Forty-two thousand feet of climbing and skiing in a week: a step-by-step guide to making it happen—on your own

Michael Darter

SO YOU WANT to climb a mountain—a giant, glacier-strewn peak with crevasses that could swallow a train. And you refuse to be towed up this behemoth by some cocksure guide nicknamed Ox who is fluent in dudespeak and notching his meaningless 47th ascent. Fair enough, but now you've got a problem: The gap separating the current state of your climbing skills from the level of experience you need to launch a successful self-guided summit bid is bigger than the Khumbu Icefall.

We understand. As outlined in the preceding article, "We Fell into a Burning Ring of Fire," last year eight Outside staffers became similarly obsessed after formulating a plan to ascend and ski Mounts Rainier, Adams, Hood, and St. Helens in a single, weeklong alpine blitzkrieg. Given our collective fitness level and experience at the time, our plan was about as reality-based as Survivor II; even when we hit the flanks of Rainier last June after three months of earnest physical preparation, we were still burdened by a dangerous skill deficit. Lucky for you, however, our slice of Cascade humble pie imparted some pragmatic wisdom. To wit: Physical fitness isn't the only thing you need; proper technique is just as crucial. Moreover, if what you seek is the satisfaction of a self-guided ski-mountaineering trip in late spring, the time to kick diligent preparation into gear is right now. What follows is by no means a comprehensive course in mountaineering, but rather a no-frills primer designed to get you started planning your own homegrown adventure. You've got some serious work to do. But trust us. It's worth it. —Chris Keyes