Climb: Forbidden-East Ridge Direct

Date of Climb: 7/23/2005

Trip Report:
Klenke called me the other day. I've wanted to do the East Ridge Direct on Forbidden for a while now, so I threw that at him. To my surprise, he said, sure. The hills must be running out of Devil's Club or something.

Anyway, we started off from the trailhead about 5:30, made it up to the high camp before 8:00 and were at the base of the climb by 10:00. The snow on the way up was hard and crusty. I noticed a pair of old school crampons with Swiss Straps at the col. If you're looking for them, there still there.

Klenke pops one of them energy drinks.


Then this happens...


The next thing I know, he's doing this.


I gotta get me some of that stuff.


All in all, the climb is super fun with lots of exposure. The climbing isn't too hard, but there's plenty of exhiliration from not really knowing what to expect. You know, what line to take, which hold is gonna hold and which isn't - there's a few loose blocks, watch out. For the most part, though, the rock is solid, grippy, and with positive holds all around. We simuled the first half then put on shoes and pitched out the second half. Bring a few extra double length slings. Rope drag was really bad in a few spots. And if you take Klenke along, you'll need to steer him away from the nearest sprig that looks like brush and keep him focused on the ridge line.



We took the NE Face descent, followed the previously posted beta, and rapped/downclimbed five or six single rope pitches down then began our traverse back to the col. Nelson makes it sound like there's an obvious ledge system to follow. There is, but it's not obvious at first. We picked up cairns after a while and half way along there was evidence of other tromplings. Before we knew it the gulley to the col was right there where it's supposed to be.

Be warned, the NE Face descent route is not for those squeamish about unroped, exposed, class 3 terrain.

We made it back to car sometime before 10:00. I only needed my headlamp for that big ass log at the beginning of the trail.

Gear Notes:
Light crampons, ice axe, set of nuts, cams through 2", and lots of double length slings.

Approach Notes:
The trail into Boston Basin is super brushy and overgrown. Most of the snow is gone, but snow on the permanent snowfields was hard in the morning and soft and plungy on the way down.

What a great way to be exposed to the soft, supple skin of Forbidden Peak.
I was totally amped up after that Lost Energy Drink. Did you know there are scantily-clad bikini babes featured on the can? Too risque to show here.

Photos:
The approach gully (not so obvious from Boston Basin):

The East Ridge (which really trends fully southeast, but whatever):

The beginning of the ridge from the 8,350-ft col by the solitary gendarme:

The lower East Ridge (first one or two pitches):

The knife edge section (just a little exposed through here ):

The middle part of the ridge just beyond the knife edge part:

The last gendarme before the rappel gendarme:


More photos may appear later.

Oh yeah. And just by chance if you get bored with the exposure there's no hope looking around at the distant views. All you'll see is crap like this. Where's the Devil's Club?

Nice job guys, is East Ridge in a day a significntly longer/harder climb than W. Ridge in a day, or do you think the percentage of car-to-car trips would be about the same? P.S. what kind of Helmet is that Paul? It looks light.

Note that the East Ridge Route should not be confused with the East Ridge Direct Route. Both are misnomers as the map indicates. The East Ridge Route uses the crappy vegetated Class 3 ledges on the north side of the ridge well below the crest. It then ascends the obvious NE Face (East Face) concavity between the East Ridge (Southeast Ridge) and the North Ridge (Northeast Ridge).

There was no register at the summit with which to count numbers but, as an example, at least 10 people did the West Ridge yesterday. No one went up via the East Ridge Route. Only Toast and I were on the East Ridge Direct. Even though the East Ridge Route is easier than the West Ridge it's not as aesthetic. The East Ridge Direct Route is probably only climbed by a dozen parties a year.

My helmet is one of these. It's light like a bike helmet, but ISN'T A BIKE HELMET TO ALL YOU BOZOS THAT HAVE ASKED ME THAT ON A CLIMB. I haven't been enthused with the strap in terms of keeping it tight on my head without giving me that choked feeling. There is a dial on the back by the nape that can be turned to tighten-loosen it by adjusting the band around the skull.

Jeez Klenke, what's wrong? You didn't try to use Devil's Club for T.P. again I hope....

Nice Job! I remember that route from a couple seasons back. The towers were a blast and the exposure relentless--very thrilling! My partner and I experienced the same route-finding difficulties on the way out, finding the elusive 3rd-class freeway only after a sketchy hour or so on an exposed 4th-class scramble traverse of the same descent route. I guess the key is knowing where to stop rapping. Anyway, this problem, combined with a longish rope snag earlier in the day, made for an 18-hour day car-to-car--exhausting but rewarding beyond measure.

--congrats

A shot from one of the towers midway along the route...

I'd always just known the "east ridge" route as the "east ledges descent" route. I didn't even know anybody wasted their time climbing it. I just figured it was the easiest (and only walk off) descent route on the mountain.

