature up to really focus on. For example: Pheifferhorn Peak from a full frame shot of about 18mm is just a distant peak in the background, but zoomed in 300mm, you can see the details and texture in the ridgeline. I chose to zoom in on that cloudy day to really draw focus and emphasis on the movement of the clouds engulfing the peak.

Even on the same day in the same shoot, I may try different focal lengths to see what speaks to me. Each image offers a different perspective. I have personally sold BOTH of these Devil’s Castle photos below to different clients. Taken only maybe a minute or two apart but they are both very different despite being the same peak. I personally really enjoy wider shots, I love seeing all the different layers nature has to offer. But I also occasionally love a good focused image. In this case I love both of these for different reasons. The colors were spectacular that day and I loved the backglow I was getting off the edges of the trees and the peaks as the sun set. I loved showcasing the entire Albion Basin but I also loved framing Devil’s Castle in the leaves and showing it off standing alone as it is a pretty iconic peak here in the Wasatch.

Aperture

Your aperture will determine your depth of field to draw focus to a particular area. Think of it like the iris of your eye. It gets bigger and smaller around your pupil depending on what you are trying to focus on. This is where it regularly confuses people because the wider your aperture is open, the smaller your Fstop number is.

If you have a wide shot and you are focused on that whole shot, you want a smaller aperture (higher Fstop number). Each camera is a little different and has it’s own sweet spot. Usually somewhere around F16 gives you a pretty wide range of focus throughout the whole of your image. If I have a subject I want to focus on and want my background a little blurry, I will throw my aperture open as wide as it can go (lower Fstop number). However, sometimes I want to focus on both! In this case, I may find an aperture somewhere in the middle to enure my subject still stands out but both my subject and background are in focus. In this case, it is more important ofr my subject to be totally in focus.

F3.5 to allow focus on the flowers
F11 to allow focus on the peaks as well as the log

Framing

When you think of what framing means to you, what comes to mind? If you are thinking of a way to create a picture frame around your image than you are technically correct. However, when I talk about framing in the terms of landscape photography, it is SO MUCH more than that. Nature is not a perfect rectangle. There are so many different ways to fram your image. Play with levels! Get low to the ground, use trees, flowers, plants, or even the clouds to your advantage. Try out different persepectives or create windows in your image like this image of Turret Arch framed through Window Arch, Arches NP.

My all time favorite photo is of Ama Dablam, Nepal. It is a MASSIVE mountain and framing a peak like this isn’t exactly something I can do in a wide open tundra field on my own. I got lucky and had a nice layer of clouds to work with. I took probably over 40 photos from this spot while I watched the clouds dance around the base of the mountain. The mountain is framed by the blue skies, the clouds, and yellow hills below.

Framing is all about perspectives. There are SO MANY different ways to frame an image but it is up to you as the photographer to decide where they eye should be drawn to.

On the left, this image of Sunset Peak above is the subject. Your eye is drawn to the sunset glow on the peak (hence where it gets it’s name). The trees in the foreground also help frame it as it is the only peak in the sun. On the right is Colorado National Monument and Grand Junction in the background framed by the tree. You’re eye may be initially drawn to the tree at first but then you find yourseld focusing on the details in the background as the roundness and placement of the tree in the image create almost rounded frame around the background.

THe most important component of all:

Connection. I have noticed that if I go out into nature with the mentality and intention of connecting to my world around me, mother nature talks back. I see perspectives I haven’t seen before, even if it is a hike I have done 100 times. I am much more present and aware of my surroundings and am able to pay so much more attention to the colors, shapes, and scenes around me. Out of the thousands upon thousands of photos I have taken over the years, the photos not only I personally deem the best, but clients of mine have deemed their favorites as well, are the ones where I was personally connecting to nature and those photos are then able to tell a story.

