Broken Top: An Inside Look

Aside from the Three Sisters themselves, the next largest peak in the constellation is Broken Top. A stratovolcano capped by a summit cone, it was appreciably higher that its present 9,175 feet. Broken Top, adjacent to South Sister, is now a semi-circular amphitheater open for an inside look, much like Crater Lake.

The Committee has climbed the peak twice, once successfully and once that was close-but-no-cigar. The first time, we were advised to climb from the east  using the approach from Todd Lake. Bad idea. We made it as far at the saddle above Bend Glacier, but didn't budget enough time for a day trip.

The next time, we went up the west side, hiking past Green Lakes and camping at a small lake (above) below the approach to the summit. Markee transported our gear on llamas, complete with tipi and wood-fired stove. The next day, we proceeded up the west side, where a climber's trail deposited us at Chicken Point.

After a night in the tipi, we embarked early up the west side to Chicken Point. It was pretty easy climbing until then. After that it was tricky. As we waited for one of our mates to set the belay points, we started to get get quite chilly, so we headed up, free-climbing the rest of the way. It was bold and foolhardy, but we made it.