ncascademtns Posted June 25, 2003 Posted June 25, 2003 Heading up Bonanza this weekend via the South East Ridge. I've been up the Mary Green before but am looking for beta on the SE Ridge Route. So if anyone has done the ridge, fire beta my way. Quote
JoshK Posted June 25, 2003 Posted June 25, 2003 So is bonanza an enjoyable climb? I'm thinking you must think so since you're planning on doing it a second time. Everybody I know who has done it seems to think it's just a horrible pile of choss. I've always had an interest, however, considering it's tallest-non-volcano status and it's remote location. Quote
Jim Posted June 25, 2003 Posted June 25, 2003 Bonnanza is a great peak - sees few assents because it's way out there. I've only heard the SE ridge can be some interesting route finding, only been up the MG myself. Good luck, and please post a TR on your return. Quote
klenke Posted June 25, 2003 Posted June 25, 2003 Bonanza is a Cascade Classic. That alone is reason enough to go climb it. And it's not chossy at all (at least for the Mary Green Glacier Route). Don't know about any other parts of the mountain. Â Here is a picture of the mountain from Fortress Mountain in late September 2000: Bonanza Picture. The Southeast Ridge is the long crest on the right. Quote
JoshK Posted June 25, 2003 Posted June 25, 2003 Yeah, I'd love to climb it, it's just a matter of finding the time. I plan to go up fortress tomorrow so hopefully I'll get some good looks! Quote
pms Posted June 25, 2003 Posted June 25, 2003 I had some fun on this climb a few years ago. I remember the climbing was straight forward but loose until we came to a steep step that is mentioned in the Beckey description. Difficult to tell from below how difficult the climbing is, or about the pro. We decided to climb left of the ridge until we were able to get back on to the crest. This took us a few pitches, some of which included a couple pieces of aid and some sweat. Details are fuzzy however. We were a party of 3, but I can't remember what length rope we had. I'm thinking that our pitches were short. Maybe Bob Davis will remember more? Enjoy the area. Quote
ncascademtns Posted June 26, 2003 Author Posted June 26, 2003 Excellent picture. Bonanza is a classic! As Pms mentioned, the Beckey description is fuzzy. If the ridge is straight forward, I can deal with a minor step. Thanks for the info. Leaving early tomorrow. Gotta catch the cruise boat up Chelan. I'll post on Monday. Quote
BandedGlacier Posted June 26, 2003 Posted June 26, 2003 If i could proide any beta for your accent on bonanza it would be make sure that you'r set for some real cascade climbing. The remote local of the peak and trekking involved gaining the mary green glacier makes bonanza a very worth while but tiresome climb. The snow melt lake/tarns up near the shoulder make a great camp. Good luck in the area, its some of the best climbing around in washington. Quote
wayne Posted June 28, 2003 Posted June 28, 2003 Excellent photo Klen. The russian rt is the big dark wall to the left on the sw peak. I made it up the ridge just right of it and it was choss. maybe Bonanza can be choss and be a classic too? Quote
layton Posted June 28, 2003 Posted June 28, 2003 that's the only photo I've ever seen of the SW peek russian route. cool, thanks. I bet beckey would like that photo. Quote
ncascademtns Posted June 30, 2003 Author Posted June 30, 2003 Back in town yesterday around 6:00pm. We ended up doing the standard route. One of the guys ended up spending just over an hour in an ice box on the Mary Green Glacier. 20 ft drop. The snow bridge on the thumb probably has about a couple weeks of life left in it. Excellent climb on Saturday and we were back in Holden for coffee around 10:30pm. We bivy'd outside the Hiking Haus on the side of the street and was up at 5:00am for breakfast. Excellent climb! Â Quote
catbirdseat Posted June 30, 2003 Posted June 30, 2003 ncascademtns said: One of the guys ended up spending just over an hour in an ice box on the Mary Green Glacier. 20 ft drop. Uh, E, would you care to elaborate on that statement? Quote
Coopah Posted June 30, 2003 Posted June 30, 2003 catbirdseat said: ncascademtns said: One of the guys ended up spending just over an hour in an ice box on the Mary Green Glacier. 20 ft drop. Uh, E, would you care to elaborate on that statement? Â Â I doubt he will here... Quote
bobinc Posted June 30, 2003 Posted June 30, 2003 Glad your party got back in one piece. Â I was up there with PMS in 2000. The two harder spots were getting over the schrund (and then onto steep scree) and the aid step Jim mentions (which was a bypass of the Yellow Step). The ridge itself is mostly running belays. We used a 30m rope and had only a small rack. Â The Yellow Step didn't look that compelling -- perhaps 2 pitches of fairly steep face with some pockets and small cracks that would take protection. Â It's a long way to go for a little bit of rock climbing but Bonanza is spectacular so any route is worth doing. Holden Lake trail is dusty and buggy, though. Make sure to spend a little time in Holden looking through the museum. Quote
sverdina Posted July 23, 2003 Posted July 23, 2003 Any recent beta concerning Mary Green route? I gather that the snowbridge referenced earlier in this thread is all but gone now. Are there other ways to get on the rock? Other considerations worth mentioning? Quote
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