June 6th - Drive from Seattle to Ashford, WA

On Friday morning, Dan and Heidi drive me down to Ashford, WA where I join my group for the climb up Mt. Rainier. The traffic is just as I remember . . . miserable. Why do people live here? (We don't see this view . . . it's raining . . . I won't see a view like this for over a week.)

Whittaker's in Ashford, WA. --- the kicking off point for Mt. Rainier. They've got a nice little coffee/ice-cream shop, a rental shop, bar & grill, and a store to buy anything that you'd need for climbing Mt. Rainier.

Whittaker's rental shop . . . they have all the gear to rent that you forgot or when you find out you brought the wrong stuff. :-( I picked up my parka, rain jacket, avalanche transceiver, and pants.
The first night at Whittakers I stay in their bunkhouse. I hardly sleep at all. I'm trying to figure out what I'll need for my climb up Mt. Rainier. At this point I have no idea what I'm in for.