Star Peak Trip Report 12/17/2024

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Star Peak - 13,527 feet Taylor Peak - 13,438 feet
Date Posted	12/17/2024
Date Climbed	05/27/2021
Author	SnowAlien

Spring Elk Hunting II
Star & Taylor TH: Pearl pass road turnoff from Ashcroft Date: 05.06.21 10 miles, ~5,000 ft, ~10 hours The paved road to Lindley hut was gated with snow starting soon thereafter, so we parked at the 2wd road turnoff for Pearl pass. The night had a great freeze, so the day turned out to be perfect for a twofer. Even after looking at a few trip reports and staring at maps for awhile, I still had some confusion on how to proceed, and the order of peaks. First order of business was to find the Lindley hut, - we actually never saw the hut, but got pretty close and saw multiple ski tracks going in its direction. We went a bit too far right on steeper terrain and had to put crampons on, but eventually made it up to the upper basin. At that point Taylor peak was directly in front of us, while Star was way in the back, so we proceeded to hike up mostly dry ridge of Taylor. The last part of the ridge was a little spicy and we arrived on the summit just after 9 am. Hiking the mining road up Taylor Last rocky bit of the ridge to Taylor Star from Taylor Justin on the summit of Taylor For once, the timing was perfect, and we dropped into perfectly smooth corn on the east face at 9.45 am. Once at the logical conclusion of the line, it only made sense to traverse right and to go for the 2nd peak of the day. The topography was starting to make sense. Getting ready to ski Me skiing the east face, many options Justin Me lower on the face Trying to stay high on the traverse to Star (we had to drop down to about 12k ft to go around the cliffs) We were able to skin up all the way to the 13k ft saddle. The snow was still very supportive. Me skinning near the saddle We booted up the last bit of the ridge On the summit, getting ready to drop in Snow was still cold and even a bit unconsolidated, so it worked well as the 2nd line of the day From the bottom of the Star, now we had to figure out how to get back to the car. We identified the 2 saddles that would take us back to the correct basin. We were kinda done with the uphill, otherwise we would have taken the Dr. Evil saddle. The reclimb to the lower saddle went quick and we enjoyed the still supportive corn on the ski out. Fantastic corn on the ski out Snow was still supportive even in the trees at the end of the day We only had to hike maybe last half a mile before the car. Overall, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this duo of peaks, and the lines weren't long, but it turned out to be quite a nice outing, especially with a great freeze. My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload): Login required to view this map...

Spring Elk Hunting II

Star & Taylor

TH: Pearl pass road turnoff from Ashcroft

Date: 05.06.21

10 miles, ~5,000 ft, ~10 hours

The paved road to Lindley hut was gated with snow starting soon thereafter, so we parked at the 2wd road turnoff for Pearl pass. The night had a great freeze, so the day turned out to be perfect for a twofer. Even after looking at a few trip reports and staring at maps for awhile, I still had some confusion on how to proceed, and the order of peaks. First order of business was to find the Lindley hut, - we actually never saw the hut, but got pretty close and saw multiple ski tracks going in its direction. We went a bit too far right on steeper terrain and had to put crampons on, but eventually made it up to the upper basin. At that point Taylor peak was directly in front of us, while Star was way in the back, so we proceeded to hike up mostly dry ridge of Taylor. The last part of the ridge was a little spicy and we arrived on the summit just after 9 am.

For once, the timing was perfect, and we dropped into perfectly smooth corn on the east face at 9.45 am. Once at the logical conclusion of the line, it only made sense to traverse right and to go for the 2nd peak of the day. The topography was starting to make sense.

Trying to stay high on the traverse to Star (we had to drop down to about 12k ft to go around the cliffs)

We were able to skin up all the way to the 13k ft saddle. The snow was still very supportive.

Snow was still cold and even a bit unconsolidated, so it worked well as the 2nd line of the day

From the bottom of the Star, now we had to figure out how to get back to the car. We identified the 2 saddles that would take us back to the correct basin. We were kinda done with the uphill, otherwise we would have taken the Dr. Evil saddle. The reclimb to the lower saddle went quick and we enjoyed the still supportive corn on the ski out.

Snow was still supportive even in the trees at the end of the day

We only had to hike maybe last half a mile before the car. Overall, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this duo of peaks, and the lines weren't long, but it turned out to be quite a nice outing, especially with a great freeze.

My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):

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