I had my second very positive experience with RMI this past month. The biggest takeaway is that this is a service for people who are seriously prepared for an enormous mental and physical challenge - if you're looking for something wild to do without months of preparation, regardless of the trip you choose, you might feel a little put off with RMI. Rainier IS something you can do with no previous climbing experience, but that doesn't mean you can just show up the day-of and expect to be fine. "No experience needed" doesn't mean no training is required. They make it clear that you need to be in the best physical condition of your life to execute these trips. I am someone who wants to pursue mountaineering as a lifelong hobby but doesn't have a climbing community of my own to go with. As a result, finding a Rainier concessioner was a natural choice. And even though it's nerve-wracking to climb with a bunch of pro guides and strangers, I felt like I found the type of community I've been dreaming of! I'm a female climber and my first experience was less positive because I didn't feel very included as a woman, but this second trip was amazing. I think inclusivity can often depend on the attitudes of the guides. Shoutout to Dominic, Sam, Marissa, and Rylee for making sure I felt strong and capable. No notes. I had the BEST time with them! There are other Rainier vendors (or guide services for other mountains) that are known to be a bit more gentle and flexible in their approach and pacing of their trips. Consider those alternatives if you're not craving absolute grit. No judgement, it's a personal preference. All in all, putting on multi-day climbs with clients of all backgrounds and dangerous terrain is no small feat, but I believe RMI does an incredible job at this. For as long as I'm climbing and able, I will choose RMI again. read more

I've had much better guiding experiences elsewhere. I did not finish Ranier. Although I was working hard aerobically, I turned around mostly due to anxiety. I did not feel safe with my guide Hannah. For example, I asked for 30 seconds to breathe and she denied it and we kept going. We were not in a dangerous area. So, I decided to turn around. After about a minute of waiting for another rope team to go down I felt ready to keep going. I was not gassed at all, but I did not safe continuing with a guide who completely stonewalled the requests of her clients. I am very frustrated because I did not give it my all. I had plenty of gas left in the tank unlike others who turned around and were stumbling down. I just felt so demoralized by the continued emphasis that it only gets harder and we cannot slow down or stop for even a second that I chose to turn back. I feel confident I could have summited with another guiding company. I have done enough mountains (10+ guided summits including 7k meters) to know that that the pace we were going did in fact have time for me to take a 30 second breath break. Another option could have been to start one hour earlier to go 10% slower on the route--other guided climbs I have done choose starting time based on client pace as well as conditions, rather than rigidly holding to pace policy. I feel like this is the cattle car company that just wants maximum throughput booking trips and rental gear, and if you're not completely on their pace there is no flexibility to even breathe for 30 seconds. I did not feel looked after as an individual, just as one more unit in their system. I have never before wanted a refund on a guided climb, even when I didn't summit before (food poisoning). This experience makes me wish for one for the first time ever. I had a much better experience with Alpine Ascents International a month ago on Mt. Baker. They set a pace appropriate for the group and had empathy and responsiveness when another two clients on a rope team near mine were struggling. I recommend looking at that company as an alternative as they have a concession on Ranier as well. Update to add: I spoke to an AAI guide at camp after coming down. They left an hour earlier than our team did and their climbers came down after ours. So presumably a more manageable rate. read more

They will steal your money and provide no guiding services. They refused to allow me to participate in a trip I booked and refused a refund. I disputed the charges with my credit card company. read more

Recently did a 5 day Rainier climb with RMI. Could not have asked for a better group of guides, both in their knowledge and skill expertise as well as their overall friendliness with all the climbers. It's a hard climb and they push you hard in order to stay safe and give everyone the best possible chance of success. We had an amazing summit climb! On the way down I had a medical emergency and the guides went above and beyond with extreme mountaineering skill to help get me down the mountain as quick as possible, likely saving my life. Amazing company to work with. Amazing climb! read more

RMI Expeditions - Rainier summit caldera - Hiking Near Me - Ashford, Washington

I did NOT enjoy my hike to Rainier with RMI in late June of 2025. The team focuses on speed and rigor. I wish this was disclosed prior to the climb as some of the more established companies do (like Marine Corps). I like hiking at a comfortable pace and my hike was abruptly halted by the group which i did not appreciate. Its one thing for me to pull out and quite another for the team to tell me that I cannot carry on. Just to clarify, I wasn't suffering from elevation sickness or the like (I have completed several international hikes at much higher elevation). I was asked to turn back just because I wasn't keeping up with the groups pace. The company was ok assigning a guide to me to go back but wasn't comfortable assigning a guide so I could keep climbing. Also my hike mates were ahead of me so I did not get to say goodbye. All in all a very negative experience. Hike of this caliber to cost a lot (in terms of gear) and the time commit. The RMI team needs to be a little more compassionate of people's time and energy. The lead guide was also disrespectful. RMI publishes on their site their successful summit but do not disclose how many people made it top. Of our group of 16 only 5 made it to the top. So their success rate is about 30%. I am taking the time to post this so fellow hikers are more aware on what they are signing up for when then do. Happy Hiking read more

