* The Objective
To climb and skifour of the most significant peaks in the Cascades during the course of a week: Mount Rainier (14,410 feet), Mount Adams (12,307 feet), Mount Hood (11,235 feet), and Mount St. Helens (8,366 feet). In our case, we failed to knock off Hood; but the remaining three peaks offer glacier travel, substantial nontechnical climbing, and 17,000 vertical feet of glisse.

* Skill Requirements (Mountaineering)
All routes to Rainier's summit require roped team travel. See page 104 for a checklist of requisite skills and a directory of schools where you can acquire and polish them.

* Skill Requirements (Skiing/Snowboarding)
Corn snow is hero snow: Softened by spring's warm days, it gives an intermediate skier the confidence to descend expert terrain. But cold fronts and wind can instantly turn corn back to ice, or worse, either brittle sastrugi (think ankle-deep broken glass) or sun cups (ice with more dimples than a Palm Beach County ballot). Attempt this trip only if you're comfortable skiing or boarding all runs in all conditions at any major ski area.

* Fitness Requirements
This is a rigorous outing. Rainier is a sea-level fourteener, so, unlike in Colorado, where you might ascend only 5,000 feet from trailhead to summit, here you'll climb a full 9,000. Pulling off all four volcanoes—or even just three—in a weeklong push demands a serious approach to fitness (and a fair amount of luck). See "Powering Up" on page 104 for specific training information.

* Gear Requirements
This trip is extremely gear intensive. For a comprehensive inventory of the mountaineering and skiing equipment, see "Walking Is for Hikers," page 107, or www.outsideonline.com.

* Is It for You?
This is an ambitious yet classic North American ski-mountaineering trip. It will bust your ass and empty your wallet; but unlike a commerically guided trip (of which, in fact, there are none for the four-peak plan outlined here), you'll return with the gear, skills, and partnerships that will enable you to do it again.