Skiing Silver from Annette Lake

In a year of getting off the trade routes, I've been eyeing the ski from the summit of Silver down to Annette lake. While it's not the most extreme route, it actually has a high adventure value for such a relatively easy tour. The north bowls are a go to when conditions are questionable, since so much of the travel is on the XC trails - but attacking it from Annette lake starts you off at 1900'. The approach is relatively straight forward - follow the summer trail until the last of a series of switchbacks, then venture uphill at the start of the long traverse 'til you reach the low angle bowls that regain the typical ascent route from the pass. While it was mostly skinable, if you chose too there are likely a handful of short carries over creeks

Marcy on an early crossing.

From here follow this to the ridgeline. It only took us about 3 hours to get to the ridge and found out we were way to early for any softening. given the relatively high ridgetop winds. So we hung out at the ridge for a long while until we decided to head down.

Back on the Silver Trade Route

On the Ridge

On the Ridge, with the summit directly ahead.

We descending at12:30, the top 1/3 was still firm because of stiff wind and we traversed a bit looking for a good aspect, but about 1/3 the way down we traverse back to skiers right and found excellent corn snow. With a little right traverse, there is a great 2000'+ run down the valley bottom. In retrospect we should have gone another 800'-1000' to the creek and then done a rising skin traverse back to the summer trail.

We followed the snowshoe route back, but it involved some side stepping and booting to regain the high point.. We did ski most of the way out, but walked around bare creeks, or took skis off and it was rather challenging given the funky snow, tight trail, and lots of objectives - Definitely not your classic luge track exit.