 |
| Northwest side of the mountain from lower Ptarmigan ridge on May 5th, 2026 |
In order to streamline your experience getting a permit before your climb, pay attention to the notes below.
Permits:
The Paradise Wilderness Information Center will be open and issuing permits Friday, May 8th - Sunday, May 10th. Operating hours Fri-Sun are 07:30 am - 5:00 pm.
The PWIC is located in Paradise behind the Old Ranger Station. The entrance can be found on the east side of the building labeled "Guide House"
- Please arrive having already paid your climbing fee: here.
- Wilderness permits can be reserved ahead of time, or acquired in person at the Paradise Wilderness Information Center.
- For a detailed description of the permits required to climb Mt. Rainier, check out the park's climbing page.
Monday May 11th - Thursday May 14th:
Wilderness permits are issued via self-registration in the foyer of the small A-frame ranger station (the Old Station) at the upper Paradise parking lot. Or at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center. Please arrive having already paid your climbing fee: here
 |
| South side of Rainier on May 1st 2026 |
Upper Mountain Climbing Conditions: Parties have been summiting via the Ingraham Direct route above Ingraham Flats. The route ascends the Ingraham Glacier until 12,700 feet, where it ascends to Camp Comfort above Gibraltar Rock. From there, the route continues upwards with a slight detour around large crevasses just below 14,000 feet. The route meets the crater rim at Guide Rock.
The upper mountain snow surfaces are firm for this time of year. A mild winter combined with a high-elevation rain event at the end of March has made conditions resembling smooth and firm, hard packed snow. As a result, guides are using several pickets on their climbs to protect areas of the route with fall hazard. If you have and/or use pickets on your climb for running protection, it's important to practice a procedure with your team for navigating them before your climb to enable you to move through these areas efficiently and not disrupt the movement of teams around you.
Also of note, there have been a couple instances in the last week of climbers and skiers being caught in avalanches. Consult the Northwest Avalanche Center's West South Region Observations for more information.
