Silver Star, West Peak, Northeast Ridge. The 1200-foot northeast ridge is a rock climber’s dream with solid, vertical granite spires and fins. Chris Delejska and I made its first ascent on May 9. We approached via the classic Silver Star Glacier route. From the toe of the ridge, we climbed two easy pitches. We then followed a hand crack for 30 feet (5.6) to a tiny ledge and a finger crack for another 30 feet (5.7). We climbed a large flake on the right up a 15-foot hand crack and a 30-foot awkward chimney (5.8). Next came a discontinuous crack system up 130 feet to a large sandy saddle. The sixth pitch began with a 40-foot, 5.7 double hand crack leading to an overhanging bomb-bay chimney (5.8). Next, an exposed 50-foot, fourth-class traverse led to a short 5.6 hand crack and an even shorter 5.8+ chimney and a comfortable 100-foot ledge. The ninth pitch began where the ledge ended with an airy hand traverse on an otherwise blank wall. After 45 feet, it petered down to another 30-foot finger traverse with the crux at the very end (5.8). The spacious ridge summit angled gently to the north peak less than ¼ mile away on easy ground.

Fletch Taylor, Unaffiliated