Since when Mt. Russell became a hike? The East Ridge (the "easiest" way up) can be intimidating even for experienced climbers.
I personally consider anything that isn't a class 4 or 5 to be a hike if done in summer conditions, but, as they say, YMMV. Heck, I've been told that San Jacinto via the tram was a climb and not a hike. When I gave him a confused look and told him to explain, he said that "you can't just walk up to the peak, there are some boulders you need to climb just before the top."
It is certainly in a different league than MWMT.
That I agree with, but the poster mentioned that he was looking for something that's challenging, scenic, and has significant elevation. Russell would fit all three.
