Two-night backpacking trip, overnighting at Fourth of July Pass, with a day hike up Ruby Mountain.
Fourth of July Pass
The trail to Fourth of July Pass is in great condition, beginning with a mellow hike along Thunder Creek, with the majority of the elevation gain happening after the turnoff to Fourth of July Pass, at about 2.1 miles. There are several good water sources along the way, and nice views from several places, with prettier views at the pass.
Ruby Mountain
The turnoff for the Ruby Mountain trail is about 0.8 miles beyond the pass marked by a wooden sign that says “Trail Abandoned, no longer maintained.” It's worth taking a look at the Panther Potholes on the way, at about half way to the turn off, with better views a little ways off the trail. The Ruby Mountain trail is in fairly good shape for the first couple of miles, although steep in places, with a fairly large area of blow downs about a mile in, not too difficult to maneuver over. Please note: There are no water sources along the way, so you’ll need to carry enough water.
Burn area: At about 2 miles, there is a large burn area from last year’s Ruby Mountain fire that continues for about one mile. The scene through this area is pretty apocalyptic. The remaining trees are badly charred, the ground is black soot and ash, and trail can be hard to follow in places (see photo). Having Gaia or some other GPS through this area is helpful, and expect to get dirty.
Fortunately, the burn area gives way to greenery and flowers, with stunning views of the surrounding mountains as you go higher. The trail becomes easier to follow again, until it peters off just below 7,000 feet. Unfortunately, we had to turn around just above that area, as it was getting late, so did not make it to the 7,400-foot summit with the promised the 360-degree views of Ross Lake and surrounding mountains.
The WTA write-up on the Ruby Mountain trail has a description of the route.
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