Trip: North Sister - SE Ridge

Date: 8/18/2007

Trip Report:
We had a great weekend at North Sister! Having been turned back in 2005, I really wanted this summit so I could finish my Three Sisters bid. I climbed with four others (one of whom I am sure will write a more detailed trip report) so I am going to share mine with pictures.

Since I made it to 8,600' the last time I was there, I didn't take any pics until we were beyond that point (you can see my '05 pics in my gallery). The photos I am posting now actally begin at the Bowling Alley for a couple of reasons: 1) Once you've seen one pile of choss you've seen them all, and 2) The Terrible Traverse isn't known as being a great place for photo ops - besides (like Bigfoot) it's better to hear stories about it than to actually see it.

Here you go - Enjoy!


Setting up the first anchor point in the Bowling Alley. There was no snow at either the Traverse or Bowling Alley.


Setting up the second anchor (a sling around the rock).


Climbing the fixed rope through the Bowling Alley - we were quite pleased that very little rock was kicked loose.


Setting the fixed line for the Summit.


Climbing the fixed line to the Summit.


Enjoying the great weather and view from the Summit.


The only picture of me during the entire climb - the price you pay to be the photographer...


Double-rope rappel down the Bowling Alley.

The weather was perfect for this climb - we couldn't have asked for better conditions. We left our campsite at Soap Creek at 5:30 am and summitted at 11:30 am. After spending some time hanging out at the summit, we descended back to camp - arriving at 5:00 pm. Freeze dried Beef Stroganoff never tasted so good!

North Sister is known by many names: The Third Sister, The Ugly Sister, The Wicked Sister, The Deadly Sister, Charity (yeah, right - no love on this one). When I came home today and told my six-year-old son about my climb, he came up with a new one...Darth Sister!

See you out there!

Nice shots Steve. Glad to meet you, Jonathan, and Brad up there and thanks for the the climb guys (and I suppose you, too, Jon )

I'll post my pics and a few links to some vids of the Bowling Alley/Summit later on.

Yeah, what he said! Good to meet you guys. It was fun catching some rays up top with ya! Thanks for snapping the shots!

Just to enhance Steve's TR, here is my sub-TR and pics...

Me and Jon headed out from Pole Cr TH at 3. Soda Cr at 4, treeline at 5:30 or so. Worked our way up slow and steady; taking a break and met Steve, Jonathan, and Brad probably around 10. Quick introductions and continued on as a group of 5. Camel's hump 'bout 11. Not so sure on Steve's timeline as I was thinking it was later than 11:30 on the summit... seemed we started down around 1:30 or 2, so I'm guessing we actually summitted around 1pm. Not 100% sure though.
Casual time on the summit. On the decent ran into a large group just starting on the traverse.... further down a few other small groups. Jon and I were back at the car taking in much needed brown, hoppy liquids a tick after 6pm.
The weather held just fine with a thick cloud mass threatening us most of the day to the west.
By the time we got to the car it was over-cast.

Pics here are meant mostly just for the details on the summit block and not so much a photo essay (because I suck as a photog).... enjoy.


First light at timberline -



Over-all conditions.... leave the skis, tools, and screws in the car -


Mid-way through the traverse -


Finished with the traverse, starting on the fractured ramp into the bottom of the alley -


Final stretch into the funnel at the base of the Bowling Alley -


Looking up into the Bowling Alley. Maintain a line to the left of the alley 2/3 of the way up this shot, then angle right and above of the large sun-lit mass in the upper right of the picture -


View from the top of the Bowling Alley, peering over to the final pitch to the summit -


From the ridge between the horns, last pitch to the summit. Aprox 50' of relatively high quality rock -


Location where you pop out after the Bowling Alley (see climber in red) -


view from summit down to the base of the final pitch -


Jon and Brad on the summit -


Awesome view of Brad starting his down climb off the summit. Nope, no exposure here -


Steve on summit -


down climbing the summit -


rapping the bowling alley -


And just to make it a full on "tourist route", here's some videos... get yer popcorn ready -
(having problems embedding the vids, so sticking with links)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJIN7OXy8ZM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wQkdIU1L5w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D16vPCKpwKU

Sweet! But now everyone who watches that first vid knows that you haven't been to the true summit of Broken Top!

Nice TR. Thanks! We are heading up in a couple weeks. How much of what pro did you take? Looks like just a couple peaces for the bowling alley is all that is "needed".

That is such a cool shot over Brad's shoulder coming off the summit - thanks for the added pics and video!

nice shots. You guys got me thinking. I might try and take the G-friend up there, dones not look too bad. Hell then I can tick if off as well. Then I can be done with that one

Slings are really the order of the day. That and just a couple of smaller cams/nuts (up to .75? Nothing over 1" should be needed).
Leading up through the bowling alley you might be able to sling a boulder that is dead center but that's really all the reliable protection you'll find before topping out at the rap anchor.
For the last pitch you might want to fix like we did in which case I think all we used was a small nut and a few runners for the belay anchor and there are horns on the summit.
Again, don't over-do it and drag your aid rack up there!

A single 60 will get you up, but twins were very nice for rapping the alley (can be done with a single and a bit of down scrambling though).

Great shots guys. Thanks for taking all of the pictures. For all the North Sister naysayer’s, I had a great time on this climb with my buds and some new friends from CascadeClimbers.

Some slings and a few pieces are more than enough gear. We liked having two ropes for the rappel out. The slings were good but most of the gear put was symbolic anyway.

One final note, when we hiked out Sunday morning, the mountain was dusted with snow above about 7,500 ft. Don’t know how that might affect your plans.

Nice TR and pics, but jezus krist that "rock" looks terrible.

Glad I don't live in OR anymore.

Yeah Alpinfox. I'll admit that "climbing" takes on a whole new meaning down our way. Maybe more dodging rock than anything.

But, you guys need to make your way south every now and then so that you remain thankful for what you have!

Also, keep in mind that all rock is solid, it just might come in the form of kitty litter!

You develop good coping skills on the choss heaps, and these are skills that come in handy even on climbs on "good" rock. The relatively standard routes on those peaks are relatively OK in this regard, but try the rarely climbed "face" routes some time. Slip Slidin' Away, for example, is relatively terrifying. You'll learn some party management tricks, for sure.

Sometimes it's just better to just stay at home, look at the pretty pictures and thank the stars and the powers that be that they didn't roll any monster rocks down on these bros. That's my plan anyway!

Glad you dudes had a good trip, and I thank you for sharing.

Just as an FYI for future North Sister first timers. There is a way to escape the bowling alley to climbers right on the way up that saves you time in the alley. As I remember it - only did it once - it takes a series of short steps that are class 3/4 which our party climbed unroped. You do have to turn the corner into the bottom of the alley and scamble up through some loose easy terrain. Seems like you turn right just about the bottom of the point where you can see the upper part of the alley. I'm not any kind of hard core free soloist, so if you have any business being on this route I'd say you could do it too. To that point, we also free climbed the last little bit to the summit and found, for this heap, the best rock of the day and reasonably enjoyable scrambling. We did use a rope to rap back down the alley but otherwise used no hardware for the climb. If it makes you feel better, bring alone some slings and a few peices (webbing for the rap although 1/2 our party downclimbed the ascent route) but like it has been stated, no need to haul lots of hardware to make questionable placements that slow you down and keep you in harms way longer. To me, the biggest hazzard on this climb in melted out conditions is party induced or random rock fall. Personally, if I ever did this climb again (unlikely) I'd minimize the time in the alley like we did the first time and free scramble vs. messing around with gear and ropes.