From Breckenridge, Drive south on Colorado 9 to Hoosier Pass. Park at the signed, Hoosier Pass parking area before Colorado 9 starts down towards Alma. This is the trailhead.

Details:

Photo #1 and Photo #2 show most of the route. On the west side of the parking area, start walking up a rough dirt road that heads northwest. Not far up, there are some camping spots off the road. At 11,600’, stay left at an intersection. Continue up the good road to 12,100’ where the road crosses a large, open saddle. Photo #3 was taken on the road while approaching the saddle. Stay on the road as it curves west to a gate. There is a building off to the right in this area.

This is the start of the Southeast Shoulder. Turn right at the gate and hike up the hill to some old mining roads. Zig zag on roads and trail segments to 12,400’. Stay on the right side of the slope and continue to the crest of the shoulder near 13,000’. Find a faint trail that continues northwest up the shoulder - Photo #4. The summit is visible while on the crest of the shoulder - Photo #5. Near 13,200’, the trail angles left across the south side of the slope beneath the 13,400-foot plus point on the east end of the summit ridge. Follow the defined trail to the saddle between the eastern and center points on North Star’s long summit ridge.

Hike west along the narrow ridge toward the center point - Photo #6. There are a few narrow spots that require some easy scrambling. Reach the center point at approximately 13,500’. From here, the summit is obvious but it’s still 3/4 mile away - Photo #7 and Photo #8. Descend to the next saddle and hike the remaining 250’ to the summit. There are a couple of rough sections on this final pitch. Photo #9 is the view of North Star from Wheeler Mountain to the west.

Alternate route to the summit ridge:
Near 12,400’ on the southeast shoulder, go the left side and locate a road that leads across the south slope. This road is on most USGS maps. Photo #10 was taken on the west side of the shoulder. Follow the road all the way to a mine at 13,000’ - Photo #11. Turn right and hike up steep talus toward the ridge above. There is a faint trail here that is worth looking for. On the climb to the ridge, pass a small mine near 13,200’. After gaining the ridge, follow the route described above to reach the summit.