# @jeffkmarsh on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbgev64FVkm
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70803160-jeffkmarsh-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/fb97dbc636.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-01T18:26:43.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Jeff Marsh (@jeffkmarsh) — https://gondola.cc/jeffkmarsh

## Caption

For 6 months, my sister, my son Indie (10), and myself, had been planning a summit bid of Mt. St. Helen's in WA, which would be Indie's first big mountain.  The date *happened* to be set for 3 days after the day we would find out about my dad Bill's passing. God's timing is always perfect.

We camped at Climber's Bivouac 2, trailhead for the Monitor Ridge route.  Played a little catch in the parking lot, slept a view minutes, and hit the trailhead at 3:01a.  The weather simply couldn't have been better.  Other than a 40-50mph gale on The Ash Field near the summit, it was a perfect blue bird day.  So proud of Indie battling the elements, carrying his own pack, and tagging his first summit, 24 years after I first summited, and 23 after his aunt Heidi.  A handful of photos from those climbs included.

While it was incredibly emotional, and physically draining, it ended up being the perfect way to memorialize our dad and grandpa Bill, the man responsible for giving us a deep love for the PNW mountains, and of adventure.

A few months ago, he sent a copy of "Banner in the Sky" (based on real-life events), as well as the Disney film, "Third Man on the Mountain", for Indie and I to read and watch together.  It was dad's favorite book and film as a kid, and so it was my favorite as well.

If you know the story, you'll know the significance of the red "banner", which main-character young Rudy Matt's fallen father's red sweater, which gets planted on the summit of The Citadel (Matterhorn in real life). It was dad's lifelong dream to see the Matterhorn with his own eyes.  Naturally, Indie hauled his grandpa's favorite red Patagonia jacket to the summit of St. Helen's.  Absolutely no dry eyes on that summit.

Dad even helped with the planning and coordination of our climb for months, something that brought him tremendous joy.  He was probably more excited than we were.  It was a day of days, he was honored greatly, and a climb we will never forget.

While dad never saw the Matterhorn in person, I was able to visit in 2010 on a pristine blue-bird winter day, and I called him from the base of the mountain.  We both were in tears. (The last photo here is one I took that day)

## Stats

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## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jeff Marsh | @jeffkmarsh | https://gondola.cc/jeffkmarsh | Photographer |

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