skip the line.

Every 2027 program, route, and rate on Mt. Rainier — published now, ahead of the calendar. Join the list, and you’ll be the first to know when our dates are about to drop.

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1969
Guiding since
100,000+
Climbers guided
17
Rainier programs
Over 900
rmi summits in 2026

Everybody's going to the top. No one else has 55+ years of experience getting you there.

Founded by Lou Whittaker in 1969, RMI is the oldest and largest guide service on Mt. Rainier. Whether it's our depth of guide experience, our base camp logistics, or our comprehensive risk management protocols, when you're on our rope, you benefit.

Why climb with RMI

Forty minutes off the mountain, not two hours

BaseCamp is a 40-minute shuttle from Paradise. A shower, a burger, and a bed are minutes from the trailhead, not a two-hour drive after summit day.

sleep in a hut at 10,080’

On our Muir Corridor programs, we utilize a private bunkhouse at Camp Muir, which means real rest before summit day.

We climb every single day

RMI climbs the route every single day; most operators climb every other day. Nobody knows the current state of these routes better.

full day of mountain school

Every summit climb includes dedicated instruction on the lower mountain before you go up. It's one of the reasons our climbers succeed.

Program Info

Summit Climb, seminar, or school?

A summit climb is built around the top. A seminar is built around skills and applying them in an expedition setting. A school is a focused day or two on one skill set. Here’s how they differ before you pick a 2027 date.

Summit Climbs
4–5 days
Expedition Skills Seminars
5–6 days
Schools & Courses
1–5 days
Skills training
Foundations taught on the lower slopes before you go up.
Full progression, fundamentals to advanced systems.
One in-depth skill set.
Summit attempt
Always. The summit is the objective.
Included, applying what you learned in an expedition setting.
No. Instruction only.
Time on the mountain
One to three nights, at Camp Muir or a high camp.
Three to four nights living on the glacier.
Single or multi-day trips.
Decision making
Guide-led throughout.
Guide-led, but you build independent judgment.
Practiced in structured scenarios.
Duration
4–5 days
5–6 days
1–5 days
2027 rates
$2,595 – $4,595
$3,795
$445 – $2,050
Best for
Climbers who want the summit, with the training to earn it.
Climbers building toward McKinley, Aconcagua, Everest, Vinson Massif, and beyond.
Anyone adding or sharpening specific skills.

Scroll the table sideways to compare all three.

New for 2027

Early & Late Season Climbs

Rainier has a peak window, and for 2027 our pricing reflects it. Four and Five Day Climbs departing outside peak season are the same climbs — same routes, same guides, same guide-to-climber ratio — at a lower rate.

Four Day Climb — Early & Late Season
$2,595
Per climber. Same itinerary and program as the peak-season Four Day Climb.
Five Day Climb — Early & Late Season
$3,095
Per climber. Same itinerary and program as the peak-season Five Day Climb.
Peak season 2027: June 10 – August 20. Any Four or Five Day Climb departing before June 10 or after August 20 is priced as an Early or Late Season climb.
Demand is lower outside the peak window
Peak summer departures fill first and fill fastest. Rather than discount quietly, we've published the difference so you can plan around it.
Conditions are less predictable
Early season brings deeper snow, colder nights, and a route still coming into shape. Late season brings open crevasses and shifting terrain.
Nothing else changes
Same route, same professional guide team, same guide-to-climber ratio, same instruction day, same equipment standard. The price is the only difference.
When Is the Best Time to Climb Rainier?
Rates are per climber and cover the land cost of the program. Early and Late Season departures will be marked on the 2027 calendar when it releases.
2027 Programs & Rates

Every Rainier program, priced for 2027

Every Rainier program, from a one-day skills school to a six-day expedition seminar. Rates below are 2027 season rates, per climber. Dates for every program will be released in September 2026.

Summit Climbs
Reach the top of the most glaciated peak in the Lower 48
Four Day Climb (June 10th - August 20th)

The classic. A half-day orientation, a full day of mountain school, then a two-day climb to the summit on the Disappointment Cleaver.

4 Days
Level 2
$2,995
Four Day Climb (Early & Late Season)
New for 2027

The classic. A half-day orientation, a full day of mountain school, then a two-day climb to the summit on the Disappointment Cleaver.

