Silver Star TR

[plexus]

Did Silver Star Mtn on Tuesday with a couple of friends. Camped on road to Cutthroat Pass Trailhead, left Hwy 20 at 5:15 a.m., decend down to Willow Creek, had to jump to an island to cross on the log over the creek, which is raging pretty good.

 

The trail is visible and in earshot of Burgundy Creek. Hit punchy snow at 5800 ft, full coverage by 6200 ft. Ate 1st lunch at the campsite described by Beckey and Nelson at 6,700 ft.

 

The way up to Burgundy Col seemed to take forever. Crappy snow, refrozen crust with slop underneath, much wallowing was endured. Also the forshortening of the way makes you think you're always close to the col but never are.

 

The views from the col are great. Somebody left some booty up there, which my friends were happy to inhale

 

Short glissade down and traverse around the spires, all soft snow on the east side. One friend bailed and decided to check out some heliskier stakes on a knoll, so just two of us headed up the snowslope, at around 8300 ft, cached some excess gear which we didn't want to carry up any longer, including our crampons. So of course Murphy's law occured.

 

On way up the two of us leaped out of the way of a snow patch that slid off of the West peak, broke into several pieces and came barrelling down at us. Reached Silver Star col and up to the peak, where we discovered we wish we had our crampons. Stuck to some class 3 when was possible. Got summit, drank mescal, great glissade down, traverse, bloody hell we have to climb up to the col

 

Great glissade down from Burgundy col, zombie walk back to truck. Enjoyed some apricot ale. I'm still dead today.

 

roundtrip was just under 10 hrs. The backside of Silver Star is gorgeous and will be back there later on to get up Burgundy Spire. The rock is pretty clean.

[Norman_Clyde]

I went up there last June hoping to climb Burgundy, which was still plastered with snow. Burgundy looked scary to me, but the Rebel Yell route on Chianti looked classic. When I go back that's what I want to climb. Now all I have to do is work on my 5.10 trad leading skills.

[slaphappy]

"...will be back there later on to get up Burgundy Spire. The rock is pretty clean."

 

 

The rock may look "clean" but large portions are completely detached from the spire, tread lightly.