The first photo I ever sold at an art show was this one below. A Wasatch sunrise from Mount Wolverine. At first, I honestly didn’t think much of this photo, but the more you look at the waving ridgelines, it speaks. You may not know the exact story just by looking at it, but this was actually the first real hike I did after stress fracturing my foot on Mt. Whitney. It was a night I couldn’t sleep and decided to go for a hike instead and got to reconnect with the mountains after 2 months of being stuck at home all summer. After Whitney, I was burnt out and that 2 month break was actually quite needed and it shows. After Nepal and Kilimanjaro, I began to lose sight of WHY I would get out into nature in the first place. It had become all about training for the climbs and when I got hurt, it forced me to take a break and a step back to reevaluate my priorities. This was the first time in a long time I wasn’t hiking to “train”. I was hiking to connect and rejuvinate in nature and that led to this photo:

Obviously, I am not expecting someone to glean that entire backstory from this image… but what I do hope the audience sees is that connection. To me, this image is peaceful, which is EXACTLY what I was feeling at the time. The soft pastels of the early morning light providing that warmth, the distinct ridgelines showcasing different paths, almost like metaphorically standing at a crossroads.

It can seem silly, but that connection matters. A side by side comparison can showcase a lack of care and connection to the environment. Sure, the landscape can still look pretty, but does the image really speak to you?

I purposely tried to pick similar photos of the same place and under similar circumstances. This is Dream Lake in RMNP, CO. My husband was also with me when I took both of these photos. In comparing these photos, on the left is a quick snapshot from the generic tourist photo-spot. We took a quick pitstop at Dream while we were hiking down from another lake. It’s not nessisarily a terrible photo, but lighting is a bit dull as clouds have everything in shadow and winds picked up causing ripples in the water. I wasn’t nessisarilly connecting to the enironment in this moment, I just wanted a quick picture on my way down the trail. On the right is first thing at sunrise about a year later, little to no wind, and also a slightly different perspective from the left flank of the lake in the rocks. You get immersed by so many different textures in this photo from the clouds, the rocks, and even the trace of snow on the peak. I was specifically connecting to this location, we were there with intention and I was present in the moment. This one also tells yet another story. This was the morning of me and my husband’s 10 year wedding anniversary. We were up there together, connecting with the mountains and with each other. When I see this photo I see magic. The magic nature has to offer in all the different textures and colors. This one speaks to me and immerses me.

Moral of the story

You don’t have to have some crazy backstory to every photo, but it SHOULD immit a feeling. The beauty of adventure photography is that in reality, a lot of my photos do have stories. There is adventure behind nearly every image and that is part of the whimsy and wonder. That is part of what immerses you into feeling like you are actually there. As you go out and explore, the biggest peice of advice I offer you is just BE PRESENT. Slow down and pay attention to the world around you. It may surprise you. Immerse yourself into your surroundings before you snap a photo and as a result we will be immersed with you.

Sunrise on Mount Whitney

Climbing Priorities: Back to the Beginning

by Jacque Tietjen

When I was in 3rd grade, we did a report on a hero in history that interested us. I chose to do my report on Edmund Hillary. I vaguely knew who he was as my dad knew a lot about Everest. As I researched Edmund and learned more about him and his expedition myself, I became very interested in Mount Everest. I wondered if it would be possible for someone like me to climb one day.

At 13 years old, I had the opportunity to summit my very first Colorado 14er with Cheley Colorado Camps. On the summit that morning, my camp counselor suggested we dedicate this climb to someone important to make this climb even more special. I decided to dedicate my climb to my baby sister who passed away when I was 10. Longs Peak became a very special and sacred place for me from then on out. I have summited it 3 times, climbed Mount Lady Washington for it’s epic Long’s Peak views, hiked to Chasm Lake more times than I can count, and just get unbelievably excited whenever I see mountain any time I drive into town. After that first summit was also the first time I really began thinking, and dreaming about the possibility of one day summiting Mount Everest.

Longs Peak was my first real connection with the mountains. The meaning placed on the summit that day gave me a truly spiritual connection to that peak. Before that I honestly hated hiking. As a kid, it was always a miserable experience. It wasn’t until I was able to find my own genuine connection to the mountains and nature that I was able to truly feel that sense of calm and peace I continue to experience in the mountains today.

Longs Peak helped me heal. When I was 21 years old I was in recovery from my eating disorder, I had already made a goal in the back of my mind to work up to the ability to travel to Everest Base Camp, but I didn’t quite yet believe it was possible due to years of self-doubt. Summiting Longs again gave me the confidence to realize that it was not only possible, but really got the ball rolling on working towards making it actually happen.

