Humble Pie on Middle Sister

Paul ascending Middle Sister 

Well, it may be time to hang up the spurs for the summer. Not entirely, but apparently life continues during ski season, and there are a few things I need to catch up on. Middle Sister was a worthy endeavor for the last day of skiing in June. Situated in the middle of the Oregon Cascades, it offers perhaps the most spectacular view of any mountain in Oregon. It also offers some puckering skiing. After a full season of skiing routes within my comfort level and ability, on Middle Sister I was served a tasty piece of humble pie. 

The plan was to ascend the North ridge of Middle Sister via the Hayden Glacier--the standard route this time of year. Paul and I headed down from Portland on Saturday afternoon. We met Sather in Sisters, grabbed a few last minute supplies at the grocery store, and proceeded down the Pole Creek road to the trail head for the Middle Sister.

Paul picking his way through the first of two stream crossings

Finding the trailhead was easy--drive West on 242 out of Sisters, take a left on Pole Creek Rd. and follow it to the end. Getting from the trail head to the base of the Hayden glacier is another story. We hiked in approximately 5 miles of dirt and two stream crossings before finally hitting snow. The best way to get to the base of the Hayden Glacier is to hike along the Pole Creek trail to where it intersects with Squaw Creek. From there, follow the looker's right side of the creek. There is an intermittent climber's trail that will eventually get you to treeline, and the base of Hayden Glacier. At around 5:00 pm we hoisted our packs-- heavy with overnight gear, climbing gear, and ski gear--and began the trudge through the woods.

When we eventually arrived at treeline, the peaks were covered by clouds, and a strong wind was blowing from the west. We set up camp behind some trees at the base of the glacier. Super-athlete Sather hauled in a six pack for the group and we enjoyed a beer while getting our gear together for the next day.

The final push up Middle Sister 

We woke the next morning at 5:45 a.m. and were on the snow by 6:30 a.m. We made quick work of the Hayden Glacier, reaching the pass between Middle Sister and Prouty Pinnacle in just over an hour. The Climb from the pass would have gone equally quickly had we not waited for an army of Mazamas climbers to descend. We reached the summit at around 10:00 a.m. The wind and clouds from the night before were gone, and we were welcomed by a calm, sunny summit. We lounged on the summit for an hour and a half, waiting for the snow to soften. Our plan was to ski the NW face of Middle Sister down onto the Renfrew Glacier.

Sather enjoying the view from the summit

We started skiing at around 11:30 a.m. While the east facing slopes were already primed up, the west slopes were still firm. We skied down the NW ridge, skier's left of the ascent route. Things were going well until we reached the head wall above the Renfrew Glacier. The headwall was steep. Like, 60 degrees steep. And the runout was rocky and icy. A fall would almost certainly be a trip to the hospital, if not worse. Paul skied to the edge of the headwall and looked over. Now, to give you some context, Paul is one of the best skiers I know. And I know some pretty good skiers. So when Paul shouted up to us in a nervous voice "It's steeper than it looks!" I got a little nervous. A few moments later he disappeared over the edge. We waited for what seemed like a long time before Paul finally became visible on the Renfrew Glacier, hundreds of feet below.

Paul skiing above the clouds 

Despite Paul's success in getting down the headwall without taking a slide for life, I was still uncomfortable with the descent. Earlier this season I had a dicey descent off the summit of Mt. Hood that made me think twice about skiing into a steep, icy slope with a messy runout. As I was deciding what to do, Sather decided he would down climb the headwall. An accomplished climber and alpinist, Sather is as comfortable on his crampons as he is on his skis...and perhaps more so when conditions get steep and icy. As Sather began his descent, I weighed my options: ski, down climb, or ascend back up the ridge and descend the standard climbers route. Ultimately I determined the consequences of either skiing or down climbing the headwall were more than I was willing to accept that day. I shouldered my skis on my pack, and began climbing up the loose scree back to the climbers route. I reconvened with Paul and Sather back at the pass above Hayden Glacier.

Sather with the "Husband" below 

That day on Middle Sister was a reality check. Could I have skied the line safely? Probably. Could I have down climbed? Maybe, but I would have been better off on skis. But what it came down to for me was the the risk, the consequences, and whether I was willing to accept those consequences. It's hard to walk away from a ski line. It can be a sucker punch to the ego. A slice of humble pie, if you will.

That being said, I don't regret my decision. I live to ski another day. My partners and I were able to make it safely down the mountain. I'll get back to that line when the snow is softer and the runout is filled in. But, in the meantime, I'll just have to become a better skier.

Parallel tracks in the ashy June snow