grand opening: Silver Star South Ridge

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Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

grand opening: Silver Star South Ridge

Post by Chip Down » June 19th, 2021, 6:22 pm

I noticed Google now shows a Silver Star South Ridge Trailhead. Maybe it's been there a while, but I like to think I would have noticed. I went to check it out, but started a little low and followed an unmapped road to the TH. (I'm being a little facetious; I know there's not really a new South Ridge Trail. I first went up that route sometime in the last century. But I do think the google map tag is newish.)

My day got off to a great start. The road I started up (see satellite photo below) was charming, featuring a fun fringe of flowers and ferns between road and mature forest. In just a few minutes, I arrived at the South Ridge TH and started up.

The route up to the Silver Star Indian Pits was a little trickier than I remember. It took a little trial and error. Sat photo below shows how to find the bottom of the desired road.

I decided not to go up to the Indian Pits. It was intermittently cloudy, and I didn't want to sit in the mist waiting for it to clear. I've been there a few times, so no need to see it again.

The road was beautiful, with clouds coming and going. I couldn't have asked for a better show, and I was pleased that I wasn't in the blazing sun.

When I hit the Silver Star trail, I headed north to enjoy the upper part of the north ridge, then back to the Sturgeon Rock trail, a side trip up Sturgeon, then back down Tarbell Trail to Grouse Vista.

Other parties:
Imagine the Rapture was scheduled for 3pm today, and an influential sect declared that one must be in the Silver Star area to be saved. That's what it was like. When I hit the Silver Star Trail, I saw 5 people in less than 5 minutes. After that, I stopped counting. The really weird thing was Sturgeon Rock. I've never seen anybody on Sturgeon, but today it was a parade. Blew my mind. The first person who came up behind me was a surprise, but there were more and more, and I felt as incredulous as I'd be if I was watching a dozen clowns get out of a Mini Cooper (first generation). Is Sturgeon Rock the hot new instagram setting? (Do kids still do instagram? I don't keep up.)
Attachments
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At lower left, red mark indicates where I dropped off four wheels and continued on two. Blue mark indicates where to follow a road that's hidden under canopy.
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The route that google calls "south ridge".
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A little higher.
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A little higher.
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A little higher.
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A little higher.
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Looking over at Pyramid Peak. [edit: Pyramid Rock]
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Mighty Larch Mountain piercing the clouds.
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Ale Apothecary makes some interesting brews, and I respect what they do, but this might be the first time I actually liked one of their beers. A 12%abv barleywine, aged in pinot noir barrels, bottle conditioned, funky and tart but not too much.
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Alongside Tarbell Trail where it passes through the newest clearcut.
Last edited by Chip Down on June 21st, 2021, 7:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

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KDfishbiologist
Posts: 25
Joined: May 28th, 2020, 8:40 am

Re: grand opening: Silver Star South Ridge

Post by KDfishbiologist » June 21st, 2021, 7:03 am

Saw this too show on google maps, and was curious what this South route was. Thanks for the update!

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Bosterson
Posts: 2317
Joined: May 18th, 2009, 3:17 pm
Location: Portland

Re: grand opening: Silver Star South Ridge

Post by Bosterson » June 21st, 2021, 10:27 am

Google Maps probably doesn't note this, but Silver Star (and apparently now Sturgeon Rock) is a notorious breeding ground for sea lions. You can hear them honking all the way across that valley.

Re Apothecary, haven't you tried Sahati? It's like drinking a wild ale filtered through spruce branches, because it's a wild ale filtered through spruce branches...

Good to see that mushroom is still there.
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

PortlandHiker
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Joined: November 4th, 2021, 10:31 am

Re: grand opening: Silver Star South Ridge

Post by PortlandHiker » November 4th, 2021, 10:35 am

Bosterson wrote:
June 21st, 2021, 10:27 am
Google Maps probably doesn't note this, but Silver Star (and apparently now Sturgeon Rock) is a notorious breeding ground for sea lions. You can hear them honking all the way across that valley.

Re Apothecary, haven't you tried Sahati? It's like drinking a wild ale filtered through spruce branches, because it's a wild ale filtered through spruce branches...

Good to see that mushroom is still there.
That's incredible! How do the Sea Lions travel the 90+ miles from the ocean to this mountain in Washington? Do they make the trip every year or is it a once in a lifetime thing like Salmon?

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Bosterson
Posts: 2317
Joined: May 18th, 2009, 3:17 pm
Location: Portland

Re: grand opening: Silver Star South Ridge

Post by Bosterson » November 4th, 2021, 11:42 am

PortlandHiker wrote:
November 4th, 2021, 10:35 am
That's incredible! How do the Sea Lions travel the 90+ miles from the ocean to this mountain in Washington? Do they make the trip every year or is it a once in a lifetime thing like Salmon?
Hmm sorry if this was misleading, I was making a joke - which I guess is an in-joke, though I thought we'd put it in an older TR I can't find - about the people who go sun themselves as they cluster on top of Silver Star. I think EP and I first coined the sea lions gag about all the people on SS while we were over on Sturgeon years ago, and now Chip is saying they've overrun Sturgeon, hence the great sea lion migration.... ;)
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

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