- Feb 5, 2002
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(OSV News) — In a summer of firsts, mountain-climbing Benedictine monks of Mount Angel Abbey took to the heights — their locally brewed beer tucked in backpacks — ascending renowned peaks in the Pacific Northwest during the season’s brief window of opportunity.
The four monks — Brother Ambrose Stewart, Brother Gabriel Brands, Brother Brandon Contreras and Father Michael Shrum — whose monastery is perched on a butte in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley with a majestic view of Mount Hood towering in the distance — spent some of their precious vacation time capitalizing on the views, their abbey’s brews, and even celebrated Mass atop a stratovolcano.
In three separate climbs — either with friends, family or each other — they summited Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens and South Sister, ascending to heights of nearly 11,250 feet above sea level. They told OSV News that at times they had to fend off mosquitos, navigate tricky boulder fields, maneuver through broken rock fragments called “scree,” and safely overcome areas of slippery snow and ice to reach each frigid summit.
Friends summit Mount Hood
Continued below.
Fearless monks climb three big pacific northwest peaks
In a summer of firsts, mountain-climbing Benedictine monks of Mount Angel Abbey took to the heights -- their locally brewed beer tucked in backpacks -- ascending renowned peaks in the Pacific Northwest during the season's brief window of opportunity.
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