Decon - Mar 20, 2024 9:36 am Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2022
Hello Again
Second time here and a great hike.
Xander Culver - May 30, 2018 10:29 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2016
Fun hike with Lawton Chin.
The road was too rough for our two-wheel drive car, so we walked an extra 2 miles and around 1000 ft to the top. Great views!
iditarod81 - Oct 7, 2017 10:38 pm Date Climbed: Oct 7, 2017
Fall colors were amazing!
Magnificent hike with my husband and 14-month old son. The fall colors were absolutely spectacular AND we beat the rain!
Gregpdx - Mar 9, 2015 9:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 8, 2015
Amazing View!
Perfect weather and the views outstanding
cyffredinol - Jun 5, 2013 12:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2013
lovely hike
A sunny day and a pretty hike! Beargrass just starting to bloom. Only encountered two hikers on the entire trail. Where is everybody?
nicozone - May 2, 2012 5:44 pm Date Climbed: Apr 7, 2012
Mazama BCEP Hike
Another year, another BCEP class makes it to the saddle below the summit ridge and has to turn around because of unstable snow pack and reaching our turn-around time. Great views from the saddle though.
TyC - Aug 14, 2011 3:12 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2011
Once again
Went up with a friend did silver star and sturgeon rock,
Great hike! Started from Grouse Vista Trail head and headed up the trail. Scrambled Pyramid rock and the headed up towards Silver Star summit. Snow still covered several areas of the trail.
Redwic - Jun 6, 2010 10:28 am Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2010
Side-trip for my CoHP trip
I summited Silver Star Mountain as part of a side-trip that involved Sturgeon Rock and "Sturgeon Fin" (the Clark CoHP). "Sturgeon Fin" was my 19th WA CoHP. A lot of snow on the trail between 3700'-4200'. The summits were bare. Great views in all directions. This area was packed full of hikers; definitely a popular area. No animals seen, but plenty of grouse heard in the surrounding forests. I also summited Goat Mountain (the Cowlitz CoHP) earlier during the same day.
Holy crap! I had overlooked this peak for years. I always just summed it up as "a shitty road, so forget that"...
Well, I drove the road, and yes it's not great. Part of the road is 4" rip-rap in leiu of true Macadam, but that's how those logging companies do it.
The Hike is so so. The views are GREAT!!!!! I am pissed at my self for not doing this sooner. OH SNAP, there is more!!! Bluff Mt. Little Baldy.... Can't wait to get another chance to explore in this area more.
Nice hike to gain a few views. Time it right in June and you'll be walking through acres and acres of beargrass blooms mixed with Indian paintbrush, etc.. Nice walk over to Old Baldy, as well to gain a better appreciation of the Yacolt Burn.
mkpatrick - Sep 1, 2009 6:20 am Date Climbed: May 21, 2009
South Side
Great day to be outside, check out sturgeon rock if your up there
Went for an anniversary hike with my wife. Perfect day with clear skies, meadows thick with wildflowers and hordes of butterflies (not a single mosquito).
Lunadog - May 11, 2009 12:14 pm Date Climbed: May 9, 2009
Snowday
With my Dad. We went off trail early due to crusty snow but the beargrass was mostly over my head (not hard to do when you are 2 feet tall). I heard there was a goat living on Pyramid Rock so I was ready to kick some goat butt but we didn't see one. Went up some cool snow near the top and I got to hang around on the summit for a while. Saw some cool dogs on the way back. My Dad brought the wrong hiking guide so we had to guess at the roads driving in. We guessed wrong but did get to drive past a prison in the woods. My advice is not to get off trail in this area. You never know who you'll meet out there. ;- ) This is a cool hike though, I give it four paws (and a tail).
My son and I hike a biked up. Rode around for a while on the trails to the north and east of the summit. Was a nice fast downhill to the north, Ed's trail to the NE was fun for a bit, then got too dangerous with cliffs where a fall would have been the end. So we went up to the summit for the real fun. Still patches of considerable snow past 3700 feet and maybe 5 trees across the trail. We rode down in 30 minutes despite having to walk past the blowdown, riding through the snow bits and having to stop for a minute when my son went over the bars halfway down the steep part near the bottom(he wasn't hurt, wish I was 16 again!). The top is fairly rough, I'll give most of it a BK4(see Klenke's rating system), the middle section is smoother and much faster, probably BK 2-3. The bottom is fairly steep and very rough, I agree with the 5.3 rating Klenke gave it. It was a blast, and I am happy to note that we rode the entire trail with the exception of having to walk around the blowdown. Note: Good brakes are a must, and I highly recommend a nice plush full suspension bike. I have a Gary Fisher HiFi Plus with 5" of travel front a rear with hydraulic discs, and was very thankful I did.
