[TR] Bonanza Peak- Mary Green Glacier 7/1/2006

[Dihedral]

Climb: Bonanza Peak-Mary Green Glacier

 

Date of Climb: 7/1/2006

 

Trip Report:

Carry, Evgeny, Rod and I piled into Rod's mini-van for the drive out to Field's Point where we caught the Lady of the Lake to Lucerne and met the bus for trip up to Holden. The trail up to Lake Holden was snow free. We made our way to a flat snow-covered area on the north side of the lake where we set up camp and battled the mosquitoes.

 

 

The following day we woke at 3:30am and were moving by 4:30am. We opted to take the direct route by ascending a drainage due west of Lake Holden instead of going via Holden Pass.

 

 

We followed a snow finger, talus fields and rock mounds to gain the Mary Green Glacier. The Glacier was in great shape. There were some visible crevasses but they were easily skirted.

 

 

At the base of the scramble part of the climb we came across Peter and Ken, a party of two from Bellingham who had approached from Holden Pass. We left our pickets, ice axes and crampons in a pile and started scrambling. The scramble went smoothly. It was exposed but there were enough ledges and gullies to feel fairly secure.

 

 

 

We reached the summit around 10:30am. The views of Glacier Peak and Mt. Baker were stunning. In the summit register we found the names of various people we knew.

 

 

 

 

We agreed to collaborate with Peter and Ken on rappelling. Having six people on each of the five rappels was time-consuming but was faster overall than having two parties each rig their own rappels. Once back on the glacier we followed our same path back to camp.

 

 

The following morning we awoke at a leisurely hour and headed back down to Holden Village and caught the boat back home.

 

More pictures can be found here:

 

http://bruce.frankweb.net/grid.aspx?xml=trips_2006/bonanza

[layton]

Glad you guys had a good trip!

Ivan and I got wicked fucked in a very nasty bushwack to our route. So the mosquitos were straight outta hell for you guys too? OMFG!