TR: Star Peak 4-22-08

goldenboy, don pedro

I can't believe it's taken my this long to climb or ski Star Peak (13,521'). It's been on my to-do list, as it is very visible from hwy 135 south of Crested Butte:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08311.jpg

After a long snowmobile ride up Cement creek, we parked the snowmobiles here: http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08001.jpg

In other words, our sleds were in the saddle on the left in this photo:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08008.jpg

Not bad access, eh? Anyway, we traversed and skinned our way to the base of the East face, and then booted right up it:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3422.jpg

From the summit, we had great views of Teocalli:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08012.jpg

and the East face of Castle:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08025.jpg

and Cathedral:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08026.jpg

We waited on top for a while, waiting for things to soften up on the SW face, which is the face most visible from Crested Butte and the one we wanted to ski. Don pedro did some bowling, http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08028.jpg


and discovered that the face wasn't even starting to thaw. So we decided to double down and ski the E face first, and then come back for the SW face a little later. Don pedro drops in:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08037.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08088.jpg

GB:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3466.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3472.jpg

The corn was perfect, something that has been a rarity in this snow-filled season. We made a quick traverse and headed up the N ridge. http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08108.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08112.jpg

We were distinctly aware of how close we were to Aspen at this point. Ashcroft is in the valley top center.
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3517.jpg

The SW slopes were ready by the time we summited again, so don pedro dropped in for seconds:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08132.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08162.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08195.jpg

gb:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3556.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3594.jpg

The little dot would be don pedro, exiting the route:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08218.jpg

We still needed to get back to the sleds, but the N face of Crystal Peak (12,777') looked so good, we decided to go for desert. dp:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08233.jpg

Looking back at Star, we had a great view of our lines on the right (E) and left (SW)
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08247.jpg

Don pedro gets first tracks again:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08251.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08268.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08299.jpg

gb:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3688.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...k/IMG_3702.jpg


See this sign:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08306.jpg

That would be this sign:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...91starpeak.jpg

Just thought I would point that out- one of the main reasons I mountain bike is just to add to my ski tick-list, so it was pretty cool to go back there. Here's mbsc's bike TR from that area: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=92006

Anyway, I need to get some rest so I'm fresh tomorrow, we saw some other lines that we need to go back for :D

Damn fine playground there. Lots of sand.

Yay for corn! Star looks prime. I'll have to ski that with you next year when I'm actually living in the Butte :)

Nice GB and don pedro :yourock: Your TRs have been getting me through this skiless season!:frown:

Jesus Christ on a bicycle you guys are motorized!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by goldenboy

[self indulgent banter deleted]...That would be this sign:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...91starpeak.jpg
...

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nice touch

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dside11-11

Jesus Christ on a bicycle you guys are motorized!

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We'll drag you out there this summer, if the snow ever melts :D

Never a disappointing TR. Way to work.

sweet! good worrk!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by goldenboy

and the East face of Castle:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08025.jpg

and Cathedral:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-22-08026.jpg

---

Holy jeebus the coverage on those is good.

Star looks like a fun one too, from every side.

GoldenBoy killing it this spring! Very nice.

Thanks for sharing and the perspective regarding how close CB and Aspen are as the Crow flies.

Never ceases to amaze me.

Very cool.....so how much vert was that? Three different decents....that is rad.

...looks awesome. Such sick lines and very aesthetic. Nice photos, mang!

Thanks for another sweet TR, GB :)

Nice once again!

Really makes me wish I could still ski! :)

Nice 3peat dude. Star is a classic looking line for sure. Tearin' shit up!

Nice lines, very aesthetic... I need to get out more.

Nice work GB!

P.S. - I don't know if anyone has told you but you were mentioned in an article in the Aspen Daily News Yesterday about skiing 14ers!

GB: The friendlier iskibc.

:thumbsup:

Castle, Teocalli, and Cathedral looking quite nice.

I need a smoke.

GB's trip reports usually don't disappoint, but this one does. 13,521' what's up with that. :)

Definitely one sweet adventure!!! Nice!

From Star Peak, we couldn't help but notice that there was a pretty good snowmobile route that could lead us all the way to the base of Castle. So that was today's plan. We dropped over the pass where we parked yesterday and were in the headwaters of the Taylor river. Then we tried to get over Star pass. Here's don pedro:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-23-08011.jpg

He kind of bogged down at the sidehill, but crawled it up and over. Then it was my turn. I bogged down a few feet higher, with a little more sidehill, pulled uphill with everything I've got, but it wasn't enough. My snowmobile started tipping, and it brought me with it. I got tossed downhill far enough for my sled to gain some momentum as it rolled sideways over me, and then started flipping end over end. Thankfully it righted itself and stopped before the next roll:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-23-08012.jpg

My left arm took the brunt of the hit, and it's pretty swollen, but thankfully I was allright. The sled? Broken windshield, obviously, bent handlebar, and one of the skis twisted on its' post, but that was easy to fix. All in all, it could have been a lot worse 20miles from the trailhead.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-23-08015.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...4-23-08017.jpg

^^I'm not really as familiar with the CB side but couldn't you have just gone up Pearl Pass Road and over to Castle, or is access/distance from that side worse than Cement Creek??