Days 1-4
The anticipation for our adventure to begin builds as we land in Seattle, the cultural and economic capital of the Pacific Northwest, and our jumping-off point into the magnificent series of dormant volcanoes that will serve as our playground for the next 24 days. After getting to know each other better while setting up tents and learning to cook meals as a group for the first time, we're off to Mount St. Helens – our first towering destination. Shouldering our packs for the first time, we'll hike into this fabled wilderness area, spending our first night together in the backcountry and waking up early the next morning for our summit attempt. From the top of this first of four amazing peaks, we'll be able to see our next goal – the conical summit of Mount Adams. Days 5-7
Before journeying to Mount Adams, however, we'll take the time to shower, do laundry and take advantage of the region's two most thrilling streatches of whitewater. From a sheer-fun standpoint, the White Salmon and Klickitat rivers objectively offer the best whitewater rafting in the Pacific Northwest. We'll spend one action-packed day on each river, growing closer as a team and generally having the time of our lives before beginning preparations for our next exciting summit. Days 8-11
Entering the beautiful Mount Adams Wilderness, where Wilderness Ventures Students have been backpacking since the early 1970s, we'll spend days enjoying the silence and beauty of this pristine backcountry environment while we hike in-route to the spectacular summit. During our educational climbing experience, we'll learn basic snow climbing skills from professional instructors before cresting the top of the peak, from where we'll be able to see inspiring views of Mount Baker – the culminating mountain of our journey. Days 12-17
Situated off the western coast of Washington State, the Olympic Peninsula offers a lush, rain forested environment contrasted by towering, snow-capped peaks that dot the peninsula’s interior. The most dramatic and fabled of these peaks is Mount Olympus, inspired by the Greek god and the general air of reverence and wanderlust that we're sure to experience as we get our first good look at these magnificent mountains. Embarking from near-sea level at the coast, we'll trek into the interior of Olympic National Park towards our lofty goal. Savoring our evenings around crackling campfires and crawling into bed each night under a thick blanket of Pacific stars, we'll witness the gradual transition of rain forest to alpine splendor as we hike higher towards the 7,980-foot summit. After this gradual approach, reaching the top will be well worth the wait, offering views of the azure ocean to the west and the volcano-rich Cascade Range to the east. Days 18-22
The highest peak in the North Cascades, 10,781-foot Mount Baker is the ideal setting for our culminating climb. Working with the renowned instructors of the American Alpine Institute, we'll continue our skills development on the glacial-clad slopes of Mount Baker by learning progressive snow and ice climbing skills before embarking on our multi-day summit experience. Our climb will integrate a mountaineering school (where we'll learn progressively more advanced snow and ice climbing skills) with our summit bid. On the final morning of our climb, we'll awaken in the wee hours of the morning for a celebratory dawn summit and unforgettable views of the entire Cascade Range. Days 23-24
From the mountain top, we'll journey back to the coast and to historic Seattle where we'll spend the last full day of our adventure visiting the iconographic sites of the city such as Pikes Place Fish Market and the famous Space Needle. At the end of the day, we'll feast on our traditional end-of-adventure banquet before heading to bed in preparation for our flight home the next morning.
