June 3, 2004, Mt Ruth, Mt. Rainier

Another visit to Mt. Ruth was on tap for Friday hoping to get in a sunny day before the rain arrived. A solo trip was in order something I don't do often and was just the ticket. A easy hike under clear skies with a few wild flowers quickly brought me to glacier basin, skining started just below the basin proper where a group of 5 skiers were doing the same. As I skined to the ridge leading to Ruth I crossed the tracks of three goats and then again on the ridge but never caught sight of them. A plesant hour on the summit for lunch, warmed by the sun, and entertained by a pair of ravens and a few climbers on the interglacier. The upper portions of Ruth held new snow which slid in slow, heavy, noisy freight train slides a challange to ski, while the lower portions held nice corn and better skiing. Ruth is a great hostess always providing an excellent day and damn good turns. Tunes on the ride back were Horace Silver the "Hard Bop, Grand Pop"