Three Sisters Backpacking, part 4: The South Sister

Back when my life had an unchanging weekly routine, I was a morning person. Most days I was up with the sun, running at dawn. Since my schedule is tied more closely to Matt's rotating one, I find myself settling somewhere between his three shift possibilities and missing a lot of sunrises.

On the last backpacking morning, we were already on the trail when the sun came up. Our day was to include fifteen hiking miles and about two hundred driving ones, so early was our only choice. It appeared we were the second group en route to the top of the South Sister.

When we originally planned this trip, Matt and I assumed that we'd be able to complete the fifty mile backpack loop and nothing more. As my pace quickened and the marathon fatigue left my legs, we began to consider the possibility of climbing to the top of Oregon's third tallest mountain, the South Sister, her summit resting at 10,358 ft. Despite the nearly mile of elevation gain from our morning's tent site to her summit, my body felt light and springy, finally free of the weight of my twenty pound pack.

Light spilled into the valley, illuminating every hidden nook in the undulating terrain. I turned back from the boulder climbing to peek at an ever-improving landscape. I was never one to wait until the top to enjoy the view. Each time I did, a new section turned to day.

Once we moved above treeline, the wind picked up. The very same wind that mixes fog out of the valleys in the morning now threatened to blow us off the mountain. I fixed my eyes on the summit, attempting to pull it nearer with my mind. Before we knew it, Matt and I stood at the foot of the Lewis Glacier near a very icy lake.

Our final thousand feet to the rim was the most difficult and spent picking our way through the scree. The elevation and wind was beginning to wear on me, so we paused frequently to take in the ever-expanding views. Matt's favorite feature can be seen behind him. He liked how the lava beds actually looked like they were flowing recently.

Walking along the rim of the South Sister's crater, we looked for the USGS survey marker, proof of our success. Nearby, tied to a precarious section of loose rock were a series of flags. I didn't feel the need to get close enough for that picture. Hopefully this piece of metal will suffice. Now we'll have to climb #1 and 2 mountains (Hood and Jefferson).

Ahhh, my fourth summit this year. I probably should go for one more later., perhaps Lassen if the snow holds off.

Now that we had earned the panoramic views, it was time to take them in. My eyes fixed on the horizon where Mt. Jefferson, Washington and possibly Hood(?) stood in the distance.

 Once the wind calmed for a moment, I gathered the courage to peer over the edge of the cliff lining the north rim. The Middle and North Sisters came into full view as well as many turquoise and pristine lakes. Matt enjoyed the brown murky lake in that collection of perfect little jewel lakes. I love that we're able to share adventures like this. No doubt our relationship is enriched by these experiences.

 

My fingers dictated our retreat. Ever since our winters in Alaska, several fingers on my right hand are especially sensitive to the cold. When I take pictures outdoors now, I'm reminded how I got frost nip on my index and middle fingers in the first place: photography. Sorry fingers, but I'm afraid you'll never be the same. No regrets, aurora shots and cabin trips forever. 

Lining the rim, several tent-sized rock shelters stood. Matt and I huddled in one for our morning snack and to reapply sunscreen. The views were limited but at least the winds were calm. In preparation for our less strenuous descent, we donned every layer we brought along. For me, that meant my down jacket. By far, the best feature of this thing is the hood, even though it does make me look a little like Kenny from South Park.  It almost feels like I'm cozy in my sleeping bag.

Now in the full light of mid-morning, the scenery looked remarkably different than our ascent just an hour earlier. All the shadows were erased and I found myself pausing more frequently on the downward portion to get more pictures. It was stunning.

My favorite part of the day was this cone/debris. Isn't that cool?!

Even without a pack on, I found my legs growing wary, especially my knees. My legs braked instinctively to keep my pace slow and steady. Finally, Matt and I decided we shouldn't fight gravity. We broke into a slow trot at first and then into a run when the trail flattened out into a smooth pathway. My hiking legs had improved over the course of this trip, but I swear I felt them sigh when we finally began running again.

Broken Top

We broke into a sprint when we saw someone lurking at our campsite. I normally trust people in the back country, but our camp had been quite exposed and unattended the whole morning alongside the  main day-hiker trail (and who can trust those hooligans!?). The man quickly walked away as we approached. Nothing was disturbed. I'm sure the smell of sleeping bags and tent provided quite the deterrent for any potential thieves. 

Farewell Moraine Lake!

Quick to pack up the tent and hit the trail, visions of Dairy Queen began to dance in my head. We decided that if we made it back for DQ's lunch special, Five Buck Lunch, we'd get that too. An Oreo Cheesecake Blizzard mixed with super salty french fries? Oh goodness, yes please!

We stopped to admire a few waterfalls along the Green Lakes Trail en route to the car. Matt considered a swim, but with his pack on, I declared that an unwise choice. Another reason to take a buddy: keep each other from doing stupid things.

and to photograph them being silly

So here's the part in the post where I should add a photo of my DQ bounty. No mountain trip is complete without a delicious ending. I could say that Matt was a jerk and didn't let us stop. Truth is, my lunch didn't stand a chance. Know that it and the Blizzard went quick and painlessly.

Three Sisters Trip Stats:
Four Nights, 4.25 days
56 miles
One mountain summit
One soaking wet hike
Lots of sunshine
Some sun and wind burn
One freeeeeeezing swim in a snow-fed lake
and another set of incredible memories shared with my BFF