[TR] Middle Sister - North Ridge 4/11/2016

[omac]

Trip: Middle Sister - North Ridge

 

Date: 4/11/2016

 

Trip Report:

With work and school I currently only have Mondays off for trips and I had been cursed with bad weather every free day I had. Upon checking the forecast, I saw this past Monday was the last day of this beautiful weather window so I decided to go in to solo climb Middle Sister.

 

 

The road is now clear all the way to the Pole Creek trailhead and the first 3/4 mile of the trail is clear as well with some patches of snow, after that it is all snow. I left the TH at 4:15am and with perfect firm snow all morning and a nice lunch at the saddle I was on the summit by 9:30am. Used my ax and a pole but it could have easily been done with just poles.

 

By the time I was back down to the saddle the sun had warmed the snow into a horrible slog all the way out. Out of pure stupidity I slogged in ankle to knee snow for way too long before putting the snowshoes on.

 

Apart from two people packing up their camp at 6:50am, I didn't see or hear anyone else the entire trip. I took my sweet time coming out and was back to the car by 1:10pm.

 

Overall a fun trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the Summit

 

 

The north ridge

 

 

Middle sister

 

 

North Sister looking irresistible, I almost changed objectives seeing it in first light.

 

 

 

 

 

Proof from the previous week that the gods did not want me to get out on my one day off.

 

 

-Owen

 

Gear Notes:

Ice ax, crampons, poles, snowshoes for trip out.

 

Approach Notes:

FS road 15 is clear all the way to the Pole Creek trailhead