South Sister
Three Sisters, Central Oregon Cascades · 10,358 ft
What it asks of you
Objective-wide planning ranges apply only to the reviewed scope below. They are not a selected route profile, a fitness threshold, or evidence of your skills.
- Reviewed scope
- South Sister true summit identity in the snow-free south-side hiking/scrambling envelope; no route selected. Excludes Middle Sister, North Sister and glacier or winter variants.
- Area
- Three Sisters, Central Oregon Cascades
Nominal high point
10,358 ft
Official fact
- Geographic reference height, not cumulative ascent or acclimatization. Land-manager/USGS identity authority takes precedence over technical guide rounding.
Sources and review dates
Reviewed 2026-09-24 · evidence expires 2026-12-23
trail
trail approach
Explicit assumption
- Applies only to the reviewed scope; not evidence of member competence, readiness or current route conditions.
Sources and review dates
Reviewed 2026-09-24 · evidence expires 2026-12-23
scree
loose volcanic scree
Explicit assumption
- Applies only to the reviewed scope; not evidence of member competence, readiness or current route conditions.
Sources and review dates
Reviewed 2026-09-24 · evidence expires 2026-12-23
Unlisted demands are not reviewed here; missing pack weights or weekly training targets are unknown, not zero. Confirm permit, access, equipment and conditions for your exact route and dates with the official sources.
Route-specific demand
South Sister — Devils Lake summit and return
- Reviewed scope
- Devils Lake via the Elk-Devils highway underpass, South Sister climbers trail and south ridge, then eastern crater rim to the true northeastern summit and back.
- Start
- Devils Lake / Wickiup parking area, using Elk-Devils Trail highway underpass
- End and return
- True summit on northeastern crater rim; return to Devils Lake by the same corridor
- Includes
- Devils Lake via the Elk-Devils highway underpass, South Sister climbers trail and south ridge, then eastern crater rim to the true northeastern summit and back.
- Excludes
- Old at-grade highway crossing, Green Lakes approach, glacier travel, north ridge, other Sisters, winter travel and Moraine Lake side trips
- Season assumptions
- Snow-free late-season hiking/scrambling context; actual snow and road conditions require confirmation
- Itinerary assumptions
- Single-day round trip; no fixed pace or start time
Nominal high point
10,358 ft
Official fact
- Geographic reference height, not cumulative ascent or acclimatization. Land-manager/USGS identity authority takes precedence over technical guide rounding.
Sources and review dates
Reviewed 2026-09-24 · evidence expires 2026-12-23
trail
trail approach
Explicit assumption
- Applies only to the reviewed scope; not evidence of member competence, readiness or current route conditions.
Sources and review dates
Reviewed 2026-09-24 · evidence expires 2026-12-23
scree
loose volcanic scree
Explicit assumption
- Applies only to the reviewed scope; not evidence of member competence, readiness or current route conditions.
Sources and review dates
Reviewed 2026-09-24 · evidence expires 2026-12-23
Route reviewed 2026-09-24 · review expires 2026-12-23. These demands apply only to this route and its stated assumptions.
Sources and review
- USGS — Three Sisters identity and elevation ↗
- USFS / Recreation.gov — Devils Lake entry and current underpass access ↗
- USFS / Recreation.gov — Central Cascades day-use permit rules ↗
- The Mountaineers — South Sister summit corridor ↗
Reviewed 2026-09-24 · review expires 2026-12-23. Dates reflect operator review, not current route conditions — check conditions before you go.