Bonanza Peak + Martin Peak via Holden Village + Holden Lake / 富礦峯

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Bonanza Peak and Martin Peak tower over Holden Lake near Holden Village. The former is Washington State’s highest non-volcanic peak, #6 on the Bulger List. Meanwhile, the latter is one of the five namesake peaks in the state.

Group Kodak moment on Bonanza Peak
Group Kodak moment on Bonanza Peak

See more trip photos here.

Check out these posts for other Martin Peaks.

Bonanza Peak and Martin Peak at a Glance

Bonanza Slam = Bonanza Peak + Martin Peak 8511
富礦滿貫=富礦峯+馬丁峯8511

Access:  Holden Lake Trailhead
Round Trip: 22 miles
Elevation Range: 3240′-9511′
Gear: helmet, ice ax, snow, rock & rope
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no

July 19-22, 2014

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4

Day 1 – Saturday, July 19
Ferry – Fields Point Landing to Port of Lucerne
Bus1Port of Lucerne to Holden Village
Holden Lake Trail to Holden Pass
Night 1 – Holden Pass

Day 2 – Sunday, July 20
Bonanza Peak
Night 2 – Holden Pass

Day 3 – Monday, July 21
Martin Peak 8511
Holden Lake Trail to Holden Village
Bike2 – Holden Village to Refrigerator Campground
Night 3 – Refrigerator Campground

Day 4 – Tuesday, July 22
Ferry – Port of Lucerne to Stehekin
Bike – Stehekin dock to Stehekin Bakery and back
Ferry – Stehekin to Fields Point Landing

1 Service operates on Saturday and Sunday only.
2 Foot traffic on the road after 7 PM due to mining remediation.


Day 1

Ferry + Bus + Holden Lake Trail

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4

The Preface on Bonanza Peak and Martin Peak 8511

Bonanza Peak and Martin Peak held many first experiences for me. I got my first ferry ride on Lake Chelan, plus my first bus ride to a climb. It was also my first visit to the remote Holden Village and Stehekin.

The logistics were even more confusing than in my past outings. So it was essential to ensure everything aligned perfectly up until the climb. But glad the two veterans in the group had done it only the year before.

Lake Chelan upstream
Lake Chelan upstream

See more trip photos here.

Ferry Ride to Lucerne

The five of us climbed Chickamin Slam together two weeks earlier. Then we teamed up again to tackle Bonanza Peak, the tallest non-volcanic peak in Washington State. But only three of us went up to Martin Peak.

Lady of the Lake ferry left Points Field at 9:45 AM and arrived in Port of Lucerne two hours later. We fit all five bikes on the bus and then rode 10 miles to Holden Village. Most people we met were either volunteers or mining remediation workers.

Holden Village staff
Holden Village staff

See more trip photos here.

Holden Village to Holden Pass

The bus later pulled up to the main lodge, with seasonal workers warmly greeting us. We stashed our belongings behind a large shed and ate at the dining hall before it closed. Then we set off for Holden Pass in some sunshine as the weather worsened.

The rain came hard before Holden Lake, but we agreed to press on to Holden Pass. Then we went through the wet brush and a large alder swath with cairns and flagging past the lake. Later the rain stopped, so we used the evening to dry off clothes.

Holden Lake
Holden Lake

See more trip photos here.


Day 2

Bonanza Peak

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4

Bonanza Peak Climb

We woke up to a cloud-capped Bonanza Peak with a blue sky the following day. Soon, we left camp after breakfast, all full of excitement. The waterfalls didn’t pose any issues as we moved through carefully.

Clouds slowly dissipated as we roped up on Mary Green Glacier. Soon, we saw the moats we had read about, which weren’t of any concern as we thought they’d be. Then one by one, we safely leaped onto the rocks.

Bonanza Peak summit in the clouds
Bonanza Peak summit in the clouds

See more trip photos here.

