South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

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kepPNW
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South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by kepPNW » August 16th, 2016, 11:55 am

[[Automated TR generated by WentHiking]]
Have wanted to cowboy camp on top of South Sister, ever since first climbing it overnight to watch the sunrise a few years ago. Totally worth it!

Following a series of delays, finally left the trailhead in 94° heat about 2:45 in the afternoon. The pack was heavy with water for the dry, dusty trail. Kind of brutal, even through the shaded forest. After breaking out onto the plains, the thermometer started showing 100°+. Nearly everyone was coming down. I did actually beat my old time up, but that was a purposefully slow ascent in the dark. On arriving at the crater rim, I was astonished to find a pool of meltwater waiting for me, in the now-50° and rather windy conditions. Oh well.

The crater is 1/3-mile across, but it's 1/2-mile to walk the rim over to the summit. Which was, of course, the first order of business. Along the way, I checked out each of the several windbreaks built along the rim, and chose the one I'd come back to. I was entirely alone on the summit at this point. Incredible! After enjoying the sunset for a good half-hour or more, it was time to head back to my chosen shelter, and setup camp.

Night fell quickly. And a thin layer of clouds obscured many of the stars. Crawling into the sleeping bag, and just staring at the heavens, was the rich reward for all the work it took to get here. Within the hour, I managed to drift off. Around 11:30, my good friend Jessbee arrived, having left the trailhead about four hours after me. We enjoyed catching up for awhile, and watching what remained of the Persied meteors whizz across the sky. By around 2:30am, the clouds were entirely gone, the moon had set, and the stars were simply magnificent! Never have I seen so many.

Wake-up call came early! Wanted to be up by or shortly after Nautical Twilight, when the sky really starts turning brilliant shades of purple, red, pink, yellow, before finally becoming blue again. We were not disappointed! Oh my, few places could compete for a better sunrise sky show!

After enjoying the sunrise, which words simply fail to describe, we packed up camp and began our way back down. Two folks crested the crater rim, just as we were about to go the other way. They were but a harbinger of what was to come. On the way down, we counted 441 people coming up! And probably two dozen dogs. Oh. My.. Gosh...! Unbelievable.

Our descent was rapid, taking less than three hours. The memories will last forever.

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    First real view of the volcano, after about two miles of climbing up through a forest.


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    Miles away, nearly the entire trail to the summit is visible!


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    Broken Top and Mount Bachelor, with Moraine Lake below.


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    Yep!


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    Lots of paintbrush, both red and yellow, on the mountain.


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    Moon over a distinctive ridge, with Mount Bachelor behind.


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    Intriguing lava extrusion.


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    Pausing to look back at where I'd come from, around 8200'.


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    Cresting a moraine about 8850', Lewis Tarn, below the Lewis Glacier, comes into full view.


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    Awesome layering in a spur jutting off the southeast side of the volcano.


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    Zooming back a bit, to take in the Lewis and (remnants of) Clark Glaciers.


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    Friendly neighborhood raven.


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    Close-up view of nearby Broken Top.


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    Broken Top


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    The red cinder ridgeline to the rim.


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    Shadow of South Sister starting to slip across Broken Top. Time to hurry up!


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    Last four folks bombing off the summit. Check out those ash clouds!


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    Sun slipping behind the summit as I near the rim.


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    Shadow selfie.


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    Rim Raven


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    Much to my surprise, I arrive to find a meltwater pool on the summit!


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    Couldn't quite get the angle for the sun to bounce off it, but still.


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    My friend, the rim raven, is so happy to have company again.


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    Looping around the east side of the crater rim, towards the summit.


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    Looking over the west rim into the setting sun.


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    Smoke from the fire near Tamolitch Pool added plenty of drama to the sky!


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    G'nite, Broken Top! South Sister's shadow fully shades the stubby neighbor.


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    Obligatory, right?


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    Windbreak kept the howling down to an aural experience only, thankfully.


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    First light!


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    Pastels dominate as the sun is still way below the horizon.


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    The colors intensify as sunrise approaches.


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    Summit Sunrise Solitude


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    6:03 sunrise.


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    The shadow is stretching for miles and miles at first.


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    Really can't be any happier than that!


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    Our views were limited to "only" 150 miles (Mount Adams) or so.


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    But view we did! Mesmerizing...


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    Looking over the edge, I spot an old piton with prayer flags attached.


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    No mistaking the volcanic profile of the shadow now! Teardrop pool about to thaw out?


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    Heading back to our little fortress, to pack up and move on out.


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    Home, Sweet Home


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    Our windbreak, with the summit behind.


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    Looking down on the Cascade Lakes area before dropping off the rim.


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    Despite temps not dropping below 40°, the meltwater pond had a fresh skim of ice!


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    The beginning of the onslaught heading our way.


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    Lots of brilliant penstemon mixed in with the rocks.


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    Lewis Tarn and Glacier


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    More yellow paintbrush and penstemon.


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    Back on the plains, nearly in the home stretch.


