Trip Date: March 15-17, 2021
Tam McArthur Rim Backcountry Ski Tours
Three Creek Lake
Orchard Bowl
Jelly Roll
Point 7935 aka Tam Viewpoint
Snow Creek Bowl
Trip Report Summary
Region: Oregon
Sub-Region: Central Oregon Cascades
Sub-Sub-Region: Deschutes Mountains
Area: Three Sisters Wilderness
Staging Point: Upper Three Creek Sno-Park on Three Creek Road #16 (Elev. 5150 feet)
Accommodations: Three Sisters Backcountry Yurts (Elev. 6550 feet) at Three Creek Lake (snowmobile entry & ski exit)
Daytrip 1a: Orchard Bowl Ski Tour
Starting & Ending Point: Three Creek Lake Camp
Ski Run: Orchard Bowl (yo-yo skiing)
Approximate Daytrip Stats: 2.2 miles traveled; 1750 feet gained & lost; 3.9 hours elapsed.
Daytrip 1b: Jelly Roll Ski Tour
Starting & Ending Point: Three Creek Lake Camp
Way Points: The Escalator & Tam McArthur Rim (ski tour)
Ski Run: Jelly Roll – Playground (ski descent)
Approximate Daytrip Stats: 1.6 miles traveled; 900 feet gained & lost; 1.4 hours elapsed.
Daytrip 2: Snow Creek Bowl Ski Tour
Starting & Ending Point: Three Creek Lake Camp
Way Points: The Escalator & Tam McArthur Rim & Tam Viewpoint & Snow Creek Bowl (ski tour)
Ski Run: Snow Creek Bowl (yo-yo skiing)
Approximate Daytrip Stats: 7.7 miles traveled; 2700 feet gained & lost; 6.8 hours elapsed.
Approximate Total Stats (excluding exit ski): 11.5 miles traveled on skis; 5350 feet gained & lost.
Approximate Total Stats (including exit ski): 17.0 miles traveled on skis; 5400 feet gained; 6800 feet lost.
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Related Post
>>> Tam McArthur Rim Ski Tours – March 2020
Trip Overview
For the second year in a row, I did a backcountry ski trip in the Tam McArthur Rim area of Central Oregon with Greg, Doug, and Tony. Also joining us this year was Bob, who had skied here about a decade ago. With an average age exceeding 65, our gray-haired quintet suffered from a bushel of muscle aches and knee pains during the trip, yet we still managed to lay down a respectable display of ski tracks in the various snow bowls that comprise the scalloped escarpment of “Tam Rim.”
Our logistics were largely the same as last year; we were self-guided and self-catered but used the transportation and camping facilities of Three Sisters Backcountry, Inc. (TSBC), a local ski adventure company. TSBC owners, Jonas and Anna Tarlen, maintain two backcountry yurts at Three Creek Lake during the winter months, thereby providing skiers and snowshoers with an ideal basecamp from which to explore the Rim’s widely varying terrain. For a description of the geology and topography at Tam Rim, and for details regarding the accommodations and transportation provided by TSBC, see my 2020 trip report.
Full Trip Report
Day 1: Sno-Park to Three Creek Camp + Orchard Bowl + Jelly Roll
Our group met Jonas and Gabe in the large parking lot of Upper Three Creek Sno-Park at 9:00am on a sunny Monday. Gear and people were loaded onto a snowmobile sled, then Gabe drove us 5½ miles up Forest Road #16 to the yurt camp beside Three Creek Lake. Along the way, we could gander at the tantalizing northeast-facing bowls of Tam McArthur Rim.
After unloading our gear into “Owl Yurt,” we all headed out for a midday ski tour to nearby Orchard Bowl. Being the closest of the four or five named ski bowls on Tam Rim, Orchard Bowl tends to get the most attention. Today was no exception; the slopes were sliced and diced with ski tracks ranging from a few hours to a few days old.
