An Ascent of Forbidden Peak

On June 27, 2009, DC Dugdale and I began a four-day trip to Boston Basin with the American Alpine Institute. This was not DC’s first trip with AAI, but it was our first trip together. Our objective was the Northwest Face of Forbidden. Neither DC nor myself had ever climbed the route before, but the route looked amazing.

The line had all the qualities of a Cascades adventure. There would be glacier travel, steep snow, and rock climbing. There was limited route beta available for the climb, and the conditions were still holding at late spring. So with the spirit of adventure we headed up to the peak.

On day one we hiked into Boston Basin. We planned to camp at the lower camp. The trail in had more blowdown than normal. Fallen trees and other avalanche debris obstructed the trail. The recent winter destruction made the trail even more arduous than usual. Even though the trail seemed tedious, we made it to camp in good time.

Boston Basin from the Standard Camp
Photo by Dawn Glanc

On day two we awoke to thick clouds. It drizzled throughout the night. We choose to chill a bit due to the weather. As the day moved along, the clouds broke and the blue sky replaced the gray clouds that blanketed us. With a mid-morning start we began to climb the mountain. Our goal for the day was to bivy at the top of the west ridge col. we headed up the couloir, moving together through the steep snow. A few easy rock pitches led us to the notch. We made our camp in a very precarious looking spot. The tent looked like it was going to fall off the mountain at any moment. However the ledge was flat and just the right size. We settled in and started to melt snow for water.

After dinner we scoped the descent into the Northwest face. Looking down from the notch into the northwest face was daunting. The snow heading down was very steep, too steep for down climbing. Little to no rock was exposed, which meant that the rock rap stations might not be available. We thought that if we went for it, after we pulled the rope from the first rap, we would be totally committed to the northwest face. After some scouting and some discussion, DC and I came to the agreement that the route was more than we were willing to commit to. The plan was then changed to climb the west ridge.

On day three we awoke to another bluebird day. It was beautiful. The temperatures were great and we were stoked to climb. The west ridge was calling to be climbed. The route was beautiful alpine ridge climbing and the views were incredible. We made it to the summit in a reasonable amount of time and we were able to enjoy it uninterrupted by others. We then down-climbed and rappelled our way back to the notch.

The striking last pitch of Forbidden
Photo by Dawn Glanc

After returning to our bivy, we packed camp and headed down the coulior. Three double rope full-length rappels and some down climbing returned us to the glacier. With fatigue filling our legs, we pushed on down the glacier back to the low camp. Over dinner that night we reflected upon a great day. We could not have asked for better weather. It was another great day in the mountains.

The final day we hiked out to the car. Going downhill made the trail a bit easier. All the downed trees still makes for slow going even when gravity is in your favor. We passed a few other climbing parties as we were descending down the trail. Each seemed as eager as we were on the opening days of the trip. We smiled and shared our newly experienced route beta with those we passed. We were psyched to climb Forbidden via the west ridge. We had a true sense of accomplishment. I am now inspired to go back later in the season to try the Northwest Face again.

- - Dawn Glanc, AAI Guide

Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- July 2, 2009

Northwest:

--Twenty-seven year-old Kristopher Haskins was hit by two large boulders while climbing the Sandy Glacier Headwall on Mount Hood on Sunday. The impact broke both of the young man's legs. Haskins' partner, Jim Prager, was forced to leave in order to obtain help. To read more, click here.

--A climbing ranger was injured while skiing down from Mt. Rainier's summit Wednesday afternoon. Two rangers had reached the summit earlier in the day and were skiing back down to Camp Sherman when one punched through a hole in the snow and fell 40 feet into a crevasse, said Rainier Park spokesman Lee Taylor. To read more, click here.

Perhaps trails near I-90 will be a bit safer now that target shooting will be banned in the area.

