8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

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fettster
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8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by fettster » September 5th, 2008, 9:14 pm

This trip was special for me for a couple reasons. One, it was my first time visiting the Three Sisters Wilderness, and two, it was the first time I’ve ever gone solo backpacking (well, not quite truly solo, with my dog Kodi too). I secured Obsidian permits in early August for Labor Day weekend gambling that the highway 242 work would be complete in time. Indeed, by mid-August it was open.

Saturday morning I set off on the Obsidian trail in cool and damp conditions courtesy of the clouds socking in the mountains. I pushed myself a bit harder than usual to ensure lots of time to find an admirable camp site. As I pushed along it was very intriguing to break out to a winding lava flow snaking down the landscape, a tumult of gritty rock rising several stories above the trees. I apparently missed out on some expansive views of the Cascade Mountains, but I still marveled at this natural scarring and how the trail was routed through it.

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The Obsidian Trail

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Jerry Lava Flow


Crossing back down into forest I found the trail I planned to take in to the Obsidian area was “closed” for the day due to clearing of a downed tree. So, I veered onto the alternative route which I found to be quite steep, but fortunately was under a mile in duration in reach the Pacific Crest Trail. It is abundantly clear how the Obsidian area was named as there are pieces of black obsidian everywhere along this plateau skirting the edge treeline. I wished then the lighting was better than the flat highlights the overcast sky provided, but it was still unique from any other area I’d visited before.

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White Branch Creek

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You shall not pass.

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Obsidian plateau


I wound up finding the perfect camp site for my first solo backpack just past Obsidian Falls: close to running water for some evening white noise and well, yeah…water; a flat patch to pitch a tent; sheltered from the wind (and sun if it ever came out) by some tall trees; not too rocky to get some stakes down; and finally a top-rate branch for hanging food. The one thing it didn’t have to top it all off was an expansive alpine view, nestled as it was down in a meadow. However, with my site chosen I quickly got to work setting up camp.

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Camp

I had a few hours to kill before preparing dinner so Kodi and I took a short walk to the south where I planned to further explore the next day. I was fortunate enough for the clouds to part and offer my only full glimpse of South Sister, but closer-by Middle Sister would not shake the puffy blanket buffeting its flanks.

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Paintbrush and Middle Sister

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The Husband

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South Sister

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PCT and Belknap Crater

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Old Cascade Crest


That night I slept quite well and didn’t seem to have any issues with mind games. The white noise from the creek stellar job keeping my imagination from running away with the random noises of the forest.

Sunday I kept to a laid back agenda leaving my camp set up and day hiking south on the PCT on a loop to Linton Meadows. Soon after departing I heard a bird cry out a loud piercing chirp. Ten seconds later my mind finally came to the realization that could not possibly be a bird and I looked up to immediately uncover the culprit, an ever vigilant marmot. This was a personal highlight because it is the first time I’ve seen one of these mammals in the state of Oregon. As I hung around trying to snap some pictures a youngster popped its head up to see what the alarm was about. It was a fun few minutes checking each other out before I got too close and they both were gone.

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"Camp" creek

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Sup!

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On guard


The clouds hung around nearly all day except for a couple hours that teased out some sun breaks. With the Sister summits out of sight the meadows did a fine job keeping me entertained with all the greenery and meandering creeks.

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Nearing Linton Meadows

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Corridor

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Linton Meadows crossing

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Linton Meadows overlook

By the time I reached the apogee of my loop the weather had upped the day’s thrill factor dishing out a mix of small pellets and snow. Even with the cooler temperatures the rocky terrain had absorbed enough solar energy to steam off the sprinklings of white as I traversed north alongside Middle Sister.

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Oww!

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Steamy

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How to excite a dog, guaranteed

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Monday I figured I would probably head directly out if the views were socked in but a morning peep out the tent revealed a canvas of blue I sorely missed the day before. The obsidian scattered across the land shimmered as I trekked north again across the plateau. To the west I spied a bank of clouds trying to encroach up the Cascade Crest, but only rarely was it able to extend a finger of fog up my way.

