Silver Star via Grouse Vista Trail head.

Beautiful evening hike.
No flowers yet.
1st mile little to no snow
2nd mile 70% snow
3rd mile 98% snow
I did sink up to my waist only once. Other than that its a 3 to 6 inch depressions per step. Most of the snow holds you up fine.

Going up in with the hike being covered in snow kicked our butts I must say. I had to look back at the website to see the distance because it felt more like 4+ miles one way.

We started out at 5pm and returned to our truck hiking the last mile with flash lights as it was about 8:45 when we returned.

I did enjoy hiking down in the snow. If you have joints that don't fare very well decending, its kind of nice actually. I found myself choosing the snow over solid ground on the way down.

Great hike. I've done Hamlton Mt, Table Mountain (cloudy day), and Dog Mountain and I must say I think this had the best views from the top. I'll post a couple pics.

I drove most of the way in the dark and reached sunset campground around sunrise. The road to the trailhead was snowed out about a half mile from the trail head so I backed out and parked on a landing less than a mile from the trailhead. I hadn't brought snowshoes so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the snow was still frozen and the crust was thick enough to at least partially support my weight. There were bear tracks in the snow leading up to the trailhead that appeared to be a few days old. It was a clear morning and the views north were great. There was snow the whole way with varying depths but the hiking was surprisingly easy. I made it up to the trail junction and a tremendous view of Starway Canyon in the early morning shade.There was no trail sign for Ed's trail that I saw, but I followed a small path to the left to get up to a rocky plateau and great views of Adams, St. Helen's, and Rainier. I followed the road uphill to the left and attempted to follow this road all the way up to the first false summit. I climbed up the steep north face to get pictures of Sturgeon Rock and Silver Star, but decided to try for the summit another day since the forgiving ice crust was melting and I was starting to sink deeper into the snow. I made my way back the same way, fighting a strong wind on the way down from the false summit. This area looks like a great place for back country skiing, as Silver Star has multiple peaks, cliffs, and chutes. I'm planning a back country trip for a clear day in December or January, but I would also like to hike this when the snow melts.

We started up in the evening in hopes of seeing the sunset from the top. The trail is in great hiking condition and we decided to take the left, steeper trail to the top. Great conditions all the way, and we were rewarded at the top when the clouds parted, offering a fantastic view of Mt. Hood as the moon rose above it.

This hike was a workout from the get go! However, it was well worth the effort as I was able to view Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood! Views are visible from the top of Silver Star Mountain. As I made my way up, I saw Grouse Vista, Pyramid Rock, Sturgeon Rock, and Kloochman Butte. Wildflowers were in bloom everywhere I looked, it was beautiful! I took a side trip up to Grouse Vista and scrambled to the top, sat down and ate lunch before heading on to Silver Star Mountain. On the way up, I had the trail pretty much to myself! On the way down, I visited with several hikers on their way up. The next time I go to Silver Star, I will hike Ed's Trail. Also saw several snakes on the trail. All in all, it was an epic hike even though the clouds started to roll in as I crested Silver Star Mountain. I would only recommend this route for hikers in good shape.
There were a few issues with the trail such as a couple of blowdowns and some snow around the 4000 ft. level. Also saw a couple of areas where there was water on the trail. All those issues were minor and I had no problems hiking around them. The main problem that I saw with this route was the huge rocks in the trail most of the way up. It made it even more difficult on the way down, so please be advised of your footing.
Bottomline, anyway you hike up to Silver Star Mountain is well worth the effort! The views are incredible!