Great day out, hot, but fun...the rock was a lot more fun than people have described. Parts of the routes were a crumbly disaster, but a lot of it was fun scrambling, the traverse was great, the catwalk was a fun bit of exposure and the views from the top were amazing. I'd do it again. We went in via Green Lakes...the mosquitoes were voracious.
Long but enjoyable day starting from the Falls Creek TH. (Road 370 was gated). Still lots of snow on the trail up to Green Lakes. The crux turned out to be losing the route, ending up on the wrong side of the river and having to make a very hairy crossing to get back on track.
Went up to the saddle on the NW ridge directly from the south end of the first lake on firm scree or snow - unexpectedly pleasant and shorter than expected.
Roped up for the "dirty groove" on the ascent and rapped the "basalt corner" on the way down. Found the catwalk fine if a little sphincter tightening. Final few feet to the top no problem. No need for the rope except for that one short pitch.
About 12 hours round trip for us old guys. Stunning, clear weather after getting up to ice on the tents that morning.
Great day.
Trevin Ziegler - Jun 12, 2009 7:45 pm Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2006
Route Climbed: NW Ridge via Todd Lake TH
Great class 3 scramble up Northwest ridge. Looking down into the mouth is quite an experience. Must have been quite a sight to see that thing go. Great, great, great scree for about 2000 ft along the west face made the night time descent a little easier with no headlamp.
Karl Helser - Oct 21, 2008 8:27 am Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2008
Third Trip '08
Another trip up BT from the BT trailhead. Cold clear morning. North side of summit block is unapproachable due to lots of icy snow, but the south side was snow free. Always a great scramble.
First time on the summit, nice easy mountain with its long flat approach and pedestrian scramble up the side. Summit block was fun, I watched three groups all go up different routes over the course of the hour I spent hanging around topside. Tried out the high speed scree ski descent path in low top hikers, a little gravelly but a lot of fun.
Pallando - Sep 18, 2008 1:16 am Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2008
NW Ridge
Last mountain of the summer before I leave the Cascades for school :(. Took my dad and brother-in-law up.
Earlier in the year, I went with a friend up the wrong ridge to the false summit.
mountaingazelle - Sep 8, 2008 5:04 am Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2008
Northwest Ridge
Approached the mountain from Green Lakes and went up the northwest ridge. The rock was broken and loose but not as bad as I thought it would be. The scramble up to the summit was fun. Great view of the Sisters on a nice sunny day.
crnhlio - Sep 2, 2008 10:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2004
Northwest Ridge
Me and Cameron again. Last Mtn we ever took liquor up. Got a little carried away at the top and worried we might not make it down. Stupid kids.
bc44caesar - Aug 26, 2008 7:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2008
Northwest Ridge
Nice hike in to Green Lakes, and a fun jaunt to the summit in great weather. A little loose at the top, but a pretty easy scramble overall.
Karl Helser - Aug 18, 2008 9:22 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2008
NW Solo...
S Sister yesterday and Broken Top today. A good way to get some elevation and see some incredible scenic views. From BT trailhead to the summit the trail is snow free so leave the ice axe & crampons at home. There is still lots of running water throughout the moraine fields all the way to just below where the trail meets the ridge.
Steve Rydin - Jul 6, 2008 1:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2006
Broken Top
Great climb on an often overlooked mountain! The Three Sisters get a lot of attention, but Broken Top has a lot to offer as well. I would highly recommend you add this one to your list!
guided my track coach up this one. great climb/hike.
neswstar - Sep 5, 2007 5:20 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2007
great day
Wonderful sunshiny day. We were suppose o do Shucksan but cancelled due to weather. Drove here instead. Just 2 of us. beautiful day - no one on the route at all. Went up the 2nd right hand crack - much easier than the one on the left (did 2 years ago). But took the whole 60m rope to get anchor built at saddle. Thousands of flys on top - creepy. Came down on the back side of the rock and traversed back around. Then skied the scree slope - very glad to have remembered gaiters and poles this trip.
wrassleman07 - Aug 25, 2007 10:37 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2007
took wrong route...
decided to try this mountain, after seeing it from the summit of S. Sister last year. must have read the directions wrong, and took a bit of a cross country trip. what we thought was the NW ridge was actually not, and was actually climbing the ridge across the valley on the right of NW ridge. Don't know if it was harder/easier?? it was difficult as we were back packing it, and had our packs to the summit (bad idea). there were some rough spots with some scary slips, but all made it out alirght. slept in tents at the glacier adjacent that ridge. very nice. had quite the adventure
Karl Helser - Aug 9, 2007 8:06 am Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2007
Back via Cayuse Crater...
