Will be out OR and climbing Jeff 5/21-22. I planned to spend Mon(23) and Tues(24) climbing South Sister from Devils Lake. I hoped the Cascades Lake highway would be open but it ain't. And that's the problem. Considering getting a snowmobile taxi ride to TH from Batchelor but have talked with someone at Oregon DOT who suggested(and has climbed) MS from Pole Creek. Any thoughts on both SS and MS from Pole creek? (3 peaks is cramming but I can sleep on the plane home. Of course it's all weather dependent.) PS my flight leaves PDX night 5/23. PM if possible

Hay dood,

I dayhiked South Sister in a day from Bachelor. It was a long day, but totally doable as you can cut up Goose(?) Creek to gain the southernmost toe of the mountain. If you don't feel as though you would be fast enough, you can overnight it and summit easily. Just gotta be motivated. No thoughts on MS other than you might be disappointed you didn't go big (SS).

I wouldn't try for both in that amount of time. I would pick one or the other, both are fun and while long/grueling not technical if you're going up the dog routes.

Not sure what SKI is talking about "going big" with South Sister. No bigger than Middle and way more traffic. I personally prefer the N. Ridge of Middle over S any day. Plus the camping at the base of the Hayden Glacier offers dry sites next to snow. The glacier is very mellow and doesn't really offer any crevasse issues.

jlag wrote:Not sure what SKI is talking about "going big" with South Sister. No bigger than Middle and way more traffic. I personally prefer the N. Ridge of Middle over S any day. Plus the camping at the base of the Hayden Glacier offers dry sites next to snow. The glacier is very mellow and doesn't really offer any crevasse issues.

Jlag,

South Sister is 300 feet taller and has about twice the mass of Middle sister. It does not share a ridge with any other peak (prominence), has a summit crater (cool points) and I can basically GUARANTEE that there will be hardly a soul on the peak with the road socked in. Looky at the Topo and you'll understand.

I do agree however that one peak should be chosen. Two is a pretty beastly endevor for sure.

Agree with above. Trying for summit of both may result in neither. The approach to Hayden looks a bit more difficult b/c of cross country and road not plowed last 2 miles (per District ranger.). The last thing I need is can't find car at Pole Creek on Tuesday. Will have GPS but I'm more of a map, compass, and brain navigator. I do have the USGS quads. Off trail in the east can be rather nasty and I've done many off trail hikes.

What's chance of catching a snowmobile ride on Sunday to save 6 miles of road slog? Not sure Delta will let me check a snowmobile. Do people recommend snowshoes, which I think I'll take reguardless of comments.(Believe it or not I've done multiple snowshoes backpacks in Virginia and NC the last 2 winters. In January my 14 yo son and I snowshoe backpacked up Mt Rogers in 2-3 feet powder, the last 1/2 hour with headlamps. I thought he was going to lose it, I was close.)

Climbed Adams, Hood and MSH in 5 days a few years ago; including overnighting on Hood and Adams. That was tiring. I hope I'm not in clinic Wed afternoon.

I really want to summit but the thought of navigating off SS in bad weather is not my idea of fun. People recommend going up Goose Creek? . Thanks for all the advise. Off to the NC mountains this weekend.

If you can afford it, look into renting a snowmobile in Bend, though I 'spose you'd have to transport it to the trailhead. Or, post a thread on here or CascadeClimbers looking for a ride in. Offer a little money, and/or looking for a partner. Someone may bite. It's either that or try hitching a snomo as mentioned, lingering around the area(sometimes works, from what I've heard), or renting, etc. Good luck.

Trade, free yearly physical exam, including Prostate, in exchage for a ride.

e-doc wrote:Trade, free yearly physical exam, including Prostate, in exchage for a ride.

Now that's a good deal!

You might consider approaching the South Sister from the south. Century Drive is generally plowed earlier from the south, at least to Elk Lake for fishing access. Elk Lake Resort has a snow cat. I do not know if they do taxi service. I believe that they also rent snowmobiles. You could look at their website.

"Go big with SS" I much prefer Middle to South. SS being one of my least preferred of the Oregon cascades. When choosing between the two, don't let 300 ft. determine your decision.

Would appreciate beta as well, planning on doing North the first week in June. Cascadeclimbers says pole creek is almost free of snow to the trailhead. About a mile extra in the snow. Much easier than renting a snowmobile or hoping for a ride.

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthr ... ost1016939

Pallando wrote:"Go big with SS" I much prefer Middle to South. SS being one of my least preferred of the Oregon cascades. When choosing between the two, don't let 300 ft. determine your decision.

Would appreciate beta as well, planning on doing North the first week in June. Cascadeclimbers says pole creek is almost free of snow to the trailhead. About a mile extra in the snow. Much easier than renting a snowmobile or hoping for a ride.

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthr ... ost1016939

Also planning to be on NSis in early June, tentatively 6/5-6/6, and would also welcome any available beta on TH access or mountain/snow conditions. TIA

Summited MS Tuesday am, 5/24. In spite of FS district office says, road open to Pole Cr TH. We wore snowshoes most way in 5/23. That night had wind and blowing snow. Had tent pit at last set trees on snow field between Hayden glacier closest to NS. Unsure where to camp with wind, low visability and unfamiliarity with area. Crisp and clear 5/24 am. Firm crust to summit, occasional powder from saddle to summit. Partner crapped out at saddle. A field mouse in a little depression on the summit, very odd. Crampons balling above camp. Snowshoed out, punched through in places. Snow bridge over creek off NS still intact (Soap Cr?). Out by 2. Didn't sleep enough on red-eye. In clinic Wed afternoon albeit in a foul mood after total 8 hours sleep in 2 nights.
Enjoyed Sisters coffee. Can someone move a few of these mountains back east, please?

Glad I summited something. Derick and I went to Jefferson with Timberline guide Sat and Sunday. I know what I don't know and didn't feel comfortable leading an almost novice or me up that mountain. We went in via Milk Cr and camped high above Milk Cr at treeline. Snowy, crappy weather and it took us 2 hours to make West Rib with postholing, really sucked. Plus I had diarrhea. We bailed about 7400. From what I've read it seems like more people don't summit than do.
I think we had the whole Sisters wilderness to ourselves Mon and Tuesday. Our Jeff guide gave us the waypoints for the climbers trail and treeline at Hayden glacier. The weather Monday, wind and blowing snow, had me concerned about advisability of attempting summit. I did not know the area, leading an almost novice. The wind was dying a little when we layed down to sleep at 9 pm. When we got 2:15 am, conditions were beautiful. Derick lost the map at the campsite with all the snow and wind so he downloaded a topo on his Crackberry. I ended up going up the snowfield closest to NS. As it got lighter and we topped, I realized the lateral morraine of the Hayden was 1/4 mile to the south (left). I summited at 7:15; later than I expected, left at 7:16 back down at the saddle at 8:15.
I'd love to do some climbing next year but I have ZERO friends who do this. I'll put out something on the partners page and see what bites.

Nice try, e-doc. About diarrhea... I often encounter the same problem on climbs and hikes. Stress and hard walking can trigger it. Have you tried taking anti-diarrhea such as Imodium? It definitely makes things go better.

Climbing partner couldn't commit to a North Sister summit, and we weren't sure how the weather would pan out. So he skinned and I slowshoed up Bachelor instead.

Great trip, but I hate leaving with the Ugly Sister still untouched.