Forbidden decent route

[hakioawa]

I've heard about an alternative decent route from forbidden. I'm doing the west ridge again in a couple weeks and would like to avoid downclimbing and rapping the gulley. Are there better routes?

[dberdinka]

Not Really. The East Ledges descent will be a little quicker but has a very long traverse on loose, very exposed class 3/4 ledges. A competent group that is willing to solo such terrain will be a ble to make a much faster descent this way. If you plan on rappelling and belaying the whole way I'd just go back down the West Ridge. Some people have route finding difficulties on the East Ledge descent route as well.

 

 

[texplorer]

That North Ridge looks like a bitch to get to but looks like the most fun route on the mountain..

[robertm]

This time of year shouldn't be too bad with fairly deep snow still. I have gone up there several times early (May, June) and the gully was a mellow plunge step after the single rappel. I don't think I even used my Axe.

[chelle]

robertm said:

This time of year shouldn't be too bad with fairly deep snow still. I have gone up there several times early (May, June) and the gully was a mellow plunge step after the single rappel. I don't think I even used my Axe.

 

Are you talking about the West ridge decent or the East?

[robertm]

I was refering to the west ridge gully. I have done the East ledges descent too and it isn't too bad but I think the west ridge descent is safer as long as there isn't a mob scene on the west ridge.

[mattp]

In addition to what DBerdinka and others say, I would add that in the next couple of weeks I think you would find the NE face still very snowy and the descent would probably involve more difficult snow climbing (techincal or exposed or both) than the anything in the W. Ridge couloir tough, in addition to the steep snow in the couloir, the regular W. Ridge descent may still have some lingering corninces or other snow-obstacles on the W. Ridge itself.

 

If you search old posts on this site, you will find that Wotan of Ballard described an alternate descent on rock just left (west) of the W. Ridge Couloir. I believe he described it as being relatively easy with anchors for rappelling where you need them. The same could be said for the W. Ridge couloir, however.

[priapism]

Ditto what mattp said. The east ledges really aren't bad at all, but I've only done them dry. They could be a little sketch with snow/wet rock. I've done the aforementioned decent to the left of the couloir (west of it, left as you're looking from boston basin), very reasonable too. Easy 2nd/3rd for the first part from the notch, then 3rd/4th. With some easy downclimbing (a little exposure, not too bad), I seem to recall making 2, maybe 3 single rope raps to the snow. It really only gets steep toward the bottom if memory serves. I'd take the couloir itself or the rock, which ever had less people to kick crap on me.

[Pencil_Pusher]

Somebody (?) told me you can do something like two double rope raps from the false peak and then walk over to the notch at the base of the w ridge, versus downclimbing. It supposedly shaves the time back down to the notch in half.

Beyond that, maybe you could parapente to the car.

[JoshK]

You guys are all confused. Do it euro-style and paraglide off the top. You'll be back at your car in 15 minutes.

[Ben]

If you're comfortable on that kind of terrain, the East ledges can be a great way down, especially when dry (which it definitely won't be right now).

 

If descending the west ridge, there are spots where you can scramble along the north side (thereby avoiding all the parties on their way up), but again, this terrain will be snowcovered right now. Sticking to the ridge would probably be the way to go.

 

In terms of getting down from the west ridge notch, if snow conditions are good, walking down is definitely the way to go. I find rapping down it a pain because of the sideways slant to the gully. In some cases, you have to "pendulum" eastwards to reach anchors on the adjoining rock. If I ever descend the west ridge again, I would probably try to discover the rap route down the 4th class terrain to the west of the gully.

 

Good luck, getting off Forbidden can be a character building experience....

 

--Ben

[Cpt.Caveman]

dberdinka said:

Not Really. The East Ledges descent will be a little quicker but has a very long traverse on loose, very exposed class 3/4 ledges. A competent group that is willing to solo such terrain will be a ble to make a much faster descent this way. If you plan on rappelling and belaying the whole way I'd just go back down the West Ridge. Some people have route finding difficulties on the East Ledge descent route as well.

 

 

If there's snow on ledges you'll encounter wet rock in earlier season.

 

There was another party of friends climbing behind us last year and descended the WR but ended up being slower. However I am convinced that it is normally the fastest way to the glacier. I'll leave out the details.

 

It's just another one of those pick your poison ideas.

 

Actually why not descend an opposite ridge you came up to enjoy the scenery

[chucK]

Cpt.Caveman said:

Actually why not descend an opposite ridge you came up to enjoy the scenery