Third time at the summit. This was a solo overnighter. I came in via the Broken Top trailhead. I turned right, cross country, at the last creek before getting to Green Lakes, followed the creek to its beginning where it was bubbling up from the ground. That's where I camped. I summited the next morning. I decide to cross country back to the car by staying high and crossing over the SW Ridge and over Cayuse Crater, a large pile of black & red cinder.
Same day as Mr clam but hours earlier. Less Exposure to the ridiculous heat. Nice approach trail via green lakes but way too crowded even for a week day.
Mr. Clam - Jul 28, 2007 9:11 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2007
Ski descent
Climbed up the left side of the summit block and descended the right. Definitely no 5 class. The scree ski down the west face was amazing.
Got a late start (13.31) after getting into Bend late morning (left campsite N of Shasta early morn). Scramble up ridge was fun, & views great. Bouldering problem short but stimulating (always that way when you don't trust the holds 100%!). Summited 16.56. Views from top were phenomenal (esp. of S Sister), the weather perfect. Soaked it in for awhile, then descended same way (left summit 17.17), killing at least 100 mosquitoes en route (hungry bastards & forgot the DEET- d'oh!). Back at car ca. 20.30- still managed to make it to Bend in time for food at Baldy's BBQ (barely) & to check out the fireworks (including the setting afire of Pilot Butte). Funnest climb I've done around the Sisters.
thundercloud - May 25, 2007 5:39 pm Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2001
we did a long snowshoe into the NW ridge and camped. scary log crossing with 3 ft of snow on its top was the hardest part of the climb. we saw a nice alpine ice face below the summit, so traversed out to this from the ridge and climbed to the top (about 200 ft?). couldn't see the rime awaiting until I was already in it, so this was a bit scary, but not like that darn log!
amochka - Jul 28, 2009 3:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2009
More fun than expectedGreat day out, hot, but fun...the rock was a lot more fun than people have described. Parts of the routes were a crumbly disaster, but a lot of it was fun scrambling, the traverse was great, the catwalk was a fun bit of exposure and the views from the top were amazing. I'd do it again. We went in via Green Lakes...the mosquitoes were voracious.
vancouver islander - Jul 8, 2009 12:23 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2009
NW RidgeLong but enjoyable day starting from the Falls Creek TH. (Road 370 was gated). Still lots of snow on the trail up to Green Lakes. The crux turned out to be losing the route, ending up on the wrong side of the river and having to make a very hairy crossing to get back on track.
Went up to the saddle on the NW ridge directly from the south end of the first lake on firm scree or snow - unexpectedly pleasant and shorter than expected.
Roped up for the "dirty groove" on the ascent and rapped the "basalt corner" on the way down. Found the catwalk fine if a little sphincter tightening. Final few feet to the top no problem. No need for the rope except for that one short pitch.
About 12 hours round trip for us old guys. Stunning, clear weather after getting up to ice on the tents that morning.
Great day.
Trevin Ziegler - Jun 12, 2009 7:45 pm Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2006
Route Climbed: NW Ridge via Todd Lake THGreat class 3 scramble up Northwest ridge. Looking down into the mouth is quite an experience. Must have been quite a sight to see that thing go. Great, great, great scree for about 2000 ft along the west face made the night time descent a little easier with no headlamp.
Karl Helser - Oct 21, 2008 8:27 am Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2008
Third Trip '08Another trip up BT from the BT trailhead. Cold clear morning. North side of summit block is unapproachable due to lots of icy snow, but the south side was snow free. Always a great scramble.
calebEOC - Sep 27, 2008 6:33 pm Date Climbed: Sep 27, 2008
Second time on MountainFirst time on the summit, nice easy mountain with its long flat approach and pedestrian scramble up the side. Summit block was fun, I watched three groups all go up different routes over the course of the hour I spent hanging around topside. Tried out the high speed scree ski descent path in low top hikers, a little gravelly but a lot of fun.
Pallando - Sep 18, 2008 1:16 am Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2008
NW RidgeLast mountain of the summer before I leave the Cascades for school :(. Took my dad and brother-in-law up.
