Advice

If you wanted to work with a guide I would definitely second the vote on Pro Guiding ( www.proguiding.com ; (425) 888-6397). Martin Volken, the owner and lead guide, is a knowledgeable and experienced WA state ski mountaineer, is a UIAGM certified Swiss Mountain Guide, and is an all around good guy who lives in the Cascades. His outfit could provide gear (whatever you don't want to travel with: skis, bindings, etc), logistics, advice, etc.

As I write this I realize it kinda sounds like an advertisement for Pro Guiding...it is not (i.e., I don't have any vested interest in Pro Guiding). It is just based on my experience of interacting with Pro Guiding folks around in the cascades and having worked a brief stint as a tech in Martin's shop a lifetime ago (he was a great boss!).

I suspect they ProSki (Proguiding) also rents AT gear.

I suspect they ProSki (Proguiding) also rents AT gear.

I also suspect they "sprechen zie Deutsch", at least Martin would.

Whittaker Mountaineering in Ashford, just outside the Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier rents a full range of mountaineering equipment and clothing including AT skis:

Whittaker Mountaineering

They are genetically, socially, and economically linked to Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) one of the major guiding services on Mt. R.

Yes, Pro Ski (Pro Guiding) has rental equipment. And yes, Martin, being Swiss, is multilingual (swiss german, french, italian, english).

Michael, if you go the guided route I'm sure you'll have good luck with most of the local guiding services that have ski permits for Rainier. We're fortunate in the pacific northwest to have a lot of great options in that department! I'm sure if you go the self-guided route you'll also have a great experience/adventure as well, especially if you hook-up with some locals through TAY.

I'm interested in a Rainier summit ascent & descent using touring ski! Are you sure pro guides have a license to do that? I got the information from a pro guide agency hat the national park rules prevent that for pro guides. I never got an explanation for it -- does anybody have solid infos? Currently I don't remember the name of the guide agency.

Michael