In any event, the SE ridge (aka east ridge direct) is a great climb. I very much enjoyed it as well.

I did the complete (ie, not the ice face approach) North Ridge of Forbidden on July 19/20 (great route by the way) and used the East Ledges descent (as I have the last three times down Forbidden) as I find it much better and faster than descending the west ridge. The best way down this descent route (east ledges) is to do four single rope raps (the 2nd rap is short), then downclimb (first left then right (facing out)), which leaves you at a red sling and at a point before it starts to get really steep - one could also do a low angle fifth rap to this point. At this point, turn right towards the east ridge (direct) gendarme. Begin by walking the ledge and then angle up to the first of two buttresses, cross this a a sharp notch. Then angle down, following the small worn ledge and cross the next buttress at a big flat rock (cairn a few days ago). Once across this, follow well worn path across face and when the gully that is described in Nelson's book is visible, start to head sharply up easy class 3 rock with good holds and you will pop out at the top of the gulley, having avoided the disgusting loose rock in it. If it is ever more than class 3, you are making it harder than you have to. Took us 45 mins to rap, and 30 minutes of exposed class 3 to gendarme notch. From hear, head to farthest gulley on descenders left and slide/hike your way down to the high camp (25 minutes).

Picture of the NE Face and description of "NE Ledges"



More Descent Info:

First time I descended this way, we screwed it up by traversing too high across the NE Face - this lead to forced rappels to avoid very loose, steep downclimbing with wicked exposure.

Last time, we did 5 80-100 foot rappels, traversed East 100 feet or so, then another short rappel down to grassy ledges. Then it was pretty much straight across, with minor ups and downs linking the easiest ramps and ledge systems. If done this way, it was mostly 3rd class with a few exciting 4th class, exposed spots. It's never HARD climbing, but constantly exposed and on sections of loose rock.

If you do it, look for cairns which mark the way, and stay low, heading for the big obvious gendarme on the ridge crest.

We also found that by avoiding the big loose gully at the end of the traverse, we were able to regain the ridge on very solid, reasonable 4th class moves just to the climber's right (or West) of the gully.

It can be really stressful and time-consuming if you do it wrong, as I did in July of 2003. Either way, it goes.

I have heard of folks simul-climbing across the NE Ledges, but it honestly sounds like a bad idea to me, as protection points would be marginal and far between . . .

Anyone ever manage it that way?

You're probably right about more than a dozen parties per year on ERD. But I doubt it's 10X's 12. So I'll barter with you. 60?

The photo of me going all rodeo is at the end of the knife-edge traverse. You can get away with not doing a cheval for any parts of it (chevals are for wussies?) but doing it without putting a single hand or finger down for balance would be sporty indeed. It's only about 6 inches wide in places and sometimes the crest is a sharp point...like a true knife edge.

Tony and I free soloed the NE ledges. I noted that Tony likes that kind of stuff less than me (though I can't say I like it either). I wasn't really sketched out ever but I knew concentrating on EVERY step was mandatory. All it takes is one ill-placed choss pebble and you're glacier fodder.

Rope the NE ledges? Maybe my memory is shit, but I don't remember any part of that descent being reason for concern. I would feel a lot more uneasy with a rope to possibly stumble on while crossing that sort of terrain. Also, dave, either you are using the rope for mental pro or you are putting a lot of faith in a single piece of rock pro. Just because you have a single piece in on a rope length doesn't mean that single piece is going to hold. You just as likely might pull your partner to his death. My 2 cents.

Well, to each his own. Some folks aren't comfortable w/o a rope on that terrain, some are - it depends on you and your partners.

I'd sure want more than one piece in if I was roped up though...

I agree on the NE Ledges. It went quick when we MysticNacho and I did it, but then again we rapped on pitch 5 of 7?.....
Either way, it was mentally nerveracking because of the exposure and that thought of "Just one bad foot placement..." Good gear would be far and few between on the ledges IMO, since almost every handhold I tested seemed to wiggle. Maybe you could lasso some heather?

I think we were a little low on the exit and had to do a few mid 5th class moves to get back up to where we were supposed to be.

I really want to get back and finish that route this year........

Nice job Tony and Paul - great photos but I sure wish Paul would get a freakin digital camera. Those scanned images come out a little weird.

Some more pictures for scat'teryx to hate:

Tony doin' the crux shuffle:


Hmmm, me thinks Tony was secretly stashing his own Lost Energy Drink:


Other peaks nearby:


Close-up of the East Ridge (see above for explanation of "Rodeo Ride"):

Klenke, we gotta get you a digital camera. Nice pix, though

Why exactly do I need a digital camera again? So I can become afflicted with digitalitis? Please don't tell me so I can take better pictures. I've seen plenty of crap come out of digital users. Digital cameras still lack the color vibrancy that celluloid provides. And don't try to tell me otherwise.

Nice Dorado Needle pics, btw.