Middle Sister
Date - 10/16/2007
Length - 17 miles
Location - Oregon Cascades
Date - 10/16/2007
Length - 17 miles
Location - Oregon Cascades
Middle Sister rises on the Cascade Crest to an elevation of
10,053 feet above sea level and is situated between North
and South Sister. Although not the tallest peak in the area,
Middle Sister is one of the most heavily glaciated, with the
large Collier Glacier spilling down its northwestern side and
the massive Hayden Glacier to the east. Like all three of
the sisters, this is an old and heavily eroded volcano that
last erupted thousands of years ago. Much of the upper
reaches of the mountain consist of loose rock and pumice
dust which makes for unstable footing. Rockfall is an ever
present danger, especially on warm afternoon when melting
ice frees loose stones that can be heard rattling down the
sides of the mountains. While summiting Middle Sister does
not require any technical skills, the approach is long and
there is an elevation gain of over 5,000 feet. The total
distance from the Obsidian Trailhead to the top and back is
roughly seventeen miles, making for a long day trip. The
Middle Sister is a gorgeous mountain and reaching the
summit includes a nice approach, easy route finding, and
easy glacier travel.
10,053 feet above sea level and is situated between North
and South Sister. Although not the tallest peak in the area,
Middle Sister is one of the most heavily glaciated, with the
large Collier Glacier spilling down its northwestern side and
the massive Hayden Glacier to the east. Like all three of
the sisters, this is an old and heavily eroded volcano that
last erupted thousands of years ago. Much of the upper
reaches of the mountain consist of loose rock and pumice
dust which makes for unstable footing. Rockfall is an ever
present danger, especially on warm afternoon when melting
ice frees loose stones that can be heard rattling down the
sides of the mountains. While summiting Middle Sister does
not require any technical skills, the approach is long and
there is an elevation gain of over 5,000 feet. The total
distance from the Obsidian Trailhead to the top and back is
roughly seventeen miles, making for a long day trip. The
Middle Sister is a gorgeous mountain and reaching the
summit includes a nice approach, easy route finding, and
easy glacier travel.
Winter comes early to the high peaks of the Cascades and
when I saw a crystal clear forecast in the middle of October I
knew that there would be excellent conditions for climbing
Middle Sister under early season winter conditions. The road
across McKenzie Pass was still free of snow, which makes
accessing the trailhead a simple hour and a half drive from
Eugene. To ensure that there would be enough daylight to
have a reasonable shot at making the top Steve and left
Eugene at 4:00 AM. As we drove up the twisting McKenzie
Highway the inside of my truck became chilly as the outside
temperature dropped. When we reached the start of the
Obsidian Trail and started hiking around 6:00 AM it was still
itch black and probably no more than 25 degrees.
The first three miles of trail are well graded and climb steadily
through a dense forest with no views. We moved along at a
fair pace, but were not pushing too hard. The hike's first
landmark comes where the path crosses a large lava flow.
As we came out of the shadowy forest and crested the
hundred foot pile of ruble dawn had broken and there was
enough light to walk without headlamps. Out first views of
North and Middle Sister came from the top of the flow and the
hulking white giants loomed large, their snow covered peaks
seeming to hover above us.
Steve and I remained on the Obsidian Trail instead of taking
the more direct route to Scot Springs. Our route soon
reached the snowline which slowed our pace somewhat. We
passed through gorgeous open alpine meadows and crosses
several partially frozen streams. This particular area
contains lots of Obsidian, or volcanic glass, and pieces of the
shiny black rock could be seen poking up through the snow
in several places. In fact, the meadows that this trail passes
through and a nearby large cliff of Obsidian were once a
mecca for Native Americans that relied on this precious stone
for making tools. The remains of native camps and primitive
mines can be found, but today what was once a gathering
place and center of trade lies quiet.
Eventually we reached the Pacific Crest Trail and followed it
for about a quarter of a mile past Obsidian Falls to Sister
Springs, a large flat meadow full of bubbling springs and the
gateway to the route that I had previously followed to the
summit of Middle Sister. We stopped here for some time and
snacked while Steve patched up a blister developing on one
of his feet.
when I saw a crystal clear forecast in the middle of October I
knew that there would be excellent conditions for climbing
Middle Sister under early season winter conditions. The road
across McKenzie Pass was still free of snow, which makes
accessing the trailhead a simple hour and a half drive from
Eugene. To ensure that there would be enough daylight to
have a reasonable shot at making the top Steve and left
Eugene at 4:00 AM. As we drove up the twisting McKenzie
Highway the inside of my truck became chilly as the outside
temperature dropped. When we reached the start of the
Obsidian Trail and started hiking around 6:00 AM it was still
itch black and probably no more than 25 degrees.
