Tagged both the Lyon County HP and the peak itself
W/ Yadahzoemtn on a beautiful day with occasional strong breezes. Found the county highpoint and the register (on the small knob just behind the cairn with the pole sticking up out of the center). From there it was a 10-minute hike up the ridge to the summit. Passed another cairn/pole marker. It also had a register but we didn't worry about that one. There was a nice register atop Middle Sister, too.
scgrant - Dec 6, 2016 9:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2016
Middle Sister
Via Little Smith Valley I hit the CoHP first and then on to Middle Sister. I thought this was a phenomenal route and hike. Nv CoHP #16/17. I also did Mt Patterson later in the day, the highpoint of the Sweetwater Range.
Parked a mile before the corral and walked up the rocky road and then the wash/streambed. Signed all three registers: at the Lyon County highpoint, and the not-county-highpoint (the Von Schmidt marker) and at the summit of Middle Sister in California. Views obscured by hazy smoke from Sierra fires.
A Bit - Apr 21, 2015 3:18 pm Date Climbed: Apr 20, 2015
Little Smith Valley Route
Light snow year so it was mostly bare ground this April.
BCL - Oct 6, 2014 9:32 am Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2014
From East Sister
Tagged the county HP liner en route.
Redwic - Jun 6, 2013 9:36 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2013
More Straightforward Than Expected
I will give some helpful hints about this peak. Road 050 has two entrances from Highway 338; I think the north entrance is better (and quicker) than the south entrance. At the point where they join and become one road there were a coule of large seasonal drainage dips which might give smaller vehicles trouble. The rest of Road 050 would be passable for most street-legal vehicles, though. The corral road is a bad road. I would only recommend driving it to the corrals if you have 4WD *and* high-clearance.
Finding the gully was easy using EE's directions. As the gully opens up, there is a faint animal track leading from the gully interior which ends up running parallel on the rightside approximately 20' higher than the center of the gully. That track stays out of the brushy areas and leads right into the vast open meadow area. Continue straight up the meadow area, keeping the trees to your immediate leftside. At approximately 9800', the ground changes to rocky sand (two steps forward, one step back in certain places) which is much easier, faster, and fun to descend than ascend. I reached the actual ridge crest at a small 10200' saddle. Reaching the summit was easy, as was finding the rock outcrop for Lyon CoHP. I was apparently the first visitor this year.
Tracy - Sep 9, 2012 2:37 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2012
via Little Smith Valley route
I hiked this one with Steven Stembridge, John Tennert, and Justin McEwen. We got to the summit as well as the Lyon County, NV highpoint.
Stopped by the Lyon COPH and Von Schmidt line on the way to the summit. Nice area. I was feeling a little uninspired so we didn't try for any of the other peaks in the area. Ran into a bonafide cowboy on an ATV at the trailhead. His tent was sherdded by a black bear the night before. He claimed he had a man eating dog... Hiked with Greg D
Took the north ridge up to Peak 9715 and then continued on to East Sister. (This route is completely mahogany free and not a bad alternative to the East/Middle saddle if you are looking to avoid a bushwack)
Didn't find the mahogany between East and Middle all that bad- but I only had to pass through it once and was able to better see the breaks from above. In general you want to stick to the west (Little Smith Valley side of the ridge). With proper route selection you can bypass the mahogany entirely on the top half of the slope.
Didn't find the stateline marker, but didn't look for it too hard.
We intended to do all three Sisters in one day. We left Sweetwater and climbed the ridge line all the way to the South Sister and then got to the Middle by 4:30pm. We decided to head back to the car which took 2.5 hours following deer tracks through the brush. We did the East Sister the next day via Ricky mine.
Got 2 of the 3 Sisters, decided to throw in the towel between Middle and South due to very thick brush bringing yearning thoughts for a chainsaw.
Bob Burd - Aug 25, 2009 1:12 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2009
Sweetwater Traverse
Tagged all the named summits with Matthew in a North to South direction, then went back for Desert Creek Peak in the evening. Trip Report
buzzdainer - Oct 14, 2007 3:09 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2007
Coyote Creek
Drove in on a very rough 4WD road from Desert Creek, almost all the way to Coyote Creek. Followed this road to the top of the ridge, then followed this rib to the summit. Passed over the summit to the state line and register cairn.
mlarkin2002 - Oct 10, 2006 3:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2005
Sweetwater Traverse
Dayhike traverse S->N starting at Lobdell Lk., and ending at Risue Rd. Picked up Wheeler, Patterson, So. Sister, Middle Sister en route.
Rocco - Jan 8, 2024 8:58 am Date Climbed: Dec 11, 2019
Tower Peak from North Mountain LOClass 1 to LO
McCannster - Jun 20, 2023 8:30 am Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2023
Middle + East linkupFun romp in a great area with Carson. Also tagged the Lyon County highpoint en route to East Sister. Windy and clear. Still lots of snow.
yadahzoemtn - Feb 2, 2019 3:51 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2018
I really enjoyed finding the County Highpoint CairnOnce we located the County Highpoint we went to the top! With Michael.
