Broken Hand West - 8.7.2015
A photo of the GPS track for our hike to Broken Hand West on the east side of Broken Top... 6 miles roundtrip, gaining 1633 feet of elevation.
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The crux of the trip is getting to the trailhead... the 4.2 mile drive on Road 370 is marginal at best... and the 1.2 mile drive on Road 380 is terrible... my Rav4 barely made it. If necessary, park short of the trailhead and either walk the road to the trailhead or go cross country on the east side of Ball Butte and join the Broken Top Trail north of Ball Butte.
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From the parking area (7140') we will use Broken Top Trail No.10... we can see the south peak of Broken Top in the distance.
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We only needed to hike the trail for a short distance to get this view of Broken Top... the south peak is on the left... the main summit is in the center.
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Broken Top and most of this hike is in the Three Sisters Wilderness.
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The trail goes along the west side of Ball Butte.
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Broken Top Trail No.10 is in great shape... it will take us to the east (right) side of the mountain.
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Looking back at Mt. Bachelor and our route as we continue toward Broken Top.
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Still on the trail... here it is going toward Broken Hand... called 'The Coffin' by the locals.
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Well beyond Ball Butte (left) now... with Mt. Bachelor on the right.
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Getting closer to Broken Top... the trail will take us through the 'V' in the right-center of the photo.
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Kerry soaks up the beauty of the tarn on the east side of Broken Top.
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Jet and moon above Broken Top.
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Nanda waits at the mouth of the tarn while others are coming up... Broken Hand in the distance.
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Hiking along the east side of the tarn... looking back at its mouth where we came in.
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Next we will go on up to the ridge on the north side of the tarn.
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Looking at Broken Top as we continue around the east side of the tarn... on our way to the ridge.
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Nearing the ridge on the north side of the tarn... looking back at our route along the east side of the tarn.
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We have reached the ridge on the north side of the tarn... and the Three Sisters are in our face.
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I have continued east along the ridge... heading for Broken Hand West (Point 8388)... looking back at Broken Top.
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From the ridge leading to Broken Hand West I'm looking across the tarn to Ball Butte and Tumalo Mountain.
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Approaching the summit of Broken Hand West (8388')... with Broken Hand in the distance on the right.
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Not the world's best pano... but it gives a nice perspective of the view from Broken Hand West... with Mt. Bachelor in the distance on the far left... Broken Top in the foreground... and the Three Sisters on the right.
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Broken Top and South Sister from Broken Hand West.
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Three Sisters from Broken Hand West.
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South Sister from Broken Hand West.
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A group shot from the ridge... Suzanne, ragman, Kerry, Anna Purna, larman, Nanda and Denali Girl... with North Sister on the far right.
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Heading down from the ridge now... taking a slightly different route on the east side of the tarn.
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The variety of color is amazing... Broken Hand above.
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Tracing our steps back to the car... Ball Butte on the left... Mt. Bachelor on the right.
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On the SE side of Broken Hand.
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The trail passes along one of the tributaries of Crater Creek.
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Kerry admires Crater Creek and the variety of rocks.
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On the west side of Ball Butte... looking toward Mt. Bachelor and our route back to the car... the top of Tumalo Mountain is visible on the left... across from Bachelor.
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Here come the troops... there is a cold beer waiting at the car.
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