Devils Lake/Wickiup (South Sister) Gear Checklist
The South Sister day climb from Devils Lake is a steep walk with no rope work, a sunny plateau in the middle and a long slide of red cinder at the top. Climbers write about poles, boots that keep scree out, three liters of water and a wind layer for the summit. Early-season visitors add gaiters, microspikes and strong bug repellent. The permit rules changed over the years, so older trip reports describe a different system than the Forest Service does now.
What shapes your gear on South Sister
- Climb in numbers
- A Bend newspaper writer says the trail gains nearly 5,000 feet over six miles to a summit of 10,358 feet. A hiking site gives the summit as 10,363 feet. One climber reached the top a little before 9 a.m. after leaving the trailhead at about 5:30 and was back at 12:30.
From The Bulletin (Bend) and SoCalHiker
- Permit and parking now
- The Forest Service says a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit is needed for day use and overnight stays from June 15 to October 15, reserved through Recreation.gov. Day-use permits cost $1 per person in reservation fees, and release in two windows, 10 days and 2 days before the trip. Parking at Devils Lake needs a recreation pass, $5 per vehicle per day.
From Willamette National Forest (USDA Forest Service) and Deschutes National Forest (USDA Forest Service)
- Older trip reports describe the old permit
- A 2017 hiking write-up and a guide on The Outbound describe a permit filled out at a kiosk near the start, free in the hiking site's account. A September 2020 newspaper story says the Climbers Trail was about to become limited entry. The Forest Service now lists the Devils Lake trailhead among those that need the reserved permit.
From SoCalHiker, The Outbound, The Bulletin (Bend) and Deschutes National Forest (USDA Forest Service)
- Where the route goes
- The Climbers Trail leaves the Devils Lake lot, crosses the Cascade Lakes Highway and climbs through forest. After about two miles it reaches a sandy plateau with Moraine Lake below. The trail then steepens to a tarn at the base of Lewis Glacier, then climbs red cinder to a false summit and a snowfield before the true top.
From The Bulletin (Bend), SoCalHiker and The Outbound
- Snow dates
- Reports from different Junes and Julys range widely. A June 2024 skier carried skis on the pack and post-holed. A mid-July 2017 pair crossed snow patches with good tread using only poles. A 2020 commenter in late July found only patches that needed no special gear.
From Mountain Shop, SoCalHiker and The Outbound
What the agency requires on South Sister
Central Cascades Wilderness Permit, carried with you
Permits are required June 15 to October 15 and are non-transferable. You enter on the date and trailhead on the permit and show it if a Forest Officer asks. The trailhead page says groups must be under 12 people, while the permit page names a maximum of 12.
From Willamette National Forest (USDA Forest Service) and Deschutes National Forest (USDA Forest Service)
A recreation pass for the car
The Devils Lake trailhead is a fee site. A day costs $5 per vehicle, or an accepted pass covers it.
A way to bury waste far from water
Dig the hole for human waste 6 to 8 inches down, and keep it 200 feet or more from any water. Campfires, where allowed, are built at least 100 feet from water. Everything else is packed out.
What hikers carry on South Sister
Trekking poles
A newspaper writer who climbed with a 12-year-old says poles are highly recommended, both for a push up the loose rock and for balance on the descent. A 2017 pair used only poles to cross summer snow patches. A 2009 forum poster adds that poles are an easy thing to bring if you like them.
From The Bulletin (Bend), SoCalHiker and Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister conditions thread (June 2009)
Boots that keep cinder out
A guide writer says almost the whole mountain trail is sandy scree, which floods tennis shoes, and the sharp rock can twist an unsupported ankle. A 2009 poster who went in June suggests waterproof boots plus gaiters for snow.
From The Outbound and Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister conditions thread (June 2009)
Three liters of water
One hiker advises at least three liters, and says some water may run along the trail with snowmelt but should be treated. Another writer says to pack plenty of water, sun cream and a big hat, since long sun exposure is the main risk on the exposed slope.
From SoCalHiker and Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister conditions thread (June 2009)
A wind layer for the summit
On a day that neared 100 degrees in Bend, the wind on top was so strong and cold that one pair left after half an hour. A guide writer warns against ditching the extra layers below the Lewis Glacier tarn, since the summit ridge is windier and chillier.
