best of cc.com [TR] Forbidden - NW Face, with a near disastrous descent. 7/26/2007

[Climzalot]

Sorry. Yes I was talking about rapping from the WR col down onto the north side. I read your comments about being at the end of your ropes going over the 'schrund, but you also mentioned finding a better spot for the other two to cross so I was hoping that the better way would go with 1 rope.

 

The route over Sharkfin seems like a lot longer walk. Am I mistaken?

 

Was the snow at the edge of the 'schrund decent for bollards?

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Coley

[Rad]

2 years ago Gene and I walked in via the Sharkfin col. The Boston glacier might be easy to traverse in early season, but by now it will be a gigantic maze of crevasses.

[Dannible]

When I said that I found a better spot for the others to come down I just meant that there was a place for them to stand at the bottom without having to swing much, it didn't shorten it up enough to make one rope possible. The snow seemed like it would be ok for bollards, but you would want to make it really big and strong, as there is a chance that you will be freehanging depending on where you go over. Like I said, I'll post a couple of pictures and show you some options.

[Climzalot]

Cool. Sounds good guys. Thanks for the help.

[Dannible]

Ok, here it is.

 

Aaron above the ice cliff. You might be able to belay over the sketchy bridges behind him, but I don't remember how they really looked.

 

This is how we got down. Once at the notch, head towards torment for about 20 feet, downclimb for a while; rap at one of several oldish slings (like I said, bring extra rap tat). With one rope it should be 3 or 4 raps down to the snow. Traverse along moat (we belayed this) skiers right until you reach the 2 pin anchor. From here, if you only have one rope, rap to near the edge of the shrund, and make super bollard about 10 feet to the skiers left of the fall line. Another option (yellow dots) is to belay eachother over the narrow snow bridges to skiers right of the fall line. This might be too steep to do safely, and you would want a picket or 2, but it's an idea. For the love of god whatever you do DO NOT go straight down from your last rap on the rocks.

Edited August 2, 2007 by Dannible

[dberdinka]

Wow. Lots of Schwanky (as in good) beta floating around these days. Brings back great memories, what an awesome climb.

[genepires]

9 years ago there was no gaping shrund there. damn global warming.

[Climzalot]

Brilliant. Thanks a ton for the super useful beta. It almost feels like cheating...almost Was the snow pretty cruiser down to the toe of the ridge? It looked like you guys had tennies and strap on poons? Was planning a similar strategy.

 

Thanks again.

[Dannible]

Yep, easy snow below shrund, the longer you wait to get on the rock the more you get to climb. Light shoes and crampons work fine. With any luck the moats and shrund have gotten a little bigger over the past week so that even with all this beta you can still have an adventure.