Black & White Sisters via The Elks Club Wash - 5/30/20

Black Sister on Sisters (Approach) Ridge

Mike & Rita on White Sister (Black Sister in Background)

North Sister from Sisters Ridge

Starting up The Elks Club Wash

Normally, our club climbs to Black & White Sisters by using the Sisters Spur Road. This road turns to the left after driving up Macks Canyon Road for 2 miles. Our hike would begin there. That route presents the least amount of elevation gain and is a little less than 4 miles. On Saturday, three club members continued an exploratory to find a route up to the rocky sisters directly from Lee Canyon Road. Especially in the time of COVID-19, we won't always be able to pile into high clearance cars to negotiate the sometimes rough Macks Canyon Road. There were only two caveats that we knew. One was that the climb would have 300' more elevation gain. The other was that we would be dealing with brushier terrain inside the rarely used washes.

Merging with Nutans Road

Two days prior, we had checked out a wash that we named The Elks Club Wash. This wash is a direct route up to the final steep climb to the Sisters Ridge whereon Black Sister reigns. It is a nice wash that appears to be used by horses and elk. (Thus, the name!)

Continuation of The Elks Club Wash

Part of the wash is also accentuated by a small mining road called Nutans Road. There is a small spur off the wash that leads up to an area of old mine artifacts about half a mile from the trailhead located on Lee Canyon Road just after its junction with Deer Creek Road.

Mountain Lion Dinner Dishes

Nearing Top of The Elks Club Wash

There is a cow grate in the road here and you park on the left side as you are driving up. The Elks Club Wash is almost directly across the road from the turnout and this is where the hike begins. A little way up the wash, you start to parallel Nutans Road. We visited the mine artifacts and returned to the wash to continue climbing. The wash curves to the left further up and this is where it gets more brushy. Our pace was measured in order to save ourselves for the final climb that we knew was coming. It was a very windy day and when the wash curved, we began really feeling it. The constant roar of the wind above us was deafening to a point! Onward and upward! 

Resting Saddle

Finally, we reached the top of the wash that came out exactly at the Resting Saddle before the steep climb to the top.

Starting Steep Climb up to Sister Ridge

We did rest. Discussed. And, decided to continue up regardless of the wind. Perhaps a little risky but we were strong experienced hikers and we were determined, Black Sister or BUST!

Deadwood Landmark at end of Sister Ridge

Mike makes last Approach to Black Sister

   We took on the steep climb slowly and methodically and made it to the trailing ridge, the Sisters Ridge. From there, we turned to the right, climbed the ridge to Black Sister where Mike and Rita scrambled up. Then we made our visit over to White Sister. There were several times where we had to just stop in our tracks and face into the wind for fear of being pushed over by the 30-40 mph gusts! One time, a small branch fell very close to Mike. Yikes! Our visit atop was short and sweet. We got our photos then started back down to the Resting Saddle area. As we descended, we moved over toward the top of our descent wash, Deadwood Wash. Rita wanted to name the wash Lotta Dead Trees Wash! (Love it!) There were several trees that had come crashing down in the recent past crossing over the wash. However, it is a wide wash and there is plenty of room to go around the mounds of brush that seem to appear every 50' or so. We knew that this wash was used sometimes by other hiking groups and it was just about as "trailed" as The Elks Club Wash. In my humble opinion, The Elks Club Wash was better for the ascent since there were fewer places where hikers had to "go up and around" the brush.

Rita scrambles Up

We descended the wash picking our way down following the occasional vague trails and bulldozing through the deadwood. We "hugged" the hillside on the left as the wash curved around.

Mike on White Sister

There is a wash fork in this area so we were careful to ignore the wash heading to the right. Sometimes, our wash was wide and brushy leaving us to find the wash in the trees ahead.

Starting down Deadwood Wash

Hiking Yoga

       Keeping true to the left curving direction, the wash  became more spread out and brushier but staying the course proved to be a good plan when we saw the green roof of the house on Canyon Eye Road not far below. We stayed in the wash all the way to the dirt road and crossed it right where there is a sign on the tree warning of a dog somewhere in the area! This put us in the pine straw meadow that pleasantly led us directly back to the trailhead. The steep climbs were quite a workout and the wind never got the better of us! So, this is one way to get to Black Sister from Lee Canyon Road!

    

Stats: 3.5 miles; 1900' gain; 3.5 hours

Deadwood Wash

Nearing bottom of Deadwood Wash

Pinestraw Meadow