Dec 25, 2007, Three Creeks Lake, C.O. Cascades
12/25/07
2506
2
Today, early Christmas morning, we took advantage of the short weather window and headed out into the Tam MacArthur Rim region.
From Upper Three Creeks Sno-Park (20M west of Sisters, OR) we snowmobiled around 5 miles to the SE shore of Three Creeks Lake.
The early morning conditions were surprisingly cold, clear, and windless
We skinned the forested ridge trending SSE from the lake to meet a saddle , then climbed SW to a subtle summit (8210ft) overlooking the Sisters, Mt.B and Three Creeks Lake. Winds had been calm but just as predicted they picked up a lot between 11 and noon. We were met at the small summitt by intense blowing snow. On the leeward slope
of this small butte I found excellent pockets of 6-12" of dry uncompacted pow over the rainy ice layer. With the winds ramping up fast we decided on only one lap.
Throughout the climb snow conditions were extremely variable. High winds had scoured most ridges down to the previous rain crust, most gullies were wind-loaded, but not uniformly. Rain crust and wind crust existed simultaneously, layer depth varied dramatically regardless of aspect and angle.
We watched a storm pour into the Three Sisters. The warming hut was all ours....
and if anyone sees a vintage snowmobile in a utility trailer on the side of Three Creeks Rd. leave it alone - I'm bringing a new tire in the morning.
~i
From Upper Three Creeks Sno-Park (20M west of Sisters, OR) we snowmobiled around 5 miles to the SE shore of Three Creeks Lake.
The early morning conditions were surprisingly cold, clear, and windless
We skinned the forested ridge trending SSE from the lake to meet a saddle , then climbed SW to a subtle summit (8210ft) overlooking the Sisters, Mt.B and Three Creeks Lake. Winds had been calm but just as predicted they picked up a lot between 11 and noon. We were met at the small summitt by intense blowing snow. On the leeward slope
of this small butte I found excellent pockets of 6-12" of dry uncompacted pow over the rainy ice layer. With the winds ramping up fast we decided on only one lap.
Throughout the climb snow conditions were extremely variable. High winds had scoured most ridges down to the previous rain crust, most gullies were wind-loaded, but not uniformly. Rain crust and wind crust existed simultaneously, layer depth varied dramatically regardless of aspect and angle.
We watched a storm pour into the Three Sisters. The warming hut was all ours....
and if anyone sees a vintage snowmobile in a utility trailer on the side of Three Creeks Rd. leave it alone - I'm bringing a new tire in the morning.
~i
Ian,
I haven't seen a post about Tam MacArther Rim in a long time, that used to be one of my old stomping grounds and is a great tour.
Is the warming hut you speak of the one at the end of the plowed road or is there one up higher near the Lake and Rim?
I haven't seen a post about Tam MacArther Rim in a long time, that used to be one of my old stomping grounds and is a great tour.
Is the warming hut you speak of the one at the end of the plowed road or is there one up higher near the Lake and Rim?
The warming hut of question is indeed only at the Sno-Park (at the end of the plowed three creeks Rd.). It is in the snomobile parking area and I believe it is maintained by the Sno-Go-fers Sisters Snowmobile Club. Three big picnic tables, nice big windows, and lots of dry wood.
Oh, if only Three Creeks Lake had a little hut on its shores - I wouldn't be here writing this to you. There is a shelter on the cross-country ski trails to the northwest called Jefferson View.
Returned to get my sled this morning and maybe another foot fell at the Sno-Park in the last 24hrs, and its light and fluffy.
~i
Oh, if only Three Creeks Lake had a little hut on its shores - I wouldn't be here writing this to you. There is a shelter on the cross-country ski trails to the northwest called Jefferson View.
Returned to get my sled this morning and maybe another foot fell at the Sno-Park in the last 24hrs, and its light and fluffy.
~i
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