Holland to Holland traverse on skis (V2)

This was my best ski day of 2025.  The idea was to repeat my 2016 traverse in the other direction with better ski lines.  As such, when the persistent January facet layer finally settled down, I rolled out of town extra early, dropped a bike at the end of drivable snow on the Rumble Creek road, and was trudging from the Holland trailhead by 5 am. From Holland lookout shortly after first light, I made a traversing run North, then scrapped my way up the South Face of Woodward.  

Looking back at toward the Holland lookout from the Woodward climb.

To my slight surprise, shallow slabs caused some concern, and the North face of the peak did not look as well filled in as I had anticipated.  However, it seemed reasonable to proceed down the North gully, albeit with some additional scouting and careful choice of entrance.  The fall line goes way way down to Woodward lake, and I cut a full run very short by traversing at a logical point to keep 'er moving North.  Soon I was walking across Rubble lake on my way up to point 8,485.  I skied the Northwest gully, which was quite scoured but safe and a nice run.  The next few hours were spent crossing the crest, making a short East facing run, and climbing Buck.  

Woodward was nice.

Looking back at the 8,485 line.

Up Buck.

My tour plan was to ski the North ridge of Buck, but recent crowns on similar aspects raised concern. Nevertheless I decided to start down and get a feel for conditions.  Just 50 feet into the run, I came to a point where I would have to commit to the exposure of the line, and I simply had a gut feeling that the North face line didn't feel right.  So I sidestepped up and out and enjoyed a nice rip down the South face.  No idea if my decision making was "right" or "wrong", but I have no regrets.  Maybe it was the wind or accumulated elevation or simply accumulated stress from a crappy few months in politics, but I kind of cracked on the climb up Holland and barely drug myself to the top.  

The rest of the day was great.  Holland skiing was completely wind hammered but still good fun, and the climb over the crest and ensuing run was nice.  I did try skiing as far as possible down the South Fork of Rumble creek instead of following the customary summer trail egress, but the downfall choked traverse back to the summer trail was interesting, and I would have been better off sticking with the normal route.  

Heading home.

Soon enough, I was capping the day off, biking back along the highway with skis on the pack.  With a big enough grin that drivers probably thought I was certified crazy rather than in a state of bliss from a hard, magical day in the mountains.

I think this is one of the best long tours around.  Iconic mountains, good skiing, and committing and challenging enough to feel like an achievement.  It would be cleaner and more modern with the North face of Buck.