Whitman Crest via Fryingpan Glacier

Whitman Crest sits on Mt. Rainier's eastern shoulder, the high point of the Fryingpan Glacier basin between Little Tahoma and the main summit. The standard ski approach starts from the Summerland trailhead in the Sunrise area, climbs the Wonderland Trail to Summerland and Panhandle Gap, and crosses onto the Fryingpan Glacier for the ascent toward the crest. Total push runs about eleven miles round trip with two thousand feet of climbing.

This is summer ski mountaineering. By August the upper Fryingpan shows bare ice and open crevasses — ski crampons help on the firm surfaces and rope team work is mandatory through the crevasse field. The crest itself involves a loose rock scramble through what locals call "pre-Tahoma choss" before turning around for the descent. Ski back to Meany Crest in good summer conditions is unexpectedly good — not too bumpy, not too icy.

This is a destination for parties who want late-summer skiing without committing to the longer Tahoma or Emmons routes. Smoke and haze affect the views in late-summer fire season. Use the Sunrise approach window — the road typically opens early July and closes mid-October. National Park Pass at the Sunrise gate.