Broken Top Loop Day 2

Jul 17

Green Lakes to South Sister Summit
via Moraine Lake and South Side

I woke up early along with the team of Mazamas climbers, made brakfast, and packed up my tent.

The team of Mazamas climbers were headed to the summit of South Sister and back via the Green Lakes route to the East side of the mountain. My own plan was to summit via the South route going through passing through Moraine Lake and camping at the summit to capture the NEOWISE comet. My hope was to cross paths with the team of Mazamas when our two different routes meet in the final summit push.

Before I went off on my own adventure, I stepped aside to capture some images of South Sister, as well as the team of Mazamas starting their journey in the distance.

My journey started off easy - 800ft of elevation downhill before my turn off towards Moraine Lake. The elevation loss would soon need to be regained, but I was still happy for an easy start to my day.

With a brisk pace, I arrived at Moraine Lake within a couple of hours and had sweeping views of the mountain, and my objective. The skies were clear with a cool breeze.

From this point on, the trail was mostly obvious, with only a few short sections of rock scramble. The elevation was gradual, and the path was solid. It allowed me to push myself physically without having to worry much about route-finding.

Before long, I had unobstructed views of Moraine Lake. Just a bit higher, I had full view of the Rock Mesa Lava Flow which is reminiscent of a scene from Mordor in Lord of the Rings.

Within a couple of hours, I arrived at Lewis Tarn. This is where the Green Lakes route to the East of South Sister meets with the more common South Side route via Devil’s Lake and Moraine Lake.

At 8,800 feet in elevation, the base of the Lewis Glacier is a popular spot to stop, take a break, refill on water and recharge.

You can see the summit area from this spot - but there’s still a long ways to go before the summit. This last summit push holds another 1,400ft in elevation gain at a steep grade, with loose rubble and dirt. Coupled with high altitude and low oxygen, this section requires a mental focus and perseverance to push through.

I took an extended break at Lewis Tarn in hopes of crossing paths with the Mazamas team. I filtered 4 Liters of water for extra conditioning weight, and to keep me hydrated through the night and the next morning.

After half an hour, just as I was ready to get started, I heard my name called out. Members of the climbing team recognized me from the other side of the tarn. We chatted by shouting at each other from across the body of water, and before long I was on my way.

I crossed paths with the rest of the climbing team as I headed up, said hello, then captured them regrouping at Lewis Tarn from a vantage point.

Approaching the summit, the views are majestic. Sweeping vistas of Central Oregon and Mount Bachelor to the South. In the distance, clear sights of Moraine Lake and the trails I trekked just a few hours prior.

Two hours after setting off from Lewis Tarn, I was arriving at the summit of South Sister. The summit crater was covered in snow, while the true summit was high and dry.

I took off my pack, touched the true summit marker, rested for a while and enjoyed the views. I hadn’t been here in many years, and it was good to be back!

Before long, I went scouting for a perfect bivvy spot that could fit my one-person tent near the North side of the summit crater. My hope was to be within short distance of a vantage point for views of the comet overnight.

The search paid off. with a cozy 5-star dwelling just off the edge of the summit crater.

The mountain continued to welcome me with speechless panoramic views and a magical sunset.

After many photographs, I prepared the camera for a timelapse, snuck in my tent for a nap, and came out in the star-lit skies for some astrophotography. I set up the camera for a timelapse, and was dumbfounded by the resulting masterpiece.

You can watch the timelapse of the NEOWISE comet below.