[TR] Forbidden Peak - East Ridge Direct 9/9/2007

[merganzer]

Trip: Forbidden Peak - East Ridge Direct

 

Date: 9/9/2007

 

Trip Report:

Joe and I climbed the east ridge of Fobidden last Sunday and we practically had the mountain to ourselves, although we did hear some voices on the ridge but never located the source.

We started out the fairly easy although abit long approach from high camp to the single gendarme before the route just after 6 am. We dropped packs a bit lower once we got out of the gully. No need for crampons, we did cross a section of about 100 feet of ice at around 7am and I was glad to have my axe.

 

We started out simul-climbing and were moving at a pretty good pace. We prematurely stoped because we thought we were at the 5.7 pitch, however we were not and we never got back into the simul-climb until after the 5.8 step crux pitch(thanks Joe, it was actually my lead and I was just not feeling it).

It would have been a faster ascent had we stayed simul-climbing for a bit longer but there is always next time. Our mistake was we confused the fun knife edge with the knife edge as labeled in the Cascade Alpine Guide. Route finding is straight forward as you can stay close to the ridge crest most of the way. We reached the summit just before 3pm.

To get down we used the fabled east ledges descent. I was a bit apprehensive about the descent after the warning in Nelson's book and hearing a few horror stories here and there. However, Joe and I found it fairly easy and were back to the notch in just over an hour from the summit. We did five rappels, which were all visible from above except the third which becomes visible once down most of the way it helps it has a red sling. After the fifth rappel we worked down and climbers left to another red sling then traversed the ledges working down a bit to stay on easy ground.

A couple of hours later and we were back at the car and driving home!

 

Gear Notes:

Light Alpine Rack, bring lots of slings to simul-climb alot of the ridge. We brought crampons and ice axes and only used the ice axes for a short 100 foot section of ice.

 

Approach Notes:

Lots of marmots and great weather!

Edited September 16, 2007 by merganzer