[TR] Bonanza Peak - Mary Green Glacier 7/9/2017

[Sidviscous]

Trip: Bonanza Peak - Mary Green Glacier

 

Date: 7/9/2017

 

Trip Report:

 

We climbed Bonanza as a party of four (two rope teams) July 8-10. After a lengthy delay in Holden because the baggage truck broke down, we made quick work of the approach to Holden Lake. Upon arrival, we were anxiously greeted by a sizable and intense mosquito welcoming committee. I'd say close to 10 out of 10 for the Cascades Mosquito Scale.

 

 

In the morning we were reminded that some marmots have a taste for rubber (jetboil lid chewed up). The trail around the lake was flooded on the far side and we went too high (later discovered it's better to stick low. However, the bush whacking was brief and we soon rejoined the trail up to Holden Pass and traversed to the waterfall slabs. The scramble up was easy on semi-dry slabs. The glacier travel was straight forward by sticking with the advice to ascend on the north side before traversing. The upper bergschrund was actually unneccasary to cross and we stepped off the snow onto a rib of dry rock. It appears to me that the angle of rock is low enough that it will allow uncomplicated transitions fairly late in the season.

 

 

Transitioning off the snow:

 

The scramble to the summit went quickly but is exposed and loose enough to warrant caution. We crossed one steep but very brief snow patch on the summit ridge. We descended using a combination of rappels (~four 30m rappels) and down climbing, which took considerably longer than ascending. We transitioned back to the snow and followed our tracks back. The wet slabs were a lot wetter than they had been on the way up, so we did one more rappel to a large ledge before traversing back towards the pass. The trip back to camp was uneventful and due to the unappealing thought of spending another evening with the mosquitos, we quickly packed up and descended to the Holden campground where we had previously stashed beer in Railroad Creek. On the way out we saw fresh bear tracks by the lake.

 

 

Rappel from the buttonhead+pin rap station. One of the steepest and cleanest sections:

 

Crossing below the bergschrund:

 

One further note: After reading trip reports going back over a decade about sketchy rap stations, I brought a small selection of pins. I added a Bugaboo and new sling to an existing single buttonhead rap station (second to the last). The wet slab rap station below the glacier was still mostly buried with snow, but after a couple stiff tugs, the rat's nest of slings came loose from whatever they were slung around. After finding decent placements for an Angle and a Lost Arrow, I relocated the rap station a dozen yards skier's left using the best two slings from the old rap station (we packed out the rest of the rat chewed mess). One 30m rap put's you on a broad ledge and easy terrain.

 

New Wet Slabs Rap Station:

 

Bottom of Wet Slabs rappel:

 

Tick Removal:

 

Gear Notes:

2x 30m ropes

ice ax and crampons

 

If a small rack is desired, 5-6 small nuts or cams and a few long slings should suffice.

Edited July 15, 2017 by Sidviscous

[wayne]

Excellent report and anchor work. thanks! I still have a spot in my heart for that peak and area.