Think twice--better yet, three times--before signing up for an expedition with them. Life is unpredictable, and any self-respecting company in this business knows that and allows you, in extreme cases, to at least reschedule the trip. They don't care whether it's an injury or personal circumstances--your money simply won't be refunded, and you'll be told to deal with your insurance. By the way, the first thing the insurance company asked me was whether I had been given the option to reschedule the trip... read more

I have had an expedition on Mount Denali with RMI company. As a mountaineer with three successful 8000m peaks (Everest north face, Cho Oyu and Shisha Pangma), Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua and many successful training courses, here is my feedback regarding RMI experience in Denali expedition. The following feedback has been shared with Joe Horiskey and Jeff Martin and they have been informed in advance that the following feedback will be shared in public for future applicants who are interested to know about the quality of services by RMI. I have registered with RMI to join the expedition on Denali under leadership of Tyler Jones (TJ). Here is my feedback which are shown in the attached photos: read more

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If you're looking for a safe and professional guide experience, look no further. RMI guides are experienced, safe, professional and trustworthy. If you want to learn skills or have a safe climbing experience, this is a solid choice. I have climbed with several different guide companies and RMI is definitely the best of the best. If you want to have a great experience, show up with solid training and fitness because that's the only thing you can do to prepare. These guides are honest about what to expect and how to safely travel through challenging terrain. I trust Dominic and his team with my life. As someone who provides anesthesia for a a living, I feel like this statement carries a unique austerity. Climbing with RMI is a safe choice and a no brainer. I would consider trusting them for guided expeditions and beyond. read more

RMI Expeditions - Hiking Near Me - Ashford, Washington

Extraordinarily disappointed with the RMI customer service. Booked a climb for June well in advance and paid promptly. Well aware of the cancellation policy but hugely disappointed with the trite single sentence replies to my inquiries asking to adjust the dates of my climb or allow a buddy to take my spot. I've climbed and trekked around the world and have had awesome outfitters and guides that will try when possible to accommodate simple requests -- RMI did nothing to understand my predicament. Seriously, you have my money, why not try to work with your customers and build a relationship. Considering they are often the most expensive option I expected more. Suffice to say after this experience I will not consider any future climbs with this company and will very actively ensure that everyone in my climbing community is aware of my experience. Do better RMI. read more

I signed up for a 4 day guided climb up Rainier with RMI with the understanding it was a climb you could do with no previous experience. I followed the suggested fitness regime to be ready for the climb. I even purchased a program that was suggested to ensure I was following a solid training plan. Our guides pushed us extremely hard on the training day as well as the hike to camp Muir. When I asked why they were hiking as fast as they were, especially with our full packs on, they responded "test for summit day" when I asked why we couldn't drink water more than once an hour in 88 degree heat, with no relief from the sun, while we were hiking up to Muir I was told "test for summit day". Summit day is a totally different situation. You a) aren't carrying as much gear and b) not hiking in the heat with the sun blaring down on you so you don't need to drink water as regularly. It was obvious the young guides didn't quite understand that or at least did not know how to correctly explain why we were doing what we were doing, but to majority of the group it made no sense. They also put it in everyone's head how they were going to not let you summit if you weren't their ideal climber, which I understand for safety reasons but then don't pitch your climb as needing no previous experience. And don't get into your climbers heads in a negative way. It was extremely disappointing to sign up and pay so much money for a guided experience that left me feeling unsafe. I became dehydrated on the hike because we weren't allowed to drink water regularly. I truly believe if they walked at a more reasonable pace to camp Muir more people would have made it feeling much better. This is purely a review on the time leading up to summit day. I understand summit day needs to be strict..but the hike leading up should not be a fitness test nor a test on how well your body handles water intake. You should be conserving energy so you can put your best foot forward for summit day. The fact that RMI claims to train you for summit day but really they are "testing" you the whole time was very misleading. I signed up to learn about mountaineering and maybe make summit while enjoying beautiful views, which is the way it is pitched. It's unfortunate that multiple people on our team also felt misled The other group was hiking much slower and at a more reasonable pace, but they had a much more seasoned guide leading their group. I don't know if they had similar complaints but they looked much better than our group did. read more

Four Day Summit Climb June 7 - 10, 2012 The RMI team was safe, professional, and provided an overall excellent experience doing one of the most dangerous, yet unforgettable activities you'll ever do! I had the pleasure of a summit attempt on Mt. Rainier last June doing the 4-day program. Leading up to the trip, I received several email reminders from RMI to keep up with my training and conditioning along with tips on how to be a successful mountaineer. Anytime I contacted them, they were extremely knowledge about anything from equipment to nutrition. Our first two days in Ashford were dedicated to preparation. They split us up into teams of 8 for both training and the ascent. We were taught basic climbing/stepping skills, use of an ice axe, slide prevention, packing and nutrition. This was also a time for physical fitness assessment. The actual climb to Camp Muir (base camp) is grueling. You get 10 minute breaks after each hour or so of hiking. It was easy to get frustrated and cranky, but it's not your guide's fault if you're not in shape! We ran into some serious head winds during our last stretch, but our guides made the right moves and got us to camp safely. After resting for several hours, we made our summit attempt in the early morning of our last day. Unfortunately, we did not complete our climb due to avalanche conditions. Our guides made the educated decision based on their survey of the mountain. At that point, I trusted them with almost anything. The RMI guides were awesome - they're like a mix of surfer dudes and back country woodsmen. They answered our questions and provided much needed encouragement. Safety was a consistent priority. I would use them again for sure. read more

