Overview
Mount Silverthrone is a glaciated peak in the Alaska range, situated 11 miles east of Denali. It is relatively remote, being situated on the northern side of the range. Since fixed wing aircraft are not allowed to land in that area of Denali National Park, the only reasonable approach is hiking in from Wonder Lake from the North. Because of it's remoteness, an expedition style climb is most suitable. For climbers in this area of the park, food is often dogsledded to McGonagal Pass every spring where it can stay until the climb takes place. This climb could take anywhere from 3 weeks to a month depending on the experience and speed of the climbers. Round trip distance for the route is around 70 miles, about 30 miles of which is glacier travel and 40 miles of tundra hiking.
Getting There
The only reasonable approach to the mountain is from the North from the Wonder Lake campsite in Denali National Park. The first and sometimes most formidable obstacle on the route is forging the Mckinley river bar. It is a large glacial fed river bed with as many as 15-20 individual braids which must be crossed. Depending on rainfall and meltoff, it may be uncrossable at times. Once having crossed the Mckinley river, which is two miles from the Wonder Lake Campsite, 18 miles of tundra hiking remain until McGonagal Pass is reached on a lateral moraine of the Muldrow glacier. McGonagal Pass is where food and supplies are sledded to every spring, so an initial 3-4 days of food must be carried from Wonder Lake. Once at McGonagal Pass, 15 miles of glacier travel up the Brooks glacier remain between you and the summit. There are several ways to get up the mountain, but the northern ridge is by far the safest and easiest.
Red Tape
Backcountry permits are required in Denali National Park and must be obtained before heading out. Reservations are not allowed, causing some difficulty at times as only a limited number of people are allowed in each quadrant of the park at a given time.
When To Climb
I assume this mountain is most commonly climbed during the summer months of July-August. A winter climb would be possible, but given that it is Alaska, extreme conditions would be expected.
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