Sun cups

South Sister from Wickiup Plain

The climb up was strenuous as always, but we were rewarded with some wonderful views of Broken Top and Mt. Bachelor along the way. As we gained altitude, the wind picked up and cooled our overheated bodies. We broke for lunch after about five hours in a nice location protected from the wind and with a great view of Broken Top. With our bellies full, we made our final push to the summit which took two more hours. The view of the Lewis Glacier and the aqua blue tarn below was a nice backdrop to this final grueling climb.

Cirrus Clouds

Greta climbing up a ridge with the Lewis Glacier on her right

Lewis Glacier tarn

Finally after seven hours and 5,000 feet of climbing we arrived at the summit. The clear sky enabled us to see as far north as Mt. Hood. We took a few pictures, but didn't stay long since we were so excited for the main event of the day - SKIING!

The view from the summit: Middle and North Sister with Mt. Washington, Jefferson and Hood in the background

A view of Broken Top from the summit

Greta on the summit

The snow conditions were perfect for skiing. While it was rock hard for most of the climb, the sun had softened it up nicely for our descent. We glided down the broad, open slope of the southern face stopping frequently to catch our breath and give our legs a rest. The skis made the descent much quicker, and we were back at the trailhead in three hours. Another successful trip to South Sister!

Greta skiing down

Another tarn