The approach from Pole Creek trail-head was long and boring. The rockfall potential is only lessened in the winter, not removed. Once the ridge hits some rocks, look for a trail on the west side of the ridge. Another helpful tactic is to spend some time at 6000 at Timberline Lodge before your trip. Spectacular views of Mount Baker and Puget Sound. Helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. 6) I'll be damned if I could find the cam placements mentioned above. On the North Sister climbs, we allow our guides to choose the route based on weather and conditions. Payments are always non-refundable, even under these circumstances. This photo shows the ascent route from Arrowhead Lake up toward the Black Fin. The gully between the two is called the "bowling alley." This machine is a great resource for bypassing the lower flanks of the mountain however, due to the extreme weather and snow conditions that we experience on Mount Hood, there is no guarantee that it will be able to access any particular location or elevation. GPX DL. You bet, friend! There are two main approaches, one from the West via the Obsidian trailhead, and another from the East from the Pole Springs trailhead. I would recommend going with them if it's your first climbing trip on Mt. There is some exposure and many parties have a tendency to get a bit off route near the summit - no big deal if you're ok on exposed 4th class. Thanks for putting this trip report up. All Rights Reserved. Get an expedition grant . It will probably be in the shade and a little chilly, but it's out of the way of almost any rockfall. It involves a long ascent on steep snow to reach the summit ridge. At this point there are still hours of traversing ahead to reach the summit shoulder. This is a page from the online guidebook, 'Skiing the Cascade Volcanoes', a part of Amar Andalkar's Ski Mountaineering and Climbing Site. The more physically prepared you are, the better opportunity your team will have to reach the summit in the variety of conditions that we find in the mountain that we guide. Belleisle 15. 10) I climbed the route in trail running shoes. Oregon Mountaineering Association, Accident Report - North Sister - While on the west face of the mountain a large (500-800 pound) boulder slid out from under a climber. They worked great. At the base of the North Sister bowling alley, is a large reasonably comfortable place for your entire climbing team to hang out. Mountain bike for the road. Be well! After a few hours of stumbling on the trails we finally arrived at the base of the North Sister. Northwest Forest pass required at trailheads. Some policies require that you purchase coverage within a certain amount of time after your payment for the trip, so we recommend you look into purchasing travel insurance as soon as possible. We will uphold ourcancellation policiesin all cases. I absolutely give highest marks to these guys. Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. Rather, park down the road a little. Move to about 100 ft right of crest and progress to about 800 ft from drop-off crag. Photo by Alex R. Alex halfway across the terrible traverse. Pole Creek Trailhead was the origin of a large forest fire back in 2012, and it is still a sensitive area. You are very welcome, good luck on your climb next year. Woke up at 3:30 am and drove through some treacherous winter conditions. Choose broken, exposed chimney or traverse right to ridge spur. The North Twin Sister is the northern most peak in the Twin Sister Range located just southwest of Mount Baker. There is some talk about paid permits for all entry into the Sisters Wilderness but it hasnt happenedyet. 8) Please heed johngo'd advice about keeping the party together in the BA. A red Metolius cam protects this nicely. Say, have you ever tried the North ridge approach? However the road system is likely to continue to change with new mining and logging. Only the easier routes are often climbed. Upon reaching the saddle between North Sister and Middle Sister, turn north and climb the south ridge of North Sister. Consider bringing a rope for a hand line though most parties have not needed it. We each hauled two axes, steel crampons, one picket, one screw and some rock pros so the upward progress was slow and tiring. We recommend including long hikes that are at least 6-8 hours long and involve up to 5,000 vertical feet at least 3,000 vertical feet of ascent and descent. If you are on 5th class rock, you are not on-route. The Mazamas serves our community through a variety of services and programs. Most mountaineering challenges involve long duration and medium to low intensity. Testa, 35, set out to climb the North Sister by herself on Saturday. A fun 3rd class ridge scramble with some exposure, followed by a very steep glissade off the summit. We learned a great deal, had a ton of fun, felt in very capable hands, and had the reward of summiting on a beautiful clear day. updates, images, or resources. Actually, the mountain has two pinnacles: the Glisan is on the north and the Prouty is on the south (with its two horns). Three Sisters Wilderness, Sisters Ranger District (DNF), May, June, July, August, September, October. Jefferson was much more easy to find the route on. All with the Mazamas. Directions in Google Maps . North Sister is often climbed late-season with no rope, no pro, and in running shoes by those comfortable on unstable scree. Woke up at 4:30 am, drove all the way to east side of Snoqualmie Pass. Picture courtesy of Michael Wanberg (2013-08-24). Routes First ascent was by H. H. Prouty in 1910 for which the summit pinnacle is named. