[3] According to local legend, Bruseth courted Beate Staff Falk, a recent Norwegian immigrant to the area, by making the descent from Mount Pugh once a week to take her to the town's dance hall.
[1][5] As a forest ranger, Bruseth developed mountain trails in the North Cascades and was active in civic affairs for the Darrington community.
He volunteered as the head of several local improvement committees, including those organizing the Timber Bowl festival and other events, and taught children to ski.
He wrote a weekly column in The Arlington Times and published several books, including a compilation of indigenous legends from the Stillaguamish and Sauk-Suiattle.
[2] Bruseth's life story was told in the play Common Wealth, which adapted the history of Darrington and performed by local residents.