Accident on North Sister

[snowleopard_x]

A climber had to be helicoptered off North Sister last weekend after falling. Here is a news link. Just a guess, but I'd say he wasn't one with a lot of experience(?):

http://www.koin.com/c6k/news/stories/news-86633020010710-180744.html

And another link. This one with photos and video:

http://www.kgw.com/kgwnews/top_story.html?StoryID=22885

[This message has been edited by snowleopard (edited 07-11-2001).]

[philfort]

Quote from the second article:

"A Blackhawk helicopter floated several hundred feet off the top of the Central Oregon peak, rescuing 40-year-old Matt Gorman from slopes so steep, they seemingly stabbed at the sky. "

Looks like some journalist is a novelist-wannabe.

[Dan_Harris]

First let me say that I am glad that the climber was ok and sorry that the climber lost in June was never found. But I want to know why anyone would be trying this peak at this time of year. Last year as I was trying to get info about the Sisters I noticed a definite lack of anything on the net concerning North Sister. I then got Jeff Smoot's book and it said rotten, dangerous, constant rockfall. Climbing it is best done when it is covered in snow and the rocks frozen together.

As I travelled to Oregon and Washington I asked every climber I met what they knew of North Sister. Most had the same answer, STAY AWAY. So when I finally went to climb Middle Sister, I could see and hear what they were all talking about. I thought Shasta had a lot.There was constant rock fall all around North Sister.

If this guy was camping up there, wouldn't the noise alone tell him something. He had to have seen all the rock coming down and it is not just small stuff.

Everyone, keep up the great work of informing other climbers of conditions. Have fun and safe trips.

[This message has been edited by Dan Harris (edited 07-11-2001).]

[pete_a]

As someone who grew up in Oregon before moving to Seattle in search of better alpine rock to play on, I have a fair amount of experience on North Sister. I've climbed it many times back when I was a college student and by no means is the standard route on North Sister all that bad. You have to realize that the rock quality is awful, but that in mind, its really an interesting climb, and late season climbing really doesn't increase the danger as long as you stick to the south ridge route, I wouldn't dare try climbing any of the gullies or couliors after the snow is gone. The worst part about the climb is traversing a steep snow patch below the summit pinnacle on west face and the 3rd-4th class climb up to the top.

The book 'Oregon High' now out of print, does a much better job describing the Oregon Cascades rather interesting rock quality. I'd recommend trying to track it down for better descriptions of routes in the Sisters.

[mattp]

Pete a is right. North Sister is a great climb. I have and would again climb it mid-season and late season though I might, as Pete suggests, avoid couloirs (I once climbed Early Morning Couloir in August and found it to be quite good, however).

Being a volcano, the whole thing is one big slag heap but that doesn't render it unworthy. It just means that climbers have to use some judgment and be aware of where they are and what they are doing in relation to others in the area. There IS constant rockfall on the face left of the standard route, but I can't imagine attempting that face unless it was entirely covered with snow and conditions were cold and stable.

Mattp

[mattp]

Pete A is also right about Jeff Smoot's volcano guide. Better information can be found in the prior book, Oregon High. Smoot misses the mark on a number of climbs such as, for example, his description of Yocum Ridge on Mount Hood. For twenty five years this has been one of the most famous winter climbs in the Northwest and has been generally accepted as a fantastic climb when it is properly rimed up. Mr. Smoot delcares it a rotten-rock-death-climb and fails to point out the appeal as a rime-ice classic.

Mattp

[This message has been edited by mattp (edited 07-12-2001).]

[pete_a]

Glad to see some folks agree with me Matt! Although I do enjoy the generally far superior rock of the North Cascades now that I live in Seattle, the Oregon Cascdes have some fine routes, and the definitely teach you a thing or two about routefinding and safe mountain travel. Smoots book is fine and all, but I think he goes a little overboard with labeling climbs as scull and cross-bones routes. I wish I still had my copy of Oregon High but I lost it years ago, hopefully there will be another edition of it someday, its got lots of great descriptions of routes in it that Smoot doesn't even cover.

[snowleopard_x]

Jeff Thomas actually re-printed Oregon High last year. I don't know if you guys can find it up on Seattle, but it's still around in most of the local climbing stores here in Portland, and not hard at all to pick up. If you're planning on coming to Oregon to climb, it's definately the book to get.

[pete_a]

thats great news about Oregon High, next time I'm in Portland I'll have to look around for it.

[none_dup1]

Hi all,

FYI, Jeff Thomas issued a reprint of Oregon High last year. It's the same book, new printing - NOT a new edition. It's available from Portland area mt. shops. Jeff sometimes needs prodding to get copies to the stores, so if the shop doesn't have it in stock, ask them to mebbe call Jeff for a delivery.

(I don't work for any of these shops, nor am I Jeff's Mom.)

[RStewbone]

I was on the north last august twice. First on the s.e. ridge with a large group(12 people if you can believe that).W e got 1 guy across the snow traverse and decided this large and slow group would not have a chance back across the snow before it was in full sun and we callled back the poor guy who put pickets across the traverse for the rest of this sorry group(probably the last club climb I'll ever do). 1 week later I returned with 3 strong partners and we did early morning couloir and climbed the headwall directly simulclimbing on 1 9mm. with no rock pro-yikes. We climbed the couloir unroped on semi soft snow and it is no lie that at least two of us were sketched.I was hoping to feel better on the rock but no such luck. The last two people on the rope were taking plenty of rocks pumice and dirt. I would never do the headwall directly again given the choice.The climbing was mid 5th. on the worst rock and 1 in our group who's plastics would not edge well actually fell twice and prusiked for 6 feet while we stressed out on top of the Glisan pinnacle. I still ponder the whatifs of that day. It took 13 hours car to car. I will do the route again but with some insight on the hazards.Take an alpine expert with you and expect some intensity. And about those books I have them both and I agree that Smoot's sucks.