Left the car about noon to climb Mt Washington. Brought microspikes but didn't use them. It was a warm day with temps in the upper 50's in N. Bend. Didn't hit much snow until about 3400 feet. Due to the temps it was not really icy, but was firm on the trail, and soft to either side. It was only about the last 400 feet of elevation where I thought that if I had microspikes on, it could be helpful, but I didn't want it bad enough to actually stop and put them on.
The trail is quite rocky, and if that is a concern for you, you might prefer hiking elsewhere. I felt like it was only a minor annoyance. It's not like scrambling or climbing scree or anything. The view from the spot just below the summit is nice. I included a photo in the review. Rainier was hiding in the clouds, but the base is clearly visible.
Made it back to the car at 4:25
Edit: 3250 gain was pretty close, but my GPS pegged this at 9.08 miles. Another chap on the trail was also making a case that it was over 9.
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