Despite feeling that we were a bit late to the party, we managed to spend several fun hours sneaking runs in between existing tracks. Snow conditions were pretty good, with a light surface crust mantling a foot of heavy powder over a firm base.
We all returned to the yurt in mid-afternoon (3.9 hours + 1750 feet total tour) for beverages and injury assessments. Both Tony and Bob were experiencing sharp knee pain, so they opted to spend the remainder of the day resting their joints and comparing orthopedic braces. Doug, Greg, and I headed out again for some late-afternoon turns down “Jelly Roll” and “Playground,” two open slopes directly above camp. After this bonus 900-foot ski run, one of my knees prompted me to join Tony and Bob in the Owl Infirmary.
Doug had dinner duty tonight, so he served up a tasty meal of spaghetti and meatballs, with chocolate cake for dessert. We retired to our bunks by 9:00pm and drifted off to the sound of a softly crackling fire in the woodstove.
Day 2: Snow Creek Bowl Ski Tour
In contrast to yesterday’s bluebird weather and today’s forecast for more of the same, we awoke to a low, gray, overcast sky. Skiing plans were discussed over a breakfast of scrambled eggs. Tony and I reluctantly decided to depart tomorrow morning—a day earlier than the others—due to knee problems, so we packed up our non-essential gear and sent it down to the sno-park on TSBC’s midday snowmobile run.
As for today, Bob and Tony chose to take an easier “knee day” by skiing close to camp, whereas Greg and Doug elected for a longer tour out to Snow Creek Bowl. I should have stayed with Bob and Tony, but FOMO got the better of me; I headed out with Greg and Doug at 10:00am. From camp, we skinned up through dense forest and along a large snow ramp called “The Escalator,” which took us to the top of Tam Rim. We then traversed across the plateau through a mile of eerie fog.
The fog gradually cleared out, and by noon we were standing atop Tam Viewpoint in full sun. This rocky knob overlooks Snow Creek Bowl and provides an excellent vantage for Broken Hand, Broken Top, and The Three Sisters.
We curved around the rim until above the middle of Snow Creek Bowl and then dropped in for much-anticipated telemark turns. Snow conditions were similar to those found in Orchard Bowl yesterday, but these slopes revealed scarcely a trace of previous ski tracks. Over the next few hours, we made four enthusiastic ski runs down the unblemished bowl. Or maybe it was five.
The sun had dipped low in the western sky by the time we began traversing back across the plateau. We finished our day with a steep descent through forest glades and cruised into camp at 5:20pm (6.8 hours + 2700 feet total tour). Doug accurately summed up our tour with his quip, “It was a big day for the elderly.”
Upon our arrival, we found Tony and Bob tending an outdoor fire and engaged in conversation with skiers from the adjacent yurt. Everyone had enjoyed a good day of skiing, but Tony and I were feeling justified with our decision to depart in the morning. For our last dinner together, Tony served his signature dish: chicken, vegetable, and rotini alfredo.
Day 3: Three Creek Camp to Sno-Park
A clear, cold night left everything frozen solid in the morning, including Greg’s orange juice. After breakfast, we all went about packing for our respective itineraries. Doug, Greg, and Bob then struck off through the forest for a day of yo-yo skiing in Yahtzee Bowl and Animal Bowl. Tony and I, on the other hand, headed back along Road #16 to the sno-park. Our exit involved 2 miles of kick-and-glide skiing over rolling terrain, followed by 3½ miles of fast (sometimes frightfully fast) descending on rough, icy snow. We zoomed into the parking lot at 10:50am (1.1 hours from camp) to wrap up another fun Tam Rim outing.
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Equipment Comments
For more information regarding the various equipment that I used for this particular trip and that I typically use for this type of trip, see my gear reviews on the following pages:
>>> Backcountry Telemark Ski Touring Gear
>>> Backcountry Ski & Snowshoe Packs
>>> Wintertime Comfort Accessories
Route Maps
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Photo Gallery
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