[TR] Ruth Mountain- Ruth Glacier 5/2/2004

[JoshK]

Climb: Ruth Mountain-Ruth Glacier

 

Date of Climb: 5/2/2004

 

Trip Report:

I skied Ruth MOuntain today. I guess there isn't much to say because it's not all that intersting but figured somebody might want the conditions info or sumpin. The road is melted out to within about 1/4 mile of the trailhead. I walked the trail for about 2 miles (snow on and off) then descended down to Ruth Creek. From then on the snowpack is nice and consistent and I just skied straight up the basin to the notch past hannegan pass then right up the summit "ridge" to the top. It's a great mellow ski. If you are on skis I wouldn't bother with hannegan pass at all, just go right up the creek and valley.

 

As is typical, the sun was poking through making me hot the entire way up, then it clouded up so I couldn't see much beyond Shuksan. Of course by the time I got back to the car it was pretty much bluebird. At least I got some good view of Shuksan from the lower part of the road above the nooksack river. That's a great viewpoint.

 

Gear Notes:

Skis, Skins, Poles, camera

[ashw_justin]

Jeez sounds better than Baker--it rained steadily beginning at 2 AM Sunday morning and we finally bailed from the 7000' bivy at 10 AM having not seen anything outside of a 50 foot radius since crashing the previous night. We definitely should have just day-tripped it Sat instead. We are however claiming the springtime record for longest time spent by splitboarders in bivies at Baker High Camp.

[JoshK]

Yeah, just like every other mountain in the area Baker cleared off around 5 or 6pm tonight. It got gorgeous around then, which, like I said, was coincidentally right when I got back to the car.

 

At least visibility was good...the skiing was actually quite awesome on ruth.

 

Cherish that record, it's one for the ages!

[Dustin_B]

Thanks for the update Josh. Skiing Ruth is on my tick list for this spring/early summer. Did you see many crevasses? I just started bc skiing this year and have yet to ski on a glacier. I was thinking this would be a good 'safe' glacier to ski in the spring. I was on the Ruth Glacier last september and saw lots of big crevasses which has made me a little nervous about skiing it. Thanks.

[ashw_justin]

I wont speak for JoshK but when I climbed/glissaded Ruth last summer it was pretty much a snowfield, with a couple of pretty-looking but easily avoidable crevasses just to remind you that you are on a glacier. That was August 8th. There are a few pictures on my web site, under "Ruth Mountain" (of course):

 

http://www.neolectric.com/~justin/NWframe.html

[AllYouCanEat]

Here is what it looked like a month ago. You shouldn't have much trouble if you get on it soon.

[JoshK]

Yeah, there wasn't a single crevasse visible on it the other day. In fact, if I hadn't been on the mountain before when the glacier was dry I wouldn't have even known it was a glacier.

 

Go up and get on it soon; this is the best time. It's gentle but fun, so the hazard factor is quite low.

[Suz]

Hm. Good to know - tried to head up there in February and did WAY too much slogging on the road, both on snow and dirt. We got stumped by a big ravine trying to follow the trail instead of dropping down to the river, too. Sounds great now, though - thanks for the info!

[jon]

Anybody been up there in the past week or so?

[skykilo]

Jon-

I went up Nooksack Cirque Trail then to Price Lake last Thursday. There was no snow at all until 4k. I suspect you will find 3k vert. of sweet corn if you go to Ruth now.