From The Bulletin (Bend) and The Outbound
Microspikes for early-season mornings
A 2015 hiker on a bare day wished for more snow because the ash and scree were tiring and they had spikes in the pack. A 2009 poster suggests spikes or similar as a backup before sunrise, even though the group barely used an ice axe. A June 2024 skier says crampons and an ice axe would be wise if the snow were colder and firmer.
From Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister Summit / Green Lakes Loop - June 24, 2015, Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister conditions thread (June 2009) and Mountain Shop
A headlamp for the first minutes
A father and son who started about 45 minutes before sunrise needed headlamps only for around 20 minutes, since the forest brightened early.
From The Bulletin (Bend)
A strong bug repellent in June and early July
A 2009 parent with two children turned back on the plain, and the parent and one child each had over 30 bites despite repellent. A June 2024 skier saw no mosquitoes at dawn but swarms by the end of the day, and names 20 percent picaridin first and 100 percent DEET as backup.
From Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister conditions thread (June 2009) and Mountain Shop
A copy of the permit
In 2017 the permit was a self-issue form where the original went in a box and the hiker kept the copy. Today it is a reserved permit that you show on request.
From SoCalHiker and Willamette National Forest (USDA Forest Service)
12 people can go on one permit. Split this list between them so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on South Sister
Low shoes on the scree
A guide writer who has climbed it before calls tennis shoes both uncomfortable and dangerous on this trail, and notes that rescues have risen as more under-equipped people climb.
From The Outbound
A late start on a warm day
A skier who left the trailhead at 7:15 said they should have started at least an hour earlier because of the warm forecast. A newspaper writer in August was down by 12:30 and noted that almost nobody was left on the plateau in the afternoon heat.
From Mountain Shop and The Bulletin (Bend)
Dropping the pack at the Lewis Glacier tarn
Some climbers leave packs at the tarn, but the guide writer advises against it, since the most exposed part is still ahead and the weather can shift during the hours before you return.
From The Outbound
Counting on a skin track or ski the whole way
A June 2024 skier carried the skis on the pack through post-holing snow and shed them again higher up. The snow grew too soft to skin about the 8,000-foot mark and the last stretch above 9,800 feet was soft enough to need a boot-pack.
From Mountain Shop
Gear questions for South Sister
Do you need a permit to climb South Sister from Devils Lake?
Yes, from June 15 to October 15 the Forest Service requires a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit, booked on Recreation.gov. Day-use permits come out in two batches, one 10 days and one 2 days before the trip date. Trip reports from 2017 describe a free self-issued form, which no longer matches the agency page.
From Willamette National Forest (USDA Forest Service), Deschutes National Forest (USDA Forest Service) and SoCalHiker
Do you need an ice axe or microspikes to climb South Sister?
Not in a normal mid-summer. A 2017 pair crossed snow patches with only poles, and a 2020 commenter found patches in late July that needed no special gear. In June and early July, forum posters and a skier carried spikes, an ice axe or crampons as a backup.
From SoCalHiker, The Outbound, Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister conditions thread (June 2009) and Mountain Shop
How much water should you carry for South Sister?
One hiker says at least three liters. There may be water on the trail from snowmelt but it needs treating, so most people plan to carry what they need.
From SoCalHiker
Are boots needed for South Sister?
A guide writer says tall boots, because the sandy scree floods low shoes and the sharp rock can twist an ankle. A 2009 poster suggests waterproof boots with gaiters for early-season snow.
From The Outbound and Oregon Hikers Forum: South Sister conditions thread (June 2009)
Sources
- Devils Lake/South Sister Trailhead · Deschutes National Forest (USDA Forest Service) · Agency
- Central Cascades Wilderness Permits · Willamette National Forest (USDA Forest Service) · Agency
- Climbing South Sister · The Bulletin (Bend) · Trip report
- Hiking South Sister · SoCalHiker · Blog
- Summit South Sister via Devil's Lake Trailhead · The Outbound · Blog
- South Sister conditions thread (June 2009) · Oregon Hikers Forum · Forum thread
- South Sister Summit / Green Lakes Loop - June 24, 2015 · Oregon Hikers Forum, RobinB · Trip report
- Trip Report: South Sister Summit via Devil's Lake Trailhead · Mountain Shop · Trip report