Trip Date: August 26, 2006

Silvertip Peak Day Climb

Monte Cristo Townsite 
Poodle Dog Pass
Silver Lake
Silvertip Peak aka Silver Tip Peak (6140 ft)

Trip Report Summary

Region: North-Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Monte Cristo Mountains

Area: Henry M. Jackson Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Monte Cristo Roadhead at Barlow Pass on Mountain Loop Highway (Elev. 2350 feet)

Way Points: South Fork Sauk River & Monte Cristo Townsite (bike ride);  76 Creek & Poodle Dog Pass & Silver Lake & Silvertip Ridge (trail hike & off-trail hike & rock scramble)

Summit: Silvertip Peak (rock scramble via South Ridge—Southwest Corner)

Approximate Stats: 17 miles traveled (8 miles on bikes + 9 miles on foot); 4200 feet gained & lost; 5.0 hours up; 3.3 hours down.

Full Trip Report

Here are photos and a map from Saturday’s climb of Silvertip Peak in the Monte Cristo Mountains with Suzanne. Fred Beckey calls this a “popular objective,” and now we see why. It’s a pleasant approach, a fun summit scramble, and a marvelous viewpoint.  Starting from Barlow Pass, we rode bikes up to Monte Cristo Townsite, then hiked 3 miles of nicely rebuilt trail to Silver Lake.

From the lake outlet, we ascended heather slopes and footpaths southwesterly to the ridge crest, then followed the crest in a arc around the lake (dropping below cliffs on the peak’s craggy south ridge).

The southwest corner of the summit block goes by way of an exposed-but-solid Class 4 step. We didn’t rope for the ascent but were glad to have a rope for the rappel back down.

The summit offers exceptionally nice views of all the Monte Cristo Mountains and Skykomish Mountains. It was a beautifully clear and warm day, which begged for a long stay.

We enjoyed a quick splash in Silver Lake on the way down. Another notable highlight of the day’s climb was Suzanne’s new monochromatic climbing outfit. I think it’s a fashionably metro-retro look, but you can judge for yourselves.

Route Map

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge…