It is not known for sure who made the first ascent of Mount Stuart. According to Fred Beckey: Claude Rusk... was told by Frank Bryant of Yakima about finding a stick at the summit bearing the name `Angus McPherson—1873.' A. H. Sylvester, who climbed to the summit in 1897 and 1899 for triangulation, believed the first ascent was made by Frank Tweedy and Richard Goode during the Northern Pacific land survey. Tweedy (after whom Tweedy's pussypaws is named) climbed Mount Stuart on August 5, 1883, and two days later again with Goode (after whom Goode Mountain is named). They did not report finding evidence of an earlier ascent. Since the easiest route is not too technical, an earlier Native American ascent is also a possibility.