Skiing the South Sister
by Talbot Bielefeldt
Cross country skiing is a Hydra
like beast: As soon as you have
mastered one species of the sport,
you find yourself challenged by a
new variety. This makes for life
time recreation. Also it makes for
confusion on the part of beginners
who want an overview of cross
country, or nordic, skiing. A good
vantage point from which to
study the sport in Oregon is the
10,358' South Sister, near Mt.
Bachelor Ski Area west of Bend.
Anyone who climbs to the top of
this mountain in winter will prac
tice or witness every kind of nor
dic skiing along the way.
The trip begins at the state
parking area by Dutchman Flat
near the ski area entrance. The ski
area itself is as far as many skiers
will want to go. The machine
packed tracks at the Mt. Bachelor
Nordic Center represent one end
of the skiing spectrum. Racers and
exercise skiers like the packed sur
face because it allows them to
skate along smoothly at maximum
speed. The area also is popular
with novices and with families,
since the tracks make it easy to
learn technique, and ensure that
all the little ones will find their
way back to the lodge.
Another specialized part of
cross country takes place on the
resort's downhill slopes, where
nordic skiers ride the chairlifts and
descend the alpine runs on skinny
cross country skis and flexible
boots. Nordic downhilling has be
come so popular in the last decade
that most ski companies now
manufacture hybrid metal-edged
cross country skis that look and
work like thin downhill boards.
Day Touring
For most skiers in Oregon, cross
country still means just that — tra
velling cross country, away from
developed resorts. Dutchman
Flat, and the rolling forested ter
rain above, are the habitat of the
day tourer. Day touring is the
winter equivalent of hiking. Ski
routes often follow trails, but the
tracks are not groomed. Tourers
can explore the country to the
limits of their technique. With this
freedom comes a responsibility for
being self sufficient, since tourers
have forsaken the security of
packed trails, ski patrols, and
heated lodges. Instead of the
Lycra suits and skinny skis of the
racers at the Nordic Center, tour
ers will wear sweaters and nylon
or wool knickers, with parkas and
extra clothing carried along. They
also will pack food, water, first
aid and repair kits and a map and
compass.
The route to South Sister climbs
above timberline, and traverses
open slopes of windblown snow.
The mountains —the Three Sis
ters, Broken Top and Bachelor
Butte —are close and clear. Pru
dent skiers are attentive to ava
lanche hazard in this zone, and
watchful for changing weather
that could make retreat difficult
on the exposed slopes.
Day tourers will have time to
explore the high country for a few
days before heading down. South
Sister climbers camp at Green
Lakes, below the southeast ridge
of the mountain. Experienced
tourers pitch their tents in the
shelter of the wind-bent pines that
hug the shore of the lake.
Above are steep, glaciated lava
slopes. Skiing this terrain involves
a combination of climbing and ski
touring experience. Most ski as
cents are done in the spring, when
the days are long, the weather is
mild and the snow has been pack
ed down to a firm base. Exchang
ing ski poles for ice axes and pack
ing skis on their backs, ski moun
taineers kick steps up the ridge be
tween the glaciers and cliffs, hop
ing to make the summit by the
time the sun softens the snow. ,
High at the Top
The top of South Sister is a
broad volcanic crater with a lake
cupped in the center. Standing on
skis at the southern rim of the
bowl, gathering courage for the
steep descent, a skier takes in the
entire skiing habitat at a glance:
the chairlifts on Mt. Bachelor; the
groomed tracks below; the forest
with its touring trails; the mea
dows above the timberline; and
the rugged mountain beneath the
ski tips.
What does it take to be at home
in all these environments? Just the
time and desire to do a lot of ski
ing, plus the curiosity to learn new
skills. Equipment is part of it—
every version of the sport has its
own special gear. The truly fanati
cal skier will own a large assort
ment of skis and boots. The fact
is, however, that proficient skiers
can do most kinds of cross coun
try skiing on most kinds of nordic
skis. The varieties of cross coun
try are created not by equipment,
but by imagination.
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