I've been hiking here for fifteen years and before this year the snow was gone by the end of June, usually by May. This year I was on top of 3-4 FEET of snow at 4200' in the forest on the west side. There was snow patches below the summit on the east side (which is bare of trees); this after 100 degree heat in Portland. WOW! And the flowers (with the exception of almost no Beargrass) were unbelievable. I saw no one on a monday except for a couple just starting out when I finished.
SubalpineSam - Jun 16, 2008 12:13 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2008
Is it June or February??
Wow! What a place, and right in our back yard!!! Weather was perfect today with great visibility once the morning funk burned off. 2/3 of the trail was still under snow. At one point a guy with a tent used an 8-foot tent pole to probe the snow and never reached the bottom. The next few weeks might get kind of hairy up here, as the snow is starting to melt in earnest from the bottom, and hikers are likely to start into some serious postholing.
A great area right next to Portland. I don't like the "roads" cut into the mountains, but you can't have it all. Fall and winter are especially good times to visit. Come on a day when the weather allows for good views.
Annie - Aug 6, 2007 6:53 pm Date Climbed: Mar 4, 2006
Goat
First hike with Brian. Natasha also was with us. Saw the goat, lots of snow.
NickyP - May 28, 2007 10:11 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2007
Great Day for a Hike
Went strait to a crowded trailhead after work around 2:30. Took Ed's trail up and came down the main trail. Saw a group parasailing off the ridge while I was up there too. I would say the best view of the area is on this summit.
Decon - Mar 20, 2024 9:36 am Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2022
Hello AgainSecond time here and a great hike.
Xander Culver - May 30, 2018 10:29 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2016
Fun hike with Lawton Chin.The road was too rough for our two-wheel drive car, so we walked an extra 2 miles and around 1000 ft to the top. Great views!
iditarod81 - Oct 7, 2017 10:38 pm Date Climbed: Oct 7, 2017
Fall colors were amazing!Magnificent hike with my husband and 14-month old son. The fall colors were absolutely spectacular AND we beat the rain!
Gregpdx - Mar 9, 2015 9:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 8, 2015
Amazing View!Perfect weather and the views outstanding
cyffredinol - Jun 5, 2013 12:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2013
lovely hikeA sunny day and a pretty hike! Beargrass just starting to bloom. Only encountered two hikers on the entire trail. Where is everybody?
nicozone - May 2, 2012 5:44 pm Date Climbed: Apr 7, 2012
Mazama BCEP HikeAnother year, another BCEP class makes it to the saddle below the summit ridge and has to turn around because of unstable snow pack and reaching our turn-around time. Great views from the saddle though.
TyC - Aug 14, 2011 3:12 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2011
Once againWent up with a friend did silver star and sturgeon rock,
TyC - Jul 16, 2011 1:53 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2011
Snow still on the summit trailGreat hike! Started from Grouse Vista Trail head and headed up the trail. Scrambled Pyramid rock and the headed up towards Silver Star summit. Snow still covered several areas of the trail.
Redwic - Jun 6, 2010 10:28 am Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2010
Side-trip for my CoHP tripI summited Silver Star Mountain as part of a side-trip that involved Sturgeon Rock and "Sturgeon Fin" (the Clark CoHP). "Sturgeon Fin" was my 19th WA CoHP. A lot of snow on the trail between 3700'-4200'. The summits were bare. Great views in all directions. This area was packed full of hikers; definitely a popular area. No animals seen, but plenty of grouse heard in the surrounding forests. I also summited Goat Mountain (the Cowlitz CoHP) earlier during the same day.
OJ Loenneker - Apr 25, 2010 11:09 pm Date Climbed: Apr 25, 2010
WOW!Holy crap! I had overlooked this peak for years. I always just summed it up as "a shitty road, so forget that"...
Well, I drove the road, and yes it's not great. Part of the road is 4" rip-rap in leiu of true Macadam, but that's how those logging companies do it.
