North Sister - Early Morning Couloir

[Pallando]

My buddy and I were planning a trip up the 11 o clock Couloir on Broken Top when he suggested we try skiing in and climbing North Sister instead. I wasn't sure what route he's thinking of, but it looks like Early Morning Couloir is an option. I know very little about this route. Does this route join up with the Bowling Alley? Are there other options from Pole Creek Trailhead for ascent or descent?

 

These are broad questions, but I'm not finding as much information as I had hoped from TRs and such in the winter.

[Water]

depends on road conditions if you can get to pole creek TH or else you're going to have more time spent on the road skinning. See if you can get any of the Bend folk to pipe up but I know sometimes snowmobiles go down there (pole ck rd).

 

again depends on conditions but other routes that can go from pole creek are thayer glacier headwall and the SE ridge (standard way up). Could ski down the south side into the drainage between the hayden glacier on middle and SE ridge of North, though, probably adds a few miles to the trip vs EMC.

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=999609

 

 

[KirkW]

Check the library for a copy of "Oregon High". It might help.

 

Unless you're looking for info about Mt Hood you'll be mostly disappointed with the lack of available beta on CC for most of the Volcanoes in OR.

[Alex]

the route itself is pretty straightforward, you can come down the ne shoulder easily or traverse across the backside of n sister (west side) and go down thevse route as well. the crux is the summit pyramid which is quite steep and has very awkward exposure right down the couloir...

[ScaredSilly]

EMC is on the northeast side, the bowling alley is on the west. The crux is gaining the pinnacle. Be very cautious about avy danger - the NE side is very well known for ripping out and going wall to wall.

[jlag]

Avy danger is pretty minimal, no new snow and the base is quite solid. Great time to get after EMC with the high pressure holding. Don't even deal with Bowling Alley or W. side, just come down the NE ridge and back out Pole Creek.

 

i wish i had more beta on the Pole Creek road, but my guess would be you could get pretty darn close. I now folks that have driven to Wychus Creek Falls no problem.

 

Pretty much great time to get after any E. side routes.

 

JL

[Pallando]

Yeah, I was home (Sisters) last week and I saw we hadn't had snow in a while. If the inversion holds until the 28th, I'm hoping the chances of avalanche are pretty low. Is that a safe assumption?

[jlag]

Yes, just get up/down the thing before it starts raining rocks.