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. :) You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Another while later we were back across the terrible traverse and its then time for anther gear transition crampons off and axes in the packs. Very straightforward scramble, with one 8-foot . There are no resources for this route/place. Anderson (P600m) and Notch Hill with Raphael, Mackenzie and Samir. The climb will start out by climbing the ridge directly on steep snow. I know it isn't a quick job. Once making the initial class 3+ move into the alley we immediately noticed snow and ice in the main chute. Elie is a popular seaside resort town in the East Neuk of Fife, located approximately 45 miles from Edinburgh. Mountaineers Books is a registered trademark of The Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The trade off was an additional 10 m or so of 45+ degree snow traversing but such ordeal was easy. Plant a tree . A peak's prominence, also known as topographic prominence or relative height, is a measure of how distinct a peak is from other peaks. Photo by Alex R. Me ascending onto Hayden Glacier. As we were roping up for our alternate pitch, the first few of the party of 11 were summiting. Thanks for the good vibes. There is a steep exposed snowfield to cross (terrible traverse) just before the Bowling Alley that doesnt melt until mid-summer. Log in and send us Light alpine gear and helmets. The day had become hot too. Day trip to Vancouver Island. Under snowy conditions, the traverse is a steep side-stepping affair around a ridge and the Bowling Alley can be 70-80 degree hard snow or ice.To see a 3D topo map showing the Obsidian Trail, click here. Then you have come to the right place! Instant PDF Generic pre-created PDF - for North Sister There are too few routes to pre-prepare an instant PDF. 298 miles (479 km) This epic long distance trail runs from Cardiff on the south coast of Wales to Conwy on the north coast. The standard route is via South Ridge and involves some steep snow traverses and exposed class 3-4 scrambling on not-so-great rocks. The Bowling Alley needs to be done with care as to not drop rocks on party members, but the scramble is easy and no exposure. Photo by Alex R. We traversed across this exposed ledge without donning crampons, Ahead is another chute to regain the ridge crest. Tax ID: 27-3009280. For example, the Our guides can only make decisions based on the speed of the team relative to current conditions and forecasted weather. Watch for avalanche danger on this east facing route. Thank you Jongho and Sean! We were able to access the moat for much of the crossing but Im not sure if this is safe most years. That is, a 5.10a sport climb in the gym feels easier to most people than most outdoor 5.10a routes. Wyler Aerial Tram 1700 Mckinley, El Paso, TX 79930 Glide to the top of Ranger Peak in the Franklin Mountains State Park in an airborne Swiss gondola. Because of the late arrival time we set the alarms at 7 am. A 60 m rope reaches the large boulder in the center of the bowling alley. View Everything you need to know about North Sister Image Gallery - 1 Images. We are not in aposition to evaluate your fitness level. Indian Road 18 is paved the entire way so any vehicle . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Soloing made this much faster. If you arent staying at Timberline, consider coming a couple days earlier and taking some day hikes above the lodge to gradually expose your body to the increased demands of exertion at altitude. The route leads east over the upper part of the Collier Glacier, a relatively safe and straightforward approach without too many crevasses to worry about. Today in Naval History - Naval / Maritime Events in History 19 September 1785 - Launch of French Fougueux, 74 gun Tmraire class Ship of the Line at Lorient Fougueux was a Tmraire class 74-gun French ship of the line built at Lorient from 1784 to 1785 by engineer Segondat. