The volcanic peaks of the Three Sisters Wilderness dominate the landscape of Central Oregon. They are the tallest and most prominent of the dozens of volcanoes which dot the Cascade Range between Mount Jefferson in northern Oregon and Mount Shasta in California, with each of the Sisters reaching the lofty 10000 ft mark. The range is quite compact, as the summits of North, Middle, and South Sisters span a total distance less than 5 miles (8 km), yet the peaks host over 15 glaciers including the largest in Oregon (by area), the Collier Glacier. The youngest, tallest, least eroded, and most climbed of the three peaks is South Sister, which has a simple non-technical walkup route along the South Ridge. This route makes a superb ski ascent and descent in winter, spring, and early summer, offering nearly 5000 ft of vertical which can easily be skied right from the trailhead, up to the summit and back down to the car again.

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Trip Summary: Wednesday, June 23, 1999

This was a private trip, with a party of two (myself and Alex Cronin).
I skied on randonnee (alpine touring) gear, Alex skied on heavy-duty telemark gear.