[TR] Torment Forbidden - Traverse 7/31/2005

[highclimb]

Climb: Torment Forbidden -Traverse

 

Date of Climb: 7/31/2005

 

Trip Report:

Theron and Robert and I climbed the Traverse taking two days and sleeping on the ridge. as everyone says the hardest part is at the start. coming down off of torment and getting past the first snow section. we encountered scary steep snow climbing on of between the moat of the glacier and the north side of the gendarmes. as the season goes on this section will be harder to pass. the rest of the route is straight forward and the conditions of the second snow bypass are fine. we had nice steps to follow. pictures to come when theron and robert scan their stuff.

Aidan

 

Gear Notes:

aluminum cramps, ice axe, no snow gear, small alpine rock rack.

[mvs]

way to go guys!

[Der_Wanderer]

Preshate, mvs. Missed you up there.

[letsroll]

Looking at doing this route this weekend. Tried it last but group was too slow (we will not get into that one ). Anyway this time I am leading it and only taking one other person. Little nervous about route finding (first alpine rock lead). So I have a couple of questions from what I remember from last year. Did you do the Southeast Face? If so then, How large and easy is it to cross the burgshurnd on the Taboo glacier (last year it was starting to really open up). I am going to go fairly high up the glacier before getting on the face. Also when you say it was scary crossing the snow on the North side of the ridge, what made it so? Should I take a couple of pickets. I am fine on steep crappy snow, but partner may not be. Also alpine leather boots going to be fine for the rock or should I think about taking rock shoes for the west ridge. Also where did you park? Can you drive and park at the spur road? I am going to take a light rack of two sets of nuts, set of tri cams and hexes. and several douple runners. The west ridge decent is back down the route, correct? Thanks for help.

[letsroll]

did not see the other post for this trip. Questions answered.

[highclimb]

Little nervous about route finding (first alpine rock lead).

 

hmmm maybe you should consider another route if this infact will be your first alpine lead. i cant gadge your experience based on this post but maybe consider a route a little less committing. its just a thought. anyway if you need anymore question anwsered will be glad to help

 

Aidan

[letsroll]

I thought about what you said and talked to my partner and we opted to still do the climb, we are up for a possible adventure if things don't go to plan . I figure at least it will be a good adventure. I have lots of alpine snow experience, but not a lot of alpine rock (route finding) experience. But what the heck got to do it some time. The level of rock climbing (max 5.6 on the west ridge) sounds right at my level trad level and this looks like too good of a climb to pass up. After looking at the other post and doing some other re-reading I think the only question I have for you is this, where is there water on this climb. Sound like I will be able to refill at the taboo glacier, but what about on the ridge and on the west ridge. It looks to me we will have to melt snow for water on the ridge for the rest of the climb. As it stands right now I am going to fill up at the taboo glacier with about 4 quarts (one nalgine and one camel bladder) with the option of melting snow near the bivy ledge. We are going to get started around 3:30 -4 am and if we are moving good on then we will try the entire route in one day other wise we will get up there and have lost of time to rest for day 2 .

Thanks for the help/advise. Can't wait to try this sucker out!!!

[robertm]

be ready to 3rd class much of the route without belays if you want to move fast otherwise you are in for a multiday adventure. 1 mile of rock climbing is a lot of belays... so as long as you feel that you don't need to belay low 5th class rock go for it. It is not hard but it is exposed and there are some loose sections on the north side. Go into it with eyes wide open and you should be fine.

[goatboy]

Being willing to solo much of the route is not a bad plan, but not necessary for a one-day ascent, either.

 

We belayed or simulclimbed 90% of the route, and only soloed the first third of Forbidden's West Ridge (from the W Ridge Couloir up). We went camp to camp (in Boston Basin) in a day.

[robertm]

True Goatboy.... generally newbies to 5.6 rock are not ready for simulclimbing. Some might be YMMV...

[goatboy]

Hmm, I'm not sure I get your point here -- Are you suggesting that they should solo sections of the route, because they're not experienced enough to simul-climb while roped up?

 

If that's the case, should they be on this particular route at all?

 

In my mind, here's the spectrum:

 

Soloing = faster but more risky

Simul-climbing = pretty fast, but moderates risk to some extent

Belaying = slow, but much safer.

 

Thoughts?

[Juan]

Dan Smith and I tried the TFT on Fri./Sat. this weekend. On Friday we climbed the S. Ridge of Torment at very average speed with some off-route excitement do to my inability to look left below the white slings on the third pitch. Easy fifth class with a section of "goat path" quickly became 5.8ish with shitty pro. Duh.