4 Days
Level 2
$2,595
Four Day Climb Select
New for 2027

Four climbers, private transportation, two nights at Camp Muir, and a few extra perks make this climb a boutique experience.

4 Days
Level 2
$4,595
Five Day Climb (June 10th - August 20th)

Two nights at 10,000’ so summit day can flex to the best weather window of the two.

5 Days
Level 2
$3,595
Five Day Climb (Early & Late Season)
New for 2027

Two nights at 10,000’ so summit day can flex to the best weather window of the two.

5 Days
Level 2
$3,095
Five Day Emmons Climb

Expedition style on the Emmons — the largest glacier in the continental United States.

5 Days
Level 3
$3,195
Five Day Kautz Climb

A moderately technical ascent of the Kautz Glacier, with ice on the route.

5 Days
Level 3
$3,195
Fuhrer Finger Climb

Alpine style on a remote line, with a small team and a big commitment.

5 Days
Level 3
$3,195
Little Tahoma Climb

Glacier climb and rock scramble to Rainier’s seldom-climbed 11,138’ satellite peak.

5 Days
Level 3
$3,195
Expedition Skills Seminars
Learn the full skill set, then apply it on a summit bid
Expedition Skills Seminar — Muir

A work week at 10,000’ learning and practicing the skills that carry to bigger peaks, then a summit bid.

6 Days
Level 3
$3,795
Expedition Skills Seminar — Emmons

Build a full mountaineering foundation on Rainier’s largest glacier.

6 Days
Level 3
$3,795
Expedition Skills Seminar — Kautz

The most technical of our Rainier seminars, on the Kautz Glacier.

6 Days
Level 3
$3,795
Expedition Skills Seminar — Paradise

Foundational skills on the Paradise Glacier, then a summit attempt on the classic route.

6 Days
Level 3
$3,795
Schools & Courses
One to five days, no prior experience required
Mountaineering Day School

An introduction to alpine technique: cramponing, ice axe, rope travel, self-arrest.

1 Day
Level 1
$445
Crevasse Rescue School

Anchors, pulleys and extrication — the systems that make glacier travel safe.

1 Day
Level 1
$445
Ski Crevasse Rescue School

Crevasse rescue built for ski mountaineers in glaciated terrain.

1 Day
Level 1
$445
Custom Instruction
New for 2027

A full day at 3:1, on a curriculum you build with our Head of Custom Programs.

1 Day
Level 1
$500
Mt. McKinley Prep Course

Winter camp life, gear testing and expedition skills — the standard preparation for McKinley.

5 Days
Level 1
$2,050
Leave No Trace Level 2 Instructor Course

The full Level 2 curriculum plus alpine and glacier modules only RMI can teach.

4 Days
Level 1
$1,050

Rates are per climber and cover the land cost of the program. Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. reserves the right to modify the land cost of a trip at any time before departure. 2027 dates release September 2026.

Notify me when dates open
New for 2027

The Four Day Climb, two ways

Same classic route. Same 2:1 ratio. Starting in 2027 you can also climb it as a Select departure — limited to four climbers and two guides, private transport, and two nights at Camp Muir with a school up high.

Four Day Climb
$2,995
Four Day Climb Select
New
$4,595
Climbers
8
4
Guides
4
2
Ratio
2:1
2:1
Transportation
Shared shuttle
Private transport
Meals
Not included
All on mountain food included
Included at Muir
—
Sleeping bags provided at Muir
Pre-trip prep
Standard orientation
Pre-trip FAQ call with an RMI guide
Nights at camp muir
1
2
climbing school location
Paradise Zone
Camp Muir
Extras
—
Personalized Gift
Get Select dates first
Custom Climbs

Don’t wait for the calendar

A custom climb runs on your dates, at your pace, with your people. If the 2027 calendar doesn’t line up (or you’d rather it didn’t), this is the most personalized way to climb Mount Rainier.

1:1 to 2:1 ratios

One to eight climbers. Choose the ratio; the pace adjusts to your team.

Group & corporate buyouts

Take a whole departure for your company, club or family.

Dates off the calendar

Pick a window that works for you, inside the Rainier season.

