Mountain_Shots

Here's another view of the band of trees. I was up on Black Butte yesterday for exercise. The road drives through the band in route to the trailhead. The red needled trees look destined for fire wood, but there are green needles towards the center of the trees. Very strange.

Good easy fun climbing w/o snow. (The pinnacle). The summit was rime 9 days ago when I was pokin around Milk Creek. Big difference between the summit being snow or being rime.

Photo taken from Mt. Washington Feb.1, 2009.

Seems to be the same situation this time. Jim Anderson wrote a column in the local Sisters Nugget awhile back explaining the frost damage.

Thanks for posting.

Yep, that's up on Iron Mountain. I thought it was called The Thumb but not sure. If any one knows for sure, please post.

Not a hard climb but makes a striking photo.

Yep, you nailed it.

Hint- Somewhere in Oregon.

Corvallis, That wouldn't be up on Mendenhall Ridge somewhere would it?

Esugi, always looking for a reason to get out to climb and shoot again. Good meeting you as well.

Illumination Rock and the shadow of Hood. First light on the Hogs Back. Besides the Bergschrund. Oleg and Esugi down climbing Old Chute. Esugi getting the hell out of the ice fest. Ground Rat solo climbing the Pearly Gates with one tool. Esugi, top of the Hogs Back. Mt. Hood sunset at Trillium Lake Dec. 5, day before the climb.

This is what Ivan was talking about, crossing this jumble of ice blocks, up near the upper center of the Elliot. This was a few years back, photos showing Ivan belaying Oleg searching for a passage through Hood's idea of desert towers and arches. [img:left]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/500/ccc_MG_5611a.jpg[/img] [img:left]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/500/ccc_MG_5640.jpg[/img]

Keep in mind that the North Sister cruxes are at their easiest this time of year. I would much rather climb the North in Sept. than May or June if I am going for speed. When filled with ice early on, the Bowling Alley is another story. the flip side being the early attempt, when the S.S. North Ridge is covered with snow, one would eliminate the climb up South on scree. I would think the fasest and easiest Traverse would be in the Fall when crampons and ice axe could be left behind.

yeah, we'll see a lot of the high Cascades reborn with fire in our life time. I'm hoping the historical structures survived.

I remember it was kind of hard to know what route I was on, wasn't ment to be, but ended up on Chimney of Space. Entering the Chimney was the crux moves. Good TR, brings back memories.

Yup, I packed a full sized digital camera up there, along with a carbon fiber tripod, a few lens, polorizer filter, and some grad neutral density filters to deal with the high contrast alpine environment. Today's point and shoots can produce great shots, and they're a lot easier to pack, but, for one thing, they use a smaller size sensor that limits their use.

You should have no avy trouble on the South Side route. You will pass by a sizable avalanche as you near the summit of South Sister though. It will be right below you on the flank of the Lewis Glacier, but your route was clear and in good shape when I was there. The Cascades Lakes Highway did open Thursday to through traffic. There is no plowed areas for parking at trailheads at this time. I guess you could dig out a spot. Have a great climb. Lewis Glacier just below South Sister summit. Close up view. Guess what caused this slide on the north side of Broken Top. The Bowl is full of slides as well.

