[TR] Forbidden Peak - East Ridge - West Ridge Traverse 6/27/2012

[chris]

Trip: Forbidden Peak - East Ridge - West Ridge Traverse

 

Date: 6/27/2012

 

Trip Report:

After climbing the North Ridge on Mt Baker earlier in the week, warm temps and rainy forecasts dissuaded us from attempting another North Face like Shuksan or Buckner, as well as a longer rock route like the Torment-Forbidden Traverse. A fitting compromise was the an integral traverse of Forbidden Peak via the East Ridge to the West Ridge. A photo from the previous weekend showed the East Ridge snow-free, it would be in the sun, and a full day climb.

 

Tuesday's storm did put some snow on the mountain, but Wednesday's sunny weather melted it all away. On Thursday, the warm temperatures were evident in the post-hole boot pack we kicked in from our camp at 6000' to the East Ridge, but the ridge itself was snow-free except for one 15' notch. The climb is very straighforward, and we mostly downclimbed the West Ridge, switching back to our boots about 200' short of the col. Four 100' rappels got us most of the way down the couloir, and then we kicked steps and plunge-stepped the rest of the way out.

 

Note - the East Ledges is still largely snow-covered, especially on the upper half, and was not a viable descent option. The West Ridge Couloir is still in good shape for travel, although I would stay to the climber's left side of the couloir. The buttress anchor/rappel stations on the climber's left and outside of the couloir have not all completely melted out yet - I spotted only one anchor 200' below the ridge. There is a lot of snow in Boston Basin - an AAI guide told me he probed 6' on top of the toilet bin.

 

The weather had turned while we were descending, so under a threat of rain we packed up and hiked out in the evening, reaching the car before dark - although it did start raining in the last hour of the hike, and we just accepted the soaking as part of the admission price.

 

More photos and information can be found at my blog - Climb | Ski | Sleep | Repeat.

 

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[img:center]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zL9Y71qfDK0/T_M6gcuf9bI/AAAAAAAAQ2U/Osi-kxuIzJU/s640/7476750196_58a852810c_o.jpg[/img]

 

[img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kI6txkIKq2k/T-8ejXWoGQI/AAAAAAAAQ0s/acVhTA-bIKU/s640/DSC01629.JPG[/img]

 

Gear Notes:

rock shoes recommended

one set of stoppers, #4-#10

one set of cams, #0.3-#2 (six total)

6 shoulder length slings

2 double-shoulder slings

1 cordellette

1 60m rope

 

Approach Notes:

The trail is almost snow-free to treeline. Almost. Still, we lost the trail for the last 200' or so of elevation into the bowl.