Northeast Arete of North Sister

Ratio:2:1
Length:2 days
Price:1 climber $1,250
2 $850 per climber
Dates:Custom dates are available in May and June
Location:Three Sisters Wilderness

This is a beautiful and remote alpine summit involving plenty of time on incredibly steep and exposed climbing to get to the summit. Our guides will often help make the final decision of route choice based on the conditions they are finding on the mountain.

Northeast Arete

For the summit day, we’ll establish our basecamp near the toe of the Northeast Arete. This camp is in a beautiful place, with entire East Face of North Sister looming above. The climb will start out by climbing the ridge directly on steep snow. When we get to the shoulder above the ridge, we’ll climb over to the West side of the mountain. Continuing up we’ll be making a traverse up towards the summit. The summit pitch is stunningly steep and exposed, providing the climber with several thousand feet of exposure below their boot soles.

On the North Sister climbs, we allow our guides to choose the route based on weather and conditions. Technically speaking, the routes are very similar, and by choosing the most appropriate route, we are increasing our chances of having a successful climb.

Permit Restriction

We are able to schedule this climb Monday through Thursday only between Memorial Day and Labor Day, because of limitations on all commercial permits in the Deschutes-Willamette National Forest.

 

Get Started

Interested in a trip? Call us today to get started on your trip reservation. We will take the time to place you on the expedition that is a fit for you.

(541) 312-9242

When you call us you will speak to someone knowledgable about all or our trips and locations.

Northeast Arete of North Sister

Three Sisters Wilderness

This route is a significant alpine climbing challenge. It involves a long ascent on steep snow to reach the summit ridge. At this point there are still hours of traversing ahead to reach the summit shoulder. The traverse on steep snow and alpine ice involves placing snow protection and confident footwork. Finally, it leads to alpine ice through the bowling alley. Reaching the summit is only half the fun, as we’ll reverse the route to get back to our camp.

Elevation:10,085 ft
Style:Alpine ice and snow with lots of steep traversing
Skill Level:Difficult
northsis9
george

"I am very happy with my TMG experience. The guides were professional, personable, and extremely concerned about safety. . . I absolutely give highest marks to these guys. If you don't have much Alpine experience, or just want the security of seasoned veterans guiding you up this mountain, then I strongly recommend you sign up with them. Thanks, guys, for a great experience!!"

George C
Highland, UT
malcom

"What a fantastic experience gaining the summit of a mountain we've gazed on from Portland for 25 years! . . . We learned a great deal, had a ton of fun, felt in very capable hands, and had the reward of summiting on a beautiful clear day. The value of being with a professional, certified, guide and guiding organization was evident throughout. Kudos to the TMG team who were responsive, supportive, and fun to work with every step of the way."

Malcolm C
Portland, OR
Lucyan

"We booked 2-day overnight program on Mt. Hood with Timberline Mountain Guides. Our guides were great, . . super friendly and reputable. The program did not go as planned due to inclement weather but we still had fun and good experience. The guides were definitely flexible and provided guidance during the trip. I would recommend going with them if it's your first climbing trip on Mt. Hood for sure."

Lucyan
Portland, OR

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Prerequisites
  • Climbers should have significant previous alpine climbing experience
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