3 Sisters beta

[diggler]

Buddy & I are planning on heading up to central Oregon this weekend to attempt a 3 Sisters Marathon. Axe &/or crampons required? Conditions? Any recommendations on places to camp while we're there? If anybody could help us out with a shuttle so we don't have walk back to where we started that would kick ass too (we're planning on doing the traverse on Sunday)! Any beta appreciated!

[Couloir]

Sister's Marathon...as Thomas puts it, "a unique form of suffering..." Good luck!

 

[diggler]

Thanks! A 17-mile scree slog/hike/scramble with 8,000 or so ' of elevation gain in an amazing area seems pretty unique to me.

[kurthicks]

Are you going in via North ridge of North Sister? it eliminates a fair bit of mileage and makes for a better traverse. The rock is better than the SW ridge IMO--decent down low, but still loose near the summit. Helmets are still a good idea.

 

Go in through Scott Pass trailhead, follow the trail to Alder Creek (probably 10 minutes or less from car, if i recall correctly), cross the creek on a log bridge, and turn left onto a faint climber's trail. Keep the creek on your left and follow it up into the Villard glacier basin (with one large boulder with some fun problems on it next to a stream). then climb up and right onto the ridge. Follow the ridge to the pinnacle and climb up the Bowling Alley.

 

here's a pic from the basin (Alder Creek)

 

and the upper ridge

[diggler]

Thanks for the beta! I was thinking about the SW ridge, but will consider the option you described. Is it the same difficulty (class 4ish, from what I understand)?