Hiking Mt. Rainer

[Bear Cables]

I will be hiking in the Mt. Rainer area or the Hoh Rain Forest in Washington in late April. Anyone know what I should expect temperature wise for either or both sections? Would a 15 degree bag be sufficient? Would I need crampons for the Rainer area?

[SweetAss03]

Iffy on the bag I would go 0 and yes on the cramps. What part of Rainier I guess would be an important question but either way, yeah you are going to want them.

[chiefiepoo]

Don't know about April but my trip in June a few years back had lots of snow remaining in some of the higher meadows. No trees with blazes, just a meadow with multiple converging, wandering prior foot prints in the snow. Land navigation skills ought to be well developed. In one particular meadow, I ran into a ranger who was packing skis and she told me as a solo hiker I ought to turn back. So I did. Later that afternoon I was at Nickle Creek camp ground and a young lady entered the camp by way of the creek drainage. She had become lost in the snow and followed the drainage to find a way out. She was in tough shape physically and emotionally after a near miss on being lost. After a warming fire, some hot chow and tea she perked right up. Could have been me. I was impressed with the Ranger in that she knew who I was from my permit filing. She addressed me by name when we met as she had a list of people who were along the same route. Felt good to know they were keeping track of who is in the back country.

[sarbar]

Mt. Rainier in April? Buried under snow. We have had a stellar year so far for snow - but even then Rainier even at lower elevations has significant snow till June.

Do the Olympics, you can always find snow free there - and yes, the valleys are good choices. That is where we go in springtime for trips. You can usually get at least 5-10 miles in before you hit snow and they try to keep up on trees going down.

15* bag is fine for the Olympics, you will probably be cold at Rainier though.

[Mrs Baggins]

We were there in mid June 2007 - - too much snow to hike anywhere higher than the lowest parking areas and visitors center area and the majority of the trails were closed. Very disappointing.

[StormBird]

For the Hoh -> there will not be any snow, but it will still be cold and rainy that time of year.

For Mt. Rainier -> What are you planning to do there? Just some trails around the base? Your elevation is going to be the big thing to consider when gearing up. You will not need crampons unless you think that you will be on wind scoured icy slopes, which I can't imagine you would be on unless you were making a summit bid. AND a summit bid is something you plan and train for for years. Very dangerous. Chances are down lower you will be in alot of snow with pretty cold temps over night, but I still think a 15 degree bag will work for that. That is all I use and I snow shoe, mountaineer, rock climb, hike, backpack all over this area at all times of the year. You may need snow shoes or yak traks depending on snow conditions as your trip gets closer.

Check out:

http://www.weather.gov/

as well as the NP pages for Rainier and the Hoh. :)

Hope this helps! Happy trails!

[Shutterbug]

I will be hiking in the Mt. Rainer area or the Hoh Rain Forest in Washington in late April. Anyone know what I should expect temperature wise for either or both sections? Would a 15 degree bag be sufficient? Would I need crampons for the Rainer area?

Consider hiking the Ozette Loop in April. It is usually the first hike Washington hike I do each year (I winter in Arizona). The Ozette Loop is a 9+ mile loop. Three miles are along the Pacific Coast. A 15 degree bag will be adequate and you won't need crampons. You will need hiking poles because parts of the trail are on boardwalk which gets really slick over the winter.

Here is an album of pictures from one of my hikes -- http://picasaweb.google.com/naznetmcclung/OzetteLoopTrail#

I agree with those who say that Mt. Rainier will still be snowed in in April; however, I have done some day hikes on snowshoes in April. It is tough going. Last year, it was July before hiking was reasonable on Mt. Rainier.

[sarbar]

A lot of time people see the area around Rainier (and heck all of the Cascades and the Olympic Mts) and think "how can 5,000 feet have snow in May?" not realizing that tree line is 4500 to 5500 feet in the PNW and that subalpine goes to alpine to alpine tundra quite fast. Rainier creates her own weather as well - we often get nasty weather due to living so close to her, where as friends in Seattle are in the "rainshadow" that comes off of the Olympic Peninsula and are dry.

Snow and ice come down to where one hikes - for instance a lot of folks head over the passes to Eastern Washington starting in March and hike there till it gets too warm and the rattlers come out - and by then the lowlands on the Western side of Washington are melting out. It isn't uncommon for even mid-level trails to have snow in June at 3,000 feet - the trees keep it cold.
Though April can have some very pretty weather - I have had many lovely trips in April! Btw, if your heart is set on Rainier consider going out to the Carbon River area and hiking the old road that is now a trail, out to Ipsut Campground, now a backcountry CG. It is a nice hike, flattest hike you will find in Rainier (500 feet gain in under 5 miles). It has hiking potential beyond as well. It is also quite often snow free (low enough and in a temperate rainforest). It is also well taken care of.

[mweinstone]

when my friend greg died on rainer it took a search party ten days to admit his body couldnt be recovered even if they could find it.on the 11th day, jim whittiker, the first american o neverest, and a friend of all who are mt rainer, went in and found greg. hes still there. allwayswill be. in a place no one can walk to.i think of him often and thank god to call his family friends this 30 some years later. rip g.

please enjoy mt rainer responsibly. put your best hiker on.

[SweetAss03]

Sorry I should have been more responsible with my first post. If you are talking about the Wonderland then no, go to the Hoh only. Eastern Washington mtns will still have several feet of snow during. This time of year but the foot hills will be open.

[Bear Cables]

Thanks for all the feedback. We decided to hike the Hoh River Trail to Glacier Meadows and back with a stop after at the hot springs.

[sarbar]

Thanks for all the feedback. We decided to hike the Hoh River Trail to Glacier Meadows and back with a stop after at the hot springs.
You won't be safe going the whole route in April!! The upper part of the Hoh is snow covered until early summer and sits in avy slopes. Please reconsider it!!!!
You can however safely do the first 9-12 or so miles without an issue.

[Bear Cables]

You won't be safe going the whole route in April!! The upper part of the Hoh is snow covered until early summer and sits in avy slopes. Please reconsider it!!!!
You can however safely do the first 9-12 or so miles without an issue.

Do you suggest we go as far as Elk Lake then turn around and backtrack from there. I wondered after reading the cautions on the nps map about avalance chutes between Elk and Glacier Meadow.

[sarbar]

Do you suggest we go as far as Elk Lake then turn around and backtrack from there. I wondered after reading the cautions on the nps map about avalance chutes between Elk and Glacier Meadow.
Yes, that is perfect. It is really pretty really.....take your time and just enjoy the green! April is a great time to see Elk as well. Tons of them out there :) And if you have spare time....the coastal strip is only a few miles away. Tons and tons of beaches to visit!