Paige Redifer Money

I dream of climbing Mount Rainier in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State! The summit of Rainier is at 14,411’. Rainier is different from the Colorado “14ers” I’ve summited because of its over 13,000 feet prominence. This extreme prominence causes Mount Rainier to create its own weather systems. It is covered in 28 named glaciers plus many unnamed snowfields and is the snowiest place in the United States, recording an annual average snowfall of 645”.

The Telluride Via Ferrata was a bucket list item that I had the opportunity to check off this year! “Via ferrata” translates as “iron path.” The Telluride Via Ferrata is a combination of high-exposure hiking on and off cable and climbing on rock and rungs 600 feet above the ground. Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone—and it’s safe to say this was outside of mine! I’m so grateful that my husband and I were able to experience this together and cannot wait for the next adventure!

With $10,000, I will make my dreams of climbing Mount Rainier come true. Mount Rainier requires technical mountaineering skills that I haven’t had the opportunity to develop. I would use $10,000 to take mountaineering courses here in Colorado to prepare for a safe and successful climb. After learning the mountaineering skills, I would proceed with climbing Mount Rainier in the spring or summer of 2025!