Last August, several REI employees set out to summit Mount Rainier. Although the team was successful in their summit, they were caught in a whiteout on the descent and forced to spend two frigid nights on the mountain.
On the third day, climbing rangers were able to reach the team and escort them safely back to basecamp. Astonishingly (and thankfully) the only resulting injuries were minor frostbite and wounded pride.
The rescue resulted in a budding relationship between the rescued climbers and the Washington National Park Fund (WNPF). REI partnered with WNPF to organize two fundraising climbs up Mount Rainier, with funds supporting the park’s vital and currently underfunded search and rescue program. The goal was simple: get to the top (and back down) and raise funds to support search and rescue efforts at Mount Rainier National Park.
Watch this video to learn about the fundraising effort and climb.