Coming to WA and was planning a go at Rainier this weekend/early next week with a couple buddies. Weather looks like shit and I'm not sure how much fun it will be sitting in the hut at Muir for 4 days waiting for a small weather window.

So, any suggestions for alternative plans Friday-Tuesday in the surrounding areas? I guess beer tasting is always an option... Never thought I'd be disappointed with drinking beer, but I was pretty psyched for this trip...

Weather is often better on the east side of the crest. If Rainier is getting pounded look at the weather forecast for Leavenworth. If it looks promising head there. The Stuart Range is in good shape right now for snow/ice/mixed routes. Look into the following routes:

Triple Couloirs on Dragontail
NE Couloir or North Buttress Couloir on Colchuck Peak
NE Couloir on Argonaut
Stuart Glacier Couloir or Sherpa Glacier on Stuart

Yep, good advice there from Excitableboy. Look at CascadeClimbers as well for recent trip reports on the area, conditions, etc. Unfortunately, or fortunately, dep. on one's perspective, looks like we're having another late-season blast of ol' man Winter.

ExcitibleBoy wrote:Weather is often better on the east side of the crest. If Rainier is getting pounded look at the weather forecast for Leavenworth. If it looks promising head there. The Stuart Range is in good shape right now for snow/ice/mixed routes. Look into the following routes:

Triple Couloirs on Dragontail
NE Couloir or North Buttress Couloir on Colchuck Peak
NE Couloir on Argonaut
Stuart Glacier Couloir or Sherpa Glacier on Stuart

Thanks, EB!! Looks like some awesome stuff there. Will definitely print out some route info to take along. Might just end up doing a few short climbs if Rainier continues to look bad. Related, anyone know offhand what Beckey book covers that Leavenworth area?

Brown Beckey - #1

Also check NWAC's site for overall avy info:
http://www.nwac.us/

This is for the Stuart area mentioned by EB:
http://www.nwac.us/forecast/avalanche/current/zone/10/

...and if you do go to the Stuart Range then don't worry, there is beer and bratwursts in Leavenworth.