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968 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2012 : 5:30 PM
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Nicolas and I took 24 hours to ski Silver Star, just shy of 9000 feet. Left home in Vancouver at 1930 on Friday and returned 1930 on Saturday. Overnighted at Klipchuck campground just down the road from Silver Star Creek. Met some friends there Saturday morning and a couple more joined at the trailhead. (No, not really a trail, just a beaten path until we hit snow.)
Left the TH at 0700. It started out a bluebird day but the sun got covered around 1000 hours so the slopes only partially corned up for the descent. Arrived at the Burgundy-Silver Star col at 1230 and the summit shortly before 1300. Climbed the last bit or rock and snow above the col in plastic boots - not so much fun.
No wind in the col or on summit but still wasn't warm. Lots of glide cracks opening up over smooth granite slabs and debris piles from earlier collapses.
Lots of parties still slogging up as we went down. Not sure what the game plan is for carrying up heavy overnight packs and camping high above the lower meadows. Looks to me like a lot of self-inflicted punishment. It's really a pretty easy ascent, only 5400 feet from the highway. Even at a more leisurely pace than we set, it should be possible with the long days in May for most parties to do it as a day trip.
  
Trailhead on Highway 20. Lower meadows. Lower larches.
  
Upper larches. Delancey Ridge and Robinson Mountain behid. A Burgundy spire, I think.
  
Silver Star summit on left and the Burgundy-Silver Star col centre. The col. The final rocky summit block.
  
Looking down the route. Tower Mountain and Golden Horn. EWS and Liberty Bell.
  
Three shots of the upper bowl.
 
Third gulley. Parting shot. |
Edited by - Stoked on 05/20/2012 5:38 PM
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 Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2012 : 6:02 PM
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| That's a cool area. Great TR. |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7132 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2012 : 8:01 PM
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Nice report and photos, great view across at the other mountains.
This peak looks unique, awfully sharp looking:
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
520 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2012 : 6:26 PM
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Awesome area, I wish it were closer to Vancouver.
Great shots of the granite spires. |
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Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2012 : 7:25 PM
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Paul, I guess you just ski straight up Silver Star Creek and up the north facing glacier?
That looks like such an awesome ski run down.
I've only done a couple of summer trips there - one of the Early Winter Spires and, I think, some peak named after a marsupial, or, it could have been Copper, I don't quite remember. I guess Washington Pass is plowed out?
I will never understand ClubTread - how does the Grouse Grind get almost 400 views and this cool TR into an area that never appears on this site struggle to break 200. Not melodramatic enough I guess.
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
667 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2012 : 9:06 PM
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| Very cool. Nice trip. |
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968 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2012 : 05:42 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by sandy
Paul, I guess you just ski straight up Silver Star Creek and up the north facing glacier?
That looks like such an awesome ski run down.
I've only done a couple of summer trips there - one of the Early Winter Spires and, I think, some peak named after a marsupial, or, it could have been Copper, I don't quite remember. I guess Washington Pass is plowed out?
I will never understand ClubTread - how does the Grouse Grind get almost 400 views and this cool TR into an area that never appears on this site struggle to break 200. Not melodramatic enough I guess.
Hi Sandy,
The highway opened a couple of weeks ago. The approach had already melted out a bit. We had to carry skis for about 40 minutes. Not really a problem though.
I think you might be thinking of Kangaroo Ridge. Is it a marsupial?
It's probably ignorance plus not wearing my heart on my sleeve. Silver Star is one of the premier ski descents in the North Cascades. If I cared I'd report on TAY. Lots of page hits there. That said, it would be nice to get it in mid-winter. I've been shut down a couple of times in winter by bad weather. The helis get it all the time though. Money can buy happiness. |
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Silver Star in 24 hours
