Current Rainier Conditions

Hi. We're travelling to Rainier this weekend from Colorado with the aim of skiing the Fuhrer finger route. It looks like a storms coming in Friday so we probably won't be able to ski until later in the weekend if at all. Does anyone know how much traffic Rainier gets at this time of year, any guesses on weather windows for the coming weekend and any suggestions of lower elevation backcountry skiing in the area to do while we wait for a gap in the weather? Any tips for those with experience of pacific northwest conditions would be much appreciated! We're probably going to stick with the trip so want to be able to take advantage of what we can even if the weather's not ideal. 

The Fuhrer Finger gets low to moderate traffic.  Just check the weather on any site (e.g. Weather Underground).  There are also webcams on the NPS site, e.g. https://www.nps.gov/webcams-mora/east.jpg, https://www.nps.gov/webcams-mora/mountain.jpg..  The ski from Camp Muir is lots of low angled fun, 4500 feet to your car.  For additional information see https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/climbing.htm..  I looked for a phone number for the climbing rangers, but didn't see it.  They may not be on the mountain yet.

Oh, and if the weather is shit, you don't want to go there.  Virtually all of the skiing is above timberline, and if the clouds roll in, you can't seen ANYTHING (white on white on murk).  And for the Fuhrer Finger, you have crevasses too.

Thanks for the reply Skibo, good to get input with people who have more experience of the local conditions. We've been following the weather and looks like we might get some narrow weather windows but most of the weekend the weather would fall in the category of 'shit'! The Camp Muir ski is good advice, looks like a good safer option that's easier to bail from. I've tried the rangers a few times and not manager to get hold of them yet. Think we'll keep an eye on the weather for a window but plan some alternatives!

On anything other than cloudless days, I'm always looking over my shoulder on the way to Muir.  Clouds can come up the mt. and get you.  If you can't see your uptrack (and ski down it keeping it in view--think tight turns), navigation is a real problem.  It's an easy place to get totally lost, and there are some places you don't want to end up.

If you add on the Nisqually Chutes, you can add some steep skiing and an extra 1500 vert to the bridge down the Nisqually River drainage.

Looks like next week could be prime. If it’s socked in, you can go south of the paradise road (park at narada falls, skin up the hill and down the road to the right) and go into the tatoosh range. Short approaches, and plenty of options from mellow to steep couloirs. It’s all north facing though so if it’s cold with no new snow, conditions could be pretty bad.

It’s a ways north, but they just opened the road to Washington pass. There should be a pretty big party up there, and it could be prime corn harvesting conditions. Pretty rad terrain, with lots of alpine climbing that you can tour to and ski out of. Not sure how much of the climbing will be in yet though

As said above you want to have a descent weather window, especially as it sounds like it is your first time on the hill. These days the Finger probably sees more skiers than climbers. The cloud coverage can go both ways. I have left the parking area in the clouds only to (knowingly) walk out of it to blue skis at 10k, I have also left 10K in blue skis only to walk into clouds at 13k. (Also had everything in between). Looking at the weather I would not be in any hurry to leave as I would look at a midweek ascent.

If conditions are good skiing down to the bridge is a good option as then you do not need to skin back up to Paradise. But then someone needs to hitch from the bridge back up to Paradise. Also note that there are a couple of ways to approach and ascend the Wilson Glacier. Most ascend from about 6700 and go up the glacier proper, I have gone up the Wilson Gully from about 6200. Also the upper Nisqually can be pretty broken up. Even with the huge snow pack that is being reported as I am not sure of depth at different elevations.

http://mountrainierclimbing.blogspot.com/

Honestly, it's been a weird winter. Central Cascades are sitting TOUGH with a lot of snow, WA pass looks great as well. Further south was average, but April was hotter than shit. We went from depths of winter straight to schmoo. Super high freezing levels all month. Now, we're seeing the typical may shit, and maybe we'll get our true corn harvest end of the month/early june. 

I've seen a few TRs that note that the upper nisqually is cracked out heavier than normal for this time of year, and people taking some alternate routes than the standard maze through upper nisq. Tough thing about the finger is your timing/approach. Gotta climb early before the rocks above start shedding, but there's no solid spot to chill if you're just after the finger. Might as well meander and try to find a path, but damn those cracks get big -- and happen fast.

Also, yes, you can ski camp muir when the weather is shit, but I will say, it is NOT great. Quite the opposite. The skiing is not nearly good enough to suffer through ping-pong ball conditions. It's only redeeming quality is the views and vibes up at camp muir. if the weather sucks, the effort is moot. 5k of skinning with a buncha dudes getting into fights with their girlfriends. The note about the tatoosh is a solid piece of advice. Way more fun than muir. Or go to the other side of the mtn with bicycles and hop on the Frying Pan. That's probably some of the best pure skiing below 10,000 feet. Some big steep headwalls.

Anyway, you might have a window Tuesday, Monday depending on the snow that does fall.