Viewed from the trailhead, South Sister looms large over the trees.

The trail starts out by crossing Fall Creek and then immediately heads uphill.

One of the things we like best about this particular hike is the trail is never far from the sound of Fall Creek as it  tumbles down the mountain.

There must be close to a dozen waterfalls along the route ...

... as well as teasing glimpses of Broken Top and South Sister.

A little over halfway up, the path comes out on an alpine meadow - strewn with wildflowers in the summertime and patches of snow in October.

Past the meadow, the trail climbs again and then levels out where it parallels the creek and an amazing lava ridge. Here, South Sister peeks out over the top of the ridge.

The trail comes out above the tree line to a rather barren landscape, and then dips back down to the water's edge. We ate our picnic lunch bundled up against the alpine wind, our faces toward the sun, with South Sister at one end of the lake ...

... and Broken Top on the opposite shore. It just doesn't get much better than this.