RMI Expeditions - Taking a break during our summit attempt! (June 10, 2012) - Hiking Near Me - Ashford, Washington

4 day Summit Climb of Mt. Rainier, June 1-4th, 2018. If you're on this Yelp page, you're most likely thinking of "attempting" to climb Mt. Rainier (key word is "attempting" - all dependent on your physical fitness, ability to acclimate, and most importantly weather). After reading some of the other reviews, let's preface this review by managing expectations on what to expect when you're attempting to climb a technically difficult mountain. 1) You are climbing a mountain. It has steep and difficult conditions/terrain. It is not a walk in the park, and therefore you should be in very good shape (they will warn you of this multiple times when you sign up, so that's on you if you aren't able to physically endure the pace). You will not make it if you just get off of the couch and expect to make it. 2) There is a reason for the "difficult" pace - you will be climbing with a group and you will be "roped-in" to each other. You must keep a certain distance from each other for safety reasons (must team-arrest if someone falls down the mountain/crevasse). You must keep a pace in order to make it up and back down the mountain at a reasonable time (higher risk of hypothermia, higher risk of danger if on the mountain longer). This "difficult" pace is absolutely reasonable if you have followed their instructions on how to prepare yourself physically. 3) You have likely booked this trip far in advance, and the dates are set. If the conditions are poor, the guides will attempt to summit as long as they believe it is safe to do so. On our first climbing day at 5pm up at Camp Muir, there was 60mph sustained winds and gusts reaching up to 92mph - instead of just calling it quits, the experienced guides (Zeb Blais and Mike Haugen) explained that microclimates occur often and the weather is unpredictable, and that we would attempt to wait out the storm (of which we did and the weather cleared up). If the storm had continued, we would have had to head back down due to unsafe conditions (and trust me, you do not want to attempt to walk over a snow bridge over a crevasse in high wind conditions). This is entirely reasonable and it would be foolish to attempt to continue in bad conditions. 4) If you have prepared physically in advance, you must prepare yourself mentally to understand that the winds/weather on the mountain will be the ultimate deciding factor if you will be able to summit or not. If mother nature decides to bring in heavy winds on the day of your attempt, then you most likely will not summit. Enjoy the views and trip along the way anyway, because you most likely learned a lot through the day-school! Our team guides were Zeb Blais, Mike Haugen, Dustin Wittmier, and "funny-guy" Greyson. All of them were professional, knowledgable, and personable. If it weren't for their kind interaction with us and their patience with us, we wouldn't have had such a great time. Zeb was our lead guide, and he told us exactly what we needed to do and when. Dustin and Greyson were absolutely fantastic. Both are very personable and explained to me and my buddies exactly what to expect, all-the-while with a big smile on their faces. They all took care of us and made sure we were prepared for the attempt. Could not have asked for anything more from the guides. Top notch quality and I hope the best for them in their future endeavors. Also, if they are recommending a certain layer to be put on/off at a certain point of the climb, you should listen to them. There were multiple times where I wanted to keep my parka on, but they recommended that we should take them off, and I'm really glad I did, otherwise I would've seriously overheated when we started moving. Any questions? I'll answer them to my best ability from my personal experience. read more

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Overall our experience on Mt. Rainier was disappointing. The climbing experience with RMI is all about speed and how fast you can get from point A to point B. We were allowed a 15 minute break every 1-2 hours, however in that time you'll need to adjust your boots, gear, scarf down a snack, take a sip or water, and hurry back climbing. There is no time to truly enjoy what being in nature is all about. Forget about taking pictures, viewing wildlife, or recognizing that you're in Gods country. It's truly more of a militaristic operation. On summit day we were again pushed at unreasonable pace from the moment we woke up, hurry to pack, hurry to eat, hurry to use the bathroom, and the hurry up the mountain. We climbed for 1.5 to 2 hours without a moment to digest our food, rest, or drink water. Again we received breaks of about 10-15 minutes at each interval. Many of our group were turned back, all of which had climbed big summits domestically and internationally. Those who did summit returned to Muir in poor shape and speaking to the rushed pace. In all my years climbing this was by far my most unpleasant experience on a mountain. I will say that despite the pace, the guides are good people and doing their best to keep everyone safe, they are just adhering to an unreasonable turn and burn operation. read more

