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 climbing middle sister - south side route august 4, 2001 sorry, but this page will load very slowly on dial-up!
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click photo to enlarge Three Sisters (S,M,N) as seen near Sisters, Oregon. click photo to enlarge  Middle Sister with its summit encased in thick clouds. click photo to enlarge  Matt poses at Camp Lake in front of South Sister. click photo to enlarge  A huge snowfield looms West of Camp Lake. click photo to enlarge  The barren scree (left) can still support plant life. click photo to enlarge  Bill and Matt on the cloudy summit of Middle Sister. click photo to enlarge  9,175-foot Broken Top towers to the East. click photo to enlarge  An unique rock formation along the trail at 7,600 feet. |
The Mountain: Central Oregon is home to more Cascade Range mountains than any other area in Oregon. From Mount Jefferson near Madras to Mount Bachelor near Bend, six peaks of over 9,000 feet in elevation dot the skyline. In particular, three "twin" 10,000-foot mountains - called the Three Sisters - provide a playground for mountaineers, hikers, campers and backcountry enthusiasts from all over the Northwest. 10,358-foot South Sister is the easiest and, therefore, most popular climb (well, it's really a long hike). 10,085-foot North Sister is the most technical and dangerous climb of the three, so it is not well traveled. 10,047-foot Middle Sister is the most remote of the Sisters and it provides a bit more of a challenge than it's Southern sibling. It's rocky surface, inaccessibility and lack of a defined climbing trail provides a fine challenge. The Hike to Middle Sister: On a cloudy weekend in August 2001, my friend Bill Bayer and I set off on the rather gargantuan task of hiking and climbing Middle Sister in a single day. We had to slog our way 7-3/4 miles from Pole Creek Springs Campground near Sisters, Oregon just to reach the base of the mountain! The long, dry hike from Pole Creek Springs took us to Camp Lake between South and Middle Sisters, at the Southeast base of the mountain. This was our only option, as the shorter Northwest route is limited to 20 people per day and must be reserved months in advance. We started under the stars at 4:30 am and reached Camp Lake around 8:00 am. Along the way, the rising sun began to reveal the beautiful surroundings. Nearby 9,165-foot Broken Top - a jagged volcano that used to be the tallest in the area before it was destroyed by a pre-historic eruption. Forbidding North Sister and its spiny rock outcroppings. The massive neighbor known as South Sister. The large and crevassed Hayden Glacier on Middle Sister's East Face. These sights kept us energized and moving. Due to the elevation gain and the wind tunnel effect of the mountains, the temperature went from the 60's at the trailhead to about 45 degrees at the Camp Lake. As such, we did not stay long to admire the gorgeous surroundings. After a short rest and the addition of warmer clothing, we started up Middle Sister, trying to find a suitable route as we went. View the climbing route! The Climb: That day, Middle Sister was enveloped in clouds from about 8,000 feet to the 10,047-foot summit. However, we had come too far to turn back just because of a poor view. We still wanted to get that summit under our belts. Bill and I knew that the Southeast route was the preferred method of reaching the top, but it was difficult to find. The clouds obscured the key mountain features and my topographic map didn't seem to match what I was seeing. Bill and I actually went much too far to the West, but we eventually found our way up the mountain. (You can see this better on the climbing route.) The climb was arduous due to the loose rock and scree we encountered along the way. There were actually times where we were in significant danger of falling or being caught in rock slides. That, in addition to the increasingly cold weather, made the trek quite miserable. Occasionally, the clouds would tease us by clearing just long enough for us to see the top. However, when we eventually reached the summit at 12:15 pm, we were completely engulfed in clouds. Thankfully, the winds were not nearly as bad on the summit as they were on the lower portions of the mountain, so we were able to take a short break in relative warmth. Eventually, the below-freezing temperatures forced us to descend. The poor footing of the loose and damp rocks made the down climb even more dangerous than the ascent. Every step brought the possibility of a sprained ankle or a rock slide. In fact, Bill actually caused a small slide, but luckily made it through without injury! Near the 8,000 foot mark, we finally emerged from the clouds and were treated to gorgeous views of Broken Top and the incredibly blue Chambers Lakes. Somehow, that had made the long hike, the cold and the danger well worth the effort. After returning to Camp Lake, we still had the nearly 8 mile hike back to the trailhead! Believe me, it seemed like we would never reach Bill's truck! Weary legged and slightly dehydrated, we finally made it to the Campground and drove into Sisters to eat dinner. Bill then did a remarkable job of staying awake on the 4-hour drive back to Portland. I hope you enjoy the photos. -- Matt |
click photo to enlarge Bill and Matt along the trail at Squaw Creek. click photo to enlarge  Cloud-free North Sister towers into the sky. click photo to enlarge  A look back at Camp Lake and it's feeding stream. click photo to enlarge  The Middle Sister summit comes out of the clouds. click photo to enlarge  Bill carefully ascends the loose rock and scree. click photo to enlarge  A gorgeous view was our treat during the descent. click photo to enlarge  The incredibly blue waters of Chambers Lakes. click photo to enlarge  Matt poses along the trail with Broken Top behind. |