infinityjellyD wrote:I will disagree with ExcitableBoy's point above and suggest that you DON'T start with a mountaineering course. I think it's best to start with a basic climb on Rainier or some other Cascade mountain to see whether you like high altitude climbing.

This is a good point. After climbing Rainier or Baker as your first mountain, you will either be in love with climbing or hate it and never climb again.

Matt - Did you ending up booking and/or climbing with either AAI or RMI? What influenced your final decision? I suspect the point made about the impact of your assigned guide is true- that they would be the ones who really make the trip great (as far as controllable aspects go), as opposed to the company operating the excursion.

I'm at the beginning of a plan to climb Rainier in 2019 then Denali in 2020, and I think it would make sense to try and use the same company for consistency (these being the only two who are currently licensed to guide up both mountains). I'm completely new to the mountaineering scene so I'm looking to learn as much as possible right now. To date I've done a little hiking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and some fitness achievements like running rim-to-rim-to-rim across the Grand Canyon in a day, and a 100 mile ultramarathon, but I know it's a different and dangerous world up high.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!
-Pete