Climb With Asha | Train. Educate. Empower.
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The 2025 Info session was held in February. If you’d like to be part of this incredible experience, watch this space for an RSVP link to the next Information Session (will be in Jan / Feb 2026).
Asha for Education is a 100% volunteer, low-overhead charity group. Rather than cost-heavy marketing about our work, we engage people by helping them train for fitness and wellness goals, asking in return that they learn about Asha, spread the word and raise funds by letting their network know about their events and association with Asha.
The Team Asha Climbing program helps hikers and climbers summit local peaks, which include Mt. Ranier, Mt. Baker & Mt. Adams. Other peaks may also included each year depending on the leads and the program.
“Asha Leads” volunteer their time and energy to help each person understand what it takes to build the endurance, strength, gear and experience needed to climb mountains. Weekend training hikes are organized throughout the Spring and early Summer, with hands-on guidance and tips customized for each climber. Mid-week strength sessions and focused guidance may also be offered depending on the need. Education sessions on gear, nutrition, training and even fundraising are offered via convenient video conference sessions.
Every hiker / climber is set up with a fundraising page and has a minimum fundraising expectation based on their goals.
Typical Climb Details
- Snow Climbs - Washington
- Snow Climbs - Outside Washington (in US)
- Non-Snow Climbs - in US (Washington & California)
- Snow and non Snow Climbs - International
- Train with Asha
Each climber will decide which peaks they want to attempt based on their ability, ambition and schedule availability.
Mt. Rainier Typ. Details: (Includes 2 Day Mount Baker)
- 3-5 days in the last week of June (includes 2 day Mount Baker climb on on the 1st or 2nd weekend of June)
- Cost: $1650
- Fundraising Commitment: $1500
Mount Baker Typ. Details:
- Option #1: 3 days over the last weekend of Jun
Option #2: 3 days over the 1st weekend of Jul (You have to pick one) - Cost: $1000
- Fundraising Commitment: $800
Glacier Peak Typ. Details:
- 3 days over the last weekend of July
- Cost: $1100
- Fundraising Commitment: $800
Mount Adams Typ. Details:
- 3 days over the 1st weekend of July
- Cost: $325
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Mount Olympus Typ. Details:
- 4 days over the 1st week of Aug
- Cost: $1250
- Fundraising Commitment: $800
WA 5 Volcanoes program (Mt Rainier, Mt Baker, Mt Adams, Mt St Helens and Glacier Peak over 2 years.)
- Dates: Various
- Cost: $2825
- Fundraising Commitment: $2500
Notes on costs:
- Snow skills are required for snow climbs. A single snow skill lesson with group is ~$125
- The costs above* do not include:
- Climbing/Hiking apparel
- Climbing / Hiking gear you’d need to acquire (purchase/rent)
- Preparation (be it time to hike, gym memberships, simple at-home-training equipment etc)
- Meals & Travel
- Tips/gratuities to Guides for Snow Skills & the final climbs/hikes.
* Costs above cover the Guides from an Adventure Company partnering with Asha who will lead the group and obtain permits. Guides assume some responsibility for the group’s safety and preparation, although not liability. Costs are typically discounted for Asha and not the same rates advertised by the Adventure companies. Note that Adventure companies typically do not offer training hikes and preparation support. These are offered for free by Asha volunteers who organize training hikes and other prep learnings.
Payment and Registration:
Please reach out to seattle.climbing@ashanet.org with the information on which climbs you are interested in and we can figure out the cost and fundraising commitment for you based on climbs you are interested in.
- 3 days over a weekend in the middle of May
- Cost: $1245
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Mount Hood Typ. Details:
- 2-3 days over the 1st weekend in June
- Cost: $1230
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Payment & Registration:
For Mount Shasta Climb, pay the cost via: https://adventuretripr.com/details/mt-shasta-summit-climb-fundraiser-for-asha-for-education
For Mount Hood Climb, pay the cost via: https://adventuretripr.com/details/mt-hood-summit-climb-fundraiser-for-asha-for-education
- Overnight + 1 day (3am start to 8pm) in the last weekend of July
- Cost: $200
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Grand Canyon Typ. Details:
- 3 days in mid September (not including travel time)
- Cost: $400
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Mount Whitney Typ. Details:
- 1 day in mid August (not including travel time)
- Cost: $400
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Payment & Registration:
Please reach out to seattle.climbing@ashanet.org with the information on which climbs you are interested in and we can figure out the cost and fundraising commitment for you based on climbs you are interested in.