--The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is closing several roads along the I-90 corridor to target shooters starting July 4th weekend. The closure area encompasses the valley bottom that follows the I-90 freeway corridor from exit 38 to the top of Snoqualmie Pass. The Tinkham and Denny Creek roads are included. This closure is primarily due to the numerous close calls that have taken place over the last few years. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

El Capitan from Wikipedia

--Speed climber Holly Beck was injured this week in an attempt to climb the Nose in a day on El Capitan. It appears that she took a fall while short-fixing which resulted in a concussion and a broken arm. She was evacuated by a SAR team. To read more, click here.

--It appears that there are a couple of small fires currently burning in Yosemite National Park. The Grouse Fire (250 acres) is about seven miles southwest of Yosemite Valley and north of Glacier Point Road. The Harden Fire (111 acres) is on the north side of the park, west of Harden Lake and northwest of White Wolf. The two fires are being managed to achieve both protection and resource objectives. To read more, click here.

Alaska:

--AAI Team Six summited Denali on Sunday and flew off the mountain on Monday. AAI Team Eight is currently staging their move to 17,000 feet. To read more, click here.

Himalaya:

--Italian Michele Fait fell to his death last week while skiing down from K2's C2 on the SSE spur. Together with Fredrik Ericsson, Fait was on his second partial descent down K2's slopes, when he suddenly fell. To read more, click here.

--Seventeen year-old Johnny Strange recently became the youngest individual to complete the Seven Summits. To read about this young man's incredible accomplishment, click here.

--Speaking of age...three Americans over the age of 60 reached the summit of Mount Everest this spring. To read more, click here.

Ed Viesters High in the Mountains

--It appears that world class high altitude mountaineer Ed Viesters will be on the Colbert Report tonight. Ed was the first American to climb all 14 8000 meter peaks.

Notes from All Over:

--A 28-year-old Las Vegas woman died Thursday after falling in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The Clark County Coroner's Office identified the woman as Margaret Plummer, a spokeswoman for the coroner said. She died from several blunt force trauma injuries and the cause of death was an accident, the coroner concluded. To read more, click here.


--The National Park Service has announced that after six years of collaborative negotiations, they have finalized and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Access Fund. The newly signed MOU frames a cooperative relationship between the climbing community and the National Park Service. It outlines the common interests that the parties share—such as conservation and planning—as well as how they will work together to reach common goals. To read more, click here.

--Does designating National Parks as wilderness help or hinder the prospect of winning protection for truly threatened roadless lands? Do the National Parks already have enough protection. Outdoor writer Bill Schneider of New West throws in his two cents on this politically hot topic. To read the opinion, click here.

--On June 25th a 50-year-old woman from Spain was butted and tossed in the air by a bull bison in Yellowstone National Park. The woman and her husband were using a pay phone in the Canyon lodging area with their backs to the road. According to witnesses, two bull bison walked down the road, passing within 20 feet of the couple. One of the bison left the road, walked up behind the woman and butted her into the air. To read more, click on the June 25th report, here.

National Park Service Advises Visitors to Use Caution With Fire During 4th of July Holiday

AAI just received the following email from Denali National Park:

National Park Service Advises Visitors to Use Caution With Fire During Fourth of July Holiday

The upcoming holiday weekend is forecast to be warm and mostly dry, and Denali National Park and Preserve officials are asking visitors to be especially cautious with their use of fire while enjoying the park. As of this date over 300 fires have burned in Alaska, and two-thirds were human caused. Wildland fuels such as grass, brush, and trees can dry out quickly with warm temperatures, and if ignited can quickly grow into large fires.

Campfires are allowed in the park campgrounds that have fire grates but they should be completely extinguished after use. Fires are not allowed in the backcountry areas of the original Mount McKinley National Park that are designated as wilderness.

Fireworks are not permitted in Denali National Park and Preserve and will be confiscated. Persons using fireworks in the park may be prosecuted.

Updated park information is posted on the web at www. nps.gov/dena and park happenings can be followed real time at DenaliNPS on Twitter.com. Information can also be obtained by calling (907) 683-2294 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily.

