☠️ Summiting can be deadly; know your limits, have a navigation system in place, and understand that rocks can shift at anytime.
🌋 Discovering North Sister: Geology and Legacy
🌋 North Sister is a basaltic-andesite stratovolcano located in Central Oregon. The heavily eroded/weathered volcano is the oldest of the Three Sisters and is considered to be 120k to 45k years old; the formation of this volcano started after the eruptions of Broken Top volcano ended.
🧗♀️ The Technical Ascent: Gear and Route Highlights
🧗♀️ This is considered to be a technical climb to the summit. It is recommended to use ropes, cams, slings/webbings; though we ended up soloing it due to our experience and comfortability summiting Cascade volcanoes. We HIGHLY recommend wearing a helmet. The route to the summit is CHOSSY and lots of loose rocks are continuously being slushed off the volcano.
📍 Summit Route Breakdown and Beta
📍From Obsidian trailhead, this is a strenuous 16.4 mile hike (round-trip) with a 5,289’ elevation gain. This trailhead requires a special limited access permit that can be bought on recreation.gov. Permit season starts June 15th and ends October 15th.
🧊 Summit beta:
Crossing Collier Glacier: The approach starts by traversing Collier Glacier, requiring awareness of changing snow and ice conditions throughout the climbing season.
- Southwest Ridge “Choss-Fest”: Following the glacier, you ascend a steep, loose southwestern ridge with a faint path guiding your way.
- The “Terrible Traverse”: Contrary to its daunting name, this traverse is often the easiest part of the climb, leading to a solid rock “ramp.”
- The Bowling Alley (Class IV Climb): This is the crux section of the climb, a steep, narrow chute that demands careful climbing, typically aided by technical gear. Climb on the right side of the Bowling Alley to reach the ridge.
- Final Pinnacle: The summit pinnacle offers solid holds and a breathtaking vista of the Cascades, providing a rewarding finish to the climb.
🧡 Level Up Your Life on North Sister With RESPECT Through Recreation 🌀
An Ethos Framework
A transformative guide to help you deepen your connection with yourself, foster meaningful relationships with others, and rediscover the outdoors as an extension of who you are.
We believe that outdoor experiences like summiting North Sister can be powerful catalysts for personal growth and community connection through our RESPECT Through Recreation ethos.
Our RESPECT framework invites you to:
- Root Yourself in Recreation by aligning with activities that spark your passion and build resilience on trails like North Sister’s.
- Engage Your Senses by immersing fully in the rugged beauty and raw nature of the mountain environment.
- Share Your Experience to deepen connections with fellow adventurers who understand the rewards of exploring challenging landscapes.
- Pursue Connection to Place by learning the history and stories embedded in the land, making your climb part of a larger legacy.
- Express Gratitude for the gift of being able to explore such wild places, fostering a mindset of abundance and joy.
- Champion Community by contributing your knowledge, support, and stewardship to sustain these outdoor spaces for future generations.
- Teach Through Adventure by inspiring others to find their own paths to growth through experiences like the North Sister summit.
By embracing these pillars on your climb, North Sister becomes more than a mountain—it transforms into a journey of self-discovery, adventure, and connection that reverberates far beyond the summit.
Have you taken on North Sister’s challenge or are you planning your ascent? Share your stories and let us know how you plan to level up your life through the RESPECT Through Recreation ethos.
Visit RESPECT to learn more and join a community that thrives through nature, knowledge, and shared adventure.
