Photos: Mount Rainer summit bid

Our three-person team -- Adrian, our friend Robert, and me -- began our Mount Rainier summit bid around noon. We decided to take some extra time and spent two nights on the mountain. The first day we hiked up the Muir snowfield and camped below the hut. The next day we hiked to Ingraham Flats. At midnight, we began our climb to the summit. We reached the summit by sunrise and were back at our tent by 8 a.m. After a nap, we packed up and headed all the way down to the car -- and later pizza and beer.

Here are a few photos of our summertime adventure.

Ready to begin our climb.

View at sunset looking south. That's Mount Hood in the background.

Another sunset shot from the Muir snowfield. 

Hiking up Muir snowfield.

Approaching Ingraham Flats, the last camp before the summit. We set up our tents here and then started our summit climb at midnight that same day.

About 50 feet from the summit. Winds were consistently above 30 mph and gusting above 45 mph. Check out the lenticular cloud behind us. That cloud would eventually hover over the summit and would close the door on any climbers hoping to make it to the top later that day.

Adrian and me on the summit.

The official summit is behind me. We were the second group to summit that morning, right at sunrise.

On our way down the mountain. Our friend, Robert, is in the back. I'm in the middle and Adrian was the leader. Check the rope for an indication of how windy it was.

A morning view to the south as we descended.