Moogie737 - Jul 9, 2018 8:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2018
Tagged both the Lyon County HP and the peak itselfW/ Yadahzoemtn on a beautiful day with occasional strong breezes. Found the county highpoint and the register (on the small knob just behind the cairn with the pole sticking up out of the center). From there it was a 10-minute hike up the ridge to the summit. Passed another cairn/pole marker. It also had a register but we didn't worry about that one. There was a nice register atop Middle Sister, too.
Fletch - Sep 23, 2017 8:38 pm Date Climbed: Sep 23, 2017
Lotta snow up highFun day
scgrant - Dec 6, 2016 9:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2016
Middle SisterVia Little Smith Valley I hit the CoHP first and then on to Middle Sister. I thought this was a phenomenal route and hike. Nv CoHP #16/17. I also did Mt Patterson later in the day, the highpoint of the Sweetwater Range.
davidsanger - Sep 13, 2015 11:21 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2015
Clear DayParked a mile before the corral and walked up the rocky road and then the wash/streambed. Signed all three registers: at the Lyon County highpoint, and the not-county-highpoint (the Von Schmidt marker) and at the summit of Middle Sister in California. Views obscured by hazy smoke from Sierra fires.
A Bit - Apr 21, 2015 3:18 pm Date Climbed: Apr 20, 2015
Little Smith Valley RouteLight snow year so it was mostly bare ground this April.
BCL - Oct 6, 2014 9:32 am Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2014
From East SisterTagged the county HP liner en route.
Redwic - Jun 6, 2013 9:36 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2013
More Straightforward Than ExpectedI will give some helpful hints about this peak. Road 050 has two entrances from Highway 338; I think the north entrance is better (and quicker) than the south entrance. At the point where they join and become one road there were a coule of large seasonal drainage dips which might give smaller vehicles trouble. The rest of Road 050 would be passable for most street-legal vehicles, though. The corral road is a bad road. I would only recommend driving it to the corrals if you have 4WD *and* high-clearance.
Finding the gully was easy using EE's directions. As the gully opens up, there is a faint animal track leading from the gully interior which ends up running parallel on the rightside approximately 20' higher than the center of the gully. That track stays out of the brushy areas and leads right into the vast open meadow area. Continue straight up the meadow area, keeping the trees to your immediate leftside. At approximately 9800', the ground changes to rocky sand (two steps forward, one step back in certain places) which is much easier, faster, and fun to descend than ascend. I reached the actual ridge crest at a small 10200' saddle. Reaching the summit was easy, as was finding the rock outcrop for Lyon CoHP. I was apparently the first visitor this year.
Tracy - Sep 9, 2012 2:37 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2012
via Little Smith Valley routeI hiked this one with Steven Stembridge, John Tennert, and Justin McEwen. We got to the summit as well as the Lyon County, NV highpoint.
Jonodo - Jul 18, 2011 3:31 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2011
From the CorralStopped by the Lyon COPH and Von Schmidt line on the way to the summit. Nice area. I was feeling a little uninspired so we didn't try for any of the other peaks in the area. Ran into a bonafide cowboy on an ATV at the trailhead. His tent was sherdded by a black bear the night before. He claimed he had a man eating dog... Hiked with Greg D
fedak - Jul 17, 2011 6:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2011
Peak 9715 > East > Middle TraverseTook the north ridge up to Peak 9715 and then continued on to East Sister. (This route is completely mahogany free and not a bad alternative to the East/Middle saddle if you are looking to avoid a bushwack)
Didn't find the mahogany between East and Middle all that bad- but I only had to pass through it once and was able to better see the breaks from above. In general you want to stick to the west (Little Smith Valley side of the ridge). With proper route selection you can bypass the mahogany entirely on the top half of the slope.
Didn't find the stateline marker, but didn't look for it too hard.
Pics and commentary are here.
Princess Buttercup - Nov 8, 2010 8:29 am Date Climbed: Nov 6, 2010
Along with East SisterWasn't really feeling the area, until the weather moved in to provide some contrast.
DaveWillmott - Sep 7, 2010 10:02 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2010
Middle SisterWe intended to do all three Sisters in one day. We left Sweetwater and climbed the ridge line all the way to the South Sister and then got to the Middle by 4:30pm. We decided to head back to the car which took 2.5 hours following deer tracks through the brush. We did the East Sister the next day via Ricky mine.
tednv - Sep 4, 2010 10:00 pm Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2010
great daylittle smith route. tried to hike east sister after, but wasn't prepared for that much brush. called it a day.
96avs01 - Sep 22, 2009 6:34 pm Date Climbed: Sep 20, 2009
Sisters Traverse AttemptGot 2 of the 3 Sisters, decided to throw in the towel between Middle and South due to very thick brush bringing yearning thoughts for a chainsaw.
Bob Burd - Aug 25, 2009 1:12 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2009
Sweetwater TraverseTagged all the named summits with Matthew in a North to South direction, then went back for Desert Creek Peak in the evening. Trip Report
buzzdainer - Oct 14, 2007 3:09 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2007
Coyote CreekDrove in on a very rough 4WD road from Desert Creek, almost all the way to Coyote Creek. Followed this road to the top of the ridge, then followed this rib to the summit. Passed over the summit to the state line and register cairn.
mlarkin2002 - Oct 10, 2006 3:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2005
Sweetwater TraverseDayhike traverse S->N starting at Lobdell Lk., and ending at Risue Rd. Picked up Wheeler, Patterson, So. Sister, Middle Sister en route.