- 8-14 days in mid Apr or late Oct (not including travel time)
- Cost: $1825
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Machu Pichu Typ. Details
- 8-10 days in mid August
- Cost: $1975
- Fundraising Commitment: $600
Payment & Registration
For Everest Base Camp, pay via: Everest Base Camp Trek – Fundraiser for Asha for Education – AdventureTripr
A Snow program (offered with “Train with Asha” also includes a snow-skills class.
These programs ALSO bear a fundraising commitment as part of your training with us. This is a great option to train, when you have signed up with another company for the final climb.
Train with Asha (snow):
- Cost: $250
- Fundraising: $800
Train with Asha (non-snow):
- Cost: $125
- Fundraising: $800
Payment & Registration:
Please reach out to seattle.climbing@ashanet.org.
Snow Climbs - Washington
It is not only the tallest mountain in the Washington state but also is the most glaciated mountain in the lower 48 states. It is also called as Tahoma or rather to say ‘mother of water’ in Salishan.
Elevation: 14,411 feet
Number of days on a trip: 3-4 days
Routes used: Disappointment Cleaver (DC) or Emmons-Winthrop are the basic routes typically used to reach the summit. DC route does provide a challenge with objective hazards with sea od climbers on the route while Emmons route is less prone to objective hazard but has route finding challenges. Overall, we choose the route based on the snow conditions and best information available to the rangers to help the chances for our climbers to succeed. It should be noted that although Emmons route might be safer at times, it is a bit longer and has more elevation gain to achieve on your feet as you start hiking from lower elevations at White River Campground and also camp at approximately 9,500 feet rather than at Camp Muir or Ingrahm Flats when on DC route.
It may be the ninth-highest in the Washington state but is a huge glaciated massif as the name suggests in Lummi. It is also the most photographed mountain the Cascades. Climbing it surrounds you with the hike through a pristine forest, a moderate glacier to exhilarating achievement for the one who stands on the summit ledge.
Elevation: 9,131 feet
Number of days on a trip: 2-3 days
Routes used: Sulphide Glacier. Climbers will need to have some experience with scrambles or willing to actively participate in ‘Intro to Rock’ provided by a number of climbing organizations and guiding companies in the area.
Also known as Koma Kulshan is the second-most thermally active crater in the Cascade range after Mount Saint Helens.
Elevation: 10,781 feet
Number of days on a trip: 2-3 days
Routes used: Coleman Deming or Easton Glacier route based on the snow conditions of the mountain and the time of the year.
Glacier Peak or Dakubed is the most remote/isolated of the major 5 stratovolcanoes of the Cascades in the state of Washington. It is known to provide the climbers with pristine landscape and backpacking into mountaineering experience including a section of glacier travel on the summit day.
Elevation: 10,541 feet
Number of days on a trip: 4 days
Mount Adams is the second tallest peak in WA state at 12, 276ft. The South Climb via Lunch Counter is a steep and rewarding ascent providing stunning views on a clear day, and an opportunity to glissade down Piker’s Peak.
Elevation: 10,541 feet
Number of days on a trip: 2 days
A long 17+ mile approach, a glacier with crevasses and bergschrunds, and a Class 4 rock climb with a Class 5 step on loose rocky ramps to the summit of its West Peak. Mount Olympus, in the center of Olympic National Park, is one of the “Five Majors” and a big accomplishment. The approach goes through a true old growth rain forest.
Elevation: 7980 feet
Number of days on a trip: 4 days
Snow Climbs – Outside Washington (in US) – California and Oregon Climbs
Mt. Shasta is a beautiful volcano in the Cascade Range of northern California. It is the second highest peak in the Cascades, after Mount Rainier.
Elevation: 14,179 feet
Number of days on a trip: 2 days
Routes used: Alpine Style via Avalanche Gulch route which starts at Bunny Flat trail and then proceeds up the mountain to the Summit. This 2 days climb only includes a skills briefing during the climb.
Mt. Hood is the tallest mountain in Oregon and the world’s second most climbed mountain. It is a beautiful glaciated mountain, situated about 50 miles east-southeast of Portland. The mountain has many snow fields and glaciers at 7,000 ft and above and it is a winter wonderland up there year round.
Elevation: 11,249 feet
Number of days on a trip: 2 days
Routes used: South side approach. You will be taking the snowcat up to 8,000ft before going on foot for the summit push.
Non-Snow Climbs – in US (Washington & California)
Mt St Helens Eruption, Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Original public domain image from Flickr
The hike to the summit of Mt St Helens in the summer is strenuous, but requires no technical climbing skills when snow is not present. We start at the Climbers’ Bivouac trailhead, on the Ptarmigan Trail which passes through forest and open meadows to the Loowit trail. The trail then ascends to Monitor Ridge through boulder fields, and finally through ash and small rocks to the crater rim.
