Events

Summit for Salmon 2007

The fourth annual Summit for Salmon benefit climb of Mt. Rainier took place August 25-26-27, the culmination of many months of work on the part of a team of climbers who each raised at least $2,000 for Save Our Wild Salmon (in addition to getting in the best physical shape of their lives!).

The experienced guides of Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) led the intrepid group on this three-day expedition on one of North America's most challenging peaks. After completing a full day of Climbing School where the teams learned skills such as self-arrest with an ice axe, everyone tried to get a good night's sleep before heading out early the next morning to begin the trek to Camp Muir at 10,100 feet above sea level. Reaching the hut at Camp Muir in late afternoon, they fueled up and tried to sleep for a few hours before an alpine start around midnight. Donning headlamps, the climbers begin ascending to the 14,410-foot Columbia Crest at the pinnacle of Mt. Rainier.

The Summit for Salmon team was blessed with excellent conditions at the summit as you can see from the photos they captured up there.

Once safely back at RMI’s BaseCamp facility in Ashford, the team and our guides were honored at a wild salmon barbeque. The prize for the most money raised went to Rhett Lawrence, who doubled the minimum goal – bringing in $4,001 to be exact. Great job Rhett! And kudos to second place fundraiser Chas Fisher who brought in $2,300.

The Summit for Salmon team members not only raised money for salmon recovery, they educated hundreds of their friends and family members all over the country about the fight to restore these amazing fish.

A Mt. Rainier-sized "thank you" from all of us here at Save Our Wild Salmon to all of the Summit for Salmon climbers, as well as the generous donors who supported them. Also, a big thanks to our fearless guides at RMI, including the "founder" of Summit for Salmon, Gary Talcott.

Want to Join the 2008 Climb?

The 2008 Summit for Salmon benefit climb will take place August 23-25, 2008 (Saturday-Sunday-Monday), with a required orientation meeting on Friday August 22.

There are just nine spots available for interested climbers. Contact emily@wildsalmon.org for more information or to reserve your place today.

Special thanks to our sponsors Montrail, Osprey and Patagonia for donating great incentive prizes to our climbers.