Home > Trip Reports > May 13, 2006, Ruth MT, North Cascades

May 13, 2006, Ruth MT, North Cascades

5/15/06
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4044
4
Posted by TonyM on 5/13/06 1:54pm
Andy M and I started just a quarter mile shy of the Hannegan Campground (about 3000 feet) on a nice cool and sunny day.  As Burgdorfer's book of 100 classic backcountry Ski and Snowboard Routes suggests, this route is best attempted in cooler conditions to allow for a stable snowpack.  It apprears that a majority of the slide activity has already occurred in the valley up to the Ruth Creek drainage. 

We skinned 99% of the way with only a few very short carries.  We tended climbers left of the creek for the first couple miles, then switched to the right side the rest of the way up.  We chose to head past Hannegan Pass and climbed just up valley to the head of Ruth creek, then headed up a steeper headwall to our left.  The slope was extremely stable and cool temps required the use of ski crampons up the slope.  This slope was the most physically demanding portion of the entire route.  We gained the ridge and had a technically easy skin up to the top of the peak. 

The views from the top were nice.  And the ski down the first 3000 feet was good too.

The first 1500 feet or so was this nice wind deposited power, and then it transitioned over to nice smooth spring snow.  Though we didn't encounter any crusty conditions, the snow did soften a bit lower down in the valley, but at that point it didn't matter much.  The ski out was a little arduous and the valley seemed to grow in legnth (for me anyway).  Total round trip time, 8 hours and 15 minutes.  This is a great tour and ski .... Thanks for the invite Andy!


Nice pics. I've gotta do this tour just for the photos. :D

Nice Tony! Looks killer.


Thanks Tony.
How far up the road could you drive?
Great photos, too.
Jessica

Hi Jessica-  The book says the trailhead is 4.5 miles from the highway, so I'd estimate we were 4.25 miles up the road (just a few hundred yards from the trailhead).  A Subaru had a run at the snow covered road, but they were high centered and very much stuck.  Kinda funny, but when we came around the corner where they were stuck, it looked like a prison gang hard at work with all those shovels and snow flying!  (we sheepishly offered to help!)

On photo ops... plenty here.  We could see a 360 degree view of the N Cascades- the Pickett's, Shuksan and Baker.  Nice views from the top kept us there a while, but we know the skiing would be good so we took off after about 15 minutes.

Reply to this TR

3127
may-13-2006-ruth-mt-north-cascades
TonyM
2006-05-13 20:54:09