Got to the trailhead at about 7:30am and started off.  Only encountered 2 groups on the way up.  I hauled butt up the trail stopping only to take off layers or reach my trekking poles.  At a certain point (I'm terrible with elevations and distance measurements) probably 3000 feet you hit patches of snow on the trail.  I hit a decent patch so I put on my microspikes.  Crossed it and the trail reverted to its muddy normal.  By the end of the switch back I had to put the microspikes back on and they stayed on for the remainder of the hike.  Snows builds and builds and the final 800 feet of the hike nearly killed me.  My legs wanted me to stop and die but I kept going.  Walked up the rocky steps in my micro spikes and hit the final stretch of snow to make it up to the peak.  Absolutely beautiful 360 view of Rainer, the olympics, glacier peak, and Mt baker.   Summit ascent for me took 2 hours and 27 minutes, and descent took 2 hours and 5 minutes.  I believe the new trail adds 20-30 minutes to the ascent.  This was my first official peak and snow hike so I enjoyed the novelty of it.