While many people out there were spending Valentine’s Day weekend exchanging roses and chocolates, I spent it with two dudes and one rugged bitch of a mountain. The eroded, jagged summit rim of Broken Top represents a distinct departure from the standard conical peaks of the Cascades. Sitting right next door to the Three Sisters, Broken Top is often an overlooked destination due to the long approach and concerning avalanche conditions during much of the winter. By spring, when avalanche concerns have subsided, the approach is equally long, but often without the benefit of a snow. The day after Valentine’s day, the snow, weather, and season all aligned to make an attempt at Broken Tops formidable crater. It did not disappoint.
