[TR] South Sister - Prouty Glacier 6/24/2014

[ScaredSilly]

Trip: South Sister - Prouty Glacier

 

Date: 6/24/2014

 

Trip Report:

I needed a warm up before my partner arrive from BC for our every other year climbing trip. South Sister is one of the few Cascade peaks that I have not been on before so with the road open and a day to kill I hiked into Green Lakes for the night. The trail in is continuous snow from just before the Moraine Lake trail junction. It is nicely consolidated for the most part - rotten near some rocks. I went around the lakes on the west rather where the trail would be on east side.

 

The route up to the Prouty Glacier is easy and all consolidated snow. The Prouty Glacier itself was a field of mush. It did not help the night before it rained a bit and the temps were warm. It would have helped if I got up earlier too as the sun was doing its thing. Wet slides are a real possibility.

 

The two bergshrunds are easy to cross and is the only good way up as the headwall routes are melted out or a bowling alley. Above the bergshrunds the snow is better.

 

I did a lap around the summit crater and then headed down. The snow was mushy enough that I was tempted to bum slide down the Prouty but decided with my luck I'd bounce into the bergshrund so I hiked it. That said several of the slopes below were perfect for boot skiing so that was fun.

 

All in all a fun outing. It took about 2.5 hours to Green Lakes and about 4 hours to the summit. Coming down was 1.5 hours back to my camp and 2.5 hours out. I did not see another person after the Moraine Lake junction so basically had the hill to myself. If one took skis an easy day trip.

 

Gear Notes:

Trekking poles, crampons, axe (I never used mine).

 

Approach Notes:

Park at Green Lakes Trailhead - do not forget to pay the man your $5.

[bedellympian]

Nice! Sounds like you made good time. Thanks for the conditions report... just got back to Bend from the Sierra and was wondering what it was like up there.