Snowboarding the SOUTH SISTER..?

[simonscg]

hey, so i've been invited to climb the south sister near bachelor soon and i wanted to know what you guys think. is this too early in the season for this?? i know that they have the whole trip planned out including trail and route information.

 

if i go i would be getting snowshoes, boots, and crampons, and an ice axe. also we will all have avalanche beacons. is there anything else that i would need?? my snowboard will be attached securely to my backpacking backpack and everything else will be inside my backpack.

as far as me...i am in good shape and consider myself capable of the climb. i just haven't done any snow climbing or hiking before so i'm not really sure what to expect. and my friends haven't climbed this particular mountain prior.

 

does anyone have any suggestions, cautions, route considerations??? basically anything that will assure my safety. i am very cautious and don't take unnecessary risks so i just want to make sure that i'm not getting myself into one.

oh also i am a very good snowboarder..

 

thanks!

[archenemy]

Asking these questions of the person who invited you may be a good start--assuming they know what they are doing. If they don't, well, you learn a lot from that don't you?

Safety safety safety.

Don't forget your gov't required tracking, cellphoning, GPSing tools. And batteries.

[simonscg]

hey thanks. ya i have talked to them but i just wanted to see if anyone with actual experience climbing this mountain could give me any tips beyond what we actually know.

 

govt required tracking?? can you explain this for me? is this the avalanche beacons that we have?

 

sorry i'll probably have a few dumb questions like these since i've never done this before.

[pete_a]

also we will all have avalanche beacons. is there anything else that i would need??

 

1- knowledge of how to use your avy beacon...or friends who will be instructing you how to use beacon before your trip. they ain't much good unless you know what to do with it if theres a slide.

 

2- shovel & avy probe....that beacon won't be much use without these two items.

 

 

have fun, good luck.

[ryland_moore]

You double-posted so see my comments on your exact same thread on the other page...

[111]

I got up there twice last year. The hike blows but the summit ramp is a skier's/snowboarder's dream! The climbing is non technical but steep enough so bring something to arrest falls with. Avoid the long slog and climb it when the road to devils lake TH is plowed. hking from bachelor is hellacious.

 

oh, and pay attention on descent especially when you get into the trees. it is very easy to get in the wrong gully and end up miles off from where you wanted to be. when you are climbing notice where the trail enters the plateau so you can exit the same place on the way out.

Edited April 5, 2007 by 111

[fettster]

Here's 111's TR from last May:

 

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=7&Number=569539&Searchpage=3&Main=42355&Words=south+sister&topic=0&Search=true#Post569539

[simonscg]

Hey thanks for the replies! We're leaving tomorrow...I can't wait!! Today i just went and rented all the stuff I need. Avy beacons and probes, snowshoes, crampons and boots, ice axe, tent, sleeping bag, pad, gloves, leg gaiters, first aid kit....i didn't rent all of that stuff, it's just what i have for the trip. anything else that you guys could add?

 

oh also...how much water should i plan on taking??

 

our plan is to hike in to moraine lake friday night, and then climb the south side saturday morning and snowboard down in the afternoon.

 

how should i go about getting a trail map? and also, what route should be taken to make sure that we end up at moraine lake again??

 

i found a few pictures, and i was wondering if someone could describe the route, or even take into paint and draw out the route that we should take, especially coming down.

 

it's hard to find pictures, and i want to have a visual of where the lake is next to the mountain. in the first picture, is the lake right towards the bottom in the middle?? if it is, then when we are snowboarding down we should be able to easily head towards the lake and not miss it right???

 

anyways...thanks for your help guys!!

 

 

[simonscg]

bump

[jlag]

See ya there.