Mount Rainier, Washington

RMI Guide Brent Okita Summits Mt. Rainier for 400th Time!

On Thursday, June 24th, Brent Okita reached the summit of Mount Rainier for the 400th time. Okita, of Enumclaw, Washington is only the third person to achieve such success on the steep and heavily glaciated volcano. A professional climbing guide for Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. since 1986, Okita, age 49, has reached the milestone in record time. His record on Denali, North America's highest point at 20,320 ft, is equally impressive with an uninterrupted string of 20 summits of the mountain within 21 attempts. In the span of his 24 year mountain guiding career, Okita has also been to the top of Mount Everest (in 1991) and to the summit of Mt. Vinson, Antarctica's highest point. In addition to his supervisory role with Rainier Mountaineering, Okita is the assistant director of the Crystal Mountain Ski Patrol, where he works winters with wife Julie. A participant in and leader of numerous high-mountain search and rescue efforts, Okita is renowned for his work ethic, his strength and endurance, and his passion to teach others. He is also an avid bow hunter and cyclist. Okita was raised in Switzerland, Italy and New Jersey and graduated from the University of Vermont.

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) was founded by legendary climber Lou Whittaker in 1969. Located in Ashford, Washington, at the base of Mt. Rainier, it is the largest professional mountain-guide service in the United States, and is staffed by the most experienced and talented guides in America. Nearly 65 guides work around the world for Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. on the big mountains of Everest, Rainier, Denali, Cotopaxi (Ecuador), Aconcagua (Argentina), Kilimanjaro, Vinson Massif and others. RMI has long been renowned for its accomplishments on Mt. Everest, including the first RMI Expedition in 1982.

RMI has built a forty year legacy of safe, successful and enjoyable mountaineering adventures.

Contact: Jeff Martin, jeff@rmiguides.com, 888-892-5462.