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The end of the spring semester is a time for relaxation, a time to unwind with friends and family before diving into their next semester of school or starting a career ... right? That's not how Garrett Krstich and Troy Castle celebrated their Master's degrees. The two followed their final academic semester by climbing a mountain — and not just any mountain. The SMU teammates tackled Mount Rainier, the highest peak in the lower 48 states, and visited with PonyFans.com to discuss their trek, what they endured during the climb and descent ... and what might be next for them.

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Enjoy!

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What an amazing and inspiring story! I love the part about Castle's ice axe!

Not exactly wading into the shallow end of the mountain climbing pool, huh?
That's really impressive. And a little crazy.

WOW.......what a hike. You guys are ready for Everest now. If you ever get bored, go to Colorado and do some fourteeners, there's only 53 of them but nothing like what you did.

Extremely well written and that's what made it exciting. Come out to Arizona and we'll do the Grand Canyon.

All very cool, the ice ax used, the colors worn, and the banner carried.

Started out my banking career as a tax-exempt bond trader and traded with Rainier Bank back in the 1970's. Each year Rainier's Bond Department had a meet and greet function and a Mount Rainier climb with all their bond trading partners. In 1979 I was invited. The first thing they did was to have their doctors give you a complete physical before you set your first step on the mountain. Thank God I still did a swimming workout three times a week back then, or I would not have made it without oxygen.

I've never done anything that cool and I'm older than the two of them combined.
Great job!

I wasn't feeling overly lazy until I read that. Great job, guys.

Great story, and unusually smart decision to save the top for another day. For a much easier but still demanding hike why not go up Longs Peak in Rocky Mtn Natl Park? It's almost as high, 14,254 feet, but easily up and down in a single day. The altitude sickness still operates there, though.

Really?

Oldmins wrote:Great story, and unusually smart decision to save the top for another day. For a much easier but still demanding hike why not go up Longs Peak in Rocky Mtn Natl Park? It's almost as high, 14,254 feet, but easily up and down in a single day. The altitude sickness still operates there, though.

Sounds like a brutal day, considering the altitude and incline. (Maybe 20 years ago!)

Oldmins wrote:Great story, and unusually smart decision to save the top for another day. For a much easier but still demanding hike why not go up Longs Peak in Rocky Mtn Natl Park? It's almost as high, 14,254 feet, but easily up and down in a single day. The altitude sickness still operates there, though.

Not if you climb the diamond face of Longs. That face is almost as tough to climb as the Matterhorn.

http://tinyurl.com/hvvqfc9

Oh, and Mount Whitney at 14,505 ft is the tallest peak in the lower 48. Mount Ranier is 14,416 ft., which is less than Colorado's Mt. Elbert at 14,439 ft. It is the top peak by prominence, however.

http://tinyurl.com/z5gdree