Forbidden Peak - West Ridge Route
CLIMB FORBIDDEN PEAK
Forbidden Peaks West (left) and East (Right) ridges in Fall conditions. Photo: John Scurlock
The Mountain Bureau is the premier regional mountain guiding service. What makes us unique?
FORBIDDEN PEAK 8815Ft / 2686M
WEST RIDGE-III 5.6
Forbidden is one of the 50-classic climbs in North America and for all the right reasons. No single move is terribly difficult but the combined volume of technical alpine rock and glaciers make this a challenging but attainable undertaking. From a remote basecamp in a high alpine meadow you will ascend glaciers and transition into technical rock climbing. Your team will attempt to gain the West Ridge with ultra-classic position and high quality rock. This your chance to climb one of the most prized summits in the North Cascades.
Details
Location: Forbidden Peak
Ratio: 2:1 climber to guide (max. 4 climbers)
Length: 3 days + 1/2 day travel and prep
Cost: $2247.00 per person - 1 Climber/1 Guide
$1347.00 per person - 2 Climbers/1 Guide
$1647.00 per person - 3 Climbers/2 Guides
$1347.00 per person - 4 Climbers/2 Guides
Dates: June 13-16, 2024
July 8-11, 2024
Custom dates are available for this program by submitting a Private Booking Request or calling our office at (619)432-5462.
Itinerary
Prep Day - Travel via public transportation to Skagit Valley, WA. The team will start with a welcome meeting, run through a group gear-check and program orientation. We will get your pack to a comfortable weight and have time to answer any questions you may have.
Day 1 - We will provide transport to the 3,200’ trailhead up the North Fork of the Cascades River deep in the subalpine old growth of North Cascades National Park. The team then will hike a rugged climbers path through the old growth to majestic alpine meadows. We will base camp and prepare for the the summit push the next day (2.5 Miles, 3,100’ Elevation Gain, 4 Hours Travel Time, 35-45 lb. Pack Weight)
Day 2 - With a 4AM start your team will leave by headlamp and gain the Unmanned Glacier and by day brake touch the rock. The team transition to rock climbing in boots and climb several pitches of moderate rock (5.5-5.6) to gain the ridge crest. With the amazing position and views the team will spend the rest of the morning climbing the sharp West ridge and 5.6 gendarmes to the summit. The group will reverse the route back to camp with downclimbing and seven 30m rappels. (2.5 Mile, +2,600’ Elevation Gain -2600’ Loss, 12 Hours Travel TIme, 12-18 lb. Pack Weight)
Day 3 - A lazy morning awoken by the sun with grand views of the North and Central Cascades. After breakfast the team slowly packs up and makes the steep trek back to the trailhead (2.5 Miles, -3,100’ Elevation Loss, 4 Hours Travel Time, 35-45 lb. Pack Weight)
Includes
Reserved Permit for Backcountry Boston Basin Zone
Round trip transport from the Skagit Valley to the mountain
All breakfasts and dinners on the mountain
Tents
Stoves and fuel
All group climbing equipment
Emergency communication
Excludes
Personal climbing and camping equipment
Lunches and snacks on the mountain
Transport to the Skagit Valley
Activity Requirements
Glacier travel over moderate terrain in crampons
Climbing 5.6 in boots
Rappelling Experience
Comfortable with moderate exposure
Ability to carrying a heavy pack (up to 35 lbs)
Overnight bivouacs in tents
north cascades national park
This is our happy place. At more than 500,000 acres, the North Cascades National Park consists of a lifetime of Alpine Mountaineering and Alpine Rock Climbing. The mountains feature steep rugged glacially sculpted rocky mountain peaks with the most expansive glacial system in the contiguous United States. This offers an attractive climbing venue with significant relief and majestic views. The glaciers in route to your objective are watershed to major spillways feeding the highest degree of flora biodiversity of any American national park. This area is incredibly scenic and therefor very popular. Access to large portions of North Cascades National Park are limited and it is difficult in peak season to acquire access to popular climbs. The Mountain Bureau secures backcountry permit reservations with the National Park Service for all of our scheduled climbs so you don’t have to worry about access.
Johannesburg Mountain in the background during an ascent of the Torment-Forbidden-Traverse Photo: Mark Allen
All scheduled programs can also be booked with custom dates and itineraries. Please see our Custom Guiding pages for more information or Contact Us for a custom program.
All programs are subject to the Mountain Bureau LLC Terms & Conditions