In 1921, in addition to climbing Mount Stuart, Rusk and a group from the Cascadians went on an expedition to Mount Adams. This expedition had as its primary goal to climb the Great East Side of Adams. They made their base camp in Avalanche Valley. Fifteen members of the Cascadians completed a climb up the south side of the mountain. However, the main climb was the ascent up the east side led by Rusk. The rest of those in this group were Edgar E. Coursen, Wayne Richardson, Clarence Truitt, Rolland Whitmore, Robert E. Williams, and Clarence Starcher. The route was very difficult for the climbing equipment that they had available, which was limited to two Swiss ice-axes, five alpenstocks, rope, and hobnailed boots. Their route took them up the Rusk Glacier to the base of the Battlement Ridge, up onto Battlement Ridge and over The Castle, and finally, through the maze of crevasses on the vast summit ice cap. The route was very difficult and it took a great amount of time to reach The Castle and required that they bivouac for the night on the west side of The Castle next to the summit ice cap. The route also made it clear that there was to be no easy retreat. The whole party completed the climb. Some climbers who had come up from the south side, who some in the Cascadians party knew, were incredulous and could not believe that they had made the climb from the east side.