The first three miles of trail are well graded and climb steadily
through a dense forest with no views. We moved along at a
fair pace, but were not pushing too hard. The hike's first
landmark comes where the path crosses a large lava flow.
As we came out of the shadowy forest and crested the
hundred foot pile of ruble dawn had broken and there was
enough light to walk without headlamps. Out first views of
North and Middle Sister came from the top of the flow and the
hulking white giants loomed large, their snow covered peaks
seeming to hover above us.
Steve and I remained on the Obsidian Trail instead of taking
the more direct route to Scot Springs. Our route soon
reached the snowline which slowed our pace somewhat. We
passed through gorgeous open alpine meadows and crosses
several partially frozen streams. This particular area
contains lots of Obsidian, or volcanic glass, and pieces of the
shiny black rock could be seen poking up through the snow
in several places. In fact, the meadows that this trail passes
through and a nearby large cliff of Obsidian were once a
mecca for Native Americans that relied on this precious stone
for making tools. The remains of native camps and primitive
mines can be found, but today what was once a gathering
place and center of trade lies quiet.
Eventually we reached the Pacific Crest Trail and followed it
for about a quarter of a mile past Obsidian Falls to Sister
Springs, a large flat meadow full of bubbling springs and the
gateway to the route that I had previously followed to the
summit of Middle Sister. We stopped here for some time and
snacked while Steve patched up a blister developing on one
of his feet.
The route leads up the prominent gully above Sisters Spring, and reaches an
extensive area of relatively flat land severely cut by many gullies and ridges
probably created from streams of melt water that form each spring. It was
while making our way through this broken terrain at the limit of the trees that
the sun rose above the peaks to our east and set the snow into a blaze of
sparkling ice crystals. There was an immediate need for sun glasses and the
temperate seemed instantly to warm enough so we could shed a layer of
clothing.
Steve was wearing his snowshoes at this point, but I was making fine progress
in bare boots. The snow had been through several melt and freeze cycles
and the crust generally supported my weight with no trouble. Our route
worked along a prominent ridge and aimed for a high point on a moraine of
the Renfrew Glacier. Reaching the top of the moraine, which is really just a
ridge of rocky debris pushed up by a glacier, took some time as it involved
steep climbing and significant elevation gain. Our efforts were well rewarded,
for when we came to the top of this ridge incredible views spread out in all
directions. The looming summit of Middle Sister rose ahead of us, with its
hanging snowfields still in shadow. The best vistas were to the north and west
where the Renfrew Glacier spread out back down the mountain and each
peak in the Cascades could be seen all of the way to Mt Hood, which stood
out so clearly it seemed much closer than a hundred miles away. We were
just above a bank of puffy clouds that sat between us and the peaks to the
north and we could have lounged here in the sun all day had we not wanted to
get higher up on the mountain.
After a half hour snack break it was clear that there would not be enough time
to reach the summit by our designated turn around time so we made our new
goal the saddle between North and Middle Sister which sits at about 9,200
feet. To reach the saddle we followed Renfrew Glacier's lateral moraine to its
top which lies at the base of a huge bowl shaped snowfield surrounded on
three sides by towering mountain walls and a hanging glacial headwall. The
snowfield is not crevassed and we did not have to worry about the foot of
fresh powder that covered the hardened snow ice below. From a rocky hill we
set out heading directly up the glacier, resting every so often. As we climbed
the pitch steepened and lead to a steep slope rising a few hundred feet to the
saddle between the two peaks. The snow here was wildly sculpted by the wind
and patches of hard ice were often hidden under the newer snow. I used my
ski poles to keep footing while Steve unleashed his ice ax and stopped to
remove his snowshoes. Luckily not enough new snow had fallen to make for
any avalanche danger and although the footing was tricky in several places
the climb was really simple and crampons were not necessary. I ended up
reaching the saddle well before Steve and added extra layers of fleece and
my jacket to protect against the cold breeze that was blowing across the
exposed ridge from the east. Watching Steve work his way up to the saddle
gave me plenty of time to get some excellent pictures and I was blown away by
the incredible view that stretched out across eastern Oregon and that of the
surrounding peaks.
extensive area of relatively flat land severely cut by many gullies and ridges
probably created from streams of melt water that form each spring. It was
while making our way through this broken terrain at the limit of the trees that
the sun rose above the peaks to our east and set the snow into a blaze of
sparkling ice crystals. There was an immediate need for sun glasses and the
temperate seemed instantly to warm enough so we could shed a layer of
clothing.