National Park Service and Access Fund Sign Agreement to Work Together on Climbing Issues

AAI just received the following email from the National Park Service:

Washington DC — The National Park Service has announced that after six years of collaborative negotiations, they have finalized and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Access Fund. The newly signed MOU frames a cooperative relationship between the climbing community and the National Park Service. It outlines the common interests that the parties share—such as conservation and planning—as well as how they will work together to reach common goals.

The Access Fund has demonstrated a long history of constructive solution-building between climbers and Park Service officials, illustrated through successful climbing management in areas like Yosemite National Park in California, Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska, New River Gorge National River in West Virginia, and Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, to name a few.

The Access Fund and local climbers have made major contributions to NPS lands— such as collaborating on conservation events, participating in management planning, granting funds for trail improvements, and installing bear boxes. NPS officials recognize that climbers are a cooperative and responsible user group.

Numerous NPS officials provided endorsements for the Access Fund in support of the MOU, including the previous Superintendent of Yosemite National Park, Michael Tollefson. Tollefson endorsed the MOU “based on years of collaboration….that has directly benefitted park operations and the visitor experience, as well as work that less directly, but importantly supports park management strategic direction. We enjoy a direct line of cooperative and thoughtful conversation with [Access Fund staff], and believe that this connection allows forward-thinking solutions.”

Much of the value of this MOU will be realized by the Access Fund’s seventy-plus affiliated local climbing organizations, which can make use of the agreement to initiate relationships with managers of the national parks in their areas. The agreement will make it easier for climbers to develop mutually beneficial relationships with NPS officials regarding climbing management and stewardship issues. The MOU also will help these organizations express their interests when management planning is undertaken on NPS lands that contain climbing resources.

About the Access Fund:

Founded in 1991, the Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: climbing management policy, stewardship and conservation, local support and mobilization, land acquisition and protection, and education. For more information, visit www.accessfund.org.

About the National Park Service:

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. For more information about the NPS visit http://www.nps.gov.

Conditions Report -- July 1, 2009

NORTHWEST:

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

Pat Gallagher on the Thin Red Line. Photo by Eric Linthwaite

--Pat Gallagher and Eric Linthwaite headed up to Washington Pass last weekend to attempt the Thin Red Line on Liberty Bell. For a full trip report of their adventure click here.

--Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

--Here is an update from Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest regarding fire danger:

High Fire Risk on National Forest
Unusually dry conditions have increased fire danger on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The risk is much higher now than is typical for this time of the year, and with the July 4th weekend approaching, please be careful with fire on the forest. Fireworks are prohibited on National Forest lands.

--Crews will start clearing the road to Artist Point above Mt. Baker Ski Area on Monday, July 6, according to a state Department of Transportation news release. To read more click here.

--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth, and Highway 2.

Steph Abegg nearing the top of the new route "Thread of Ice" on the Twin Needles. Photo by Wayne Wallace

--Steph Abegg and Wayne Wallace headed into the Pickett Range recently and climbed a fantastic new route on the North side of Twin Needles. The route is called "Thread of Ice" and looks super fun! For a complete report of the first ascent click here.

Brian Hench on the descent from Exfoliation Dome. Photo by Matt Perkins

--Matt Perkins and Brian Hench headed up to the Exfoliation Dome near Darrington and wrote a great report complete with current road and route conditions. To read about their climb click here.

--One of our guides, Dawn Glanc, recently returned from Boston Basin. She reported numerous downed trees located in slide paths. These areas are becoming treacherous due to the melting of snow underneath and could collapse if being crossed. Use extreme caution if traveling across these areas on the trail.

--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.

--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest ice conditions may be found here.

--The Tieton River climbing areas have been closed for the season due to nesting raptors. To read more about this closure, click here.