2027 custom climbs
From $3,900
Request a custom quote
Rainier BaseCamp — Ashford, WA

Your climb starts
at BaseCamp

Every Rainier program begins and ends at our BaseCamp, six miles from the park entrance. Parking, orientation, gear check, lodging, meals, rentals, and the debrief all happen in one place.

It means you arrive the night before, sleep well, walk to your gear check, and get on the mountain without a scramble.

Whittaker Mountaineering

A world-class shop on site. Buy or rent everything on your gear list, fitted by people who use it.

Shop & rentals

Whittaker’s Bunkhouse

Affordable lodging steps from orientation. Sleep in a real bed the night before you climb.

Book a room

BaseCamp Bar & Grill

Burgers, Pizza, and Beer on site before the climb and, more importantly, after it.

See the menu

The Mountain Haus

Where orientation, gear checks and classroom sessions happen, with your guides in the room.

Rainier programs

“The whole of BaseCamp takes the experience to the next level. I utilized all of the resources there. The Whittaker shop is beyond expectations. Having food, drink, coffee, ice cream, and a world class shop all onsite with an affordable lodge is something I haven’t seen before. The only downside is I can’t help myself from spending money when I’m there!”

Glen Moyers — RMI climber 2026
Resources

Which climb is right for you?

Four day or five day?

The Five Day buys you a second night at 10,000’ and a choice of two summit mornings. Here’s who should pay for that flexibility.

Compare the two →

Rainier or Baker first?

Rainier is 14,410’ and 9,000’ of gain. Baker is a gentler introduction to the same skills. Which one should be your first glacier?

Read the guide →

Am I fit enough yet?

Booking a 2027 date now gives you a full year to train for it. Start with our fitness and training resources.

Start training →

2027 season questions

When exactly do 2027 dates open?

Our full 2027 Mt. Rainier calendar releases in September 2026. Everyone on the priority list gets the dates by email before the calendar is public, so you can pick a departure and reserve your spot first.

Are these rates final?

These are our published 2027 season rates, per climber, covering the land cost of each program. Rates include all Mount Rainier National Park entry fees and permits.

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. reserves the right to modify the land cost of a trip at any time before departure.

Why do Early and Late Season climbs cost less than peak season?

Two reasons. Demand outside the June 10 – August 20 peak window is lower, and conditions in the early and late season are less predictable — deeper snow and colder temperatures early, more open crevasses and shifting route conditions late — which means lower summit odds than mid-summer. The price reflects the window, not the program.

Is an Early or Late Season climb a lesser climb?

No. It's the same route, the same professional guide team, the same guide-to-climber ratio, and the same instruction and equipment standard as a peak-season departure — booked through the same program page. Many guides consider early season, with the mountain still deep in snow, the most beautiful and peaceful time to climb it.

Can I book now if I already know what I want?

Dates aren’t bookable until they release, but you can request a custom or private climb for 2027 today — those run on your dates rather than the published calendar. Call 1 (888) 892-5462 or request a quote above.

What’s the difference between a climb and a seminar?

A summit climb is built around reaching the top, with one day of instruction beforehand. An Expedition Skills Seminar spends five to six days teaching the full range of glacier mountaineering — anchors, rescue, camp craft, navigation — and finishes with a summit attempt. Seminars are the standard preparation for McKinley and bigger peaks.

How does the new Four Day Climb Select differ from a custom climb?

The Four Day Climb Select is a scheduled departure on the published calendar, at a fixed rate, with a team of four climbers and two guides, plus some other perks. A custom climb is built entirely around you: your dates, your ratio, your group, from one to eight climbers.

How fit do I need to be for a summit climb?

Rainier is 14,410 feet with roughly 9,000 feet of elevation gain, carrying a 35 to 45 pound pack. Booking a 2027 date now gives you a full year to train — start with our fitness and training resources.

Do you offer women’s departures?

Yes. We run women’s Four Day Climb departures each season, guided by an all-women guide team. They’ll be listed with the rest of the 2027 calendar.

2027 Priority List

Dates go live september 2026. The list goes first.

Knowing exactly when our dates will go live could make all the difference in securing your spot. Popular Four and Five-Day departures fill within days, and by joining the Interest List, you'll get a heads-up on when to mark your calendars.