Page Type: | Route |
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Lat/Lon: | 48.85940°N / 121.5317°W |
Route Type: | Basic snow/glacier climb |
Time Required: | Most of a day |
Difficulty: | Grade II, 25 degree snow/glacier travel |
Route Short Specifics:
12 miles; 4200 feet of elevation gain
Basic Glacier Travel and very steep snow during the early climbing season.
From the Hannegan Pass trailhead take the Hannegan Pass Trail roughly 4 miles Hannegan Pass where there are a number of good camping areas to stay the evening. From there head off south to Ruth Mountain following the ridge all of the way to the base of glacier. This varies in difficulty at different times of the year. In June or earlier one can literally go right over the highpoint on the ridge highpoint to get to the of the glacier. By July this no longer is available. During this time one has to take a very steep side traverse (60 degree snow field) up to the east of the first highpoint on the ridge and then take a boot-path to the base of the glacier. By August this is melted out and now becomes a much more manageable trail to the Ruth Glacier. The only issue here is that the glacier has opened up and roping up really necessary.
The Ruth Glacier is about a 30 degree snowfield. Ice axes are clearly mandatory here and roping here is strongly recommended especially after early July. Most of the traffic on the will be heading to the summit of Ruth Mountain. However there will be some traffic heading on over to Icy Peak as well.
Ice axe, crampons, rope, etc. In July many people go up the Ruth Glacier without roping up. If you choose to do this do it at your own risk. The author does not recommend climbing Ruth this way from the crevasses he saw on the way up this mountain. If you do this do it with caution and make it early July and not late July.