Silver Peak(s)

Today's prerequisites were very similar like last week's: not too much time and a hike in the Toiyabe National Forest. Today I wanted to make sure to reach my goal(s) and set the expectations way lower than last week: Silver Peak, in fact both peaks from the Noble Creek Trail head. Studying the topo-map and report on summitpost indicated, that an access to the (south, lower, but main) Silver Peak would be possible via a minor ridge in the west flank, from there the connecting crest would lead me to the higher north peak. For my way down I decided to follow the south ridge and from the saddle between Highland and Silver Peak down westwards to the Noble Creek Trail. On the map (and on my photo from last week's outing) it seemed easy enough to give it a try.

I start my hike at around 7:45h at the Noble Creek Trailhead and follow the trail to the point where a trail from the lower campground joins the main trail. There I cross a meadow and the creek and from its south side I head pretty much straight up to P. 7844 (steep, but not very difficult, class II/T3). I then walk south and later uphill through the forest to get to the obvious ridge which leads the way up to the (lower) Silver Peak. At around 9300 ft I traverse slightly south in order to bypass the pinnacle at 9400 ft at it's base. The way up to the main Silver Peak then is steep with scree/talus, but technically relatively easy (class II/T3). On the (main) peak there is an old register, a rusty metal can. In order to get to the higher north summit, I later follow the connecting ridge, where a few easy class III moves are required (T4/I). There is also a summit register here, in a big ammo box, placed there in 2013.

After a short break I go back to the lower peak and start my descend to the saddle between Highland and Silver Peak. The first pinnacle I bypass on the east side and then follow more or less the ridge (some easy class III moves can't seem to be avoided, T4/I). For a minute I also consider climbing Highland Peak from here, but a time check tells me that there isn't really enough of that left. Pretty much at the lowest point of the ridge there is a little cairn and from there I walk down NWW to an obvious clearing in the not very dense sandy forest. Along the open ridge I get to a small platform, after that I see some interesting white slate on the right side of a little valley. I head left instead and soon get down to the Noble Creek trail through the forest and follow it back to the trailhead.