Hikers reach the top of a peak at Mount Rainier. Source: Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.

At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier in Washington State is high enough to present some very real mountaineering challenges, but with the right instruction and physical conditioning, even novice climbers can reach the top of the ice- and snow-covered volcano. National Park concessionaire Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., offers three-day summit programs every year from May through September that allow fit adventurers to experience the thrill of standing atop a dramatic snow-capped summit in the company of experienced high-altitude guides.

Each summit program begins with a one-day mountaineering seminar in which participants learn how to rope up in climbing teams and negotiate treacherous glacial terrain using crampons and ice axes. Following successful completion of the seminar, climbers embark on a two-day summit attempt that involves an elevation gain of more 9,000 feet over a distance of about 8 miles, with an overnight stop at a permanent camp about 4,300 below the summit. Successful completion of the climb depends on weather and other conditions on the upper mountain — and on each climber’s physical abilities — but RMI claims a remarkably good track record for getting clients of all ages to the top.

The four-day RMI summit program costs $883 per person in 2008 (five-day climbs range from $1,196 to $1,795), including instruction and guide services, National Park Service fees and shuttle transportation between nearby Ashford and the mountaineering base. Climbers must bring or appropriate clothing and climbing gear, and bring their own food for the training day and the climb. Information: www.rmiguides.com, 888-892-5462.

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