Steve was wearing his snowshoes at this point, but I was making fine progress
in bare boots. The snow had been through several melt and freeze cycles
and the crust generally supported my weight with no trouble. Our route
worked along a prominent ridge and aimed for a high point on a moraine of
the Renfrew Glacier. Reaching the top of the moraine, which is really just a
ridge of rocky debris pushed up by a glacier, took some time as it involved
steep climbing and significant elevation gain. Our efforts were well rewarded,
for when we came to the top of this ridge incredible views spread out in all
directions. The looming summit of Middle Sister rose ahead of us, with its
hanging snowfields still in shadow. The best vistas were to the north and west
where the Renfrew Glacier spread out back down the mountain and each
peak in the Cascades could be seen all of the way to Mt Hood, which stood
out so clearly it seemed much closer than a hundred miles away. We were
just above a bank of puffy clouds that sat between us and the peaks to the
north and we could have lounged here in the sun all day had we not wanted to
get higher up on the mountain.
After a half hour snack break it was clear that there would not be enough time
to reach the summit by our designated turn around time so we made our new
goal the saddle between North and Middle Sister which sits at about 9,200
feet. To reach the saddle we followed Renfrew Glacier's lateral moraine to its
top which lies at the base of a huge bowl shaped snowfield surrounded on
three sides by towering mountain walls and a hanging glacial headwall. The
snowfield is not crevassed and we did not have to worry about the foot of
fresh powder that covered the hardened snow ice below. From a rocky hill we
set out heading directly up the glacier, resting every so often. As we climbed
the pitch steepened and lead to a steep slope rising a few hundred feet to the
saddle between the two peaks. The snow here was wildly sculpted by the wind
and patches of hard ice were often hidden under the newer snow. I used my
ski poles to keep footing while Steve unleashed his ice ax and stopped to
remove his snowshoes. Luckily not enough new snow had fallen to make for
any avalanche danger and although the footing was tricky in several places
the climb was really simple and crampons were not necessary. I ended up
reaching the saddle well before Steve and added extra layers of fleece and
my jacket to protect against the cold breeze that was blowing across the
exposed ridge from the east. Watching Steve work his way up to the saddle
gave me plenty of time to get some excellent pictures and I was blown away by
the incredible view that stretched out across eastern Oregon and that of the
surrounding peaks.
From our perch between North and Middle Sister we had an
unrestricted view in three directions. The ridge is actually quite narrow
here and to the east the headwall of Hayden Glacier drops for almost a
thousand feet to the heavily crevasses ice field below. We kept back a
reasonable distance as a small cornice was already forming this early
in the season. The wild and spired summit of North Sister dominated
the view and we looked at the demanding route to its summit which
involves traversing an exposed snowfield before climbing a steep ice
filled gully known as The Bowling Alley because of the frequency of
rock fall. The light puffy clouds that had been moving to the north of
us were blowing in up the Hayden Glacier down to the east, but they
did not threaten to overtake us or reduce visibility so we stayed and
enjoyed the view for some time.
The summit of Middle Sister rose above, less than a thousand vertical
feet away. The climb up the ridge was very straightforward last time I
made the trip, but today it looked to be rather icy and contained one
steep looking snowfield. Even though we had already agreed to head
down once we reached the saddle it was tempting to push on for the
extra hour and a half that would have been required to gain the top
and return. Still, we really had no place on the steep snowfield without
avalanche transceivers and it was twelve o'clock. I was not
disappointed about turning around and heading back down the glacier.
I let Steve go ahead so I could snap a few more pictures of him
following our dual track of footprints in the otherwise unbroken snow.
As he became smaller and smaller I took a minute or two to stare out
over the vast crumpled landscape of the Cascade foothills to the west.
It was possible to trace the valley of the McKenzie all of the way back
to where Eugene would be and we even spotted the prominent bump
in the Coast Range that is Mary's Peak. Before Steve got to much of a
lead I loaded up my pack and bounded down the upper slopes of the
glacier, quickly catching him back on the low angle reaches of the
slope. By the time we reached the lateral moraine on the Renfrew
again the day had warmed considerably and I was able to comfortably
hike in a polypropylene top with just a fleece vest over it. The sun
radiated off of the surrounding glaciers with fierce intensity and forces
us to liberally apply sunscreen for fear of scorching our faces.