My wife and I were discriminated against due to our age and preexisting medical conditions. Our ages and medications were fully disclosed on our registration forms. You are not permitted to stop and drink water unless it is arlt a designated rest stop. There is no give whatsoever to the RMI protocal that calls for climbing over 1000 feet per hour then taking a 10 minute break. The rest of the group stated that they did slow down after we were forced to turn around on summit day. The most rigid and arrogant guides that I have been with. I have been with outfitters on approximately 7 trips. Do not recommend, especially if you are older. They will take your money then criticize the way you walk in order to turn you around. read more

The women's group to Mt Rainer expedition is probably one of the worst. I have been with other companies who has all women's trip, and I can say with personal experience I was mentally put down for not being as fast as the others (I was only 10 minutes behind). read more

I got off a wait list for a Mt. Rainier summit at the end of August. Our guides were professional, prepared and realistic. Safety definitely was a top priority, and there was never a time on the climb that I felt uneasy. We had a great group, great weather and an amazing experience. The mountaineering school was a great warm-up and was perfect for teaching me alpine climbing basics. You will be successful on this guided climb if you arrive in good shape, have a realistic idea about your abilities and are up for a fun and great challenge. read more

RMI Expeditions - Hiking Near Me - Ashford, Washington

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Apparently, all the Rainier climbs are booked MONTHS in advance - I managed sneak in on a June, 4-day program (2-day lessons, 2-day summit) due to a cancellation. Efficiently organized, with guides both patient, but also clear and firm with expectations (considering safety for the team as a whole). And jalapeno burgers at the open-air grill next to the office/Whittaker Bunkhouse to end the day, yum. read more

RMI Expeditions - Disappointment Cleaver route - Hiking Near Me - Ashford, Washington

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I did the 5 day Rainier expedition. We hiked to Muir after an orientation where we were told Ingraham Direct (ID) and Disappointment Cleaver (DC) routes were both under consideration. Next day we went to Ingraham Flats and waited for 3 hours while guides tried to build out DC. We watched all day as other groups (both private and other companies-Alpine Ascents,International Mountain Guides) summited via ID. That evening we were told ownership didn't want us to climb ID due to an avalanche 3 weeks prior. We asked why it was discussed at orientation, no answer. I tried to play it cool with group but after went to guide house to ask lead (Brent Okita) to sign a liability release form to leave expedition and go to public house. Guides said that all expeditions and waitlists were full for current season and if we didn't go current season than we had to redo whole program and not just climb, obviously RMI had no incentive to summit whereas I did. I explained I had a different risk tolerance and would look to pay someone else to join someone else's line to take me up. Brent told me I couldn't do this, he'd get the ranger involved, that I had to go back to Paradise, that I'd be blackballed, etc. I told him I was fine with all this but then he said he'd find out whatever guide took me up and make sure they were fired. The expedition is his, so he can decide not to go up, but the mountain is not. Brian the other lead even said I could go to the public housing and the next day admitted guides were fine with ID but not ownership. Next morning I slept in and then got ready and told Brent I was going down. He said I had to wait and I told him off and went down. At least a third of the team was furious and considered just going down the night before or leaving from Ingraham Flats the next day alone. Avoid this company as they are relying off their prior reputation and do not care about their climbers. They have a nice bunk house but only consider them if you want to waste months of time and thousands of dollars for a hike to Muir, which you can do yourself. The other companies seemed fine. read more

I have done a number of climbs and treks with RMI, around the world. This isn't a review about all of them, just their Rainier climb. It's easy to look at Rainier everyday, especially if you live in Seattle, and forget that it is heavily glaciated, prone to avalanches and that people perish annually--even the best prepared and skilled. Most people who attempt this mountain and are considering a guide service lack the deep quiver of knowledge to handle basic mountaineering tasks like self-arrest, configure a safe rope team through crevasses and perform a rescue. RMI fills that gap and creates a unique learning environment in a very short period of time to make that happen for hundreds of folks annually. Climbing Rainier is imminently doable, but you gotta put in the work. I have a few comments and suggestions to make the most of it! 1. Be in shape: The number of folks who claim to be marathoners and can't make it to Camp Muir at 10,000 ft. is way more than you think. Climbing is a whole-body endeavor. You need to not just cardio-fit, but be able to balance weight, uphill, at altitude, for hours on end. Their website clearly says be in 'the best shape of your life.' That means something different to everyone, of course. But don't get solely stuck on how far you can run--that's just part of it. You need to have well-rounded fitness regime. The pace is very consistent, very steady but can feel taxing if you don't have a solid base of balance, flexibility, strength, stamina. 2. Gear: Gear is one of the things you can control, so control it. Take their recommendations seriously. If you are renting stuff through them, great. They know what works after thousands of clients and 50 years, trust them. If you show up with a bunch of iffy stuff, they will say something. You are on their rope team, too! They need you to be safe and comfortable and so do your fellow climbers. Don't spend all the time training, getting to the mountain, paying the fees and then cheap-out. All the used, good quality gear you need if out there-just do a little online searching. You don't need to spend a fortune but you DO need to be mindful. I have seen blisters, inadequate sleeping bags, etc., ruin trips. Call them if you have a question about a specific piece of gear. 3. Find your bliss: If you want to climb your own speed, take in the sights, get back to nature, you can't have a lot of people each doing that on their own timeframe AND expect to climb together. Climbing in glacier-ville requires being rested, attentive and focused to be a solid rope-team member. If you are wanting to commune with nature and do this on your leisurely timeline, at your pace, great. Climb by with your experienced friends. When you go as a group? There is a pace. Climbing for an hour and a short break is pretty standard. If you are well-practiced and have been training, your breaks should be short and focused on maintaining your health, not resting because you're tired. If it's 10 below, and windy, you need to know how to do tasks quickly and efficiently to keep you warm, hydrated, fed and able to continue. The climbing season on Rainier is busy and RMI leads climbs near-daily. Yep, that means there is a timeline. This is a business but their thousands and thousands of successful climbers up Rainier mean they have the process down. Their focus is safety for everyone and that means that the pace allows for recover at Camp Muir, a restful evening, breaks that don't take too much time. If something goes awry, you need time to put plans into motion--up is only halfway and if you're struggling on the way up, it won't be better on the way down. Rainier is a big, tall mountain with crazy weather and a lot of objective hazards that requires considerable skill to navigate it safely. RMI has that. Pay attention to their suggestions, requirements and instruction and weather-willing, you'll be on top! read more

