South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
User avatar
mayhem
Posts: 3579
Joined: December 22nd, 2009, 7:46 pm
Contact:

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by mayhem » July 9th, 2013, 8:55 am

Yeah was kind of waiting for another EPIC TR ! after seeing your GPSfly data before the TR :)

Thanks for sharing & documenting!
Shoe Shine Boy Has Left The Building!

User avatar
BigBear
Posts: 1836
Joined: October 1st, 2009, 11:54 am

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by BigBear » July 9th, 2013, 9:02 am

Why would anyone want to climb through the night to a summit? Ahhh, to be alone on the top when the sun gives the mountains that dawn alpenglow.

Very nice pictures, that would be an experience I would not be soon to forget.

User avatar
potato
Posts: 1211
Joined: October 10th, 2011, 9:16 pm
Location: my car
Contact:

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by potato » July 9th, 2013, 9:13 am

Nice TR, cool pics, fun to remember my trip there last year. Yeah it's nice that you actually made it to the top at sunrise.
self observing universe (main blog)
Joe hikes (PCT blog)
Laws of Nature (bandcamp)

User avatar
kepPNW
Posts: 6411
Joined: June 21st, 2012, 9:55 am
Location: Salmon Creek

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by kepPNW » July 9th, 2013, 10:40 am

mayhem wrote:Yeah was kind of waiting for another EPIC TR ! after seeing your GPSfly data before the TR :)
Heh, yeah, the "sneak preview" always goes up the evening I return! :)

Which reminds me of another thing I was gonna slip into the report...


BigBear wrote:an experience I would not be soon to forget.
That's three this year, like that, with Peder. So far, each one bigger/better than the last! As a trail friend, he's addicting. :mrgreen:
potato wrote:Nice TR, cool pics, fun to remember my trip there last year. Yeah it's nice that you actually made it to the top at sunrise.
Really owe it to you, and the rest of your group! That report of yours had been lodged firmly in my mind for nearly a year, before I finally acted on it. Thank you! :D

Given the crush of humanity up those slopes, once the sun comes out, this is really the best possible attack plan on that peak! After going back and looking at your photos again following our return, I think we had lots less snow than you did? It sounds like we hit the trail just a bit earlier, as well.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

Steve20050
Posts: 395
Joined: November 12th, 2009, 8:06 pm

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by Steve20050 » July 9th, 2013, 12:11 pm

Thanks Karl and Peder, Those were some really great photos. I have never gotten to the top of the South Sister, but that view north along the line of the Cascade Crest from the 3 Sisters area is certainly one of my favorite views in Oregon. Thank you for taking time to post this stuff for us arm chair hikers to enjoy. You hit this one spot on with the clear skies and little haze, which seems to be harder to get as the years go by.

User avatar
Roy
Posts: 2824
Joined: January 25th, 2010, 6:35 pm

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by Roy » July 9th, 2013, 5:16 pm

Nice report Karl great narrative and photos as usual. I always thought the summits down there were some of the most spectacular around with the red rock, blue green lakes and the four big peaks so close together.

I have some history on the South Sis.


Aug 1979
Image


30 yrs later Aug 2009

Image

I am jealous of you two and your adventures I have clawed my way thru two years of issues and physical therapy but I think the South Sis,McLaughlin or MSH are in the cards this season. I did Defiance and Larch mt last month.
Last edited by Roy on July 9th, 2013, 5:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura

User avatar
Guy
Posts: 3333
Joined: May 10th, 2009, 4:42 pm
Location: The Foothills of Mt Hood
Contact:

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by Guy » July 9th, 2013, 5:19 pm

Great TR & fantastic photos guys!

I'm green with envy :^)..
hiking log & photos.
Ad monte summa aut mors

User avatar
Peder
Posts: 3401
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lake Oswego

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by Peder » July 9th, 2013, 6:31 pm

[quote="Roy"]I have some history on the South Sis.
Aug 1979
Image
30 yrs later Aug 2009
Image

How did Mr and Mrs Tomroy manage NOT to age over 30 years, that is truly amazing. I am sure that we are all looking forward to the Aug 2019 picture! ;)
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

User avatar
Born2BBrad
Posts: 1086
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:26 pm
Location: The Dalles

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by Born2BBrad » July 9th, 2013, 6:31 pm

Great job guys!

That is very hard to start out at such a low elevation in Portland, drive straight to the TH, and then hike all the way to the 10358' summit without acclimatizing. I did that once and nearly barfed due to elevation sickness.

Thanks for the pics from the top looking down that show the snow coverage. That helped me make a decision to do a backpacking trip to Green Lakes this weekend.

BTW Karl, if you keep putting such awesome TRs out there, people are going to expect it each time :lol:

Hike on man,
Brad
Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.
- Jean Luc Picard

Link to GPX tracks
Link to Trip Reports

User avatar
markesc
Posts: 1530
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: South Sister Summit Sunrise Solitude, 5/6-July-2013

Post by markesc » July 9th, 2013, 6:52 pm

Beautiful photos!!!! Glad to see you get to the top for the perfect lighting and avoid the sun burn/crowds/slow drivers/etc!!

I did the same thing back in '08 but missed it by 20 mins!!! There was one guy whom camped in that wind-shelter thing in your photos... he looked pretty beatup from a full night up there!

Was the teardrop pool melted or starting to melt as of yet? Any winds? Sounds of falling rock? Cold beer/beer glaciers on the top??? :mrgreen:

Post Reply