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Release

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Plateau lake, clouds at bay

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Obsidian Trail namesake

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Little Brother

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Middle Sister

My motivation to explore fully restored I opted to take the longer loop back to the car; up around North Sister, traversing the base of Collier Cone, and west with a detour to Four-in-One Cone with another pass of the lava flow. It was quite a smorgasbord of sights and something I’d love to check out again.

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Lava flow

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Kodi finds the shortcut up Opie Dildock Pass

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Collier Cone

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Middle Sister

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Yapoah Crater

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Four-in-One Cone

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Black Crater and lava plain

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Scott Trail

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Lava flow traverse

After about an eleven mile hike out my dog Kodi was worn out, falling asleep before I could even get his pack off. Lucky for him he could sleep on the ride; I still had to endure the three and a half hours of driving, but I at least had some irreplaceable memories and a new confidence from a successful first solo backpack to spur me along the way.

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Wiped

-Fettster

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retired jerry
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by retired jerry » September 6th, 2008, 5:39 am

Nice report!

I love that area. All the lava flows are unique compared to Mount Hood.

There were a lot of mosquitoes a couple weeks ago. I bet there all gone now with all that snow.

cfm
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by cfm » September 6th, 2008, 8:57 am

Thanks David I feel like I was with you on yoru trip. I love the shot looking down on Linnton Meadows and yapoah and Black crater look so inviting for a scramble.

Your narrattive made it seem very solitudinous, how busy was it?

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sparklehorse
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by sparklehorse » September 6th, 2008, 1:11 pm

Very nice report and photos David, thanks! Looks like you really had a great adventure on that trip. That's a cool looking area, I'll have to get up there one of these days. Were there any sketchy stream crossings on your route? That's one thing I have to consider before taking my dog along because she won't cross deeper water and she's too big for me to carry across a stream.

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jimsiff
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by jimsiff » September 6th, 2008, 2:53 pm

Great report and pictures! Did you happen to climb up Collier Cone or Yapoah Crater? The views are excellent from the top.
-Jim

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Grannyhiker
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by Grannyhiker » September 6th, 2008, 6:48 pm

Fettster, did Kodi have any trouble with his paws on all that lava, obsidian chips, etc.? I'd love to do this trip (or at least part of it) but I'm concerned about Hysson. I find it almost impossible to keep dog booties on him. From your pics, it looks as though most of the trails are dirt, which is good.

Thanks for an exciting report!

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Paul
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by Paul » September 6th, 2008, 7:36 pm

Grannyhiker, I didn't find the area necessarily worse than the PCT up near Jefferson or Mt Hood. Gaius's paws were sensitive when we did 11 miles in one day, when he wasn't quite a year old. I haven;t had much of a problem, except general soreness in camp. If you keep your miles 8 or under, he especially shouldn't have much of an issue.

BTW, what brand of booties are you using that are falling off? I have Granite Gear, and they won;t get on right unless I have him put his weight on the bootie while I snug them up.
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
- Will Rogers

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ufoureah
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by ufoureah » September 6th, 2008, 9:02 pm

Brilliant report..
Your photos make me want to go there soon

Thank you for the inspiration

Ufoureah

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Grannyhiker
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by Grannyhiker » September 6th, 2008, 10:37 pm

Paul, I have Granite Gear dog booties also. I had to use them on Hysson only a couple of times, which is undoubtedly part of the problem! Thanks for the input; maybe I can still get to the Three Sisters this month.

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jeffstatt
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Re: 8/30-9/1'08 Obsidian Trail-Three Sisters Wilderness

Post by jeffstatt » September 7th, 2008, 8:03 am

What a destination for a first solo backpack. That must have been pretty discouraging to see that trail-closed sign after "lucking out" with the opening of the McKenzie highway

So a Marmot chirps? I had no idea. Cool photo.

I'm glad the weather finally cleared up for you. Amazing the accounts of snow and hail across Oregon already this year! Didn't the snow just melt away??

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