Thanks for throwing this on the site. A lot of good information. I've been up there a few times and gone both ways to Sky Top. Never made the summit. Either sickness or weather seems to thwart us. Beautiful country though.
I'll be doing this ascent on Labor Day for, hopefully, #46 for me too. I'm curious: a route description on this website has you going up Zimmer instead of Star. You then drop down onto Lower Aero and work around the west side of Lower Aero, cross a stream, then the East Side of Upper Aero. From there you aim for a saddle and drop into the middle of the Star Lakes.
You swung a fair bit south on your approach. Just wondering why you chose your route and if there's less boulder hopping the other way.
Thank you. I chose the route up the sky top drainage because when I read the beta for the route up Zimmer it talked about endless boulder hopping and the extra climb over the saddle before dropping onto the sky top lakes. The trail up the sky top drainage I felt was easy to locate and the trail is good all the way to crossing the creek flowing into Rough Lake. The southward travel you mention is maybe 100 meters. The trail takes you East up the sky top drainage. I don't remember encountering any boulder hopping until after the 2nd sky top lake. Good luck on your climb.
mzamp - Oct 17, 2017 3:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Nice job!Thank you - these remote ones are a lot of fun.
jdarr67 - Oct 24, 2017 5:12 pm - Voted 10/10
Very nice.Thanks for throwing this on the site. A lot of good information. I've been up there a few times and gone both ways to Sky Top. Never made the summit. Either sickness or weather seems to thwart us. Beautiful country though.
mzamp - Oct 26, 2017 1:50 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Very nice.We definitely lucked out with the weather and the conditions were ideal in the ramp. Good luck next time!
Matt Lemke - Oct 27, 2017 12:29 am - Voted 10/10
Awesome!The Beartooths are very special to me...always nice to see good reports. Red Lodge will one day be my home!
jcscratch1 - Aug 13, 2020 10:29 am - Hasn't voted
#46 alsoI'll be doing this ascent on Labor Day for, hopefully, #46 for me too. I'm curious: a route description on this website has you going up Zimmer instead of Star. You then drop down onto Lower Aero and work around the west side of Lower Aero, cross a stream, then the East Side of Upper Aero. From there you aim for a saddle and drop into the middle of the Star Lakes.
You swung a fair bit south on your approach. Just wondering why you chose your route and if there's less boulder hopping the other way.
Outstanding trip report, BTW. Fantastic!
mzamp - Aug 13, 2020 11:48 am - Hasn't voted
Re: #46 alsoThank you. I chose the route up the sky top drainage because when I read the beta for the route up Zimmer it talked about endless boulder hopping and the extra climb over the saddle before dropping onto the sky top lakes. The trail up the sky top drainage I felt was easy to locate and the trail is good all the way to crossing the creek flowing into Rough Lake. The southward travel you mention is maybe 100 meters. The trail takes you East up the sky top drainage. I don't remember encountering any boulder hopping until after the 2nd sky top lake. Good luck on your climb.