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An Indigenous climb up Mount Tahoma

Boise State Public Radio News | By Daniel Spaulding

Published October 21, 2026 at 12:05 PM MDT

A mountain with snow on it is seen in the background of a grassy landscape with a lake in the foreground showing its reflection. — Aurora Lake in Klapatche Park on the west side of Mount Rainier, known as Mount Tahoma to Indigenous peoples, is seen in an undated handout photo.

Jessie Sears is Karuk and a documentary film producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting. In June, Sears joined an Indigenous journey up Mount Tahoma, also known as Mount Rainier, which is the tallest mountain in the Cascades. Our Living Lands Producer Daniel Spaulding spoke to Sears about the project.

“We don't need to conquer nature,” Sears said. “We don't need to conquer a summit. We really just need to get out outside and connect with it in a different way. I really hope audiences take that from the story.”

Daniel Spaulding

I joined Boise State Public Radio as the Indigenous Affairs Reporter and Producer for Our Living Lands, a weekly radio show that focuses on climate change and its impact on Indigenous communities. It is a collaboration between the Mountain West News Bureau, Native Public Media and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation.

See stories by Daniel Spaulding