In twenty minutes we had raced back down the upper portion of
Renfrew Glacier that had taken us the better part of an hour to climb.
Since there was no longer any sense of urgency to hurry we stopped
again to rest, enjoy the surroundings, and have some food and water.
Although I easily made the climb of Middle Sister in a single day under
summer conditions, the nature of climbing in colder temperatures and
in the snow really makes a climb in the off season better suited for a
two day affair. Campsite near timberline are plentiful and amazing and
an early start means climbers can be off of the upper reaches of the
mountain early enough to avoid any threat of thunderstorms. Today,
the weather was of no concern. Blue bird skies held out and while the
actual temperatures were probably no more than in the mid forties, the
effect of the strong sun made us plenty warm.
We briefly discussed our options for returning to the base of the
mountain and getting back to the trailhead. Steve said that my route
to this point on the way up had not been the main climbers route so we
decided to follow the standard route back down the Renfrew Glacier's
lower reaches all of the way to Scott Springs, the traditional staging
area for summit attempts on Middle Sister. Doing this would also place
us in a more favorable location for taking a shortcut trail back down to
the Obsidian Trail very near the large lava flow that it traverses.
unrestricted view in three directions. The ridge is actually quite narrow
here and to the east the headwall of Hayden Glacier drops for almost a
thousand feet to the heavily crevasses ice field below. We kept back a
reasonable distance as a small cornice was already forming this early
in the season. The wild and spired summit of North Sister dominated
the view and we looked at the demanding route to its summit which
involves traversing an exposed snowfield before climbing a steep ice
filled gully known as The Bowling Alley because of the frequency of
rock fall. The light puffy clouds that had been moving to the north of
us were blowing in up the Hayden Glacier down to the east, but they
did not threaten to overtake us or reduce visibility so we stayed and
enjoyed the view for some time.
The summit of Middle Sister rose above, less than a thousand vertical
feet away. The climb up the ridge was very straightforward last time I
made the trip, but today it looked to be rather icy and contained one
steep looking snowfield. Even though we had already agreed to head
down once we reached the saddle it was tempting to push on for the
extra hour and a half that would have been required to gain the top
and return. Still, we really had no place on the steep snowfield without
avalanche transceivers and it was twelve o'clock. I was not
disappointed about turning around and heading back down the glacier.
I let Steve go ahead so I could snap a few more pictures of him
following our dual track of footprints in the otherwise unbroken snow.
As he became smaller and smaller I took a minute or two to stare out
over the vast crumpled landscape of the Cascade foothills to the west.
It was possible to trace the valley of the McKenzie all of the way back
to where Eugene would be and we even spotted the prominent bump
in the Coast Range that is Mary's Peak. Before Steve got to much of a
lead I loaded up my pack and bounded down the upper slopes of the
glacier, quickly catching him back on the low angle reaches of the
slope. By the time we reached the lateral moraine on the Renfrew
again the day had warmed considerably and I was able to comfortably
hike in a polypropylene top with just a fleece vest over it. The sun
radiated off of the surrounding glaciers with fierce intensity and forces
us to liberally apply sunscreen for fear of scorching our faces.
In twenty minutes we had raced back down the upper portion of
Renfrew Glacier that had taken us the better part of an hour to climb.
Since there was no longer any sense of urgency to hurry we stopped
again to rest, enjoy the surroundings, and have some food and water.
Although I easily made the climb of Middle Sister in a single day under
summer conditions, the nature of climbing in colder temperatures and
in the snow really makes a climb in the off season better suited for a
two day affair. Campsite near timberline are plentiful and amazing and
an early start means climbers can be off of the upper reaches of the
mountain early enough to avoid any threat of thunderstorms. Today,
the weather was of no concern. Blue bird skies held out and while the
actual temperatures were probably no more than in the mid forties, the
effect of the strong sun made us plenty warm.
We briefly discussed our options for returning to the base of the
mountain and getting back to the trailhead. Steve said that my route
to this point on the way up had not been the main climbers route so we
decided to follow the standard route back down the Renfrew Glacier's
lower reaches all of the way to Scott Springs, the traditional staging
area for summit attempts on Middle Sister. Doing this would also place
us in a more favorable location for taking a shortcut trail back down to
the Obsidian Trail very near the large lava flow that it traverses.
