Star Pk from Crystal Pk

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Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby jmbrooks8 » Mon Aug 15, 2011 2:50 pm

Has anyone climbed Star Pk 13521' SSE ridge from Crystal pk? Does this ridge go at 2+ ?
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby ClimbingCooneys » Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:30 pm

I'm confused. The only Star Peak of that elevation I find in the Garratt & Martin index is on the Pearl Pass quad. The only Crystal peak I'm aware of is over by Breckenridge. Long connecting ridge! Could you please clarify by elevation and quad. Might be able to help then.
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby ClimbingCooneys » Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:38 pm

Nevermind the clarification. Got out the map and saw that the Crystal peak you mean is a 12er on the Pearl Pass quad. We did not do that ridge. Climbed Star several years ago on a rainy day by working over from Taylor. Lichen covered rocks were slick as snot and we were glad to get off Star without injury. Much of what we experienced on Star was broken rock blocks. Pretty rugged peak from what I remember.
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby jmbrooks8 » Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:29 am

I've seen a summitpost describing N ridge route with a Class 4 headwall crux. The SSE ridge looks like it has a 100' headwall crux at ~ 12900'. So wondering which ridge offers the Class 2+ route? The W ridge?
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby ClimbingCooneys » Tue Aug 16, 2011 4:20 pm

Looked up a written report we made of our climb of Taylor & Star in 1998. After summiting Taylor, we proceeded west along the long ridge that connects to Star. At the first major notch, we dropped off the ridge to the south to later avoid a difficult, pinnacled section of the same ridge. We contoured west through a rock-glacier filled basin and aimed for a saddle between the Star summit and a northern appendage (13,420) to the peak on the north ridge that turns east toward Taylor. We hiked up a snow-filled, east facing couloir toward this saddle. About half way up, we lost the snow and continued on over slick, wet, unstable rocks. About 100 feet below the saddle (13,260) we veered left and worked our way up parallel but below the ridge crest on the east side. (It had been raining and there was a threat of lightening, so we were trying to stay low.) Farther on, we gained the ridge crest and made it to the summit. Clouds prevented any significant viewing of virtually anything. I do not recall anything harder on this particular route than 2+ - but the wet, lichen covered rock was treacherous. On the way back down, we stayed more on the north ridge crest back down to the saddle. It was mostly just a rock-hopping climb.
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby John Kirk » Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:11 pm

I did Star from Crystal back in October. It is relatively easy to skirt the east side of the headwall on the south ridge and go up typical elk range loose talus between ribs (2+). No class 2+ routes staying on the ridges. The NE slopes of Star are also 2+ on the way to/from Taylor.
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby jmbrooks8 » Wed Aug 17, 2011 6:10 am

Thanks all for beta. Hope to give it a whirl this weekend.
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby jmbrooks8 » Sat Aug 20, 2011 5:57 pm

John - your register entry from Oct 2010 was the last one until mine today.

I ascended the NE couloir route (no snow) and descended the S ridge. I'd agree with both 2+ ratings, but what a long, long haul over a LOT of rocks (loose too). I never concentrated so much before!
Tough peak!
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Re: Star Pk from Crystal Pk

Postby ClimbingCooneys » Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:46 am

Congratulations on making it. Not a peak we would care to revisit - as you found out, for the tedious rock. Taylor, on the other hand, was nice. We'd go there again. Italian Mtn. - not too far from there was also a pleasant climb.
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