Both Mount Maude and Seven Fingered Jack are two of the highest peaks in Washington State. Being over 9,000 they are the source of both the Entiat and Chiwawa Rivers. Most times people access the area via Trinity but since it was early spring we decided to do something different. We would start from Holden Village and turn the trip into a ski traverse. The route we decided on was Heading up and over Copper Basin before following exiting via Big Creek Basin. This would allow us to ride both Mount Maude via the North face and Seven Fingered Jack.
The argument will go on forever over who came up with the route. The general idea was to tag both Mount Maude and Seven Fingered Jack in one continuous push. If all went according to plan we would be exiting under the North face of Mount Fernow. In total it would be 3 days, 22 miles and 13,000 vertical feet with a handful of big lines. It’s hard to come up with names for stuff like this but we all agreed on The Big Copper Circuit.
Leaving Lake Chelan for Holden Village
It’s always a pain packing your bags when you know you’re going to remote areas. Not only do you have to remember the major stuff but also the little things. Screws, screw driver, extra fuel and as much food as space allows. Fortunately we were heading to Holden Village via the “Lady of the Lake”. This meant weight wasn’t an issue so we smashed our duffel bags full of gear and waited for the trip to begin.
We arrived into Holden Village with our touring gear in two duffel bags. It had been a year since we were in the area riding both Mount Fernow and Bonanza Peak. With the forecast looking to be clear over the next few days our time in town would be brief. We needed to get our gear ready as we would be leaving early the next morning.
Leaving Holden Village for Mount Maude
Word ran through town of our plan and and as we left Brennan was waiting for us. The previous year we had climbed Bonanza Peak with him and he was game to join again. Within 24 hours of arriving in Holden Village we were heading towards Big Copper Creek. After passing the taluses of the old mines we were back in Glacier Peak Wilderness.
Heading up Big Copper Creek the terrain was both smooth and fast. This was the same route we had gone up Mount Fernow the previous year and it was Brennan’s back yard. After making our way through the lower forests we had made it into the open alpine. After a few solidly placed switchbacks we had made it up to the col and were looking south into Entiat Basin.
The first time I had set my eyes on the North face of Maude was while summiting Seven Finger Jack with Scott McAllister. There are few areas in the North Cascades that are more impressive than Mount Maude and the Entiat Basin. It was my first time taking in the view of Mount Maude from the north east and I was flooded with excitement. So far our route had been going smooth and we would be climbing the east shoulder in a few hours.
Snowboarding into Entiat Basin and Heading Towards Mount Maude
We snapped our photos and made mental maps of the ascent route before switching to downhill mode. As always the battle between traversing and fall line riding came into play. Both Brennan and I rode directly into the valley while Jason did a high traverse. After about 20 minutes of skinning the group was back together in the upper flats of the basin.
One thing that I love about the Cascades is the uniqueness of every valley. Each and every peak has a feeling and vibe from mellow and smooth to rugged and steep. Above us was well over 4,000 feet of complex terrain that demanded our respect.
Making our way up Entiat Basin we had a clean view of the South Face of Mount Fernow. The previous year we had followed the ridge behind us all the way to the top. At the time there was limited visibility and we couldn’t see the basin below. Now we were putting in switchback up the North side of Mount Maude and finally getting to see everything.
It wasn’t long before we were under Mount Maude on the north face and out of the sun. With the coldness came the realization of our remoteness. It was a stunning area I had wondered about while looking on topographical maps and suddenly we were there.
Arriving at the East Col of Mount Maude
After a few hours of putting switchbacks up the steep face of Mount Maude finally the terrain mellowed out. Looking behind us we were around the same elevation of our first col of the day. Between us and Holden Village stood a steep south face and soon we would be moving further south. Though we hadn’t made many miles we had gone quite the distance.
From our low col we finally could see Ice Lakes and the Spectacle peaks to the south.From our view point we could see the tops of the Entiat Mountains as they stretched as far as the eyes could see.. Below on the shores of Ice Lakes we would set up camp for the night as it was within easy access of Mount Maude. Before long we rode down from the col and found a scenic and somewhat sheltered area to camp.
Once arriving at and digging out camp Jason and Brennan we focused on eating and drying out gear. It was a stunning spot to watch the sunset over the mountains as we prepared for the next day. This was my first time on Ice Lake and I hadn’t known what to expect. Soon enough we were watching the sunset over the Eastern Cascades and the Chelan Mountains.
To the south the Entiat Mountains started lighting up. They looked like they would be great mountains as they basked in the pink alpenglow. Soon enough the light was fading and we were off into our sleeping bags. We weren’t exactly sure about anything for the next day other than the plan to summit Mount Maude.
Day 2 Climbing from Ice Lake to Mount Maude
During the night the clouds rolled in and we questioned our attempt on the North Face of Mount Maude. We decided that there was no harm in checking it out and packed our bags for the ascent. We left camp with dreary eyes and hopes that visibility would improve.
Once on the ridge the slopes got easier and the travel became significantly faster. A mountain goat stood guard to the route and looked at us with an almost confused look. I wondered what was going through its mind as we crossed paths and pushed our ways to the summit of Mount Maude.