The route down Renfrew Glacier was much more direct and
involved less snaking in and out of heavily eroded gullies. We
ran, slid, and glisaded our way down the steep flank of the
glacier and moved quickly down the wide snowfield as it flowed
over several steep pitches. Steve tended to glisade, but I
didn't like the way that the fresh snow was hiding rocks and
stones so I decided to slide on my feet and run down the
steeper pitches that we encountered to avoid gouging my ass
on sharp lava rock.
Huge rock formations and pillars rose up above the glacier and
we made excellent time on our way out. The prominent
landmark that we kept aiming for was Arrowhead Lake, a
clearly visible body of water still a thousand feet below us.
Soon the end of the glacier was reached and we started to
work our way down a water eroded gully that issued from its
base. A surprising amount of snow filled this tight valley and
the warmth of the day had softened it enough to we sunk in
roughly every fifth step or so. This was not only tiring and
frustrating, but it was somewhat dangerous and several times
someone went in up to their knee and though and found their
foot wedges awkwardly between rocks. We slowed down to
prevent a mishap and eventually found better footing on the
edge of this gully were it was not so cluttered with rocks.
Soon the snow was not so deep and we made great progress
down the valley as trees became more prominent. Incredible
views back up at the massive bulk of The Three Sisters were
had and the day was now warm enough at this lower elevation
to loose my winter hat and unzip the side vents on my pants. It
was also warm enough so that the snow was heavy wet and
soaking our boots pretty quickly. We met a group of four
people and soon reached a stream that we followed back down
to the marked Pacific Crest Trail at Scott Spring.
Here we spent a good half hour sitting out in the sun on a warm
rock. I changed into dry socks and finished the last of our
water while getting rad for the long walk back out to the
trailhead. We had already come about twelve miles and our
feet were starting to get soar, but five miles of wooded trail
remained and there was nothing to do but tough it out. We
started down the Scott Trail, dropping steadily and somewhat
steeply at first through some remaining patches of snow and
then on dry trail. It was cooler in the woods, but still warm
enough to be quite pleasant. This much more direct route
back down to the lava saw us at this crossroads in just over a
half an hour. The views back up at the high peaks from the
lava flow were even more spectacular in the afternoon sun, but
we moved right along, eager to reach the bottom of the trail
and take the wet boots off of our now aching feet. Three
viewless miles remained.
involved less snaking in and out of heavily eroded gullies. We
ran, slid, and glisaded our way down the steep flank of the
glacier and moved quickly down the wide snowfield as it flowed
over several steep pitches. Steve tended to glisade, but I
didn't like the way that the fresh snow was hiding rocks and
stones so I decided to slide on my feet and run down the
steeper pitches that we encountered to avoid gouging my ass
on sharp lava rock.
Huge rock formations and pillars rose up above the glacier and
we made excellent time on our way out. The prominent
landmark that we kept aiming for was Arrowhead Lake, a
clearly visible body of water still a thousand feet below us.
Soon the end of the glacier was reached and we started to
work our way down a water eroded gully that issued from its
base. A surprising amount of snow filled this tight valley and
the warmth of the day had softened it enough to we sunk in
roughly every fifth step or so. This was not only tiring and
frustrating, but it was somewhat dangerous and several times
someone went in up to their knee and though and found their
foot wedges awkwardly between rocks. We slowed down to
prevent a mishap and eventually found better footing on the
edge of this gully were it was not so cluttered with rocks.
Soon the snow was not so deep and we made great progress
down the valley as trees became more prominent. Incredible
views back up at the massive bulk of The Three Sisters were
had and the day was now warm enough at this lower elevation
to loose my winter hat and unzip the side vents on my pants. It
was also warm enough so that the snow was heavy wet and
soaking our boots pretty quickly. We met a group of four
people and soon reached a stream that we followed back down
to the marked Pacific Crest Trail at Scott Spring.
Here we spent a good half hour sitting out in the sun on a warm
rock. I changed into dry socks and finished the last of our
water while getting rad for the long walk back out to the
trailhead. We had already come about twelve miles and our
feet were starting to get soar, but five miles of wooded trail
remained and there was nothing to do but tough it out. We
started down the Scott Trail, dropping steadily and somewhat
steeply at first through some remaining patches of snow and
then on dry trail. It was cooler in the woods, but still warm
enough to be quite pleasant. This much more direct route
back down to the lava saw us at this crossroads in just over a
half an hour. The views back up at the high peaks from the
lava flow were even more spectacular in the afternoon sun, but
we moved right along, eager to reach the bottom of the trail
and take the wet boots off of our now aching feet. Three
viewless miles remained.
