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Older but wiser climbers

From left, Paul Fish, Jeff Johnson and Chris Kopczynski of Spokane stand below Mount Fairweather in Alaska, indicating why their climbing team was dubbed the
Rich Landers Outdoors Editor
From left, Paul Fish, Jeff Johnson and Chris Kopczynski of Spokane stand below Mount Fairweather in Alaska, indicating why their climbing team was dubbed the

Mount Fairweather, elevation 15,300 feet, is the highest peak on earth from tidewater to summit.

Jack London’s short story “The Unexpected” was set at Justice Creek, the planned jumping-off place on the Pacific Ocean.

But there was no storybook ending for four Spokane climbers who had to leave the mountain after climbing as high as 13,288 feet.

“We’re all family guys,” said Paul Fish. “Some people would have kept trying to go up in 30-40 mph winds, but to us, it wasn’t safe, or fun.”

Rebuked by the mountain’s formidable weather and dangerous travel conditions, Chris Kopczynski nevertheless was back in Alaska last week, this time with a slam-dunk goal: catching king salmon.