--It appears that a pair of peregrine falcons have nested on the classic line, Outer Space on Snow Creek Wall in Leavenworth. All routes from Outer Space, White Slabs Direct and White Fright, south to the descent gully, including Orbit, are closed to climbing until July 31st.

--A couple weeks ago we finally got a team into the North Side of Mount Baker. The Coleman-Deming Route is in great shape and the North Ridge looks to be in good shape as well with a snow-bridge still available to access the "Hourglass" approach gully. The Glacier Creek road is closed at about mile 2.5 and will not reopen until the Fall. It took our team approximately six hours to get into the North Side with large packs and about four hours to get back to the car at the end of the trip.

--We have recently received a couple updates regarding current Squamish conditions:

"A tree has dislodged itself from the crack and fallen over the third pitch of Peasant's route on the Chief. The tree lies right across the climbing line between the two bolts on the pitch just above the crux. There is no way around it, but with some force you can bushwack your way through it.

I recommend bringing a small folding saw with you up there. Unless you are prepared to clean a little don't try to pull it out of the crack because you will send mud and debris down the pitch below it."

-Conny Amelunxen, Canadian Mountain Guide

-Click here for current falcon closures on the Grand Wall

--More updates from our friendly neighbors to the north with regard to the Bugaboos:

Just had my first trip of the season up to the Bugs and things are looking good. It is definitely still a bit early but there is already lots to do.

Road

The road is in descent shape and ok for a small car with a bit of navigating through ruts around KM 34. I was in a Toyota Matrix and had no problems.

Trail

The trail to the Kain hut is mostly snow free but there are a couple of significant piles of avalanche debris and a few fallen trees to negotiate along the way.

Travel Conditions

Generally, things seem a little ahead of usual. There is still lots of snow above the hut but the moraines are melting out fast. Travel on the lower elevation snow is good in the morning (with a good freeze) and becomes a bit of a slog in the PM when things warm up. Up high (above ~2800m) you can still expect up to knee deep foot penetration through a breakable crust but

this would only affect the last bit of glacier to the West Ridge of Pigeon Spire. The Bugaboo-Snowpatch col is in good shape right now but there is already lots of loose rock melted out on the sides.

Routes

Most of the regular stuff is climbable with a few snow patches remaining. The low elevation routes in the Crescent area look dry as do many of the routes on the west face of Snowpatch. There will inevitably be some wet sections on most routes but they are shrinking by the day. The higher shady routes like the NE Ridge of Bugaboo and the Becky-Chouinard will likely have snow and ice in them for a little while yet.

Bears

There is a sow grizzly with two, one year old cubs hanging around Bugaboo Creek these days but there was no recent evidence of their presence on the trail.

South Howser Descent

A new descent has been established from the South Howser Tower that avoids the cornice, loose rock and rope eating flakes of the existing descent. It roughly follows the North Face-Ridge route towards the Central Howser. Stop in at the hut to see a detailed topo.

Cheers,

Marc Pich?

ACMG, IFMGA

Mountain Guide

SIERRA:

--For information regarding wall closures due to falcon nesting in Yosemite National Park, click here.

--For an update on road conditions in the Eastern Sierra region. Follow this link to read more.

--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.

ALASKA RANGE:

--For daily dispatches from expeditions currently climbing Denali, click here.

--Forecast for Denali.

--Webcam for Denali National Park.

The Kahiltna Dome
Archived Photo by Coley Gentzel

--The snow is melting very fast in the Alaska Range this year. This is in part due to the ash on the glaciers from the Redoubt volcano. All of the major landing strips are melting out. Strips on the Kahiltna, the Ruth and on the Pika are all in poor shape. Access to the range will be limited in the very near future.

ALPS:

--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

--The climbing season in the Alps has begun and we are accepting applications for our 2009 climbs of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and the Eiger and many other peaks in France and Switzerland. Please call our office (360-671-1505) for current availability.

RED ROCK CANYON:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

--The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.

JOSHUA TREE:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.