kepPNW:
Original plan was to snowshoe up by Mount St Helens, but we didn't get much beyond Elk Rock viewpoint before the road became impassable. Gorgeous sunrise, but time for Plan B!
kepPNW:
Original plan was to snowshoe up by Mount St Helens, but we didn't get much beyond Elk Rock viewpoint before the road became impassable. Gorgeous sunrise, but time for Plan B!
kepPNW:
Decided to head up Silver Star from the closest (Tarbell) trailhead which, according to Google, was 38 miles and 1h35m away! Omg...
kepPNW:
Noted the cutoff for the new Silver Shadow trail, about a mile in. Need to go explore someday!
kepPNW:
First snow was near the turnoff from the Tarbell Trail, where the climb begins in earnest. Hints of blue skies above wafted over every now and then, as we hoped to climb through the clouds.
kepPNW:
First snow was near the turnoff from the Tarbell Trail, where the climb begins in earnest. Hints of blue skies above wafted over every now and then, as we hoped to climb through the clouds.
kepPNW:
First snow was near the turnoff from the Tarbell Trail, where the climb begins in earnest. Hints of blue skies above wafted over every now and then, as we hoped to climb through the clouds.
kepPNW:
First snow was near the turnoff from the Tarbell Trail, where the climb begins in earnest. Hints of blue skies above wafted over every now and then, as we hoped to climb through the clouds.
kepPNW:
Finally on the north ridge, we had met the boundary between clouds and blue sky above. Looking down...
kepPNW:
Finally on the north ridge, we had met the boundary between clouds and blue sky above. Looking up...
kepPNW:
Fog Bow! Like a rainbow, or Brocken spectre, except that the water droplets are so tiny no prism effect results in the multiple colors seen in those.
kepPNW:
Followed the ridgeline, rather than a trail off to either side, for the best views in both directions.
kepPNW:
Some of the snow and ice formations were so lovely, it was almost disappointing to be leaving footprints behind.
kepPNW:
Awesome shot of me shooting down the north ridge of Silver Star as the clouds roiled below us. Photo: Eric.
kepPNW:
Awesome shot of me shooting down the north ridge of Silver Star as the clouds roiled below us. Photo: Eric.
kepPNW:
Colorful little Brocken spectre far down in the clouds below. Another atmospheric feature we just didn't see while out there! Wow...
kepPNW:
Panorama showing Mount Hood (left), the primary Silver Star summit (middle), and Sturgeon Rock (right).