The Final Stretch on Bonanza Peak

Bonanza Peak was my favorite rock climb, and we only dealt with minor rockfalls en route. Overall, most holds and rocks were excellent. But my favorite part was finding a cave midway through the climb.

Soon, we belayed through several places over steep terrain. Meanwhile, we stayed close together, trying not to kick down rocks on one another. Then we continued to work our way up the northeast ridge.

The final stretch on Bonanza Peak
The final stretch on Bonanza Peak

See more trip photos here.

Bonanza Peak Summit Views

Our long visit gave us time to take in views and name peaks. But it felt surreal to be atop Washington State’s tallest non-volcanic peak. Moreover, everyone was ecstatic that everything had worked out as planned.

Earlier on our way up, Patrick had jammed a cam in the rock. So on the way down to the glacier, we made a pitstop to see if we could take it out. But despite everyone’s effort, the gear wouldn’t budge. So finders, keepers!

Glacier Peak poking out of the clouds
Glacier Peak poking out of the clouds

See more trip photos here.

Leaving Bonanza Peak

The afternoon sun had lit up Martin Peak with beautiful colors. The thing that stuck out was Mary Green Glacier, which looked smaller in person. So we all enjoyed the scenery as we walked down the snow.

We chatted the night away and got the much-needed rest after a day’s climb. So glad that the weather worked out in our favor. But I couldn’t wait to see what the next day’s outing had in store.

Back through Mary Green Glacier
Back through Mary Green Glacier

See more trip photos here.


Day 3

Martin Peak 8511

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4

Martin Peak 8511 Climb

We woke up to the sunshine and were eager to start the day! So Lindsay, Mike, and I left early to climb Martin Peak, but Kenny and Patrick had climbed them last year. So they slept in and joined us back at the village.

It was another exciting rock climb like yesterday. Only two class 4 moves en route needed special attention. Before long, we reached the broad summit and enjoyed another extended visit.

Bonanza Peak from below Martin Peak 8511
Bonanza Peak from below Martin Peak 8511

See more trip photos here.

Marting Peak 8511 Summit Views

Despite being 1000′ lower than its neighbor, views were nonetheless. To the west, Bonanza Peak was today’s main attraction. But we couldn’t see much past it because of its sheer size.

However, we looked closely at the eastern high points, including Devore Slam. Other T100 peaks in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness were also visible. But no summit stay would be complete without the name-that-peak game!

Group Kodak moment on Martin Peak 8511
Group Kodak moment on Martin Peak 8511

See more trip photos here.

Exiting Holden Village on Bikes

After a smooth traverse back to camp, we met Kenny and Patrick down at Holden Village. Then we stuck around until after 7 PM when we could be on the road again. The bikes made the 10-mile ride to the lakeshore go by fast!

It was another night full of chats and laughter. We stayed at the empty Refrigerator Campground next to Lucerne. So we could be ready to catch the ferry first thing in the morning to Stehekin.

Camping in Refrigerator Harbor
Camping in Refrigerator Harbor

See more trip photos here.


Day 4

Exit

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3 > Day 4

Ferry Ride to Stehekin

On our final morning, we took the ferry up to Stehekin. It was my first visit, so I was beyond ecstatic! The 90-minute layover gave us plenty of time to ride our bikes to Stehekin Bakery. There I enjoyed some of the most exquisite pastries in the state.

Afterward, the rest of the group returned to the ferry dock immediately. But I decided to stop at “The Garden” off the main road since I hadn’t seen it before. Then I rushed back to the pier after the whistle had sounded. Eek!

Stehekin Pastry Company in Stehekin, Washington
Stehekin Pastry Company in Stehekin, Washington

See more trip photos here.

Back to Fields Point Landing

The three-hour ride down to Fields Point went by in the blink of an eye over a few naps. But what a great trip we had! Glad we all made it back home safely. I will return a few more times for the other Bulger peaks.

Tata, for now!

Back to civilization on Lake Chelan
Back to civilization on Lake Chelan

See more trip photos here.

Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3

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