The 4 day Rainier climb is purely about speed. Nothing is enjoyable about the experience aside from the stunning views you might gain when the guides aren't marching forward at a pace that would exhaust anyone who isn't in guide shape. This company has lost touch with what makes mountaineering special and has money on the mind. Out of what I believe to be 18 people, almost half of that group had to be turned around on summit day due to "trouble navigating tough terrain" or "unable to keep up". The few that did make it to the top had dangerous falls, suffered exhaustion and all were concerned about the pace. The guides refuse to acknowledge any concern about the pace being too fast. Breaks are regimented and short, enforced quick snacks and a quick drink if you have time before the guide starts to depart. It's a militant operation to clear their resources at your expense so they can keep money rolling in, no matter how much you've invested or trained. Many of the climbers turned around had trained extensively for this climb. I have summited several major mountains all over the US and know for certain I would have made it to the top, but was turned around due to my requests for a more reasonable pace. The bottom line is: If you aren't as fit as a mountain guide, if you want to "experience" the mountain without opportunities for pictures, don't want to have any real enjoyment from their near death march up the mountain and want to be treated like sheep fleeced for money instead of well conditioned humans trusting a guide service to respect your investment, then steer clear of RMI. You will be incredibly disappointed, regardless of your extensive conditioning efforts. read more

Life changing expedition. Great guide crew. Smart and helpful. Climbing Mt. Rainier? Call on RMI to do it right. They have literally everything you will need to make it from parking lot to summit and back to the parking lot. I had a very good experience from the office, to the rentals and especially the guides. Andy, Mike and Pete were amazing guides that I hope I get to work with again because they made the trek to the summit possible by providing the safest route possible. I climbed Mt. Rainier with their expertise. Read about each guide service. You will find out that they are the best and most qualified guides. read more

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Avoid them like the plague.....The most inconsiderate and unprofessional group I have ever seen.... I had just signed up for a Rainier Skills Seminar for the 13th May 2018. Unfortunately I had a death in my family, and informed them 2 weeks in advance that I will not be able to make it....In fact I let them know when I was at the airport about to board my flight to attend a funeral....and their first response is not "Sorry to hear that...or sorry for your loss"....it is "As per the policy you will forfeit your money as this is not within 60 days." I understand this is your policy...but there is also something called caring about a genuine customer....to be clear my review is not about your policy....as you are well within your right to refuse refunds....but there is also something called human emotions which Sara (the manager) clearly lacks. You should understand no one can plan a death in the family 60 days in advance to stay within your policy. I was clear with them that I did not want a refund...but just need to check if they can reschedule for a later date and I am happy to pay whatever the differential they decide to charge, as I really am excited to climb. But nope, they were not even ready to listen to me.....they were so stuck with the no refund policy......For christ sake I am not looking for your refund...I paid you guys the full money 3 months in advance ......and don't need your stinking refund....all I was looking for empathy from a company which cares about its customer....I will never return to your company...and will actively ensure I influence all the people i know to avoid you robots!!! read more

Mixed experience here. We were day hikers so we weren't here for the guided climb. The gear store just had a large shipment and they were rearranging items in the store. I was shopping while we were waiting for our pizza and if seemed like a huge inconvenience to the people in the store that I was there. As one might imagine, the gear is expensive, but they are the only shop in town so if you forget something before your climb, you are a captive audience. The restaurant was great-good beer and cider and tasty pizza with lovely service. read more

The store is has got some really cool stuff in it! The people working are super nice and personable. The prices are fair. There's souvenir stuff, like shirts etc for Mt. Rainier. There's a playground just outside of the shop and a rock climbing wall. Worth stopping in! read more

