Beta on NW Face N Ridge Forbidden Conditions

[IceScrewed]

I'm planning on going up to do this route this coming weekend--approaching via the alternative to Sharkfin Col (up and to the right of Sharkfin). Anybody have any recent beta on conditions related to (1)getting into Boston Basin (2)crossing onto the Boston Glacier using the alternative to Sharkfin (3)Boston/Forbidden glacier condittions (4)access onto and NW Face of NW Ridge conditions...or just about anything else they think might be helpful as far as current conditions (which I assume are less snow than usual for this time of year) would be appreciated.

Muchas gracias, amigos.

[ryland_moore]

In addition to that request, what about the Couloir leading up to West Ridge of Forbidden? Thanks!

[Lowell_Skoog]

I climbed this route on June 26. The approach to Boston Basin has a big avalanche blowdown from a year ago. Follow the scuffmarks, don't climb too much in the blowdown, and you'll get through it. I'm not familiar with the Sharkfin alternative you're talking about, but you can avoid the notorious unprotected pitch below the col by ascending a ramp system that begins a couple hundred feet west of the col. It's class 3. The rappel to Boston Glacier was less than 80 feet when we did it. The glacier crossing was no problem. I recommend crossing the N ridge of Forbidden at a small notch (not the lowest saddle) set amid good rock, visible as you traverse the glacier. The NW face of the N ridge had a good bridge over the schrund when we did it and was easy snow climbing above. We descended the same route, so I can't comment on other descents from the summit.

[wrench]

re avalanche debris: as you approach, there appears to be two paths across, a higher one and a lower one. take the HIGHER one. you might notice an arrow carved into the bark of one of the downed trees at the start of the debris indicating that you are on the right path. we lost an hour trying to get through via the lower path a month ago.

 

also, the streams were running pretty high when we went up there, esp in the evening, so unless the water volume has dropped off considerably, suggest crossing them in the morning (there are ~4 of them).

[Colin]

I climbed the North Ridge on Monday (I did the lower ridge rather than the NW ice face). The rappel from Sharkfin col is done easily with a single 50 m rope - in a couple weeks you will probably need a 60 m. The Boston glacier is still fairly mellow, and I didn't use crampons on it. I accessed the ridge at a low notch where the glacier went up fairly high - as did the tracks before me. The ice face looks as though it isn't too icy yet, and aluminum crampons would probably work fine. A second tool might be nice though.

[IceScrewed]

Thanks to all for the reports....and if Lowell's a 'chronic gumby' then after 25 years of this silliness, and never being more than an "average climber," I have even less hope than before as I must now think of myself as an "aspiring gumby!"

[slothrop]

Colin, how did you descend after doing the north ridge?

[Colin]

I descended the NE Ledges, as I have every other time that I've climbed Forbidden. I highly reccomend this descent over the West Ridge. There might be a bit of time spent routefinding the first time you do it, but once you've done it, it goes really fast the next time.

 

From the summit, make 4 single-rope rappels (50m works fine), and then begin traversing East. The traverse is mostly level, but loses a little bit of elevation. Take the path of least resistance, and there are a few cairns to help you out.

 

When you hit a distinct, rotten gully, climb up it to the East ridge notch (a good way to make sure it is the right gully, is that you can often see the prominent gendarme that is on the East side of the notch.

 

If you've done the descent before, and thereby know when you are getting close to the East ridge notch, don't go into the gully at all, but instead climb up the rock just to the right of it, and traverse left the last few feet to the East ridge notch. This avoids the rotten nastiness of the gully.