Silverstar conditions

[Courtenay]

We had a wonderful 1-day climb of Silverstar via Silverstar Glacier on 5/27. The boulder field at the start is almost completely free of snow, and we had a bit of challenging fun bushwhacking to the stream (there is a trail, we just didn't find it right off the bat.) The river is clear up to the 2-log stream crossing, so be prepared to get your feet wet or head upstream quite a stretch to a wide log angled uphill (we inch-wormed our way across, and managed to stay dry).

The gully headed up to Burgundy Col is 1/2 snow, 1/2 uncomfortable scree (no complete glissade) but conditions on the south side are fantastic (great glissading; one in our party had short skis). The scramble to the top is free of snow and the views are WELL worth the climb. We saw evidence of some dramatic slab avalanches over on Kangaroo Ridge high up on the slopes, but nothing like it (yet) on the south side of Silverstar. Snow was relatively soft and we didn't need crampons. Fun climb.