South Sister Loop (An alternate) 8/27-29

[TheProfessor]

Wanting to get out after a weather shutout in Washington, thought I would try an
"around-the-South-Sister" loop.

Not the loop described in so many "around-all-Three-Sisters" TRs.
Expected Green Lakes-down to the PoleCreek burn and up too Camp Lake-
across to PCT and down to Mesa Springs-out thru Moraine and the Green Lks Trailhead.
4 days/3 nights of slow and easy hiking.

Starting at Green Lakes Trailhead, I hiked up and across the basin to North Green Lake.
If you haven't gone back in the north corner, this is where the "basin" spring is coming
directly out of the bouldered face. Saves on drinking the lake water.

After refreshing, and with enough water for the evening, walked up the North ridge of
the Green Lakes basin and found a campsite on the flat before it dumps down to Park Meadow.

Views of Broken Top were spectacular, but the Sisters were cloud covered.

Next morning's sunrise gave to clouded mountain tops, but the lower slopes showed the color:

Also, next morning gave rise to the "solo, I think I'll change the route". Instead of down to the burn and
back up to Camp Lake, thought I'd CC over to Carver Lake and down to Camp Lake. Looks like:

Up and down ridge lines, with no major scrambling, but came out on the south (uphill) side of Carver
Lake, instead of at the outlet (oops!).

Gives really different views of South and Middle.
Prouty Glacier:

Middle and North from the midst of Carver glacier:

Without spikes, felt sketchy on the steeper portions of the glacier face,
so went down Carver and crossed over to Skinner Glacier.
Middle from the midst of lower Skinner Glacier:

Turn around, and South from the same location:

At this point I am some 500' vert above Camp Lk and going back down
is looking less appealling. I decided to come out on the unnamed lake west
of the main Chambers Lake and walk down Separation Creek to the PCT.

View coming to lake from Skinner Glacier (main Chambers lake is over
ridge on right side of shot):

View back towards unnamed lake from western portal
(main Chambers Lake up and over ridge on far end of lake):

View back up to western portal from first valley flat to west
(portal is in trees to left of shot):

Down to Mesa Springs, and multiple horse camps.
Camped in woods above flat and luckily everyone went to bed early.

Next day out across Wikiup Plain, over to Moraine, and out to Green Lakes trailhead.
From my Topo, a 30+ miler turned into a 24-miler, and cut off one day.

All-in-all a good solo on the quick.

[retired jerry]

I've been thinking about doing that Green Lake to Chambers Lake route, thanks for the info. That doesn't look too bad.

Were there any drinking water streams?

[TheProfessor]

There are various springs once off trail between Green Lakes ridge and Chambers.

Prouty and Carver outlets are VERY silty, as is the Chambers and unnamed lake to the west.

Springs are available now and again, but I noticed that the glacier runoff, once
into a meadow and spreading out, got filtered and was much less silty.

Even Separation, on the other side where the trail crosses, has a bit of a tinge to it.

[retired jerry]

When I've walked by Seperation, it's always been dry. Maybe a mile from PCT there's a little water.

[TheProfessor]

Sorry, I mis-stated.

I was speaking of where the trail down from Chambers crosses
Separation Creek in the Valley about 1.5 mi east of the PCT.
The water had a slight gray cast to it, but did not seem to affect
my filter.

Yes, Separation was not flowing across the PCT, rather the next water south was at
Hinton Creek about a mile beyond.