Where is Brian now?

It's sunrise here in Seattle.  Abby and I got up to see where Daddy is now.  From our front picture window we gazed out to southern Washington to try to see the mountain.  Although we don't know for sure, he is likely at or nearing the summit of Mt Rainier (http://www.nps.gov/mora/).  I am filled with excitement and pride for my husband who today is checking off the biggest "to do" on his life list so far. 

He began training for this hike shortly after Abby was born.  I like to tell how she helped him train.  When she was so still so young (several weeks old), he wrapped her up in her Moby and took her and the dogs along with him on his treks.  Their first trip was snowshoeing.  I thought he was crazy to take our young daughter out like that, but she took to it right away.  They began what we termed "Mt Si Mondays" - each Monday while I went off to work, the four of them headed out to hike.  He'd stop along the way to change her diaper or give her a bottle.  She would babble and coo while bobbing along with her dad.  When she became sleepy, she'd just slump to the side and sleep.  Brian would often hold her forehead while she dozed so it wasn't so floppy.  Other hikers would stop to comment on our cute baby or lovely dogs.  I was able to join them on a few hikes as well.  At some point this summer his hikes became too long for little Abby to continue going on (even too much for the dogs at times), so he had to go alone or with friends.  Late this summer he and two friends went to Mt Adams (http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-adams/) for a weekend of training and trying out equipment.

Brian left 4 days ago to join his mountaineering group for the big Mt Rainier trip.  He's been collecting high end mountaineering gear all year long.  They started on Friday, starting from 5000 and hiking up to 10000 feet to a place called Camp Muir where they spent the night.  The next day the group did some mountaineering safety and technique training, climbed another 1000 feet then spent the night.  Sometime in the very early morning hours (2am?) this morning they got up and started the climb to the summit by moon light and head lamps.  He should at the summit (14410 feet elevation) now.  The temperature is 27 degrees with a northerly wind of 14 mph.  Not bad!  

I am here at home, looking at the mountain, hoping he is safe, warm, but most of all happy and grateful for this neat opportunity.  I am so proud of him.  I will be anxious today to hear from him and so excited to have him back at home.