Beta on Forbidden Peak?? West Ridge 7/16/2004

[CJ]

Climb: Forbidden Peak-West Ridge

 

Date of Climb: 7/16/2004

 

 

Any good/recent beta out there on the condition of the following for the West Ridge route?:

1. the cascade river road (still closed at mp 19.5?)

2. the trail from the road to Boston Basin

3. the condition of the snow gully up to the ridge (how's the 'shrund?)

 

Also, I've read plenty of opinions on which decent is better, but which would be safer? And, two ropes vs. one rope?

 

Lastly, which do you like better:

day 1: car to boston basin

day 2: boston basin to peak back to basin to car

or

day 1: car to boston basin, drop of camping crap, to peak, back to basin

day 2: basin to car.

 

We're doin it in two days, so no need to give me the "dude, just do one day car to car"

Edited July 14, 2004 by CJ

[scot'teryx]

1. the cascade river road (still closed at mp 19.5?)

Yup, they told me yesterday that they will re-open the orad near the end of this month.

 

day 1: car to boston basin

day 2: boston basin to peak back to basin to car

[ivan]

2 weeks ago the gully was still going as i saw people downclimbing it.

 

the trail still has the avalanche debris in it, but is very easy to cross now w/o getting misoriented. still a strenous hike up though, so doing the climb and descent on the same day makes a lot more sense, unless the weather is on the verge of crapping out.

[CJ]

Great info. Thanks guys. Ivan, did you happen to see anyone downclimbing the rocks next to the gully? Does that seem like a viable option?

[AaronB]

I recommend down climbing the gully to 5 rappels onto the snow of the glacier.. Skip down climbing the couloir.. 2 of the rappels end before the next set of slings, so don't rap off the end. Just a few moves of down climbing to the next slings.

[ivan]

i didn't see anyone downclimbing the gully rock, but it was clear. i've gone that route, simul-climbing before and found it most annoying, but still probably the best way off.

[Sleeveless]

Single or dbl rope rap?

[AaronB]

We did with 1 60m rope.. but did come short on 2 of the raps.. one wasn't too bad.. the other "the last one" was in a sketchy spot. I held onto the ends of the rope while reaching with other arm to clip daisy into slings.. Just be aware. Saves the steep downclimbing of the couloir, which I've never done, so maybe someone else can give better beta on that option.

[Sleeveless]

Did the downclimb back in 99! Not too bad, a little nerve racking, considering the gapping crevasse at the bottom. Had 50m rope at the time, which wasn't an option. A LOT of snow that year.