2026-05-31 - Mt Ruth (Rainier)

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All photos: Flickr
19 miles
~8700ft elevation gain
Strava
Area: Mount Rainier National Park

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Last week I visited Mt Ruth and extended it with Burroughs Mountain. Very enjoyable day.

Route to Mt Ruth was in great condition. I went early so I used crampons. Afterwards, I walked down the east ridge a bit, which was very nice. I had intended to go to Steamboat Prow but the remaining snow there looked too sketchy to me. I think I would have been more comfortable going up from the Inter Glacier towards Mt Ruth. Because I now had a lot of time left, I went up to Third Burroughs and walked down via the Sourdough Ridge trail.

Route

From the Glacier Basin trailhead, up past Glacier Basin and the old mine, onto the Inter Glacier and up to Mt Ruth, with a short descent down the east ridge before returning. From there, up to Third Burroughs Mountain and back down via the Sourdough Ridge Trail past Frozen Lake to Sunrise.

Highlights

Looking down the end of the east ridge of Mt Ruth on the Emmons Moraine Lake and the Emmons Glacier terminus

Second Burroughs, Fremont Lookout and Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Looking over Burroughs Mountain and Fremont Lookout towards Glacier Peak and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Yakima Park, Goat Island Mountain and the Cowlitz Chimneys from the Sourdough Ridge Trail