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Sisters, Oregon
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Ten climb South Sister
By Tom Chace

Standing (l. - r.) are Scott Reekie, Beverly Gaskins, Doug Wood, Dave Barry, Pat Neufeldt, Jessica Judy, and Russ Fetrow. Kneeling are Sharyn Fetrow, Mimi Miller and Darla Neiss. photo provided by Sharon Fetrow

Training and planning for three months paid off for 10 Sisters and Black Butte Ranch residents when they climbed to the summit of South Sister and back on September 2-3.

"It was painful," said Mimi Miller. "It was like giving birth to a child. It hurt but it was worth it. It was a wonderful experience and I am so glad we worked very hard, set our goal and did it. For Bill and I to do this together, even though he never planned to go all the way to the top, was very special."

The group did numerous hikes and climbs in the three months preceding the assault on South Sister.

Bill Miller hiked with the group for the first six miles to the overnight camping site on south Sister.

"I carried a 30- to 35-pound back pack with our tent and gear for the overnight," he said. "It felt like 130 pounds when I finally got there."

Part of the team of 10 did the hike in one day leaving the Fall Creek/Green Lake trail head outside of Bend about 6 a.m.

The one-day, up and back group included Beverly Gaskins, Doug Wood, Pat Neufeldt, Jessica Judy and Dave Barry.

The two-day group, which camped overnight, included Scott Reekie, Mimi Miller, Darla Neiss, Sharyn and Russ Fetrow.

"We were up at 3 a.m. here at Black Butte Ranch in order to meet our local group at 4:15 at Ray's parking lot to carpool into Bend," said Dave Barry. "We got back down at about 7:30 in the evening so it was a long, hard day."

Sharyn Fetrow, leader and organizer of the strenuous hike, gave detailed instructions to the hikers suggesting that the one-day group bring flashlights "to be carried only for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes as sunrise on that day was at 6:30 a.m."

The two-day group left Tuesday, September 2, meeting at the Original Pancake House in Bend at 11:30 a.m. "for a last good meal," as Fetrow put it in her trip notes for the hikers.

They started from the Fall Creek trailhead about 2 p.m., trekking about six miles to the overnight campsite. This group reached the summit around noon the second day and waited there for the one-day group so all could have a "victory photo" on the top.

They descended en masse, some taking longer than others because all were being very cautious of the loose rock and shale on the downhill slide.

"We stopped at Moraine Lake to filter water and load our bottles for the next day's hike," Mimi Miller said. "It was very cold up there so we wore fleece lined jackets and parkas against the wind. Even with the difficulties, I reached such a high that I can't remember feeling that way ever before."

The hikers rendezvoused about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Papa's Pizza on Highway 97 in Bend for a celebratory banquet before returning to Sisters.

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