The Hike is so so. The views are GREAT!!!!! I am pissed at my self for not doing this sooner. OH SNAP, there is more!!! Bluff Mt. Little Baldy.... Can't wait to get another chance to explore in this area more.
mtncorg - Jan 14, 2010 10:56 pm
normal trail/roadNice hike to gain a few views. Time it right in June and you'll be walking through acres and acres of beargrass blooms mixed with Indian paintbrush, etc.. Nice walk over to Old Baldy, as well to gain a better appreciation of the Yacolt Burn.
mkpatrick - Sep 1, 2009 6:20 am Date Climbed: May 21, 2009
South SideGreat day to be outside, check out sturgeon rock if your up there
BCJ - Jul 22, 2009 10:35 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2009
Gorgeous dayWent for an anniversary hike with my wife. Perfect day with clear skies, meadows thick with wildflowers and hordes of butterflies (not a single mosquito).
Lunadog - May 11, 2009 12:14 pm Date Climbed: May 9, 2009
SnowdayWith my Dad. We went off trail early due to crusty snow but the beargrass was mostly over my head (not hard to do when you are 2 feet tall). I heard there was a goat living on Pyramid Rock so I was ready to kick some goat butt but we didn't see one. Went up some cool snow near the top and I got to hang around on the summit for a while. Saw some cool dogs on the way back. My Dad brought the wrong hiking guide so we had to guess at the roads driving in. We guessed wrong but did get to drive past a prison in the woods. My advice is not to get off trail in this area. You never know who you'll meet out there. ;- ) This is a cool hike though, I give it four paws (and a tail).
BSPclimber - Jul 20, 2008 7:49 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2008
On bikesMy son and I hike a biked up. Rode around for a while on the trails to the north and east of the summit. Was a nice fast downhill to the north, Ed's trail to the NE was fun for a bit, then got too dangerous with cliffs where a fall would have been the end. So we went up to the summit for the real fun. Still patches of considerable snow past 3700 feet and maybe 5 trees across the trail. We rode down in 30 minutes despite having to walk past the blowdown, riding through the snow bits and having to stop for a minute when my son went over the bars halfway down the steep part near the bottom(he wasn't hurt, wish I was 16 again!). The top is fairly rough, I'll give most of it a BK4(see Klenke's rating system), the middle section is smoother and much faster, probably BK 2-3. The bottom is fairly steep and very rough, I agree with the 5.3 rating Klenke gave it. It was a blast, and I am happy to note that we rode the entire trail with the exception of having to walk around the blowdown. Note: Good brakes are a must, and I highly recommend a nice plush full suspension bike. I have a Gary Fisher HiFi Plus with 5" of travel front a rear with hydraulic discs, and was very thankful I did.
iceager - Jul 19, 2008 8:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2008
Latest snow ever.I've been hiking here for fifteen years and before this year the snow was gone by the end of June, usually by May. This year I was on top of 3-4 FEET of snow at 4200' in the forest on the west side. There was snow patches below the summit on the east side (which is bare of trees); this after 100 degree heat in Portland. WOW! And the flowers (with the exception of almost no Beargrass) were unbelievable. I saw no one on a monday except for a couple just starting out when I finished.
SubalpineSam - Jun 16, 2008 12:13 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2008
Is it June or February??Wow! What a place, and right in our back yard!!! Weather was perfect today with great visibility once the morning funk burned off. 2/3 of the trail was still under snow. At one point a guy with a tent used an 8-foot tent pole to probe the snow and never reached the bottom. The next few weeks might get kind of hairy up here, as the snow is starting to melt in earnest from the bottom, and hikers are likely to start into some serious postholing.
YEM - Aug 22, 2007 3:01 am
South SideA great area right next to Portland. I don't like the "roads" cut into the mountains, but you can't have it all. Fall and winter are especially good times to visit. Come on a day when the weather allows for good views.
Annie - Aug 6, 2007 6:53 pm Date Climbed: Mar 4, 2006
GoatFirst hike with Brian. Natasha also was with us. Saw the goat, lots of snow.
NickyP - May 28, 2007 10:11 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2007
Great Day for a HikeWent strait to a crowded trailhead after work around 2:30. Took Ed's trail up and came down the main trail. Saw a group parasailing off the ridge while I was up there too. I would say the best view of the area is on this summit.