Search the Community

I have 3 peaks left to do for the Cascade Volcanos list & want to finish them up this year. I currently live in Denver, can fly to PDX & rent a car to do S Sister solo (I had to head out early due to scheduling when I was skiing Broken Top & Middle Sister solo last time out). But company is always nice. I DO need a technically capable belay partner for Mt Jefferson, though (ideally who can ski in/out with me). In neither case am I looking for anything too hard w/ skiing. I just see it as helpful logistically & more fun/fast than snowshoeing in the right conditions on easy-moderate slopes. It worked out well for Mt St Helens (from summit) & Mt Hood (up to/down from 10k + booting to summit) solo a prior year. Jefferson - hopefully 3rd time's the charm. I led the Jefferson Park Glacier on my first attempt & was chased off the summit ridge from a lightning storm. 2nd Attempt was via the hellish SW Ridge (never again), and high heat + monstrous runnels made it too dangerous to continue traversing the summit pinnacles from the south. S Ridge turned out to be a great descent, though. So... I'm hoping that there is enough snow cover when I visit to skin in to a high camp on the S Ridge (at the S-SW Ridge junctions), summit by booting it (maybe skin up a bit higher) w/ a belay partner w/ technical snow or ice experience, and ski out for a MUCH better time coming out on the PCT. Dates are pretty flexible, and I'm curious on the locals' read on expectations as well. How is Late May looking for such things this season? Too late? Just fine? I can move plans back a bit if/as seems necessary, but I should be booking plane flights in early April.

Mostly curious about the "terrible traverse" and "bowling alley" section of north sister. Want to know if there is still snow in that section, so I can decide whether I'll need crampons/ ice axe or not. If anyone has been up there recently or has an idea of conditions please let me know! Looking to be up there on Saturday.