South Sister’s Lakes after Red Alert

Our original backpacking plan was Tuesday-Saturday, but the Akawa Butte Fire (InciWeb) was dumping smoke into Three Sisters Wilderness and then a Red Alert for thunderstorms and possible additional fires in same area. We waited until after the Red Alert cleared and left Thursday morning for Devils Lake TH.

Driving to the TH haze and smoke came / went. After leaving the TH at 7:30 reaching the So Sister Plateau about an hour later, we watched the smoke slowly fade away.

We went immediately around Moraine Lake to Green Lakes to camp for two nights while we hiked South Sisters and Broken Top Lakes. Mt Bachelor to the south added the third mountain rising around the lakes – Green Lakes, Moraine Lake, Golden Lake and No-Name Lake. South Sister was the closest and most viewed and wore different hats almost every hour.

Green Lakes is perfect base camp for exploring and also being a great place for an after dinner walk in the park. Thursday night there were 2-3 tents, Friday >10. One night a deer wandered through our tent site and ate for an hour in the meadow below.

North Sister in the background to the NW, and South Sister is hiding off to the left. Our two highlights were an emergency rescue (don’t know any details), and swarms of tadpoles large enough to star in horror movie.

The first day afternoon after dropping out tents, we headed north on Green Lakes Trail to Golden Lake. After last time tents everywhere, we were the only ones this time and we walked over to the far side of lake where a clean stream flows in.

The small streams weaving through the moss were filled with small fish …

Our second day with small day packs was Green Lakes around Broken Top to No-Name Lake. We went the entire distance seeing 1 trail runner, then at No-Name the ridge had 10 people but we had the lake to ourselves. Almost all the ice was gone and the wind whipped around the lake

My sister climbed the boulder in the lake like a goat … I told her if she falls, no way I’m going in that water.

Moraine Lake despite its water level remains a jewel under the mountain. The shoreline is 6 feet lower than expected, and as before, the outlet creek is bone-dry.

We saw deer every day including the tent site neighbor, and we heard pika several times but couldn’t see them – and finally on last day!

Up on the higher elevation meadows around creeks wildflowers were at their peak.

The moon was large but didn’t hide the stars … every night, an astronomer’s fantasy

This was my second time here in July. It was drier, it was smokey for 2 hours, but it was fantastic. Those magical alpine lakes with the central cascades framing the sky … up close and personal like. Beyond Green Lakes was all new for my sister and her smile was constant. On the way down to TH we detoured up South Sister to where scree starts … a perfect way to end the trip.

Data Geek Cellar

Over the three hiking days, 42 miles, 6,500 ft elevation gain. This puts YTD miles at 810, and carbon karma banked at 172 hours.

Green Lakes to Golden

Green Lakes to No Name

Green Lakes to Devils Lake