Climate Change Shortens Mount Rainier Climbing Season, Guides Warn

It’s a cliché that everyone in the insurance industry believes in climate change. But the same can certainly be said of those in the mountain-guiding business.

May marks the start of the recreational mountaineering season on Washington’s Mount Rainier, the most popular technical climb in the U.S. Yet for many guide companies leading climbers up the 14,410-foot peak, the final day of the 2026 commercial climbing season remains uncertain—and potentially alarmingly early.

“We used to run a season through the end of September typically,” said Jonathon Spitzer, director of operations at Alpine Ascents, which has offered guided climbs of Rainier since 2006. “For four of the last five years, we’ve ended around Labor Day or so” due to poor snow conditions on the mountain. That means losing about 20% of the historic season.

The ideal climbing conditions on Rainier occur in spring and summer, when the 10,000 annual climbers face milder weather, lower avalanche risks, and crevasses mostly covered by snow. But the mountain’s snowpack must remain frozen solid. A firm snow layer gives crampons and ice axes the grip needed to ascend steep slopes safely, while reducing the threat of ice and rockslides. Climbing on loose dirt, slush, or exposed blue glacier ice—normally hidden under snow—becomes far more dangerous.

Yet high-mountain regions, known as the cryosphere, are warming up to twice as fast as the global average. Rainier has lost half its ice since 1896, with most of that loss occurring in recent years. Three of its 29 glaciers have vanished since 2021. Researchers confirmed last fall that the mountain is now 10 feet shorter than in 1998, as a rocky outcropping replaced its former highest point—a mound of ice that has since melted away.

Early Season Ends Threaten Guided Climbs

For guides on Rainier, April and May weather sets the tone for the entire climbing season. Spring storms should ideally deposit the snow needed for safe summer ascents. “It doesn’t really matter what happens in December, January, or February,” Spitzer explained, because winter snow is often dry and blows off the summit instead of accumulating.

Last week, Alpine Ascents guides reached Rainier’s summit and reported heavy snow on the upper mountain. But Spitzer warned that the season’s outlook remains unclear. “It’s been really dry in April,” he said. “And it’s not looking good for May, either.”

Temperatures in the Puget Sound region have soared 20 to 25 degrees above average at the start of May, adding to a winter marked by record warmth and snow drought across the West. The Cascade mountain basins now hold only about 29% of their historic median snow-water equivalent—a key measure of snowpack that affects runoff, water availability, and climbing safety.

Glacial Retreat and Rising Risks

As glaciers recede, climbers face more unstable terrain. Exposed ice and rock increase the likelihood of falls, while melting permafrost weakens slopes. Guides say these changes have forced them to shorten routes, avoid certain areas, and end seasons earlier—reducing both revenue and the traditional climbing experience.

With climate models predicting continued warming, the future of Rainier’s climbing seasons hangs in the balance. For now, guides like Spitzer are adapting, but the message is clear: time on the mountain is running out.