Sisters Traverse Sticky Points
(Spring Mts off Lee Canyon, NW of Las Vegas)

First off, note that N,E,S and W correspond to north, east, south and west; and R, L correspond to right and left.

This page summarizes just a few of the sticky points in traversing from South to North Sister, W of Lee Canyon in the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas. My views are based on 19 traverses over the years. This page focusses on the new** (since 2003) routes, which drop off the "plank," a narrow rocky ledge running N from South Sister.

I will try to separate the portions/alternatives with differently-colored borders. Clicking (or touching) on the thumbnail pictures brings up the full-sized image -- these may appear huge on a desktop screen, but my intent is to preserve as much detail as possible. On a tablet or phone, you need to zoom in on the full-sized images

"EdF" indicates Ed Forkos, who showed me the magenta route in 2004. The "Mistake" chute is a viable option, with the caveat that it has two crumbly sections of class 3+ to class 4, and miserable steep talus.
A GPX file, containing two tracks with waypoints: SistersTrav.gpx . Modern brain-dead GPS software, particularly for GPS watches and Strava, may not load the second track or waypoints. Use the tracks and waypoints at your own risk.

H.W.Stockman
June 2004-July 2024

Some maps to start:
00map0
This map shows
all the waypoints,
but you will need to
zoom in read labels.
 00map1
Critical waypoints
Heading N of
South Sister,
near "the plank."
The old route is
in green.
 00map2
Waypoints up
North Sister.
Starting up South Sister
Off the N side of South Sister by "The Plank."
01
The Class 3 chute
on the S side of
South Sister. The
old traverse had
one descend back
down this chute, then
drop as indicated, to
head N on the E
side of the cliffs.
 01b
The first tricky spot
is where one drops
off the ridge
("the plank") that
runs N from South
Sister. View NNE.
At the arrows,
one first drops R
(NE) to a poorly-
defined ledge, then
heads hard R (S).
Note dead tree
below to NE.
 02
View SSE,
before hard R
03
Similar to
previous view.
 03b
Similar to previous.
This cairn was gone
after ~2015, BUT
 recently a new cairn
was placed on the
wrong spot! The
photographer is
standing about where
one turns sharp S.

 05a
Similar to last
view, showing
people reversing
direction at the
"hard R turn" to
head S down the
wall. The hiker
on the R side of
image is trying
to get past an
awkwardly-placed
bush.

Getting to and across exposed traverse
05ab
This view is S from
the middle of the
last image, showing
the light tan and
contrasting limestone
seen in the previous
image.
 05b
After dropping off
the plank, continue
down one more slot.
 At.the bottom, turn
N to traverse...
06
...to below this arch.
Come up through
the arch, then turn
E (R) again and
descend to start
the traverse.

Now head to North Sister
06a
View N from S
end of creepy
traverse.
 06c
View S from
N end of creepy
traverse.

 06d
Near the N base of
South Sister, view NNE.
The area indicated by
arrow is zoomed in
next image.
06e
This is a critical bit
of route-finding. As
one travels along
the lower magenta
route, on the SE
side of North Sister,
the tree and cave
become visible.

 07
But first one takes
a sharp L at
L_down_cliff
(heads SW), then
takes a sharp R
to reach the point
show above:
ThruSlot. The slot
is noramlly passed
with aid of log at L.
 08a
Next one travels
talus-covered slopes
on L (W) side of
North Sister. When
the cave is visible
in ledges at R, one
head L to pass a
small obstacle. THIS
IS THE W SIDE
CAVE!
08b
The climb directly
over the obstacle is
suprisingly hard; it is
easier to go L. After
the obstacle, continue
(R2Ridge) up a miserable
talus/rock slope, then cut
hard R at top of next ledge.
 09a
Now on the SE side
of North Sister. The tree
and E CAVE from 4
pictures back become
visible. Waypoint
EdF_chute ahead
at R.
 09b
View S down
EdF chute.
09c
When one reaches
top of chute, it is
necessary to gain
ledge S of cave.
The two common
approaches are
shown. View N.
Be very wary of
loose rock.

 09cc
Then head W from
cave. The 1st way to
ascend the cliffs is
this sketchy chute,
roughly cl 4. The
chute is to R (N)
as you head W across
the base of cliff (above
the chockstone,
this chute jogs R).
Easier: go another
 20' W, then turn R (N)
up two steep cl 3
chutes.
 w-chute
View down
and S over
1st of 2 easier
class 3 chutes


The Mistake Chute
09cd
At top of either
set of chutes,
turn R and face E
toward this wall,
and carefully climb
to the top.
09d
This view has W
at the top, and
looks down from
top of wall. The wall
looks bad, but it has
many small holds. Here
we can see there is
an alternative to the
previous class 4 chute
(hidden by bushes).
10a
This is the worst crux
of Mistake Chute
10b

View S, above crux.
Now slippery talus...
 10c
...up to here. Now
one is right below
North Sister, and must
escape the chute by
heading directly N
(where view is taken,
class 4) or heading
diagonally up E wall
of chute (cl 3+).
**(The "old" route was less difficult in three ways: 1) the plank was bypassed on the E by heading SE from South Sister--down to the bottom of the normal ascent chute-- then dropping N at the saddle, and traversing east of the plank; 2) the exposed traverse could be avoided, and 3) the old route wound around the W base of North Sister, then followed a ridge E to the summit.)