ruth mountain trip report

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Icy Peak via Icy Glacier—Northwest Ridge + Ruth Mtn Summit Camp (Nooksack Mountains, WA)

Trip Date: July 19-20, 2008

Icy Peak Climbing Trip & Ruth Mountain Summit Camp 

Hannegan Pass Ruth Mountain (7115′) Ruth–Icy Saddle Icy Peaks: true summit aka Southeast Icy Peak (7073′)

Trip Report Summary

Related post, full trip report, day 1: trailhead to ruth mountain summit, day 2: southeast icy peak summit climb & exit, photo gallery.

Region: Northwestern Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Nooksack Mountains

Area: North Cascades National Park

Starting & Ending Point: Hannegan Trailhead at end of Ruth Creek Road (Elev. 3100 feet)

Way Points: Ruth Creek & Hannegan Pass & Ruth Mountain Saddle & Ruth Mountain summit (trail hike & snow climb)

Campsite: Ruth Mountain summit (Elev. 7100 feet)

Summit: Ruth Mountain (snow climb via North Ridge—Ruth Glacier; descent via South Ridge )

Sidetrip: Ruth Bowl & Ruth–Icy Saddle (rock scramble)

Summit: Southeast Icy Peak   (snow climb & rock climb via Icy Glacier—Northwest Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 16 miles traveled; 8000 feet gained & lost.

Ruth Mtn Climb & Ski Descent via North Ridge—Ruth Glacier – June 14, 1997

Eileen and I did a splendid trip last weekend in the Nooksack Mountains, as we managed to tuck in Ruth Mountain and SE Icy Peak.  Although the maps label the latter mountain as “Icy Peak,” it really should be called “Icy Peaks” because it comprises a cluster of attractive summit crags, the two highest of which have an elevation difference of only 11 feet or so. The overall effect of these dark crags jutting from the sprawling snowfields is reminiscent of climbing Mt Challenger from Wiley Ridge—but on a smaller scale, without the long approach, thick brush, and militant hornets. I suppose you can’t have everything.

We hiked up to Hannegan Pass, then continued on scratch paths and snow to the summit of Ruth Mtn.  I’d long wanted to camp on the summit of this wonderful view summit, so that’s exactly what we did…along with four other people.

The night was clear and windless and well-illuminated by a full moon. Hard to believe these lodgings were actually free, although room service was spotty.

The next morning, we awoke to a beautifully clear sky and a setting moon.

We packed up and headed over to Icy Peaks by first descending Ruth Mtn’s south ridge. We cached some gear In a flat snow basin below, then continued descending Class 2 rock and heather to the Ruth-Icy Saddle. From there, we cramponed up firm snow toward Icy Peaks.

A party of nine climbers was whittling away at the NW peak when we arrived at the summit area. But no matter, because our goal was the slightly higher SE peak (true summit).

We climbed steep snow to the NW–SE notch, and that’s where things got more interesting. The route up the SE peak’s NW ridge looked to be steep, loose, wildly exposed, and generally unfeasible. Frankly, if not for us having a trip report from Fay Pullen’s prior ascent of this route, we probably wouldn’t have even bothered trying. In reality, the route turned out to be steep, loose, wildly exposed…but very feasible. The best part was the Class 4 knife-edge summit ridge.

We spent over an hour on top (4.7 hours from Ruth Mtn summit), admiring the North Cascades and watching with curiosity the party of nine on the NW summit. A summit register that Fay had left here several years ago showed about one party per year on average, confirming Beckey’s statement that this peak is seldom climbed.

For our descent, we belayed back down the ridge, using a short (75-foot) rope. Once down to the snow, we briefly considered climbing the lower but more popular NW peak. Somehow, though, it seemed to lack the drama of the other peak, so we elected to head for home instead.

Click to enlarge…

Trip Report    

Ruth mountain & icy peak traverse.

• Date: Thu, Aug 28, 2014
• Route/Place: Ruth Mountain & Icy Peak Traverse
• Activity Type: Climbing & Skiing/Snowboarding

We climbed August 23-24. Weather cool & clear Saturday and most of Sunday with increasing clouds Sunday late afternoon. Snow conditions satisfactory in the mornings and softer in the afternoons. No bugs. We began walking at 9:30am, arrived Hannegan Pass at 11:30am, ascended the steep gully clearly visibile on climbers left, and then continued along boot path to the base of Ruth. We roped up to climb Ruth as Crevasses were evident. Arrived at Ruth summit at 2:30pm. We followed the bootpath down to the saddle and then over to the campsite arriving at 3:00pm. After setting up camp we found scouted for water nearby in a streamlet running from under the snow (marked with cairns). Next we investigated the descent route to the saddle between Ruth & Icy. Cairns mark the entry to the boot path in the middle of the camp site bench. Sunday morning we started walking at 4:00am, descending with head lamps and continued on across the saddle to the base of Icy Peak. We roped up again and ascended the glacier staying close to the rock spine on climbers left and once above the large cravasse we worked laterally to the right paralleling a long narrower crevasse just above. We made a hairpin turn (to climbers left) around the end of the narrow crevasse and below another large crevasse; this section was steeper and traversing above the narrow crevasse encouraged picket placements. Once above the large crevasse we made another hairpin turn (back to climbers right), and from there it was a simple walk (further to climbers right) to the ridge leading up to the summit block. We left glacier gear here (bring prussiks!), and scrambled the boot path up the far side of the ridge to the base of the climb (the first large grey gully). A rope lead trailed a 60m glacier rope as she scrambled up the gully and secured the rope to the rappel anchors. Others followed choosing whether or not to use a prussik on the hand line. The gulley rock is fairly solid but is loose on either side so stay on the well worn ascent route. It's a good idea to keep very careful watch for falling rock and to have party members stay out of the fall line. We arrived at the summit at 9:30am. We rapped down the summit block (60m glacier rope or doubled 30m ropes work fine), scrambled to our glacier gear, descended the glacier, traversed the saddle between Icy & Ruth and scrambled back up to camp arriving at 12:30pm. Began walking from camp at 1:30pm and arrived at the TH at 6:30pm. Rather than traverse around Ruth was ascended the boot trail to the summit and then retraced our steps from Saturday back to the base of Ruth. The steep gully down toward Hannegan pass was not difficult to navigate, given veggie belays on either side. A drenching thundershower passed overhead after we had arrived at the TH, so we ducked into our cars and headed back to Seattle. With a relatively short approach, this climb gets into some exceptionally scenic alpine almost before you know it.

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The Art of Mountaineering: A Series of Great Climbs

Washington, United States, North America

On the "Ruth of the North Cascades"

Ruth Mountain

Ruth Mountain under snow

October Snow on Ruth

Failed on Ruth

Ruth Mountain - One day climb

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