Skiing the Seven Summits of Central Oregon: A Photo Story
I don’t know what I expected when I decided to summit and ski all seven of my local peaks in a summer. Adventure, alpine views, some suffering. I couldn’t have imagined everything it would entail.
I don’t know what I expected when I decided to summit and ski all seven of my local peaks in Central Oregon in a summer. Adventure, alpine views, some suffering. I couldn’t have imagined everything it would entail. Whiteouts. Sunset skiing. Even heat exhaustion played a role as I raced to climb the summits before the snow melted. By the end of the summer, my body was worn down. But time has a way of changing perspective. Blisters and bruises have healed. Only cherished memories remain.
Three Fingered Jack (7,841ft)
The journey began with excitement and fresh legs at the end of May.The race against the snowmelt started immediately. Lower elevations cleared and rocks started to poke through the snow. It was only a matter of time before the smaller mountains (Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington, and Broken Top) lost their snow.Walking turned into scrambling as the mountain steepened. Though the rock was dry right before the technical climbing, it was wet for the roped sections.Though our skis and splitboard where useful on the approach, a short traverse constituted the only riding available.
Mt. Washington (7,794ft)
As Jordan and I set out to climb Mt. Washington, a storm threatened. We decided it was still worth trying. We could turn around at any point.We followed the North Ridge up as visibility diminished. The wind whipped and I struggled to hear my own thoughts. Just one hundred feet after this photo was taken, we decided it was time to turn around.Two weeks later, Mt. Washington looked very different. I started to doubt whether the project was possible. It didn’t look like there would be any snow to ski.Snow continued to remain scarce as we climbed higher.As we climbed the final summit block, we finally saw the West Bowl. It was full of snow. Almost two thousand feet of perfect spring corn carried us down the mountain.
South Sister (10,358ft)
South Sister was the first mountain where our skis started on our backs and stayed there until the summit. They no longer served a purpose. They were along purely for fun.Much snow remained on the mountain, especially atop the final summit plateau.South Sister provided the most skiing of the entire project.We linked section after section. Just as the snow seemed to end, we’d find another patch.
Broken Top (9,175ft)
It was at this point that people started to question what we were thinking as we passed them on the trail with skis on our backs. We’d point to the little strip of snow in the distance and they’d shake their heads.We hiked over eighteen miles to ski this little strip of snow with less than five hundred feet of descent. It was the only trip where I regretted carrying skis.
Middle Sister (10,056ft) & North Sister (10,085)
After four mountains, my body started to get worn down. The one hundred degree temperatures we faced on Middle and North Sister didn’t help. I felt off from the start. The idea of climbing both mountains seemed impossible, but I decided to just keep focusing on the next step. I caught a second wind after we submitted Middle Sister and started descending.That carried me to the top of North Sister.The descent down Hayden Glacier was a welcomed sight at the end of the day.We skied out as the sun set on the Cascades.
Mt. Jefferson (10,497)
Mt. Jefferson provided a final challenge for the project. Glacier travel, steep snow, and technical climbing would test everything we had learned. We decided to climb Mt. Jefferson in two days since it had the greatest mileage and elevation gain of the project. The extra weight of the overnight gear was painful on the ascent.Afternoon heat turned into cool evening air as we continued climbing.We watched the sunset from high on the mountain.On our second day, we traversed Whitewater Glacier and made the final push to the summit. Skiing ensued.The Jefferson Park Glacier was our final run.As the glacier ended, so did our summer.I finished the season sun-kissed, blistered, and worn out. I couldn’t have asked for a more memorable summer.
Images and Words: Ben Kitching
Ben Kitching is an adventure photographer, climber, and skier based out of Bend, Oregon. For more adventures and images visit benkitchingphotography.com.
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