14ers.com • Peak Condition Update

Peak:	North Star Mountain (13er)
Route:	Southeast Shoulder
Range:	Tenmile
Posted By:	daway8
Date of Info:	01/20/2021
Date Posted:	01/20/2021

Details
Did the entire route without using traction or floatation. There were a few icy spots and I did do a little postholing now and then (in a few isolated spots up to my knees) but there was never enough of this to feel the need to gear up (your tolerance level may be different). Took the road up, it was fairly well tracked for much of it but there were a couple of concerning wind loaded slopes hanging over the road in spots. Wind gust forecast jumped to 50mph at the last minute and I think it hit that at least a few times. Took 5hrs to reach the summit fighting into the wind but 3hrs to return with wind mostly at my back. Ridge line from falsely labeled summit at the start of the ridge (I call it Baby North Star) to the real North Star at the far end of the ridge was far more dramatic in appearance than in summer - sometimes coming up to one narrow spike of snow with large, steep snow fields dropping off the side but there were decent tracks already set in across most of it. Staying on the very top of the ridge seemed to generally be the best route under the current conditions. Will add some photos later. Photos (click for slideshow):

Details

Did the entire route without using traction or floatation. There were a few icy spots and I did do a little postholing now and then (in a few isolated spots up to my knees) but there was never enough of this to feel the need to gear up (your tolerance level may be different). Took the road up, it was fairly well tracked for much of it but there were a couple of concerning wind loaded slopes hanging over the road in spots. Wind gust forecast jumped to 50mph at the last minute and I think it hit that at least a few times. Took 5hrs to reach the summit fighting into the wind but 3hrs to return with wind mostly at my back. Ridge line from falsely labeled summit at the start of the ridge (I call it Baby North Star) to the real North Star at the far end of the ridge was far more dramatic in appearance than in summer - sometimes coming up to one narrow spike of snow with large, steep snow fields dropping off the side but there were decent tracks already set in across most of it. Staying on the very top of the ridge seemed to generally be the best route under the current conditions. Will add some photos later.

Photos (click for slideshow):

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