When I eventually got to go to Nepal and see Everest for myself in 2017, that became the most profound and defining experience of my life. My spiritual connection with the mountains grew stronger than ever before. I was already at a point of transitioning away from the religion I was born and raised in, and Nepal really helped me in my journey. I found more peace and serenity in those mountains than I had ever felt in any church building. I met the most genuine, kind, and loving people in Nepal, more than any Christian I have ever met. I was not focued on the persuit of a summit, rather the journey and the experience.

I believe in the magic and power of Mother Earth. This planet is magnificent. When you are able to truly connect with nature, your eyes are open to all the cycles of life this planet has to offer. When I am able to connect, I feel completely in sync. I feel calm, and completely present in the moment. The anxieties, stressors and worries of life completely melt away. I feel… at home. That is the only way I can think to describe it. I feel like I belong. That feeling is indescribable no matter how hard I try. I feel like I can fly when I’m skiing. I feel like I’m on a cloud when I stand on top of a high peak. I feel serenity sitting next to a calm lake on a sunny day. I feel awe and wonder when I watch the magic of a sunset or sunrise.

Much of the time, I have been able to get that warm bubbly feeling anytime I’m out in nature. However, in the last couple years, persuits of some big climbs have left me in a rut where I have had a harder time connecting. Anytime I had to do a “training hike” with a heavy pack, or go just for the sake of getting miles on my feet and altitude for my body, or anytime I felt like I was just checking off a list I have been lacking that connection. It was burning me out and I wouldn’t want to climb.

Last summer, I developed a stress fracture after climbing Mount Whitney. I was forced to take 2 months off and it really gave me time to think and re-prioritize a bit. My first 14er after my foot healed was Wetterhorn and it was the most fun I have ever had on a 14er ever! I wasn’t climbing it to check it off a list, I wasn’t climbing to “train”. I was climbing it just for fun, with my friends and to enjoy the beauty of the mountains and it was a reminder of why I climb in the first place. I told myself from then on, I was going to really try to make sure I was always climbing for the right reasons. It was then that I also decided I was no longer going to focus on the Seven Summits. Everest was always the main goal, anything else was a bonus.

When my best friend passed away at the end of December, it broke me. That desire for my natural connection became even more important. Rowan and I met at Cheley and climbed mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park together every summer as we were growing up. She was just as connected to nature, if not more so. I feel closest to her in those mountains, and in nature in general. I spent much of the first half of the year battling my mind. I would try to make sure anytime I would go out into nature to make sure I was going for the right reasons, but I was also still once again trying to train for Rainier. Motivation to train was completely non-existent as I battled a cycle of grief and depression. Getting out in general was incredibly difficult so I would try to really listen to my body and mind.

Rainier finally came along, and I finally got to check that mountain off my list. It had been a long time coming and it was such a weight off my shoulders to not have to train every year and not have it happen. I had fun on Rainier, I had moments of connection, but I also struggled mentally. It was beautiful, and magnificent, but it was also the hardest climb I have ever done so far… Harder than Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar, and harder than Kilimanjaro. Because of how difficult this year has been on me mentally, I was much more suceptible to those intrusive thoughts of negative self-talk and fears. But looking back with hindsight I know it really wasn’t that bad, but at the time it was incredibly difficult. Overall, it really fueled the fire inside me and I felt more ready than ever to tackle the next big step towards Everest.

Shortly after Rainier, it was a rollercoaster of figuring out my next move. I had a new teaching position that was definitely going to be difficult in working around for getting time off to go climbing. I was debating on Aconcagua over my Winter break but flights were out of control expensive and there was no guaruntee I would get the time off approved around my Winter break. After talking with some climbing friends that went to Everest this last season, I decided maybe Denali would be a better option as climbing season is in June during summer break, and much more teacher friendly. It is a mountain I am much more interested in for one, it is incredibly physically and mentally demanding and would be an excellent test for Everest. However, it technically does not meet the 6500m requirement for Everest permits. I was not really worried about the altitude as I have never had a problem, and naturally acclimatize pretty well. I had hope that maybe it would still allow me to climb Everest without having to meet the 6500m requirement but I would be taking a huge gamble.

