The mountain that we call Mt. Rainier had another name bestowed upon it, long before European settlers made their way to the Pacific Northwest: Tahoma. Tahoma means “frozen water,” or “snow-covered mountain,” or “the source of nourishment.” All of these are far more eloquent—and apropos—descriptions than “Mt. Rainier.” I can’t help but notice that the middle sound of the word …

We’ve all met those guys; they tell you how great things used to be when they were young. “The men were tougher in those days (meaning they themselves were), the ocean was wider, the current ran faster in the Tacoma Narrows (someone once said that to me), the mountains were taller when I was climbing.” Actually, that last one is …