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. North Sister via Pole Creek Trail hard (62) Deschutes National Forest Photos (237) Directions Print/PDF Map Share Enjoy this 14.9-mile out-and-back trail near La Pine, Oregon. Mountaineering, Rock Climbing and Ski Mountaineering are demanding activities and are very serious undertakings. Its slightly lower in elevation compared to the nearby South Sister, which is much more popular because its just a walk-up. At Obsidian Trailhead, you need to get a special Limited Entry Permit, required for day and night trips into the area. Being the first alpine peak on the Western North Cascades it sees little traffic. From there, after 45 or so more minutes of hiking through gradually smaller brush, you'll hit treeline. Try next year with your info to help guide us. We will take the time to place you on the expedition that is a fit for you. Our guides were great, . At the base of the south summit tower we traversed climbers left on ledges and soon there came the snow. June 29%. There are two main approaches: the Obsidian Trail approach from the west and the Pole Creek Springs approach from the east. When this is snow-covered, it can be a pitch or two of 50 alpine ice which will require your full attention. If these activities are at your absolute physical limit, there will be little room to handle additional challenges like inclement weather, adverse conditions or discomfort. Then rushed home for work. :) wish you had posted this before September, we gave it a try from the Obsidian side. The next bits of the ridge crest was bypassed on the right (SE) side. We made a bad decision to ditch ice axes and crampons as the bowling alley appeared dry from bottom. The approach description is updated. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. On some trips you will be carrying heavy loads, climbing technical terrain with an overnight pack, climbing at high altitude, and climbing on little or restless sleep. I think the text pretty much says it all. Some policies include coverage for medical expenses and evacuation in the event of an emergency. Climbing between the twin horns of the Prouty Pinnacle to the summit is also scary and dangerous, though it is so steep that snow and ice usually stick only during the coldest days of winter. Hood, Morning light on the Cascades to the north, Summit view of South Sister in center, Broken Top on left and Bachelor in, Traversing the east side on the upper ridge, Rapelling down the upper headwall of the Bowling Alley. Class 3 down-climbing to get back into the upper bowling alley: As you can see there were snow and ice in the alley, Down-climbing exposed class 4 to bypass snow and ice, This is the bottom step to get out of bowling alley, Alex starting back across the terrible traverse, Partway back across the traverse. Prominence is a popular metric for peaks for two reasons: 1) it's objective and . Custom PDF Personalised up-to-date PDF - for North Sister. Depending on conditions, the route can be done with very little gear or it may require everything. This is a fourth class step of about 30 feet. My sister, Kate, later sent me a photo of her doing this climb in the summer and saying how hot it was. North Sister 16.3 mi route. Log in and send us Rocks (called gendarmes) that protrude from the ridge are loose and crumbly, while the footing is through loose pumice and small rocks. Join us outside for exhilarating climbs, scenic hikes, backpacking trips, and other outdoor activities. Date-changes are not allowed within 60 days of your programs start date, and your new date must be within the same calendar year. ", "What a fantastic experience gaining the summit of a mountain we've gazed on from Portland for 25 years! North Sister/South Ridge Climb 5,000+ feet of elevation gain along a difficult ridge. If you are going to elevations above 15,000 feet, we recommend speaking with your doctor about obtaining a prescription of Diamox. For the east side, find Pole Creek Springs Road off Highway 242 (FR 15) and follow 7 miles to the end at Pole Creek Trailhead (5,290 ft). Sisters Ranger DistrictPO Box 249Sisters, OR 97759541-549-2111 or 541-549-7700(located on the corner of Pine St. and Highway 20 in Sisters)McKenzie Ranger District (for west side permit as well as info) 57600 McKenzie HighwayMcKenzie Bridge, OR 97413541-822-3381(same link as Sisters Ranger District, just click there)Weather Conditions from Weather.com, View North Sister Image Gallery - 270 Images. This is looking at the north-eastern horizon. With a summit elevation of 6,644 feet it is commonly seen from Highway 542. A common mistake here is to head up the gully to the left, or north of the Bowling Alley. Looks like the 3 sisters marathoners take this route. Getting There From Eugene, OR, drive SR-126 east and turn right onto SR-242 and continue to the Obsidian Trailhead (4,800 ft). Inclement Weather:Challenging weather conditions are often a part of climbing in the mountains. (As mentioned in some of my previous photos, please avoid the common mistake of ascending the gully with the red X marks.). I did most of the weather check while killing days in Kuujjuaq and Montreal on my way back from Mt. The dude spent his entire life chasing climbs, he lived off selling guidebooks, never married, never really did anything else. Advanced permits are required to day hike and overnight camp here. A friend of mine once made some joke about Fred only putting up a ton of easy routes around the states. North Sister Oregon Hiking & Climbing Access From the west, off Highway 242, 4 miles west of McKenzie Pass is a well-marked sign for the Obsidian Trailhead. Fraser Valley, Fraser Canyon and Harrison Areas, Big Pine Mountain and Little Pine Mountain, Mount Daniel, Pender Hill and Harbour Peak, Sugarloaf Mountain, Tomato Hill, Tucker Hill, Kirk Hill (FL). 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