Trip: South Sister Solo Bivy - Prouty Headwall Date: 6/19/2008 Trip Report: Knowing the Cascades Lakes Highway was ripe to open, I wanted to get a jump on the high country before the trailheads were accessible. I left my sled near Ball Butte at the wilderness boundary, saving several miles of boring slog. I had two days to wonder so I went around the north side of Broken Top looking for a route on South Sister’s East side that I hadn’t climbed before. Prouty Headwall looked inviting so that’s where I headed. Approaching the base of the climb, I kept an eye below the headwall for falling rocks, there were none. But to the left, by the Old Crater route, there was continual rock fall, and it took awhile to realize the echoes carried across to the prouty headwall. The bergschrund followed the rock wall full length, but could easily be stepped over. Standing at the schrund, two softball size ice chunks whizzed past my helmet, so I moved right along up the short Couloir. At the top, a short steep ridge line lead to a rock wall of loose rubble. The crux was getting above the rubble to gain the upper section of snow leading up to the summit. Most of the rock in those few moves to the upper snowfield was loose and unnerving to weight. Didn’t help having a 45-pound pack with bivy gear and camera gear. Packing in I thought, why did I bring so many clothes and gear. That night I thought, why didn’t I bring more clothes and gear, so I guess it was about right. Glad to get over the rock wall and on to the summit. Windy and cold, so I cut a flat spot inside the crater wall to lay my bag. I had forgot my gaiters and my feet were wet and chilled. My chemical hand warmers, I soon found were old and didn’t work. Carried them for years as back up and now they were dead. I poured boiling water in my nalgine bottle and put it in my crotch to warm the arteries traveling to my toes, now that worked. A hot meal and I was ready to stand out in the wind for a few hours photographing the sunset to the north. Stayed up long enough to howl at the moon, it appeared beyond Broken Top about ten. Up at 5 to photograph the sunrise, decent clouds and color. I took the South Slog Route off the mountain and dropped across the Lewis to Green Lakes. I wanted to return by way of the south side of Broken Top. Crossing the Southeast and the South Ridges, I dam near climbed the mountain, and that dumped me down just below the Broken Top Crater. The North side is a much better route if time and distance are of concern. And you don’t loose as much elevation. No need for snowshoes, most of the snow is firm. Hood may be crowded these days but not the Three Sisters, I didn’t see a soul. Route in showing climb to South Sister Summit. Detail of the Prouty Headwall. Approaching the Headwall. View of the Couloir. Above the Couloir on the short ridge line. Crux move was getting over the loose rock wall. Above the headwall, now an easy climb to the summit. Bivy inside the crater rim blocked the wind. Sunset from the summit looking North. Broken Top and Bend just before the moon came up. Early morning sunrise from the summit. Morning sunrise to the North showing Middle and North Sister, Three Finger Jack, Jefferson, Hood, Adams, and Helens. Gear Notes: Crampons, ice axe, helmet. Approach Notes: Cross Country, seldom traveled area.

Thanks for updating Karsten. Looking good!

Wow, made me tired just following your multi-week run through the desert. Superb photos, great story line!

This shot was taken 4-11-2008, the weekend things were warming up. Notice all the slips throughout the bowl. Perhaps someone will send a more recent photo to compare.

Good job Kevin! Was wondering what the conditions were like.

Shortly after the fourth slide that happened today, someone was hurt at Hoodoo. The ambulance got stuck on the road in to Hoodoo, had to back out to Highway 20, and the Hoodoo ski patrol transported the victim on sled to the highway where the ambulance waited. A grader was caught in today's avalanche according to an O.D.O.T. worker and was dug out. Some folks from Bachelor were sent over eariler (yesterday?) to try and blast the snow off Hogg Rock but it wouldn't slip. O.D.O.T. crews have hit it hard during these back to back storms. We have hit 12 feet of snow at the Santiam Pass snow marker today. Photo by: Kara Mickaelson

I was able to get a Highway Patrol escort through the avalanche area with my press pass shortly after the road was cleared to one lane, around 11 am. The pass may not open until tomorrow. It has snowed a lot up there and is going strong today. It will take the snow removal trucks some time to open things up. There are big trucks stuck at the top of Santiam Pass near Hoodoo waiting to go Westbound, another group of trucks waiting near Lost Lake headed Eastbound, and a third group at the junction of Highway 20 and 22 again, Eastbound. The plan is to get the trucks over the pass both directions, then close it to clear the snow. The last time I remember having this much snow was in 1992, the year we had 11 feet at the pass. We are near that now and may pass it today or tomorrow. Two days ago we were up to 9 feet. Yahoo! Here's a look at conditions this morning. By the time I got there the break on the hill above the road was pretty much covered. Santiam Pass near Hoodoo, Westbound. Junction of Highway 20 and 22, trucks Eastbound.