Elevation: 8, 365 ft
Number of days on a trip: 1 day
“There’s no question about it, the rim-to-rim hike in Grand Canyon National Park is a classic bucket list adventure. But it’s no stroll through the park, that’s for sure. Being unprepared can have catastrophic results. However, when you’ve trained properly, have the right gear and know what to expect, it can be one of the most memorable experiences of your life.”
– National Park Foundation
Number of days on a trip: 3
Mt Whitney is the tallest mountain in California and the tallest peak in the Lower 48 States of the
United States.
Elevation: 14,505 feet
Number of days on a trip: 3-5 days
Summer Routes used: In the summer, the route is an out-and-back trail past rocky switchbacks, sheer cliffs, and flowing waterfalls to the summit of Mt. Whitney. The trail averages 550′ of elevation gain per mile and passes through Lone Pine Lake, Mirror Lake, and Consultation Lake, finally meeting an exposed, rocky field at the base of the infamous “99 switchbacks.” After this, it joins the John Muir Trail where you follow the ridgeline to the summit. A very early start is recommended and effects of high altitude can become intense.
Snow and non-snow Climbs – International
The classic Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu is one of the most famous treks in South America, and for good reason. Mixing history, wildlife and spectacular scenery, this 9-day adventure covers sites that rank among the world’s most impressive archaeological sites and natural wonders.
Highlights:
- The 42 km (26 miles) long classic Inca Trail via a circular route through various Andean environments, including cloud forest and alpine tundra.
- Exploring Andean biodiversity including orchids, foxes, cocks-of-the-rock (Peru’s national bird), spectacled bears, deer, and many more species of flora and fauna.
- Impressive Inca ruins such as Wiñay Wayña and Phuyupatamarca.
- Mountaintop Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
- Rainbow Mountain hike that was discovered for tourism only about 6 years ago!
Due to the altitude of this trip, it is highly recommended that you spend at least 2 days acclimatizing at higher altitudes. As such we start this trip with a day in the city a day of the Sacred Valley tour that you will acclimatize on during the first two days of your trip before you start trekking at higher altitudes.
- Number of days on a trip: 9
Trekking through the Himalayas is a spiritual experience. To be spiritual is to adapt to the nature to unite yourself with it. This trek offers a wonderful combination of culture, nature and landscape into an experience of a lifetime. But the rewards of this trek must be earned as it climbs over 20,000 feet and loses over 7,000 feet of elevation over 75+ miles over the course of the trek, at high altitudes.
Trip highlights:
- Trekking to the base of the world’s tallest mountain.
- Taking in sweeping views some of world’s tallest peaks like Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori.
- Getting a close look at the Khumbu Glacier, world’s highest glacier.
- Opportunity to trek up to Kala-pathar, one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the region with views of 8000 meter peaks like Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, Cho-Oyu.
- A visit to one of the oldest and biggest Buddhist monasteries, Tengboche monastery.
- Spending a day at Namche Bazar, the Sherpa capital.
- Experiencing the local culture and cuisine at the tea houses along your trek.
- Coming close to local wildlife and domesticated animals like Yaks
- Exploring Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, which is a world heritage site.
FAQ
- Shall be developed when we have a past Lead or Climbers who volunteers to put this together! (Lots of ways to give back to Asha Seattle)
Climb for Asha started with a bunch of friends affiliated with Asha who also wanted to climb Mt. Rainier. In 2010, it was an informal climb supported by volunteers who in addition to being Asha affiliates had experience and knowledge of mountaineering supporting their friends, new to the mountains but all with the same objective of fundraising for Asha. The 2010 & 2011 climbs did not have a fundraising goal or a volunteer-led training component. In 2012, it became an official Asha fundraiser supported by volunteers to lead weekend training hikes & preparatory climbs. It was open to everyone with a commitment from each participant to raise at least a nominal amount of money for Asha projects. Every year, some of the climbers from previous year return to volunteer as leads for the climbing program. Just like Asha, this is a volunteer-led program. Since its inception, the program has grown, we’ve had a new set of dedicated volunteers carry it forward with fresh new ideas and contributions to improve the process. But our mandate has remained the same: to raise funds for Asha for Education. In addition to organizing training hikes every weekend, helping climbers with fundraising, organizing climbs to St. Helens & Mt. Adams, the leads conduct training hikes for volunteers to refresh our skills before the Asha season begins. Many of them are also involved with the Mountaineers club.