Washington: Mt. Rainier

14,410 ft (4,392 m)

Mount Rainier towers above western Washington as the most heavily glaciated peak in the Lower 48—and one of the most iconic of them all. A massive stratovolcano ringed by rivers, rainforests, and wildflower meadows, it’s visible from hundreds of miles away and dominates the skyline for much of the Pacific Northwest. From its summit, climbers look out over a sea of surrounding peaks, including Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount St. Helens off in the distance. But behind the postcard views lies one of the more technical and committing climbs of any state highpoint.

Summiting Rainier is a full alpine adventure. The most popular routes—Disappointment Cleaver and the Emmons Glacier—require roped glacier travel, crevasse navigation, crampons, and ice axes. Many climbers hire guides, and even seasoned mountaineers must train and prepare. This climb typically involves a long approach, a high camp, and a pre-dawn summit push to avoid rockfall and weakening snow bridges over open crevasses. Weather windows can be tight, and many attempts are turned around due to storms, poor visibility, or high avalanche danger on the upper slopes.

For highpointers who are all-in, Rainier is more than a summit—it’s a benchmark. One that demands patience, planning, and full respect for the mountain’s unpredictable nature.

More to come…

In the meantime, this is what it’s like to walk the planks of Rainier!