South Sister - 9.28.2011
From Mount Bachelor... drive NW on the Cascade Lakes Hwy for ~6.5 miles and park at the Devils Lake parking area (~5400').
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Look for the South Sister Climber Trail sign near the restrooms in the Devils Lake parking area... the trail is going to gain 4900 feet of elevation in the 6.25 miles.
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It was 27 degrees... and the crux of the trip came quickly... trying to stay dry while crossing this stream on very slippery logs.
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We entered the Three Sisters Wilderness after hiking for 15 minutes.
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After hiking 1.75 miles (6800') we got above the trees and got our first view of Broken Top.
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Denali Girl heading for South Sister... on the 1.5 mile long, flatish area above Moraine Lake.
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Our general route... the path will take us to the foot of the Lewis Glacier (8800')... then left of the glacier up to the rim.
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Above Moraine Lake... Mt. Bachelor in the distance on the right... Devils Hill on the far right.
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Looking south... we have just come across this plateau above Moraine Lake... Devils Hill on the left.
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Denali Girl... almost at the end of the plateau.
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At the end of the plateau and ready to start gaining elevation again.
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Gaining elevation and looking south.
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A pano shot looking south.
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A broader pano shot looking south... Broken Top on the far left.
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A closeup looking south... Mt. Bachelor on the left... Sparks Lake (center)... Moraine Lake is lower right.
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We have reached the small tarn (8800') at the foot of the Lewis Glacier.
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Pano shot from the foot of the Lewis Glacier... the trail to the summit will go to the left... the trail on the right is coming up from Green Lakes.
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Beyond the tarn now... looking over at Broken Top.
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Denali Girl above the tarn... looking south.
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Cairn
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Still gaining elevation... Broken Top on the left and Mt. Bachelor on the right.
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Denali Girl checks out the Lewis Glacier.
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A closeup of Broken Top and two of the three Green Lakes.
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Denali Girl is in the red now.
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The summit rim seems so close now.
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About 100 feet of elevation gain to reach the rim.
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A bad photo, but it gives perspective of the rim... room for several football fields up here... the summit is over on the other side of the rim.
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Denali Girl nears the summit rim.
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ragman and Denali Girl on the summit rim... Broken Top (left) and Mt. Bachelor (right).
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The South Sister summit is close... there is a good path around the rim.
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Getting closer to the summit.
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Denali Girl coming over to the summit.
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Denali Girl walks past the South Sister summit (10,358')... Broken Top in the distance on the left.
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Looking north from the summit to Middle Sister and North Sister... further north we could see Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams.
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A pano shot showing Chambers Lakes.
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Lots of different colors around Chambers Lakes.
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Denali Girl and ragman on South Sister.
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A pano shot of the rim.
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Broken Top as we head back around the rim on our way down.
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Denali Girl below the summit.
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Heading back down to the tarn at the foot of the Lewis Glacier.
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Looking across the Lewis Glacier to Broken Top and Mt. Bachelor.
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Almost back to the tarn.
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A lot of hiking remains to get back down to the plateau.
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Back down to the plateau above Moraine Lake... still about 2.5 miles left to reach the car.
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