Forbidden west ridge

[chesterboo]

Has anybody been up there recently and have info about what shape the coulior is in? Thanks

[sprocket]

I pulled this of the Mountaineers forum. Looks like the coulior is in great shape.

 

"Road gated at Eldorado turnout, so this adds 2.5 miles each way to the trip. One washout with stream across road 0.5 miles in; other washouts bridged with temporary walk bridges. Trail in good shape, the usual muddy section, no new avy debris. Snow encountered shortly before Boston Basin. We camped on snow.

 

Couloir is currently in great shape; the schrund was passed on the right, no problem at all. The day was warm and the snow was soft up and down in the couloir. Short class 4 bit near the top could also be bypassed on steep snow on the left.

 

First pitch has some (6-10") of snow, boots necessary. This seemed to be recent snowfall from the small systems over the previous week or two, will be gone soon unless more falls. Second pitch also had some snow. Two of us changed into rock shoes where the route steepens at the beginning of the third pitch, no significant snow from here on. This is also the spot which somebody recently decided to use as his personal toilet--right at a belay point!

 

 

On the way down we chose to rappel because of the snow lower on the route, was a much safer option vs. downclimbing. We also rapped the first 200' of the couloir on a single line (last person did a normal 100' rap), then downclimbed the rest.

 

Saw three bears, one on the road and two across the river on the slope about 3/4 mile from the car on the way out. All decent sized, hanging out with each other."

 

[tazz]

Some friends of mine did it last week...here is the TR

 

 

Edited June 28, 2007 by tazz

[dmuja]

Thats gotta be one of the best TRs on WR Forbidden ever! Thanks TAZZ

[chesterboo]

Thanks Tazz and Sprocket! Looks like a go for me. I wonder if it would be worth riding a bike up the road from the gate? Prob a pain on the way up but a dream on the way down.

Edited June 28, 2007 by chesterboo

[tazz]

part two was just posted. linky

 

sounds like there will be a part 3....

 

It is a great report!

[sprocket]

So did you go? TR?

[goatboy]

Thanks Tazz and Sprocket! Looks like a go for me. I wonder if it would be worth riding a bike up the road from the gate? Prob a pain on the way up but a dream on the way down.

 

In my experience, biking up that road is a pain, but SO good for the cruise back down....