[TR] Mt Ruth - 5/9/2010

[Val Zephyr]

Trip: Mt Ruth -

 

Date: 5/9/2010

 

Trip Report:

Sam, Andy, Markus, Nathan and I took advantage of some awesome late season snow and skied Mt. Ruth. Skiing Ruth has been something on my tick-list since before I even owed bc skis; it did not disappoint. We had perfect snow conditions and a wide open canvas of snow in which to carve turns.

Nathan and I arrived at the trailhead at 4 pm Saturday and hiked/skinned in to the valley reach the base of Ruth by dinner.

We made camp here:

 

Last light on Ruth

 

Just as the sun reached our camp on Sunday morning, we were joined by Sam, Andy and Markus who had spent the night at the trailhead. We booted up to gain the NR of Ruth, just south of Hannegan Pass. From here it was an easy skin up to the summit. The views from here are spectacular. The are, perhaps, even better than the view from Shuksan, because from here the view includes Shuksan.

 

Gaining the NR

Hiking up the NR

What a view!

 

After the sun warmed and softened the first couple inches of snow, we skied the best backcountry spring corn that I've had yet!

 

Skiing down Ruth

 

Approach Notes:

The road to the trailhead is snow-free to within 0.1 miles of the parking area.

 

We booted the first ~3/4 mile, then you can skin the rest of the way, except a creek crossing and one slide alder crossing. Staying low in the valley minimized the need for carrying skis over brush.

[Ryan Canfield]

I love that mountain. Such a fun and simple car 2 car trip

[DPS]

Nice report and photos. The views from the summit into the Nooksack Cirque and Price Glacier are almost to good to be believed.

[Sol]

That line is so fun!

[mountainsloth]

spectacular!