Just when I was about to do my Denali paperwork I finally got covid after 2 1/2 years of avoiding the plague, and it did a number on my asthmatic lungs and immune system. My asthma became much more sensitive and my allergies got much worse. I was dealing with a lot of wierd long-hauler symtoms which eventually lead to a near fatal asthma attack. The attack was then followed by an anaphalactic reaction to the prednisone I was perscribed to help with my asthma inflammation. That allergic reaction was then followed by another severe asthma attack. I felt my worse fears coming to fruition… “what if my body fails me and keeps me from going after my dreams?” I put Denali on hold while I dealt with my health, but it also gave me time to rethink my climbing priorities a bit. Everest is my #1 priority at this point when it comes to my bigger climbing goals. As much as I would love to eventually do Denali as well, I really want to try to get to Everest as soon as possible, as efficiently as possible and I shouldn’t risk gambling whether or not my expedition leader will let me climb Everest with Denali as my highest point. I need to climb something high enough and technical enough to meet the requirements for Everest, and to help me feel confident and ready.

The more I thought about it, the more I also realized I want to again ensure I am climbing everything for the right reasons and focusing on that connection with the mountains, and not just checking something off my list. I thought back to my first trip to Nepal, and how I felt there. I wanted to feel that again. In reality, I have wanted to go back to Nepal ever since I first returned. Ama Dablam is a mountain that gave me incredible awe while I was there. I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life. I told myself, in those fields above Dingboche as I stared up at those magnificent walls, that I would climb that mountain some day… and that is exactly what I am going to do.

After Everest Base Camp, I got lost in the checklists, I got caught up in the Seven Summits, and got burned out on the endless training. I would occasionally feel ambivalent on certain summits, bored on others. I lost the spark. I want EVERY mountain to feel special and meaningful to me. I want to do it right. I don’t want to get to Everest and feel that ambivalence… I want to embrace the awe and wonder of standing on top of the world that first intrigued me as a kid. I want to climb the mountains that inspire me, that give me wonder, and help me feel grounded and connected. No more lists.

I am aiming and hoping for Ama Dablam Fall 2023, however there are some hurdles to jump over first. Physically, I need to ensure my body can get back to where it needs to be. My asthma has been much better the last couple weeks and I have been slowly re-introducing cardio and weights. I still fatigue quickly and lack endurance, but I have had some successfull ski tours and am feeling confident that I can be ready to hit up some Colorado 14ers for altitude come summer. I also need to figure out my next move with work. Climbing season for Ama Dablam will be October-November, and teaching and climbing in Nepal aren’t exactly cohesive… I’m figuring it out, but when I want something, I will make it happen. Ama Dablam WILL happen. I have never felt more calm and condifent about a climb in my life.

I’m ready.

Climbing for Campers:

In honor of my best friend, Rowan Meredith, I am planning on climbing Everest in her memory. In congruence with my climb, I am raising money to send kids to camp through the John Austin Cheley Foundation. This scholarship program helps kids who couldn’t otherwise afford it have the opportunity we had to grow confidence in themselves, build lasting friendships, and create memories to last a lifetime. Camp meant the world to Rowan and I, and I want to share that opportunity with others. 100% of the proceeds raised will go to the foundation. If you are willing to support this cause, you can donate here.

TRIP REPORT: Mount Rainier (14,411′)

by Jacque Tietjen

I have been waiting a VERY long time to write about this one. I can’t believe it’s finally done! This mountain has always been about timing, and that rang true even for this climb.

In January of 2016, I ventured to Mount Rainier for the first time to attend a glacier mountaineering course hosted by Dan Mazur of SummitClimb. We were not able to go for the summit due to weather conditions but it was a great learning experience. From that point on I was hooked and knew I needed to come back asap.

Rainier views back in January 2016

I planned to return that summer with a friend, unfortunately they weren’t able to commit. So we postponed to the following summer, and again the next year and the next. Eventually I decided I needed to find other partners who were interested. I gathered a group of friends who were ready to go and committed, and then COVID hit. We waited and watched for the government to lift restrictions. In June 2020, Washington began to move to their “2nd phase” of opening from the pandemic, and the rangers announced the upper mountain of Rainier was open and we were stoked and ready to go.

However, within that first week of opening, 2 climbers died. About a week later, right before we were about to get our plane tickets, the park service announced the DC route was not established. Guide services were not yet taking clients up the mountain due to covid restrictions and we would have to do our own crevasse navigating… something I wasn’t super comfortable with while taking glacier newbies up the mountain.

