Home > Trip Reports > Bonanza and Fernow April 13- 18

Bonanza and Fernow April 13- 18

4/15/11
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Posted by Kyle Miller on 4/26/11 9:32am
Jason Hummel and myself went out to Holden for 5 days where we were able to make some rather fun descents.

The first was Fernows NW apron via a summit ridge couloir we aptly named the "Infernow Couloir" and were treated to shin deep pow for 4500 feet.

There was a little bit of climbing


and a whole lot of snowboarding


Two days later we focused our attention on Bonanzas East face and true summit headwall. With a four A.M. start time we skinned up to the base of the headwall under partly cloudy skies. From there we bootpacked up waist deep pow to the summit ridge. It was a tad bit intense.

More climbing


and even more snowboarding


here's a link to the full story

Thanks Jason I had a great time!
Very nice work guys! Sorry to hear of your loss Kyle...the mountains are a good place to heal.

Nice work dudes!

So sorry for your loss Kyle -- I hope Bonanza was good for your head and I'm impressed you rallied to do it after news like that.  Thanks for sharing the story.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Kyle.  Condolences to all. 

Three 9k peaks in a week, are you guys on some sort of mission?  Having scrambled the route on Bonanza dry, it's amazing to see how it is now.  Congratulations!  Y'all be carefull out there.  Nice pics, Jason!

Condolences on the loss of your father, Kyle. I still miss my dad, and it's been 34 years.

I thought you and Jason might appreciate this picture of your route. I took it during a ski trip in 2000.



For a while after I took this picture, I thought I wanted to ski the summit pyramid of Bonanza. But I lost interest in that kind of skiing after my brother Carl died. I've been holding onto this picture until somebody else did it. Now's the time...

Kyle, sorry for your loss.

All my ski trips to Holden have been a mixture of weather.  The village is a perfect location for ski touring adventures. I remember touring into lower Copper Creek basin and crossing numerous avy debris paths.  I still remember looking at the upper terrain where you and Jason ventured. WOW.

Jason's images are beautiful.  Lowell's photo provides a nice perspective of the objective.


For the record it should be noted that Phil Fortier (accompanied by Dave Coleman) skied the North Face of Mt Fernow in July 2007. Phil's descent started at the top of the apron (below the final couloir) and he didn't tag the summit, so it wasn't as complete as your descent. It was reported in NWMJ #5 here:

http://mountaineers.org/NWMJ/08/081_Shorts3.html#r3

Did you tag the summit on Bonanza? How far from the summit did you start your descent? I did a winter ascent of Bonanza Peak with Mark Bebie and my brother Gordy in December 1979. We topped the face at a little notch (or shoulder) that is visible in my picture. From there we belayed a pitch over some rocks (also visible in the picture) and scrambled to the top. We made one rappel during the descent, then downclimbed the face.

Outstanding on all levels!

author=Lowell_Skoog link=topic=20657.msg88110#msg88110 date=1303917110]
For the record it should be noted that Phil Fortier (accompanied by Dave Coleman) skied the North Face of Mt Fernow in July 2007. Phil's descent started at the top of the apron (below the final couloir) and he didn't tag the summit, so it wasn't as complete as your descent. It was reported in NWMJ #5 here:

http://mountaineers.org/NWMJ/08/081_Shorts3.html#r3

Did you tag the summit on Bonanza? How far from the summit did you start your descent? I did a winter ascent of Bonanza Peak with Mark Bebie and my brother Gordy in December 1979. We topped the face at a little notch (or shoulder) that is visible in my picture. From there we belayed a pitch over some rocks (also visible in the picture) and scrambled to the top. We made one rappel during the descent, then downclimbed the face.



Thanks Lowell.

Here's the route on a Scurlock image.



...although I was able to bend around the corner, up the ridge next to rock. Here's an image a few turns below my high point...looking down at the notch.

[img width=532 height=800]http://cascadecrusades.org/SkiMountaineering/bonanza/eastfacebonanzaapril2011/_JLH7705.jpg" />

Wow Jason -- that last shot... Gorgeous.  Was that a pretty wide angle lens, or is that ridge really that narrow?

Top shelf stuff gentlemen.

Great write up Kyle and fantastic photos as always Jason.

Here's to many more big adventures and safe returns.

Great trip Kyle and Jason.

Kyle, I hope you find peace with your loss. I feel for you...


Sorry for you loss, Kyle, but thanks for the great write up.

author=Marcus link=topic=20657.msg88114#msg88114 date=1303922205]Wow Jason -- that last shot... Gorgeous.


2nd on that, Jason!

Stunning....and not just the pictures.

Wow, that's an incredible trip!  The report and pics are amazing.

Kyle, I wish you all the best vibes in dealing with your loss. 


So any more pics or details about the top of Fernow?  I'm trying to figure out which couloir is Inferno on the map...  That's sooo far to get into.  Way to go!

I'm guessing it's the one at the top of this picture:
http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/35673114
that connects the apron with the summit ridge?

Thank you for the kind responses they are truly appreciated.

Lowell that photo is amazing.

not exactly news to me now .. having already read your's and jace's great reports and drooled over all of j's awesome photos .. but this trip still blows me away dude ... you know how i feel about your loss .. and not exactly stellar weather either .. way to get out there guys and get er done in spite of all the hardships! can't wait for the next edition .. be safe as always


Good one!

Thanks for sharing....Looks awesome out there!

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Kyle Miller
2011-04-26 16:32:19