Three Sisters
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
- Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
- Latitude, Longitude: 44.14754, -121.78328
- Elevation: 10085 feet (North Sister)
- Elevation: 10047 feet (Middle Sister)
- Elevation: 10358 feet (South Sister)
The Three Sisters are the dominant mountains in the Cascades south of Mount Jefferson and east of Eugene. They are an ever-present feature of the skyline from the city of Bend.
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Volcanic History
The Three Sisters area has a long, complicated eruptive history. North Sister, the oldest of the trio, has been inactive for over 100,000 years. Middle Sister was last active 10-12,000 years ago. While the main cone at South Sister is probably 25,000 years old, the most recent activity may be as little as 2,000 years old. A bulge in the terrain three miles west of South Sister grew about half an inch a year from the mid-1990s but had almost halted growing by 2015.
Climbing Information
North Sister is a difficult summit, only reachable by people with the appropriate climbing equipment and experience.
Middle Sister is a a fairly routine but long scramble in good weather. Probably the the most common route is via the Hayden Glacier on the east side to the north ridge and then to the summit.
The summit of South Sister on the other hand, is reachable by a normal hiking trail. You'll need a lot of stamina and water, but no special equipment. The hike begins at the Devils Lake Trailhead and climbs 4900 feet in 5.5 miles to the summit.
Hiking notes
The Three Sisters lie in the middle of the appropriately named Three Sisters Wilderness. All visitors in the area must fill out a free wilderness permit. All motorized vehicles or tools are prohibited.
Links
- Three Sisters (Oregon) (Wikipedia)
- South Sister (Summit Post)
- Middle Sister (Summit Post)
- North Sister (Summit Post)
- Modern Deformation and Uplift in the Sisters Region (USGS)
- "Bulge near South Sister volcano has nearly stopped growing" (Oregon Live)
Contributors
- Stevefromdodge (creator)