RMI Expeditions - The rock climbing wall outside the shop. - Hiking Near Me - Ashford, Washington

Great mountaineering school for novice and intermediate climbers. Instructors teach you everything you need to safely claim a mountain and 'climb' down (which is more dangerous that going up). For more advanced climbers, they offer private climbing, but I like climbing with a team of 6/8 climbers. You will have a good time, and a good experience. 4-star because they are located in a remote town with limited transportation service from Seattle. read more

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I don't know who runs this company but they need to get better customer service. I paid the deposit in December 2019 to do the Mt. Rainier climb in June 2020. In March I began inquiring about the COVID situation and got the run around. I finally got Lacey Meadows to admit they had canceled earlier climbs but that the June climb would still go. At the 90 day point you're supposed to pay the rest of your balance. Figuring the COVID situation wasn't going to change in 2020 I didn't feel comfortable paying them more money that I may not see again so they allowed to move the balance due date to 60 days out. Well another month passes and they provide no new news on the climbs. I said no I don't feel comfortable paying the $1,200 or so of the balance and asked for the $350 deposit back. No response back. A few more emails and calls till the end of May 2020 and nothing. I call now and the phone gives a busy tone which I haven't heard since the 90's. Obviously the climb is canceled as it is 10 days away. It would be nice if they would refund our deposits or at least get back to us. Horrible company to deal with. read more

My son and I went with RMI on a 4 day summit climb of Mt Rainier in June 5, 2018. Everything about the expedition was amazing. We had zero experience but arriving in good shape and willing to listen. Our guides were both extremely professional and caring. We did summit and were allowed to push to the top even with very low temps, limited visibility and high winds. In reading some of the negative reviews I am really puzzled. It seems there are two general themes. One is the pace is too hard and they are too tough. In my experience, two of our group did not make it, but it was obvious that they were not ready. I am a reasonably active 55 year old who lives in suburban NYC with zero mountains. I did enough training that I had zero problem. The second theme is that you may not get to the top based on weather and somehow RMI is to blame. Again I do not really see how this is a valid criticism. Clearly it would be best to have a full week of their services and be able to choose your window to get to the summit, but that is not what you are paying for. And our group faced some tough weather near the summit and we made it. read more

Use A Different Guiding Service I've used Alpine Ascents successfully for years. On this trip, a friend of mine wanted to use RMI, probably for cost reasons. My observations are as follows: The lead guides seem qualified. Mine was Jenny, she was qualified and competent within the parameters of RMI's program. The helper guides were very young and inexperienced. On numerous occasions, answers to questions were illogical to the point of being stupid and their skills as guides reflected their lack of experience. I had the misfortune to be assigned to Lydia. Nice gal, but to be avoided at all costs. On the one hand, they say the right things, on the other, they ignore them. As an example, they teach (as they should), the rest step. However, the pace they set (even up the Muir snowfield) doesn't permit use of this valuable technique. Another writer wondered whether they were trying to "thin the herd" with this approach and I believe this is clearly the case. It was very hot down low on the route from Paradise to Muir and they were refusing to let people stop and drink water. Meanwhile, independent hikers/climbers were wandering all over this easy route, behaving like normal people. They don't listen to their clients- the younger guides, in particular, who can be highly irritating with their youthful certainty, coupled with patent inexperience as guides. Everyone has to start somewhere, but buyer beware. It's all about their regimen - and the guides either lack the authority or training to adapt to contemporaneous circumstances. I would not use RMI again. There are other very good guides for this mountain - Alpine Ascents being an excellent choice. read more

This is a very high quality outfit! Our lead guide, Brent Okita, has now summited Mt. Ranier 558 times--an all time record. He's summited Denali 24 times out of 25 attempts and runs the Crystal Mountain Ski Patrol in the winter. More importantly, Brent is as fine a person as you'll ever meet. His young assistants, Cody Mack and James Bealer, were outstanding young men and very accomplished mountaineers. I'm a 70 year old man with asthma, who probably shouldn't have made the attempt. I was among 5 of our team of 9 that didn't make the summit. Yet, I'm certain that if you were to ask any of the 9, we would all agree that our guides did their absolute best to assure that each of our experiences on the mountain were as enjoyable and positive as they could possibly be. They climb at a pace that requires fitness and endurance. If you can't keep the pace, you'll likely not attain the summit. Yet even so; even if you have to turn around short of the top, you will have had the life changing experience of being on that majestic mountain in the middle of the night, with you headlamp on, climbing the glaciers and rocks; looking at the stars, the moon over Mt. Adams, and the cloud layer below you. Maybe you'll see a truly memorable sunrise. You'll have learned many important mountaineering skills . In preparation, you will have trained to a point where you are in the best condition you've been in years; AND, most importantly, if you are as fortunate as I was, you will have met, struggled, learned and had a lot of fun with some really great people from all over the country and the world. I rented almost everything from RMI. It was all first rate equipment. I appreciated that the rental staff did a great job in assuring that the boots fit perfectly. We stayed at the RMI lodge. It was spartan, but well suited for our purpose in being there. The overnight at Camp Muir is more spartan yet, but again that is all part of the charm-part of the overall experience. If you're looking for privacy and 5 star accommodations, then this is probably not the right trip for you--although Brent did recommend 2 nearby restaurants where we enjoyed fantastic dinners the first 2 nights. My ascent of Mt. Ranier was an altogether wonderful experience! I'm so glad I attempted it and I now hope that my grandson will soon be able to give it a shot. He has the lungs and the legs to get to the top. Scott McClellan read more