Snowboarding Down the North Face of Mount Maude
Once arriving onto the summit a decision had to be made. Visibility was coming in and out and I got my first view down the north face. It was steep and sustained and Brennan didn’t want anything to do with it. Hummel and I were of a different mindset as we had really wanted to ride it. Patiently we waited for a weather window and before long I was making my way down the north face of Mount Maude.
We found a few inches of fresh snow had accumulated over the firm base. A turn at a time we made our way down to the lower slopes before letting loose into the lower Entiat Basin. The lower we rode the better the snow had had gotten until the point we were making some great turns. Once at the bottom of the North Face we transitioned to skinning and made our way back to camp. The it wasn’t as good of conditions as we had hoped one of my dreams was ticked off the checklist.
By the time we made it back to camp the storm had arrived and wind was blowing us sideways. Brennan had been enjoying the warmth of camp for over a hour and mentioned we should move on. I attempted to make food with my Jetboil but the winds wouldn’t allow it. After this happened about 3 times I’d had enough and we pushed our camp towards a more sheltered location.
Heading into Leroy Basin and Camping Under Seven Fingered Jack
We made our way up and over two ridges as the wind blew us sideways. Riding down into the valley we found a spot in the trees that provided shelter from the wind. We ended up camping under the west face of Mount Maude in Leroy Basin. From camp we were within striking distance from Seven Fingered Jack.
Day 3 Climbing up Seven Fingered Jack and Heading Towards Holden Village
The storm pushed through overnight and we awoke to clearing skies. Our 7 foot tall walls had provided just enough shelter for a good night of sleep. After our morning routine we were ready to enjoy our last day in the alpine. It was the day to climb Seven Fingered Jack and ride Big Creek soon arriving in Holden Village.
With crampons on we made our way towards the southwest slopes of Seven Fingered Jack. The weather was a stark contradiction to the previous day as there was no wind and barely and clouds. This was my second time climbing up the route so I knew what to expect until the summit. After arriving at the top heading into Big Creek was a big mystery.
Making our way onto the ridge we decided to take a break on some open rocks. In front on us was the Trinity area and the Suiattle Traverse. Though I hadn’t had much experience in the area I had once topped out on the ridge in the distance. While climbing the west side of Bandit Peak we had arrived on the same ridge line.
We sat around for a bit and took the time to melt down some water. We knew it was going to be a few hours before we had another chance to rest so we made the most out of it. A nalgene at a time we filled them up before it was time to get moving. We were within an hour of the summit of Seven Fingered Jack and hopefully we would spot a descent line to the north.
The Last Few Steps to the Summit of Seven Fingered Jack
We climbed the easy going western ridge of Seven Fingered Jack with Glacier Peak Wilderness in full display. Views like this made me realize I had only scratched the surface of the Cascades. The whole Trinity area is some of the most underrated mountains in all of Washington.
Before long we were putting in the last steps to Seven Fingered Jack. From the summit we took a few shots of the surrounding terrain before we decided to get moving. Though we still had a few hours of light we had no idea what was in front of us. Hopefully within the next few hours we would be back in Holden Village.
Snowboarding Down Seven Fingered Jack to Holden Village
Our summit was shortly lived before we made our way back down the slope. The year prior I had spotted what looked like an nice couloir dropping into Big Copper Creek. We weren’t sure if it went so Brennan went to check it out and said “yep it goes”. With that unexpected response, we strapped on our skis and board and started making our ways down Seven Fingered Jack.
The line kept getting steeper and steeper before we started scratching our heads. Below us we could see a dramatic drop to the Gloomy Glacier and started to fear once again that it didn’t go. We figured out rather fast that it terminated into a cliff, and had to climb back up the steep face. We transitioned and one by one starting making our way back up.
Fortunately while the slope was steep it was great for climbing. With two ice axes out I felt comfortable with the situation. It had been a fun line until it was time to turn around but we had made it so close to Big Creek.
From the top of the line we made our way further down the mountain and found a mellow ramp onto the Glacier. Above we saw that what we’d attempted to ride terminated into a 200 foot cliff. From here on out it would be smooth sailing back to Holden.
Arriving in Holden Village
Before long we were making our turns down the north side of Mount Fernow. We were connecting with the previous years descent and we were back in familiar terrain. Soon enough we were riding the open gullies down Big Creek to Railroad Creek. Switching over to skinning we finally within a mile of Holden Village. Before long we arrived in town and the traverse was finally done. We had some interesting route choices and the weather turned bad but we made it out with summits of both Mount Maude and Seven Fingered Jack.
It had been a brief but good time ski touring to and from Holden Village. Our route had gone smooth and it was a beautiful trip. A huge thanks goes to both Jason and Brennan for being great partners. We were almost done with our goal of riding the 9,000 foot peaks with finally only Mount Logan and Jack Mountain to go.
Thank you for reading this trip on Mount Maude and Seven Fingered Jack. If you want to see more ski tours within the Stevens Pass Backcountry check out this link.