We ultimately postponed. In 2021, I contacted each of my friends from the 2020 group and everyone had circumstances keeping them from climbing that summer. I found another partner and we planned for Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, I fractured my foot in June and then Washington had massive heatwaves shutting down the upper mountain completely by the end of July… It just wasn’t our year.

This year I knew I need to make it happen. I have bigger fish on my list and I wanted to get Rainier over with and out of my brain. I established a group early, plenty of time to plan and prepare and then my best friend suddenly passed away and I was really struggling. I still planned on Rainier and we applied for a permit for the 1st of July. However, I was not really training much as I struggled with depression and grief. As we got closer, conditions were complete opposite of last year. The wettest spring in like 75 years. “Juneuary” literally hashtagged. Full blown winter conditions in the summer season. Guide groups weren’t summiting as avalanche danger was insanely high and the snow just kept on coming. On top of all that, our group slowly fell apart and it was debate of what to do.

Eventually things calmed down. We had already decided not to go for July 1st due to conditions but I knew if I had the chance I still wanted to make it up there. I didn’t have much time as I have to go back to work first week of August, so I watched, I waited, I asked around for anyone willing to just sporadically go for it should a weather window open. That’s when I met Mandie, she tried to summit in the heatwave last year and had to turn around due to rapidly deteriorating conditions as things melted out like crazy. We met up and took a hike together, talked shop and came up with a plan. We had a tentative window of time and decided to watch for the weather and pick the best day and hope for luck with walk-up permits.

It was game time! We had our dates, and luckily last minute cancellations opened up spots online for Camp Muir. We booked them and on Sunday July 17th, we took a LONG drive to Paradise.

We camped in the parking lot and woke up Monday morning to a foggy, misty scene. Webcams showed sunny skies at Muir while the lower mountain was socked in with clouds. We packed up, checked in, and officially headed up the mountain.

Our plan was simple, take our time. Go as slow as we need to, and do whatever we needed for the best chance of success. Our initial plan was 2 days (with a third day on reserve), hike to Muir, take a power nap and then head for the summit come midnight or so. We were both feeling great at first. I was even giddy and surprisingly confident (usually anxiety wins). I was never more excited to climb a mountain. We felt strong, and steady until pebble creek, then we headed up the Muir Snowfield, a 3000′ slog to say the least. That snowfield kicked our ass, and definitely slowed us down. It felt never ending and was painfully slow with our 50+lb packs.

We made it to Muir at 6pm, much later than anticipated. There wasn’t much time to get settled to we set up camp as fast as we could and started melting snow for water. We finally settled in, and ate what we could. Mandie was feeling headachey, tired, and nervous about immediately getting back on foot. We decided to try to sleep and see how we felt come 11pm when we planned to get up. 11 came, we didn’t get any sleep, and the ultimate question loomed, do we go for it or wait a day? Monday night to Tuesday morning was predicted to be calm, perfect weather. Tuesday night to Wednesday morning was a bit more of a gamble with winds. For me personally, an extra day also meant I was more likely to get anxious. I felt good, a little tired but overall I felt very much like I could push for the summit that night. Mandie was less sure. She didn’t want a repeat of last year (where she did push in 2 days and struggled) and she was suffering from mild altitude sickness. For the best chance of success we decided the smart thing to do then is wait. Rest up, acclimatize, and go for it the next night.

It truly is all about the right timing.

We had a lazy day in camp, slept in, are, drank water, lounged around, I did feel a little antsy but overall I was feeling better about having to wait an extra day. It was the smart decision and it gave time for our legs to rest. We went to bed early, attempting to get a couple hours of sleep and then the alarms went off.

11pm getting up and ready to go. A headlamp snaffu caused a bit of a delay but we still started off just after midnight.

Slow and steady in the conga line with guide groups that left at the same time we worked our way to Ingraham flats. A couple mild cravssses to hop over but nothing crazy. Feeling good so far, just taking it all in stride. Up through the bowling alley and that’s when the real adventure began: the Disappointment Cleaver.