As many others can attest, I had a wonderful experience with RMI guides on the way to summit Mt. Rainier. They have been consistently praised for their professionalism and ensuring the safety of their clients. Our lead guide was phenomenal and I trusted his judgment and he exhibited great care and patience, providing a balance between supporting our confidence and determination while ensuring that we understood our physical and mental capabilities. Once the work schedule frees up, I hope to venture back out with them on a different climb. read more

This is a group of true professionals. They always put our safety first. I trust them with my life. My guides were constantly checking in, giving good feedback and positive encouragement to keep us going. During the descent I had a pretty bad asthma attack and mistakenly left my inhaler at Camp Muir. They radioed another guide to meet us halfway with it, which really was a life saver. Love my guides!! read more

We always enjoy stopping for lunch at the RMI snack bar when we're in town for hiking and to climb Mount Rainier. Delicious food served up by an absolutely wonderful staff who are always working hard. Beverages are always cold and the food hot off the grill. We'll be back. Sincerely, Karen & Art Huseonica, Sun City, AZ, USA read more

Pete Van Deventer and Mike Uchal: Thanks so much for guiding us through the cities, hills and peaks of Russia. I don't know if our paths will cross again in this crazy world of mountaineering, but I know and pray you will continue to wonderfully and positively impact so many others along your journey, just as you have my life journey. Godspeed. Rainier Mountaineering Inc. (RMI) remains my favorite resource and service... and I'll continue to refer! read more

RMI Expeditions - Pete Van Deventer/Mike Uchal: Thanks so much for guiding us through Russia. RMI remains my favorite resource and service. - Hiking Near Me - Ashford, Washington

I went with RMI on a 4-Day Summit Climb of Mt. Rainier. I cannot express enough gratitude for their professionalism. The orientation, mountaineering school, and leadership during the climb was second to none. My guides - Chris, Nikki, and Hannah, - were friendly, encouraging, and downright fun. They made the anxiety-inducing summit trek an incredible experience. RMI is a bit on the expensive side when it comes to their international climbs, but I would be tempted to pay the much higher price for the services, professionalism, and peace of mind RMI has to offer. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Run as a mill, the primary purpose of the RMI is to get climbers in and out of the hut as soon as possible. Despite having plenty of time to get back to Paradise by 4 pm, they maintain a pace that tends to exhaust all but the fittest. If the weather is great, you are extremely fit & do not need anything more than someone to show you the way, go with them. If you are used to Kilimanjaro/Aconcagua guides look elsewhere. The guides with few exceptions are indifferent to the point of being rude and are the least bit concerned about your mental & physical well-being. We had six guides & only two of them seemed to really care and were easy to approach. Heard similar stories down in Ashford about the mechanical nature of this outfit. read more

Worst four day experience of my life. If you can't keep pace with this outfit's exacting schedule they make your life hell. They have their opinions on what is safe and what is not safe and they cannot use any judgement on the person in front of them or understand that what they "think" is opinion only. I know I could've climbed this mountain - I merely needed a small breather once in awhile to get my bearings. They'd go straight for one hour without pause. Marching like soldier cows up the mountain was not in the brochure. It's just dogmatic rule following in the guise of "safety". These guides and this business have lost sight of the aesthetics, beauty and reasons for climbing and mechanized everything down under the crazy interpretations of Rainier Park rules. It's disgusting - the spirit of mountaineering is gone with this group. They're just a bunch of elitists. For the client who pays a few thousand in equipment (that is all "inefficient"), rentals, and guide services just to find he has to now keep a highly regulated pace like a race dog the experience sucks. The human individual is neglected - the "group safety" is all that matters to these people. At least that's what they say but the fact that everything runs on clock indicates a business trying to make the best dollar it can. I tried to bail before we got to Muir - I had food poisoning and no sleep and needed a few second breather once every ten-twenty minutes- and they wouldn't let me even do that. Climbing school was just one criticism after the next. The wind was howling and I couldn't hear (I don't think others could either but no one would speak up about anything in fear of being criticized by the almighty 500 Summit King and his clone wannabe). The "leaders" kept up their usual teaching pattern like good robots and were so happy everyday when we were on time. Whoopee! We were all beat and exhausted despite many having done intense training. Of course there was no sleep to be had in the sardine bunk house - we were just told to relax rather than try to sleep before the summit climb. Sleeping was impossible despite earplugs and complete fatigue. If you're a cowed and good rule follower and like the crack of a whip on your back - if that turns you on - these boys are for you. Good luck. read more

