There's a crevasse opening up at 12,700 feet above the 'hourglass' on the Fuhrer Finger route that has added great difficulty the climb and made the ski down impassable. An IMG Guide climbed up through the Fuhrer Finger yesterday (May 25th) and noted that he had to down-climb onto a block in a crevasse and then pitched out the climb to get up the upper wall of the crevasse. Skiers who've skied the Finger previously also attempted the ski yesterday and were turned around at 12,700' due to this crevasse and ended up ascending back to the Ingraham Direct route to ski down.
The couloir and hourglass section of the route remains passable on foot and skis.
The upper mountain has not been softening at all with the cooler temperatures this week. Parties have reported firm conditions even in the late afternoon above high camps. Skiing the upper mountain is rarely in 'good' condition, and is quite often categorized as 'survival skiing.' This week is no exception.
Please make good decisions about snow conditions, ski conditions, group fitness, roped vs. unroped skiing, and overall suitability of your objective for your group. Realize that any fall on the upper mountain, even a small tumble, will likely result in an uncontrollable slide with severe consequences.
Information on Climbing in Mount Rainier National Park. Maintained by Park Service Climbing Rangers.