Earlier in the year, I went with a friend up the wrong ridge to the false summit.
mountaingazelle - Sep 8, 2008 5:04 am Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2008
Northwest RidgeApproached the mountain from Green Lakes and went up the northwest ridge. The rock was broken and loose but not as bad as I thought it would be. The scramble up to the summit was fun. Great view of the Sisters on a nice sunny day.
crnhlio - Sep 2, 2008 10:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2004
Northwest RidgeMe and Cameron again. Last Mtn we ever took liquor up. Got a little carried away at the top and worried we might not make it down. Stupid kids.
bc44caesar - Aug 26, 2008 7:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2008
Northwest RidgeNice hike in to Green Lakes, and a fun jaunt to the summit in great weather. A little loose at the top, but a pretty easy scramble overall.
Karl Helser - Aug 18, 2008 9:22 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2008
NW Solo...S Sister yesterday and Broken Top today. A good way to get some elevation and see some incredible scenic views. From BT trailhead to the summit the trail is snow free so leave the ice axe & crampons at home. There is still lots of running water throughout the moraine fields all the way to just below where the trail meets the ridge.
Steve Rydin - Jul 6, 2008 1:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2006
Broken TopGreat climb on an often overlooked mountain! The Three Sisters get a lot of attention, but Broken Top has a lot to offer as well. I would highly recommend you add this one to your list!
KMM - Oct 7, 2007 1:46 am
spink and kipguided my track coach up this one. great climb/hike.
neswstar - Sep 5, 2007 5:20 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2007
great dayWonderful sunshiny day. We were suppose o do Shucksan but cancelled due to weather. Drove here instead. Just 2 of us. beautiful day - no one on the route at all. Went up the 2nd right hand crack - much easier than the one on the left (did 2 years ago). But took the whole 60m rope to get anchor built at saddle. Thousands of flys on top - creepy. Came down on the back side of the rock and traversed back around. Then skied the scree slope - very glad to have remembered gaiters and poles this trip.
wrassleman07 - Aug 25, 2007 10:37 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2007
took wrong route...decided to try this mountain, after seeing it from the summit of S. Sister last year. must have read the directions wrong, and took a bit of a cross country trip. what we thought was the NW ridge was actually not, and was actually climbing the ridge across the valley on the right of NW ridge. Don't know if it was harder/easier?? it was difficult as we were back packing it, and had our packs to the summit (bad idea). there were some rough spots with some scary slips, but all made it out alirght. slept in tents at the glacier adjacent that ridge. very nice. had quite the adventure
Karl Helser - Aug 9, 2007 8:06 am Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2007
Back via Cayuse Crater...Third time at the summit. This was a solo overnighter. I came in via the Broken Top trailhead. I turned right, cross country, at the last creek before getting to Green Lakes, followed the creek to its beginning where it was bubbling up from the ground. That's where I camped. I summited the next morning. I decide to cross country back to the car by staying high and crossing over the SW Ridge and over Cayuse Crater, a large pile of black & red cinder.
Infected Mushroom - Jul 29, 2007 7:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2007
NW ridgeSame day as Mr clam but hours earlier. Less Exposure to the ridiculous heat. Nice approach trail via green lakes but way too crowded even for a week day.
Mr. Clam - Jul 28, 2007 9:11 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2007
Ski descentClimbed up the left side of the summit block and descended the right. Definitely no 5 class. The scree ski down the west face was amazing.
Diggler - Jul 9, 2007 1:39 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2007
Independence Day NW ridge afternoon scrambleGot a late start (13.31) after getting into Bend late morning (left campsite N of Shasta early morn). Scramble up ridge was fun, & views great. Bouldering problem short but stimulating (always that way when you don't trust the holds 100%!). Summited 16.56. Views from top were phenomenal (esp. of S Sister), the weather perfect. Soaked it in for awhile, then descended same way (left summit 17.17), killing at least 100 mosquitoes en route (hungry bastards & forgot the DEET- d'oh!). Back at car ca. 20.30- still managed to make it to Bend in time for food at Baldy's BBQ (barely) & to check out the fireworks (including the setting afire of Pilot Butte). Funnest climb I've done around the Sisters.
thundercloud - May 25, 2007 5:39 pm Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2001
NW RidgeCruised up from Green Lakes.
highice - Feb 1, 2007 7:44 pm
alpine face var.we did a long snowshoe into the NW ridge and camped. scary log crossing with 3 ft of snow on its top was the hardest part of the climb. we saw a nice alpine ice face below the summit, so traversed out to this from the ridge and climbed to the top (about 200 ft?). couldn't see the rime awaiting until I was already in it, so this was a bit scary, but not like that darn log!