They survived pouring rain, closed roads, 1,000 miles on their bikes and 14 danger-laden mountains.

And this week, four adventurers were back in Bend to tell the story of an expedition they dubbed the “Cascade Challenge.”

The goal was to climb and ski 14 major Cascade Range peaks in 45 days, while road biking in between summits. In the process, they hoped to raise awareness of childhood obesity and promote physical fitness.

They reached the summit of 12 of those mountains — making calculated decisions to turn around just shy of the tops of Mount Jefferson and North Sister — in 43 days.

Rex Shepard, of Bend, Greg Stafford, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Will Fain, of Ashland, started from the town of Sumas, Wash., near the Canadian border on June 13.

Cole Iverson, also of Ashland, drove a truck and trailer as the one-man support team, and he also filmed much of the expedition.

The four have been close friends for several years, since they attended Southern Oregon University in Ashland.

The first peak on the Challenge was 10,778-foot Mount Baker in northern Washington, and it proved to be the most daunting. A whiteout with a mix of rain and snow moved in on the climbers.

“At the top of Mount Baker I was going, ‘Am I gonna be able to do this 14 times?’ ” recalled Shepard, 26. “It was intense.”

The team climbed mostly in their ski boots, with crampons attached in icy conditions. They then skied and hiked down the peaks to a predesignated location, such as a campsite or trailhead, where they could rendezvous with Iverson to either get on their bikes or find a place to sleep for the night. They carried ice axes on every climb, and ropes and harnesses for the more technical climbs.

According to Stafford, the team’s route was entirely human-powered, and they rode in the truck only to reach campsites. When they stopped biking for the night, they would drive to a campsite, but in the morning they would get back on their bikes where they had left off the night before.

After Mount Baker, the adventurers enjoyed clear weather for the remainder of the trip. They survived crevasse danger to reach the summit of Mount Rainier, then made their way to Mount Adams, in southwest Washington.

The expedition reached a turning point on Mount Adams.

“On Adams, we were much more isolated on the way up,” Shepard said. “There wasn’t even evidence of a person. We saw cougar tracks going up to 8,000 feet. It was just the three of us and the mountain.”

Stafford said Adams was the first mountain on which everything went according plan.

“It was one of those moments — we really felt like a team,” said Stafford, a 27-year-old photographer. “We got into a rhythm, and the pace increased dramatically. Once we realized we could climb a mountain in the morning and bike in the evening, we started moving really fast.”

After crossing into Oregon and climbing and skiing Mount Hood, the group biked to Mount Jefferson to attempt what would be a 17-hour climb. They got to within 500 feet of the 10,497-foot summit, Stafford said, before making the decision to turn around because of the heat.

“It was late in the day and the sun was beating down on us,” Stafford said. “It was a super long approach from the north side.”

The team then continued south into Central Oregon to climb and ski Mount Washington, the Three Sisters and Broken Top.

On North Sister, Stafford opted to skip the summit and head to Middle Sister just before they reached a dangerous area known as the “Bowling Alley,” which is notorious for falling rocks.

“I made the decision it was not worth it,” Stafford said. “If I fall here, I’m done. I came a long ways. I don’t want to die.”

So it was on to Middle Sister, South Sister and Broken Top before a much-needed rest day in Bend. (The group took five rest days during the expedition, either at campsites or in towns.)

Then the Cascade Challenge party tackled Mount Thielsen and Mount McLoughlin in Southern Oregon. After a successful summit and ski of Mount Shasta in Northern California, the trip concluded at 10,457-foot Lassen Peak, the southernmost mountain in the Cascade Range.

“I think we’re still in a period of disbelief that we actually finished it,” said Stafford, whose grandmother lives in Bend.

For Shepard, it was the culmination of a longtime goal.

“I’ve always wanted to climb all these mountains,” Shepard said. “I’ve been staring at the Three Sisters my whole life.”

For Shepard, an expert skier who works at Skjersaa’s Ski and Board Shop in Bend, the ski descents were the highlights of the trip.

“The ski is by far the best part,” he said. “At the top, you’re extremely exhausted. On the way down, the adrenaline gives you some special energy to ski down. When you’re on your skis, you’re gliding, and you find a new source of energy somehow.”

Stafford estimated the total cost of the expedition was about $9,000, much of which was covered by donations and nine sponsors.

He hopes their experience (www.cascade-challenge.org) motivates others to get outside and discover the natural splendor of the Pacific Northwest.

“It’s amazing to be able to do an expedition like this right in our backyards,” Stafford said. “I want to inspire other people. It’s out there. All you need to do is go out and explore.”