Unfortunately I did not get to climb with RMI as my father passed away the week before my scheduled event and I ended up having to put together a funeral instead. Not really their fault but I wasn't too happy that they were willing to take my payment of $2,000 and there is zero refund, reschedule, transfer, bumper sticker, or even apology when I tried to make any other arrangement other than to throw away 2 grand. They wouldn't even let someone else take my place. Again, not really their fault but I was pretty unimpressed by the customer service folks I spoke with and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I've summited Rainier several times and wanted to see what it was like with a guide service but I'll probably try Alpine Ascents next time just to feel better about the situation. read more

RMI has been guiding people up Rainier for decades. Their business in Ashford is all inclusive. You could walk in with nothing more than your underwear & credit card and be taken care of top to bottom without setting foot off the property. There are two places to eat, a motel, clothing/gear store, equipment rental, and a rest area for people on their way to Rainier. Their rental store is not exclusively for their Rainier climbs. I rented the same gear for my own non-RMI Mt. Adams climb this year. As for the guiding up Rainier, some things to take note of: Spaces fill up fast for their 4 day climb program much eariler than you think. Unless you live close, it's best to get a room at the bunkhouse the night before heading up to Camp Muir to avoid the possibility of being late for your bus. The guides are helpful, but there is definite line drawn between being your best buddy and having to think of the team as a whole. They expect you to hold up your end of the bargain by being in shape to climb the mountain. They can't carry you up Rainier or back down to the bus. It has to all be done under your power. If I remember right, there were 6 guides for 18 people split up into 2 teams. They are on a schedule and set a pace to get from Paradise to Camp Muir at a certain time and then from Muir to the summit within a certain time window. Keep up with the team and you will not have a problem. The pace isn't brutal, but if you are on the slow side or having problems with the terrain, you'll probably be turned around at a rest stop. Time spent on top depends on the weather. If perfect, it might be an hour. If not, it will be just a picture and a quick turn around. They don't take you to the very tip-top. You are dropped off in the huge crater which they consider an official summit. The true summit is about a 15 minute trek across the crater to the rim. The way back to Muir is much quicker with two less rest breaks. We started off from Muir to the summit at 1am and made it all the way back to the bus at Paradise around 5pm. Out of the 18 that started, one pooped out a mile past Paradise (training day wore him out), one guy said enough at Muir, and 3 people were turned around at one of the rest stops up the mountain. One minus star for the worn out RMI shack at Muir. It needs a total replacement. This was in '09, so I hope they did something about it since then. Climbing Rainier is expensive, so train for it accordingly. Your only reason for not getting to the top should be weather related. read more

My sister had to be flown off a mountain in Argentina with pulmonary edema while travelling with these jokers. Not only did they fail to contact her emergency contact (me) they also are impossible to reach! After much searching, I finally found an after-hours contact. The woman answering the phone had the gall to LAUGH at me as though I were over-reacting! She had no answers, could not even tell me if my sister had been to see a doctor yet. Stay way away from these people. Don't fall for their snazzy hiking magazine ratings! As if a bunch of hippies at a hiking magazine know the first thing about safety! Really dangerous and irresponsible organization. STAY AWAY. read more

4 -day Mt. Rainier Summit Climb September 23-25 A few bad guides made for an unpleasant experience, but overall Rainier is an an absolutely beautiful mountain. My guide happened to be very experienced, having told us that he's climbed Mount Everest a few times, and very experienced and knowledgeable . I did learn a lot of great climbing tips from him. I did however think that he was very condescending. On several occasions he made fun of other climbers and their gear. Also, on our training day it was raining and our guide complained more about the weather and conditions then any other climber that day. The guides assistant also complained about the weather. They put no effort into making our experience more enjoyable. I thought it was really unprofessional. Our main guide brought an umbrella up with him on the climb. What kind of a mountain guide climbs with an umbrella ? If you're considering doing a guided climb and really want to get to the summit then consider other climbing options that allow for a more of a window to climb in case of bad weather or other circumstances, or even perhaps doing it on your own. These quick summit climbs are great and quick for working people who are taking the long weekend off, but there is too much risk of something in the way of getting to the summit. In our case it was an avalanche risk from the snow storm a few days before. The problem that I had with this experience was that the guides knew that we werent going to the summit.. Our guides brought very light packs with them to the summit and did not bring technical gear with them, like snow anchors, which are used in crevasse rescue. On the way to camp Muir, our first day out we'd pass people who saw us and our gear and would ask if we were going to the top and the guides response were that avalanche conditions were likely, but "we'll try" . When at camp muir, before being told news about what our second climbing day was we were told by our guide to "keep an open mind " on how some summits go. I get that we are paying customers and its their job, but if I were to do it again I'd love to have been told up front that we weren't going to the top ahead of time and maybe had the opportunity to go with another group who was. Overall I met some really great people and had a good experience. I think that my next adventure out there I'll be not doing it with this climbing company, read more