Collier Loop Part 2: Pacific Crest Trail Section Scott Meadow to Glacier Creek

Left to right: North Sister, Middle Sister, and Little Brother from the PCT

Distance: 4.6 miles one-way

Maximum Elevation: 6200 feet

Minimum Elevation: 7200 feet

Total Elevation Gain: 1200 feet

A continuation of Collier Loop Part 1

Shortly after beginning this next section of the loop, I passed a fellow hiker along the trail, doing the same hike but in the opposite direction. He said great views were awaiting – in fact, he said his friend had called this section of the PCT one of his favorite parts of the entire 2,650-mile trek.

I would quickly find out why. The trail passes through meadows, forest, a spring, lava planes, and jagged obsidian crevices, to climax on a side trail up Collier Cone’s alpine viewpoint at the foot of the North and Middle Sisters. The spectacular views of some of the central Cascades’ best seemed to never cease on this four and a half-mile stretch of trail. 

Minnie Scott Spring

After turning right onto the PCT from Scott Trail, you’ll head south through the meadow with the North and Middle Sisters dominating your horizon. After leaving the meadow and crossing through a forested section, you’ll reach Minnie Scott Spring about 1.5 miles down the trail. 

The spring lives up to its name. At its deepest, it may be a couple inches. It’s enough to filter water from, though, making it the only reliable water source so far since starting the loop. No other water source exists until you reach Glacier Creek about another three miles further on, so don’t wait to fill up if you’re thirsty. A camping spot or two also might be found close by the spring. 

Another Smeagol picture in the lava

Then the trail heads in earnest into the lava flows. Directly ahead, its red pumice splotched with snow, 7,800-foot Little Brother doesn’t look so little anymore. 

At 1.8 miles from Scott Trail meadows, a massive grey cinder cone rises to the left – Collier Cone. At this point, the PCT veers to the right to skirt the rugged slopes of Little Brother. This will be the eventual route. First, be sure to take a slight left on a smaller side-trail. Its only .3 miles one-way and the views are spectacular. 

It first winds around jagged obsidian crags, then winds through Collier Crater, a moonscape of alpine flowers and pumice at the base of the cinder cone. It climbs the crater wall, a small lava tube off to

Collier Crater

the right, to reach the viewpoint’s crest. North Sister reaches up jagged to the front left. Middle rises up behind Collier Glacier, a huge chunk of ice once known as Oregon’s largest glacier. To the right is Little Brothers, from this view just as impressive as his bigger siblings. Directly below is a murky lake, the rock-mixed meltwater of Collier Glacier.

After you’ve had your fill of the viewpoint, retrace your steps and continue down the PCT for a final couple miles. 

It continues through the lava, then drops down in a series of tight switchbacks to enter forest again. Finally, it opens in meadow to the sound of running water as you reach the Glacier Creek intersection. A beautiful, meadow-framed view of Middle Sister awaits you at the turnoff.

Part three of the loop can be found here.

For more High Cascade adventures, check out my Cascade Crest page.

North Sister and Middle Sister from the Collier  Crater viewpoint