Jump to content

Forbidden "East Ridge" Descent


IceScrewed

Recommended Posts

OK, so many years ago I did the W Ridge and ended up bivying on the way down because of the horrendous traffic jams caused from people coming up.

I'm planning a trip up a N side route and would appreciate any beta on descending the E side (as described by Nelson). Is Nelson's description pretty accurate? I remember people avoiding this descent because it was considered to have some devious routefinding...any thoughts and personal experience greatly appreciated. [Wazzup]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 27
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I found it pretty straightforward, with no huge routefinding problems to speak of. You'll need to downclimb a bit to an obvious ledge to "get around the corner", and you need to pay attention to what you're doing, but otherwise it's good. I wouldn't want to do it in the rain, or in the dark though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've descended the route twice. It's not such a big deal. Jim's description is apt. The easiest way to go wrong is to not descend far enough down the rappel gulley before traversing off to the right. The going is easier down lower. I'm not sure of the overall number of rappels, but I seem to recall 4 or 5 double rope raps (with a 45 or 50 m rope). The closer it seems you are coming to rappelling onto the Boston Glacier, the easier it will be when you traverse.

 

The only other challenge is to be able to identify the right gully to head up to regain the E Ridge. The place you want to come out is a notch which is very obvious from the other side. This is more or less where the scree trail changes into the beginning of the climbing on the E Ridge. It may be so many people have done the E Ridge descent/traverse now that there is a faint trail back up that gully, but if not, you just have to take your best shot at it. If you don't hit the gully, there may be some stuff harder than 4th class to get back onto the ridge.

 

We did the NW FAce of the N Ridge last time around and really enjoyed it. I have seen some recent TRs for the NFace that also sounded good. Also, I suggest trying an alternate route to the Sharkfin Col route. It was re-described recently; don't have the thread reference, but my general advice is to go up a gully about 200' right of the Sharkfin Col and then downclimb or rappel the other side onto the glacier. There may be a moat issue on the other side, but given this is a pretty good snow year, it should still be okay. Send me a PM and I can get you better info on this route.

 

Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bob is right in his details. What he neglected to tell you is that his boot soles delaminated on N. Ridge of Forbidden, meaning we had a clown shoe thing going on during the entire descent. I believe Bob has the first double floppy sole descent via the E. Ledges. All other info is correct. The first time I did this descent we had cairns to follow. Not so the second time. Go figure.

 

Cheers,

 

The unnamed partner

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cavey, you are right, you don't need 2 ropes but if you climb with doubles you might as well make it go as quickly as possible. Oh, and double 60's will put you down far enough in 3 raps. Keep your wits about you on the traverse, it has been the scene of a fatality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to have the clown shoe physical evidence hanging from the rafters at my office but eventually had to get rid of it. I used duct tape and 4 mm parachute cord to try and hold it together but relief was only temporary. The left boot failed in the middle of the easy slabs on the way up and the right boot failed during the rappel. Talk about quality control! These were original Koflachs purchased when the NFace went out of business in the UDist years ago.

 

The same thing happened in 2000 on the way down from Bonanza with a different pair of boots. Not as much drama and humiliation, though -- the delamination happened at Holden Lake. So only had to do the flip/flop routine back to Holden.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During the first couple of raps, look east and try to identify the solitary gendarme the marks the start of the east ridge route. You want to end up just on the west side of that. (This advice is probably only meaningful if you have done that route.)

 

In my experience, single rope raps are better here because aside from the first rap, it's low angle enough that "deploying" the ropes becomes a hassle in and of itself. (And then your knot gets hung up...)

 

Finally, a good way to keep track of your progress is to count the ribs that you've crossed. I've always counted 5 of them and then headed up the fifth one (rather than drop into the gully on the other side) for an easy scramble back into the finishing notch.

 

People give this descent a bad rap. It is stressful, but I find it easier than going down the West ridge (no couloir to descend). Your biggest worry might be people on the direct route knocking rocks on you... Forbidden wouldn't have quite the same charm if it had a trivial walk off descent, right??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did the East Ledges traverse (I think) back in '99 when attempting the North Ridge route. It was getting late and I was due home so we bailed on the N. Ridge and traversed those ledges to get out. It didn't seem too bad, but maybe that was because we had already done umpteen simulclimb pitches earlier in the day so we were "acclimatized". Don't know anything about the raps though.

 

Oh, and finding the correct notch was not a problem. It's just before (N) of the "solitary gendarme". Can't miss it [big Grin] .

-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we did four or five single (60m) raps before traversing out on the face. I got pretty scared after almost taking the big spill when a clump of grass gave way. We roped up and simoclimbed the rest, usualy getting one or two solid pieces in per ropelength.

 

We didn't go into the gully because it looked nasty. Instead we gradualy angled high, following fixed belay slings, and met the ridge about one ropelength above the start of the East Ridge route. That worked out well for us, and avoided any gully groveling. Have fun!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:

Originally posted by erik:

quote:

Originally posted by Lambone:

I got pretty scared after almost taking the big spill when a clump of grass gave way.

are we starting to develop a pattern here mister gym rat???

Hey, I never admitted to being a very experienced grass climber, allthough since moving to Washington that is changing quickly.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think spraying in the past has given me bad karma that led to my sort of shitty weekend. So I have given it up.

 

From now on I wil only spray on eric, and Caveman...as long as he doesn't threaten to kill me again.

 

Have a fun climb, and don't slip.

 

[ 07-31-2002, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: Lambone ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...