 

We eventually tagged the top (and saw Aidan's group in the register, but no mention of Dan A. and friend -- perhaps due to the broken pencil lead?), then descended, traversed the ledges, and rapped to the snow on the north side. We realized that this late in this dry year, if you don't place the rope just right from the red sling and cord you'll rap into the steep, deep moat. Make it a free-hanging rap and you're still O.K.

 

We were tired and concerned about the next section, so we bivied right there on the snow below the rappel. We didn't get as far as planned on Friday, and felt a bit frustrated with ourselves.

 

We woke up Sat. (yesterday) and agreed that we didn't have the requisite mojo to tackle the rest of the route that day, and, for a variety of reasons, we bailed. The narrow notch just left of the rap from above our bivi led us down to the moat on the Taboo in seven rappels. We couldn't see any slings from our position looking down the narrow notch, but guessed it would go and sure enough found slings where needed. There is a good horn to sling at the narrow notch. I'm sure someone will booty my purple sling, but they should leave it so people will know it goes. The 60m rope was good to have along. The moat at the edge of the Taboo is still escapable without trouble, but won't be forever this summer.

 

We were back at the car at noon yesterday with cold beer.

 

So, we're big pussies, but at least we tagged Torment, which neither of us had done. Many familiar names in that summit register -- and some people climb that peak really fast! Like twice as fast as we did from the car.

 

We agreed that we'd like to try it a bit earlier some year in hopes that the snow on the N. side would be more user friendly.

 

We saw Let's Roll and his gal pal on the way in to do the TFT. Looking forward to their report.

 

Cheers,

 

John Sharp

[daylward]

Regarding the summit register on Torment - it completely didn't cross our minds to look for it! We just got there, ate a bite, took a picture, and took off. But hearing about the pencil lead issue, now I'm glad I didn't waste the time!

 

Dan

[letsroll]

Juan it was good to see you guys. After we ran into you to we headed up the lower part of the glacier. Crossing the moat. Heading up to the snow patch and after commiting to the route I checked out the time we decided to turn around. After talking to you two and the problems you encountered and how long you two took to get to the bivi sight we decided to play it safe. Bivi on the face of Torment did not look as fun as it was last time I did this route. This is what we did wrong (bad leading on my part), left two hours too late (sleep was good however ), over estimating how easy the getting to base of route would be, and over estimating (and letting her overestimate) her abilites to lead her through the scetchy parts. I will say this we had a great time up there. If anything this was a great conditioner in one of my favorite areas. We bivied in boston basin to a sunset and sunrise that can't be beat.

[Juan]

Hey Dan:

 

Did you go to the right or left summit? We went to both -- the right one first -- and found the canister sitting right there on top of the left summit. Luckily I had a pen with me just in case.

 

We were way impressed with your speed and efficiency and I'd like to talk to you about the section after the rap to the North side. Let's take it offline.

 

Cheers,

 

Sharp

[Juan]

Nice talking to you Letsroll. I hope we didn't spook you too much -- we had a feeling that your partner may not like what she saw had she gotten a view of the next sections from the top, given that you said in a post that she isn't too keen on steep snow. You probably made a wise choice and still had fun on this beautiful, if hot and buggy, weekend. Did you see the rasta college kids from Prescott College? Too funny. The guys all looked the same. Shaggy dreads, beard, obligatory crystal slung around the neck, etc. Like, DUDE!

 

Cheers,

 

John

[letsroll]

You did not scare us too bad..lol. But after getting to base of the route I think it started to play a little in her head. Better to turn around than have mental problems on route. It was a good trip, learned lots. Was that party from the school a party of 4? If so they left camp just before we got to them and they were headed up Shark Fin tower.

[Juan]

If they were a party of 4, they broke in half. What did you climb?

 

John

[letsroll]

Ok so not getting on the traverse was understandable, but the next part just sucked. We opted for the 3rd option of doing shark fin tower. Hiked to the western edge of queens somthing glacier and the party of 4 (not your guys then) leaving a tie in spot for glacier travel. We met up with a large group of mountaineers and ask what the party of 4 was going to do.....Shark fin town. I figured they were going to do the same route as we were going to do (5.0 route) which is also the decent route. They would have taken a lot of time to getup and having to drive back to portland factored into it that did not sound like a good option so I put out doing Sahalie to my partner and we was less than enthused to say the least. Rather than take some one who is not into it from the get go I decided to preserve a still viable climbing partner and so we booked it out of there. That was the disappointing part of the whole trip. But what can you do?