Bonanza Peak

Bonanza Peak stands as the highest non-volcanic summit in the Washington Cascades, and the ski descent of the Mary Green Glacier headwall ranks among the most serious single-day objectives in the state. The route climbs 8,000 feet from Holden Village up Railroad Creek, past Holden Lake, through Holden Pass, and onto the Mary Green Glacier before tackling the summit pyramid. The upper face hits 55 degrees, steep enough that every turn releases sluffs cascading into the void below.

The approach from Holden Village follows a long valley bottom before gaining the alpine zone. Post-holing through transitional snow is common on the lower trail sections in spring. Above Holden Lake, the terrain shifts to glacier travel with crevasse hazards and cliff bands guarding the summit. The crux requires digging steps and a trench into the 55-degree upper face, a section that demands ice axe and crampon proficiency even for strong skiers.

The descent rewards all that suffering: 3,000 feet of roller powder fields drop from the glacier back to Holden Lake, followed by the long runout to the village. This is a dawn-to-dark effort requiring peak fitness, mountaineering competence, and good timing on spring snow stability.