South Sister

So, this was my second attempt at climbing South Sister, and was it strenuous!

South Sister is the third tallest mountain in Oregon at 10,358 feet and gains 4900' in 5.5 miles. My first attempt I did not complete the climb, as I was not ready mentally. This time I was both physically and mentally ready!
The hike from Devil's Lake is all uphill and pretty steep, but offers a lot of beautiful scenery including forest, alpine flowers, and alpine lakes.
The first 1.5 miles of terrain is hemlock forest until you emerge on a huge alpine plateau with some nice flat trail to Moraine Lake.

Moraine Lake was created by the Lewis Glacier in the ice age. The camping site for the first night was above Moraine Lake where they have 4 designated sites, and awesome views of the lake, Broken Top, and South Sister. I will also note that there are no campfires allowed in the Three Sisters Wilderness area, and staying in designated campsites and on marked trails is required.
The first night we explored the area around the high plateau, where there are many alpine flowers and awesome views of the surrounding wilderness area. I would have to say, though, that my favorite part was the alpine flowers.


The next morning we all went to Moraine Lake to fill up on water for the climb ahead. From there we hiked around the lake and headed up the mountain. The trail is pretty steep the whole way up the mountain, and there is a lot of traffic going up and down the trail. The people ranged in age from a group of kids under 10 years old to a couple I estimate are in their 60's, and every age in between. Those young kids were playing their little Nintendo's, which really made me feel old, but at the same time it was nice to see older couples climbing also, and I hope that I will be as adventurous at that age, too!
We finally got to what we thought was the top, only to discover it was actually a false summit... But there was a nice surprise on the other side; a small lake created by glacier melt. Although we were disheartened by the prospect of more climbing to reach the true summit, we took advantage of this opportunity to refill our water and eat a snack, giving us a boost of energy and morale to continue on!

From our rest stop we continued our ascent up what, in my opinion, was the most difficult section of the climb. The last 800 feet or so was where I could really feel the altitude squeezing my lungs, and the terrain at this section is red pumice rock, which is like taking two steps up and one back!
The views as you climb just get better and better, and as you look out across the horizon, you realize just how far you have come which is a great motivation to keep on going in anticipation of the awesome views waiting at the top!

Finally, we made it to the summit, where we all collapsed and just took in the beauty of the state. You can see for miles up there! Lakes, mountains and forest. After an hour of rest, snacks, and liquids, we explored the top of the mountain and discovered Oregon's highest lake, Teardrop Pool. There are also wind breaks for those wishing to camp at the top for the night. As for this post, I will leave you with some views of our summit.