We both have three things in common: We love wine, we love hikes, and we just finished our first year of the MBA program. A couple months ago, we were stressed about everything and lived each day by the amount of assignments we had to finish. So, we decided to reward ourselves in the summer with a weekend getaway to Bend, Oregon. We packed up two friends, got in the car, and drove down there (and before you ask, we did have a great road trip playlist).
But we didn’t just want to go to Bend for fun, we decided to do the South Sister Hike. Why? Because we thought it would the most challenging but rewarding hike we have done so far. And we were right. Just look at the pictures.
Let’s start from the beginning.
The South Sister is one of the three volcanic peaks of the ‘Three Sisters’ which are part of the Cascade Range that extends from British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. The South Sister, known as ‘Charity’, is the highest and most active volcano of the three and the third tallest mountain in Oregon.
The South Sister Trail is very popular so it is recommended to avoid weekends. We went on a Friday and we found it was fairly well trafficked.
The hike starts at Devil’s lake campground it’s an ~11.2 mile out-and-back trail. A valid recreation pass is required to park at the campground. We got there at 7:30 am and started the hike. You will enter the ‘Three Sisters Wilderness’ shortly after leaving the Devil’s lake trail head. The hike starts off very steep, bringing you through a hemlock forest to the base of the mountain. From there you’ll walk along the Pacific Crest Trail for a while which is a steady, easy walk. You will have a stunning view over Moraine Lake.
When you reach the ‘mountain’ the hiking trail increasingly becomes a climbing trail requiring your full body to move forward
The trail gives you two options: You can either go up to the Lewis Glacier (Teardrop Lake) at ~9,000 feet or the summit at ~10,300 feet. You reach the glacier after approximately 5.2 miles and around 3,650 feet elevation gain.
We stopped at the lake and decided not to climb up to the summit because one, the terrain becomes treacherous and two, we have 6 bad knees and a couple bad ankles.
Throughout the hike, you will catch some of the most breathtaking views of the Moraine Lake, Broken Top, and Mount Bachelor.
After we finished the hike (~7.5 hours), we drove back to our hotel, changed to swimsuits, and headed back into town for an afternoon floating bash. Our legs were just as happy as our faces.
We recommend you pack:
- A lot (!) of water
- Protein bars
- Hiking Poles
- Insect Spray
- Sunscreen
- Layers of Clothes (The temperature will change from the trailhead to the summit)
Cheers and Auf Wiedersehen!
Emilie and Elena
grapesandgravel.com 