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| Sunrise behind Little Tahoma from Cathedral Gap on 5/23/26 |
Climbing Season is fully underway at Mt. Rainier! Parties have been successful on multiple climbing routes, and skiers have been venturing around the upper mountain as well. When the weather has been nice, the Mountain has been busy. The information below will set you and your team up for success from the Park Entrance all the way to the Summit.
Getting Here:
Both the White River Entrance and Nisqually Entrance stations will be busy on the weekends. Plan your entrance to the park to avoid peak times or budget extra time to get into the park. Highway 410 and Highway 123 are open, as is the White River entrance and Steven Canyon entrance stations. The White River Campground is open for the season as well.
Registration:
All climbers must register for their climb In-Person either the day of your climb, or up to 24 hours in advance. Self-registration is no longer accepted. Register at either the Paradise Wilderness Information Center or the White River Wilderness Information Center. Both of these stations are open 7 days a week from 0730-1700.
Visit the Park's Climbing Page for detailed information on paying the climbing fee, registering for your climb, and obtaining the required wilderness permit.
Route:
Paradise to Pebble Creek (7,200 ft) - you'll find intermittent snow coverage between Paradise and Pebble Creek. While you'll predominately travel on snow over this section, there are significant portions of trail melting out. Do your best to pay attention to trail markings and avoid walking on fragile plant life.
Muir Snowfield - Above Pebble Creek the snowfield is in typical springtime condition, with no running water. Warmer days with full sun have zapped some climbing parties on their ascent to Camp Muir. Be mindful of sun exposure and be diligent with hydration.
Camp Muir - Ample space exists for pitching tents on the snow. You'll find 2 open bathrooms east of the helipad, and 2 open bathrooms on the far west side of camp. A blue bag barrel exists near each set of open bathrooms. Pack out all trash and keep your tent site clean for the enjoyment of future parties.
Ingraham Flats - The route across the Cowlitz makes a gentle ascent to Cathedral Gap, which is snow covered. Rangers found few open crevasses between Camp Muir and Ingraham Flats.
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| The Ingraham Direct route on 5/23/26 |
Ingraham Direct - From the Flats, the route ascends the Ingraham Glacier towards a crevassed section with 3 ladder crossings beginning at 11,600. Each ladder crossing was short, just a few steps, and had hand lines and fixed protection to facilitate running belays. Understand that these ladder crossings can be choke points on the route that make passing parties difficult. Above the last ladder at 11,800, the route continues up the Ingraham glacier to Camp Comfort at the top of Gibraltar Rock. A steep headwall section below Camp Comfort also has fixed pickets for running belays. These can be useful with the proper rope interval spacing between climbers. Please allow descending climbers to pass and be aware of other parties on the route.
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| One of the three ladder crossings around 11,700 ft on 5/23/26 |
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| Handlines and fixed pickets provide extra security at ladder crossings (5/23/26) |
Camp Comfort to the Summit - Cross a snow bridge over a crevasse directly above Camp Comfort, which leads to another steep pitch with fixed pickets. Above here, the route follows gentle switchbacks to the Crater Rim at Guide Rock. There were few open crevasses above 13,000 feet, but evidence of some sagging snow bridges could be seen.
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| Descending towards Camp Comfort, looking down the Ingraham Glacier on 5/23/26 |
Descent - Pay close attention while descending the upper mountain. The boot pack is less obvious while descending to Camp Comfort. Also, consider using running belays in the steeper sections on the way down. Tired legs are more likely to slip in steep and firm sections of the route.
Planning your Climb: Check out the Mt. Rainier Recreational Forecast for a good starting point. The weather looks warmer mid-week followed by a cooling trend by the weekend. Don't forget to bring snow picket anchors for your climb! Many sections of the route are too firm to facilitate digging a t-slot anchor using either skis or an ice axe. Snow shovels are just as important as your ice axe and crampons; you'll need one at Camp Muir.
Happy Climbing!
