June 2, 2015
The Rainier season is off to a great start! Over the past three weeks, the mountain has been mostly clear, and the winds have been low. It has been mid-summer weather, in the middle of May. What does that mean for our Rainier climbs? SUMMITS!
Aside from actually standing on top, one of the most rewarding feelings for IMG climbers is signing the “summit board†upon their return to IMG Headquarters. The tradition was borrowed from a restaurant in Kathmandu, called the Rum Doodle. At the restaurant, anyone who summits Mt. Everest gets to sign the summit board, as well as eat free for life. Although we don’t offer free food for life when you summit Mt. Rainier, the feeling of signing the summit board is a pretty special one. At the end of each season, we hang that year’s board in our shop, next to all the boards from previous years.
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- Summit Boards from previous Rainier seasons
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- 2015 Summit Board through June 1
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- George signs Rum Doodle Everest board 1991
Every year, numerous past Rainier climbers come to the IMG Headquarters in Ashford, WA, just to look for their name on the summit board. Some remember just where they signed, and others sit and stare for 20 minutes before they can find their signature.
The Rainier summit board is a fun tradition, and we are happy to report that this year’s board is quickly collecting signatures!
Josh McDowell