Overview | Sisters North | Lee Canyon | Mt Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada
Expect Spectacular 360-Degree Views!
Sisters North, located in
Lee Canyon in the
Mt. Charleston Wilderness is on a ridge system including
Sisters South,
Sisters North and
Black Rock Sister. The ridge offers incredible 360 degree views with
McFarland Peak,
Bonanza Peak and
Macks Peak to the West, the
Sheep Range and
Gass Peak to the North,
Angel Peak,
Mummy Mountain, the
North Ridge of Kyle Canyon,
Lee Peak and
Charleston Peak to the East. There are far more reference points in the distance beyond, but these are the most obvious. A huge rock arch unexpectedly appears near the summit of the approach ridge along with the remarkable
limestone arch sculpture of
Black Rock Sister.
Pristine, Radiant Wilderness
The wilderness has a bright, radiant feeling of being untouched. There are no established, marked trails so you often have the feeling of being the only person to have ever stood there. In fact, it is likely you will have the entire wilderness to yourself during this adventure. As you ascend in elevation you find yourself in a spectacular
bristlecone pine zone with
ancient bristlecone pine sculptures in countless unique and beautiful shapes.
2 Main Approach Routes
There are basically two main parallel approach routes if you want to avoid steep avalanche slopes…at least until the final summit approach to
Sister’s North: One is a fairly distinct trail through a wash and the other is on the ridge above the North side of the wash. I prefer the ridge route as an approach route due to the spectacular view that progressively unfolds around you ascend. The trail in the wash below is a great descent route being a welcome restful experience after the avalanche slopes you encountered near
Sisters North summit, and it’s easier to stay on course while descending.
The Final Summit Approach to Sisters North
The summit approach I took on this day was up the North side of
Sisters North. The final quarter mile is a very steep avalanche slope similar to the final approach up the Northeastern cliffs of
Mummy Mountain, though not as long. There is nothing beyond class 3. However, even a slightly steeper incline could quickly put you into the class 4 zone. For this non-climber, it was just a matter of taking time to secure every foothold and hand hold. With a little familiarity this stretch could quickly become less daunting.
Alternate Circuit Adventure
Many turn this adventure into a circuit adventure including
Black Rock Sister,
Sisters North and
Sisters South. When I first summited
Sisters North I had accomplished all of the circuit except for the saddle between
Sisters North and
Sisters South. Soon I will complete the circuit and provide video documentation.
Complete adventure here!
Best Time of Year to Summit Sisters North
The best time of year for this adventure is June through September when the temperatures are normally in the welcome 70-80 degree range as opposed to much hotter temperatures in the lower elevations. You are likely to encounter snow during the late Fall to early Spring months.
Directions to Start Point | Sisters North | Lee Canyon | Mt Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada
TakeÂ
Hwy 95Â North fromÂ
Las Vegas. Turn left ontoÂ
Lee Canyon Road (Hwy 156). Continue onÂ
Lee Canyon Road about 16 miles. You’ll continue onÂ
Lee Canyon Road past the intersection withÂ
Deer Creek Road. Park at a pull-out on the East (left) side ofÂ
Lee Canyon Road about 300ft before reaching the address 5690 on the opposite side of the road. The parking area is generous and can accommodate 15 or more vehicles.
↓ Narrative Guide ↓
Narrative Guide | Sisters North | Lee Canyon | Mt Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada
Locating the Approach Wash and Ridge
From the parking area head up Lee Canyon Road a brief 150 feet, then cross the road and head up the first gully wash to the right (West). You want to ascend the ridge on the North (right) side of the wash very soon. I chose to ascend that ridge where the wash divided into 2 branches. Alternately, you could continue up the wash, finding a nice little trail. However, you’re sacrificing the spectacular views you’ll experience on the ridge.
The Approach Ridge Will Take You All the Way to the Base of Sisters North
If you choose to ascend the ridge above the wash, just stay right on the middle of the ridge all the way to where it summits at the saddle near the base of
Sisters North. The ridge is fairly wide open, though you will find yourself often weaving around brush and trees. You won’t need to whack anything as there is always an open route through the vegetation. The great thing about ascending the ridge is that you can see your destination throughout the ascent. Just stay in the center of the ridge and you’ll easily make it to the upper saddle without a single avalanche slope.
Spectacular Rock Arch
Take time to view the spectacular
limestone arch near the summit of the ridge, along with emerging views of
Black Rock Sister.
Black Rock Sister Out-and-Back
At the summit of the ridge turn right for a quick 100 yard out and back to explore Black Rock Sister before heading toward
Sisters North.
Sisters North Final Summit Approach
From the saddle, the final summit approach to
Sisters North looks quite daunting. It looks as if you will certainly end up scaling vertical cliffs just below the summit. However, there is a class 3 route that skirts the right (West) edge of the cliffs through a
bristlecone pine forested section all the way to the summit. To help you, as the ascent begins to increase at the base of the saddle below
Sisters North a trail will appear. Just follow the trail. When you reach the first huge rocky section, circle around the right (West) edge, then hug the base of the rock wall where you will find firmer foot and hand holds as you continue your ascent.
Sisters North Summit and Alternate Circuit Route to Sisters South
Once you reach
Sisters North summit enjoy the spectacular 360-degree views! Now you can see the saddle between
Sisters North and Sisters South. If you were to head toward
Sisters South you would descend the West side of
Sisters North, then take a sharp left (South) and begin navigating the saddle. You may not want to stay on the ridgetop of the saddle as that would involve some class 4 climbing with significant exposure. Instead, begin on the West side of the ridgeline, then soon cross over the ridgeline to the East side and finally, as you reach Sisters South, ascend upward to its summit.
Descent from Sisters North Back to Lee Canyon Road
On this day, instead of heading toward
Sisters South, I returned down
Sisters North by the same Northern summit approach slope I had just ascended. Once back down on the saddle, I began to descend the ridge to the East (right) I had earlier ascended. When I reached the arch, I navigated downward to the wash below the ridge. There was a faint trail heading toward the wash and I was curious where it might lead. On an earlier trip to
Black Rock Sister I had stayed on the ridge, but mistakenly took a Southeastern (slight left) split that landed me on some steep avalanche slopes.
Fairly Good Trail Through the Wash Ends at the Original Lee Canyon Road Parking Area
The faint trail remained distinct enough down the wash and all the way back to
Lee Canyon Road, even featuring cairn markers along the way. That wash trail was a welcome rest in light of the earlier steep final approach stretch to
Sisters North. And, the trail landed on
Lee Canyon Road just 150 feet from my car. The wash trail basically ran parallel to the ridge above and to the North (left) side of the wash — the same ridge I had taken on my ascent route.