Fixed ropes were set up to help traverse the rocks, and not that we could totally see but there was a good amount of exposure below. Those fixed lines worked their way into an insanely steep ascent up the snow covered spine. As we worked our way up the Cleaver we heard a pretty massive avalanche slide down the glacier below (which was rather unsettling). Off the lines, steep switchbacks through snow and rock continued our ascent. Panic attack ensued. The snow conditions were slippery and sugary, making the steep exposed conditions even freakier. Slowly but surely we worked our way to the top of the cleaver. I knew with the heat of the day, this would be the worst part coming down (spoiler alert: it was).

Views opened up as dawn approached and we could see the ascent ahead of us. My initial impression was we could see all the way to the summit from there. I was very wrong. It was a much more mild incline up from the top of the cleaver and less terrifying. We worked our way up and eventually things got steeper. More crevasses made themselves known. The sunrise was absolutely gorgeous and I was feeling better.

As we worked our way up, every time I thought I was getting close to the crater crest, more of the mountain would appear and crush my spirits. This happened at least 4 or 5 times. The false summits were starting to really get to me. We hopped over a few more crevasses, and crossed a small crevasse bridge. When we approached the last crevasse crossing, a guy coming down explained how close to the crest we were. With his description I was thinking it would be fairly quick. Assuming it was the ridge above me, I had high hopes we were nearing the end.

But as we worked our way up, yet another false summit appeared, the real end to it all seemed like another like 5000′ away. I was out of gas after going nonstop for 4 straight hours without a break (because I kept thinking I’ll just break at the crater crest thinking it was closer than it was.) Slowly but surely we made it to the crater and I collapsed and cried. Relieved we made it but also knowing I needed to finish the last 400′ to the true summit. We dropped our packs, ate and drank a bit and then worked our way across the crater.

Windy but a sigh of relief. I did it. FINALLY.

It may have been a slow night but we summited at 8:30am.

After snapping some photos we headed back to our packs, ate another quick snack and loaded up for the descent.

This is when things got even more interesting. Things heated up in the sun FAST. The crevasse bridge melted out twice that day, by the time we crossed it, it was a slushy mess and coming down it was definitely sketchier than on the way up. The further down we went, the slipperier things got. Steep switchbacks we’re a challenge to keep from slipping, and then we approached the top of the cleaver.

Nervous knowing what was ahead of us, we carefully worked our way down the cleaver. Everything was slippery slush, rocks were falling, we kept post holing and slipping, it was a giant mess. We spent maybe half of that cleaver descent on our butts, carefully scooting down steep pitches, meanwhile a sharp dropoff was right next to us. We finally made it to the fixed lines where we could at least clip in with backup protection, adding a little later of comfort in the sketchy conditions. It also symbolized nearing the end of the most dangerous part of the route. We worked our way down the lines and finally we were off the Cleaver. A quick walk past the bowling alley and we were officially out of the most danger.

We stopped at Ingraham flats to take a breather, get some water and process what we just survived. After 3 hours of descending sleep slippery snow, we only only about 45 minutes left to camp Muir. Homestretch. 

The remainder of the route was fairly easy and straightforward, but complete mashed potatoes. Step, slip, step, posthole, step was the name of the game. Camp was in sight, it was finally over.

Well mostly. 

My partners knees were totally shot, and my feet were killing me from pounding on them for 13 1/2 hours. She did not think she could get back to Paradise today, and as much as I want to sleep in a bed and shower, I also really didn’t think my body would appreciate another 4500′ descent with a heavy pack.

We decided to wait until the next morning to head down and give our bodies some much needed rest. We packed up camp and took a glissade trip down the Muir Snowfield. It only took us an hour to get down the 3000′ of snow to pebble creek. From there it always a self explanatory follow down the trail back to Paradise. Getting to the parking lot was bittersweet. My feet were killing me, my legs, back and butt all sore. But we did it. We finally did it. Rainier was finally complete!

On the way out, we stopped in Ashford for some much needed real food. We decided to take a bit of a scenic route on the way home so we could pit stop at a waterfall we both had really wanted to see. Multomah Falls was absolutely stunning and it was a great way to end our adventure.

Overall, I am very relieved and proud to have finally checked this mountain off my list. It has been a LONG time coming. It may not be the tallest mountain I’ve climbed, but it most definitely was the most physically and mentally demanding climb I’ve ever done. It is definitely an accomplishment worth celebrating.