[TR] Forbidden Peak - East Ridge Direct 9/7/2008

[Layback]

Trip: Forbidden Peak - East Ridge Direct

 

Date: 9/7/2008

 

Trip Report:

After a day filled with chores and domestic responsibilities (shopping for baby furniture) I met Jim at the Smokey Point Starbucks. We grabbed a cup of coffee, moved his car to a Park & Ride and headed east on Highway 20. As always is the case on trips into the Cascades, conversation flowed easily. Before long we were on our way down the Cascade River Road eager to find a place to camp.

 

We pulled into a campsite at about 9:00 p.m. and sorted gear. One 30m rope, a set of Aliens, a set of nuts, a large hex, and a Metolius cam rounded out our gear. As I crawled into my sleeping bag in the back of my car, Jim settled down on the ground for a good night’s sleep. Five minutes later there was a tap, tap, tap on my car. The Snaffle Hounds were running rampant. Jim crawled into the car with me and we talked a bit before dozing off to sleep.

 

At around 2:00 a.m. I felt something run across my feet. Listening carefully I could hear the sounds of tiny feet making their way around my car. One of the little mother-f’ers had gotten in. Jim woke up to the sound of slamming car doors and shaking seats. He soon joined in to what would soon become a senseless fight. As the little critter had it’s way with my car, I tried to calm my mind and drift off to sleep again.

 

At 3:50 a.m. the alarm went off. It was time to get up and go. We got up and organized ourselves. As I moved around I could see a tiny little mouse glaring at me. It seemed as though he was saying, “why did you wake me up?” An empty McDonald’s bag played the part of the lure and soon the rodent was on its way.

 

After taking care of some business we pulled up to the Boston Basin trailhead at 4:30 a.m. There we met another team that would be attempting the East Ridge Direct of Forbidden Peak in a day also. We said some quick hellos, and wished each other luck as we set off behind them on the trail. As the sun came up Jim and I looked towards Johannesberg Mountain, where Tom Sjolseth was attempting the CJ Couloir. We yelled across the valley to Tom and wondered if he could hear us.

 

Soon after the sun came up we crested the tree line and got our first looks at Boston Basin and Forbidden Peak. Still a fair distance away, the route was calling to us. I knew this was going to be a good one.

 

As we walked along the moraine we were blasted by convection winds. My watch read 55 degrees Fahrenheit but the wind made it feel like a crisp fall day. We ducked behind a boulder at the high camp for a quick bite before continuing. A Snickers bar, some M&Ms and a PowerGel provided me with some quick sustenance as my body began to cool. Before long the cold began to set it so we headed off for the couloir that would take us to the ridge and the start of the climb.

 

After ascending some icy snow slopes we reached the lone gendarme at 11:00 a.m. we loaded up my pack with the things we’d both want for the climb and we threw what we wouldn’t need into Jim’s pack to be picked up upon our return.

 

 

At 11:15 we set off behind the party in front of us. I led for 2-3 pitches as we simul-climbed the ridge. Exposure was everywhere as I climbed, straddled, and sometimes crawled along the East Ridge. Jim took the lead as we simul-clmbed the next few pitches and eventually ascended an airy and exposed arete that felt about 5.6. Because of a logjam on the 5.7 gendarme, we decided to bypass that section via a short 5.6 traverse ledge. As the party before us rappelled the backside of the 5.7, Jim arrived at the belay ledge for the crux pitch and brought me in.

 

 

The crux pitch (5.8) starts off at the base of a dihedral that leads to the final ridge to the summit (5.3). The remainder of the East Ridge Direct route in between 5.3 and 5.5 with a few 5.6 moves thrown in for fun. As Jim paid out the rope, I began my ascent. After a few moves, I reached a fixed pink tricam and added a yellow Alien to protect myself through the crux. I moved my left had up, then my feet, balanced and reached for the bucket hold a few feet higher. Before I knew it I was through the crux and Jim and I were letting out our “Yahoos!” I plugged in a few cams and brought him up. We high-fived each other and set off for the last 200 meters to the summit.

 

We reached the summit at around 2:30 p.m. At the top we were joined by the party of two that had been in front of us the whole day as well as another party of two that had ascended the West Ridge. We looked around for the summit register but there wasn’t one to be found.

 

Soon discussion came up around the best way for all six of us to get down. We had originally planned on simul-climbing down the North Ridge to a point where one can descend a gully that brings one to the East Ridge Descent Route. But since we had six people, three 60m ropes, and one 30m rope we decided that we’d all just go down the series of 5 rappels to the East Ridge Descent Route.

 

After about 30 minutes of rappelling we found ourselves on the ledges that would bring us back to the lone gendarme. With some careful simul-climbing and routefinding Jim led the way as we made our way back to the lone gendarme and our packs. As we stepped on to the south side of the ridge at 4:00 p.m. I think we both commented how great it was to be back in the sun!

 

By 6:00 p.m. we reached the base of the couloir and made our way through Boston Basin. We covered most of the trail in daylight and finished with headlamps at 8:45 pm.

 

[zoroastr]

Nice report and snaps! Sounds like you had a much easier time on the ledges than our party a few years ago--I guess we just missed finding the scramble route. The ridge route was fun, but if I were to repeat, I think I'd definitely just rap the W. Ridge for the descent--much faster and more secure.

Thx again!