    [timg=500]http://wenthiking.com/system/images/329 ... 1471290763[/timg]
    Descending through the forest, awaiting the sound of water to signal the trailhead is near.

14.0 miles, 5500' gained, 1 night(s)
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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UTurn
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by UTurn » August 16th, 2016, 1:18 pm

This is absolutely stunning and confirms why I always love your trip reports. Unfortunately, I may be among the 441 going up this coming Saturday. I'm not sure I'll make it to the top but I'll give it my best!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

hiker4fun
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by hiker4fun » August 16th, 2016, 2:44 pm

Wonderful report from a wonderful place, and this report came exactly on the 2nd anniversary of my hike to the South Sisters summit. :)

I was just thinking about that hike this morning, and I see this report now to rekindle the things. Of course, I did it in the day time only, and it was about 1000 (didn't count) people that day, not just 441. :roll:

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Chip Down
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by Chip Down » August 16th, 2016, 7:17 pm

Fantastic! I'm so impressed by your willingness to do something out of the ordinary. Many years ago, in May/June, I spent the night up there after an ascent of the north side. Came down via the old summit. Saw nobody on the way up, and one person on the way down. Seeing hundreds, as you did, would suck. I think the most I ever passed on a hike was about 80-ish, coming down St H after being the first to summit that day, one November, after permit restrictions were lifted for the season.

I wonder if it would be possible to repeat my experience in 2016. Can one climb South Sister in the sunny/warm season and see just one person?

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Peder
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by Peder » August 16th, 2016, 11:40 pm

On the way down, we counted 441 people coming up! And probably two dozen dogs.
Well, obviously there is a need for a $22 fee system! That is a very impressive number! Judging by the number of visitors, South Sister must be almost as famous as Mt Everest! At least there were hopefully no bottlenecks or queues on the climbing trail - something that people on Mt Everest pay $65 - $70,000 to experience...

Great idea to bivouac up there, that must be a fantastic experience.
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

Chazz
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by Chazz » August 17th, 2016, 7:28 am

Epic pictures for an epic night and view.

David.97005
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by David.97005 » August 17th, 2016, 7:29 am

what they said

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kepPNW
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by kepPNW » August 17th, 2016, 8:52 am

UTurn wrote:This is absolutely stunning and confirms why I always love your trip reports. Unfortunately, I may be among the 441 going up this coming Saturday. I'm not sure I'll make it to the top but I'll give it my best!
Oh, thanks! :D I'll just say that the earlier you start, the better. (Especially this coming weekend! :shock:) That, and don't feel any need to rush. Going up in the 90s/100s, late in the day, sapped me pretty well. Each heavy step is one closer to the top! Worth it... :)
hiker4fun wrote:Wonderful report from a wonderful place, and this report came exactly on the 2nd anniversary of my hike to the South Sisters summit. :) I was just thinking about that hike this morning, and I see this report now to rekindle the things. Of course, I did it in the day time only, and it was about 1000 (didn't count) people that day, not just 441. :roll:
Oh cool, happy to oblige! :) Our grand total was "just" those who left the trailhead before 10:30, so I imagine the final count would've been a bit closer to 1000 that day as well.
Chip Down wrote:I wonder if it would be possible to repeat my experience in 2016. Can one climb South Sister in the sunny/warm season and see just one person?
I really think not. Just about unimaginable, really. (Shoot, there were six folks camping up there this night!) Unless there was some sort of totally severe, nastyaxx weather that day, and everyone else looked at the forecast but you. Sounds like an incredible adventure you had, though!
Peder wrote:
On the way down, we counted 441 people coming up! And probably two dozen dogs.
Well, obviously there is a need for a $22 fee system! That is a very impressive number! Judging by the number of visitors, South Sister must be almost as famous as Mt Everest! At least there were hopefully no bottlenecks or queues on the climbing trail - something that people on Mt Everest pay $65 - $70,000 to experience...
Heh, told Jess how you and I had counted 135 people going down, which at the time seemed outrageous! So we started counting right off the crater lip. I think "the old record" was broken by the time we got down to Lewis Tarn! (Where there was, indeed, quite the congestion as people were recovering from that last push up the slip-n-slide!)
Peder wrote:Great idea to bivouac up there, that must be a fantastic experience.
I've wanted to do it ever since our overnight climb. Words aren't adequate - fantastic, awesome, incredible - but yeah. Really was! I have a sneaking suspicion I'll do it again someday. :D
Chazz wrote:Epic pictures for an epic night and view.
David.97005 wrote:what they said
Thank you! :)
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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sprengers4jc
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by sprengers4jc » August 17th, 2016, 8:56 am

Easily in my top 3 of your TRs, Karl. Just beyond awesome. Thanks for sharing your experience, and all the great pics.
'We travel not to escape life but for life to not escape us.'
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Waffle Stomper
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Re: South Sister Bivy, Aug 12-13

Post by Waffle Stomper » August 17th, 2016, 9:13 am

Wonderful trip report. Thank you.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

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