The rest of the hike out was long and boring and it was with sore feet that
we finally reached my truck around 4:00 that afternoon. Ten hours of
nearly continuous walking had tired us out, but really it was my feet that
bothered me the most. In all I was very happy with the day despite not
being able to reach the summit of Middle Sister. The views and weather
were incredible and the walk had gone very smoothly. Every trip up into
the alpine zone of the Cascades is a special opportunity to see some of
North America's most dramatic mountain scenery. The only thing that
could have made this trip better would have been two more feet of snow
and a pair of skis. The hike to the meadows and springs at the base of
the climber's trails on these mountains is spectacular in its own right and
requires no route finding ability. To reach the summit of Middle Sister
some experience, common sense, endurance, and respect is all that is
required.
we finally reached my truck around 4:00 that afternoon. Ten hours of
nearly continuous walking had tired us out, but really it was my feet that
bothered me the most. In all I was very happy with the day despite not
being able to reach the summit of Middle Sister. The views and weather
were incredible and the walk had gone very smoothly. Every trip up into
the alpine zone of the Cascades is a special opportunity to see some of
North America's most dramatic mountain scenery. The only thing that
could have made this trip better would have been two more feet of snow
and a pair of skis. The hike to the meadows and springs at the base of
the climber's trails on these mountains is spectacular in its own right and
requires no route finding ability. To reach the summit of Middle Sister
some experience, common sense, endurance, and respect is all that is
required.
Here I am standing in the saddle between Middle and North Sister at about 9,200 feet under perfect
conditions in the middle of October.
conditions in the middle of October.
Steve standing above the foot of Renfrew Glacier on our way up Middle Sister. The distanct peaks
are Mt Washington and Mt Jefferson respectively.
are Mt Washington and Mt Jefferson respectively.
Mt Jefferson, Oregon's second tallest peak, rises above a layer of
puffy clouds to our north.
puffy clouds to our north.
Gaining the high lateral moraine of the Renfrew Glacier was a steep climb up a rocky slope
covered with light amounts of icy snow.
covered with light amounts of icy snow.
From the top of the moraine the views were even more expansive. To be able to experience this
landscape under early winter conditions in such great weather was a treat.
landscape under early winter conditions in such great weather was a treat.
My Jefferson and Mt Hood can be seen on the horizon above the Renfrew
Glacier and the Folding Rock, a collapsed lava tube seen in cross section in
this picture.
Glacier and the Folding Rock, a collapsed lava tube seen in cross section in
this picture.
Our tracks can be seen in the background as Steve makes his way up toward
the high point on our trip at the saddle between North and Middle Sister.
the high point on our trip at the saddle between North and Middle Sister.
The scale of the surroundings can start to be understood by looking at the vast
expanse of snow behind Steve in this picture.
expanse of snow behind Steve in this picture.
Eastern Oregon was in full view from our perch near the top of Middle Sister. The
deeply crevassed Hayden Glacier is visible in the bottom left of this shot as well.
deeply crevassed Hayden Glacier is visible in the bottom left of this shot as well.
Walking back down the glacier took about half the time that was required to make our
way up its winding snowfields.
way up its winding snowfields.
Middle Sister dominated the views from the Ranfrew Glacier. Our highpoint at the saddle is
visible in the top left of this picture.
visible in the top left of this picture.
Warm temperatures and incredible visibility made for a great day out in the mountains. This is
the view south from the top of the lateral moraine on Renfrew Glacier.
the view south from the top of the lateral moraine on Renfrew Glacier.
On the way back down the mountain we took our time and made frequent stops to
rest and enjoy the incredible terrain.
rest and enjoy the incredible terrain.
Steve starts glasading down one of the steeper parts of the Renfrew Glacier while I
look on from below. Skis or a sled would have been a riot on the glacier.
look on from below. Skis or a sled would have been a riot on the glacier.
The view up at Middle Sister from Scott Spring is one of the most incredible in the
mountains and makes for a worthy destination in and of itself.
mountains and makes for a worthy destination in and of itself.
Warm weather, bright sun, and early season snow, what else could you really want
for a day in the mountains?
for a day in the mountains?
The final climb to the summit of Middle Sister was tempting, but we stuck with our
decision to turn around at the saddle where I am standing.
decision to turn around at the saddle where I am standing.
From treeline the expansive upper reaches of Middle Sister become obvious and
it is clear why rout finding skills are a most for making this climb.
it is clear why rout finding skills are a most for making this climb.