Middle Sister and Broken Top -- Suggestions please

[Koda]

you cant access the north ridge route from the chambers area, only the south route.

[hiker4fun]

You can camp anywhere there.

The only restricted area is Obsidian, down and to the West. And Green Lakes and Moraine Lake area. And the Pole Creek fire restricted area.

Camp Lake is good. Can be kind of crowded, but you can walk around a little and find a good place. Crowded right where the Pole Creek trail first hits Camp Lake,

On the other side of the pass, the second Chambers Lake, at the West end, there's a nice stream going into the lake and places around there you can camp. Not too many people.

Thanks Jerry.

you cant access the north ridge route from the chambers area, only the south route.

Thanks Koda.

[R11]

Thanks Ron. Is the Chambers area accessible to both the Southern Ridge as well as the Northern Ridge of Middle Sister? And, is it normally crowded during summer time?

As Koda noted, it would be a very roundabout route, and it would also include the Hayden glacier travel with it's crevasses. Personally, I would try to avoid the entire Three Sisters area on weekends during the summer unless there was no other option, but that's just me


ron

[hiker4fun]

Thanks Ron. Is the Chambers area accessible to both the Southern Ridge as well as the Northern Ridge of Middle Sister? And, is it normally crowded during summer time?

As Koda noted, it would be a very roundabout route, and it would also include the Hayden glacier travel with it's crevasses. Personally, I would try to avoid the entire Three Sisters area on weekends during the summer unless there was no other option, but that's just me


ron

Thanks Ron. Actually, I am one of those fair weather people who fill up the popular areas during weekends.

I may have to go on a weekend again. I get a feeling that there will be very few people on the Middle compared to the hundreds of people on the South during summer. And, I will be comfortable in seeing at least few people on the mountain versus going all alone or with a group of 2 or 3.

[hiker4fun]

Is camping allowed in Pole Creek TH? If so, is it a big or small place? I will be going on a Friday night and am wondering if it will be too late for me to find a camping spot there. If we can't get a spot there, is there any other place on the way that's closer to the TH so that we can dump the things in the car before the hike? Any update on this will be helpful.

[retired jerry]

I was up there a few weeks ago, wondering the same thing.

The trailhead is in burned area, but I saw nothing that said you couldn't camp there. Lots of clear areas because there's a lot of pumice. Just park at trailhead and walk away as far as you wish. Or near.

I drove back down about 1 mile and found a side road. Drove off about 100 yards from the road. There was a hunters camp next to Pole Creek. I camped a ways from there. Again, it was burned around there but lots of pumice so plenty of places to camp.

About 3.6 miles from the trailhead there's a camp area. There's a spring. Sort of a hunters camp. You could camp there.

[hiker4fun]

I was up there a few weeks ago, wondering the same thing.

The trailhead is in burned area, but I saw nothing that said you couldn't camp there. Lots of clear areas because there's a lot of pumice. Just park at trailhead and walk away as far as you wish. Or near.

I drove back down about 1 mile and found a side road. Drove off about 100 yards from the road. There was a hunters camp next to Pole Creek. I camped a ways from there. Again, it was burned around there but lots of pumice so plenty of places to camp.

About 3.6 miles from the trailhead there's a camp area. There's a spring. Sort of a hunters camp. You could camp there.

Thanks a lot Jerry. This gives me the confidence that I can reach the TH late in the evening and still find some spot to set up camp. When you say 3.6 miles from the TH, is it toward the Middle Sisters? Is there a lake or some other identification spot to that camp area?

[retired jerry]

It's 3.6 miles before you get to the TH

(In the direction of the town of Sisters)

There's also an official campground, Sister's Cow Camp, about 2.4 miles from highway 242. I don't think there's any drinking water. You probably have to pay something. Picnic tables and fire rings. I think people with horses go there. Not much of a campground, but if you just want to sleep.

[hiker4fun]

It's 3.6 miles before you get to the TH

(In the direction of the town of Sisters)

There's also an official campground, Sister's Cow Camp, about 2.4 miles from highway 242. I don't think there's any drinking water. You probably have to pay something. Picnic tables and fire rings. I think people with horses go there. Not much of a campground, but if you just want to sleep.

Jerry,
Thanks again. I will probably go with the TH area that you mentioned.

[retired jerry]

good idea, that's what I did - went to TH, then decided back a mile was better, but TH would have been fine too