Climbing Forbidden Peak via any route is a quintessentially North Cascadian experience. All the classic ridge routes - the famous West Ridge, the East Ridge, or the lonely North Ridge - are well worth the effort and provide an unforgettable experience in a stunning setting.
2024 Forbidden Climb Dates:
The three principal ridges of Forbidden Peak radiate in almost perfect symmetry away from its 8815 foot summit. The approach into the Boston Basin is steep, but reasonably short. It is about 3 to 4 hours from the car depending on which camp you choose. The lower camp is at 5400 feet and the upper camp at 6200 feet. The routes themselves do not offer any particularly high grade of climbing but the terrain is transition intensive, exposed, and constantly demands your attention.
The Forbidden West Ridge: Grade 3 / 5.6
The Forbidden Peak West Ridge is one of the 50 Classic Climbs in North America - with good reason. An approach from camp of about one hour will get you to the base of the Unnamed Glacier which is located below Forbidden Peak's South Face. We will ascend the glacier and then climb up the well-known access couloir to the actual West Ridge. In early season this is a fairly straight forward affair involving basic crampon and ice axe work. Eventually the couloir melts out and we then access the West Ridge via one of the rocky gullies that border the snow couloir on its west side.
Once on the West Ridge, we follow the ridge to the top. This ridge is where the route truly earned its reputation. The rock quality is great, the exposure is spectacular but not overwhelming and the scenery is stunning in every direction. Round trip time from camp to camp is approximately 8 to 10 hours.
The Forbidden East Ridge Direct: Grade 3 / 5.8
The initial approach from camp is the same as for the West Ridge, but before truly reaching the Unnamed Glacier we trend east and up a broad shoulder to the base of the East Ridge. The good news is that the East Ridge is easily accessible any time during the summer season - no matter how melted out conditions are. The East Ridge Direct followed by a subsequent descent of the West Ridge is a popular way to complete the route. Either way, it should be a great time. If you are up for a bit harder climbing, this might be the route for you. The rock (Skagit Gneiss) on the ridge is very good, and the 5.8 sections of climbing provide significant exposure. Round trip time from camp to camp is approximately 8 to 10 hours.
The Forbidden North Ridge: Grade 4 / 5.7
This climb involves a crossing of the famous Sharkfin Col from the Quien Sabe Glacier to the impressive Boston Glacier on the east side of Forbidden Peak. On a side note, the Boston Glacier is the biggest of the over 300 glaciers in North Cascades National Park. Once on the glacier, we head north to access the toe of the North Ridge. From here we have the option of following the entire ridge to the summit or drop onto the Forbidden Glacier which allows us to access the ridge proper via a snow and ice shield (it is called the Northwest Face of the North Ridge). Either way - you will feel that you are in a magnificent setting. The actual rock climb on the ridge is always enjoyable and pretty straightforward, since the rock is solid and favorably layered for movement. We highly recommend to do this climb as a three day climb, since the approach to the toe of the North Ridge already involves over 6000 feet of vertical gain and a lot of distance. The extra day increases the trip price, but it is well worth it.
The NW Buttress and the South face direct offer more challenging climbing and are usually done in 3 days. Please contact us if you'd like us to put together a trip for you to climb one of these routes.
Overall difficulty: difficult
Skills: prior mountaineering experience
Fitness: very good physical fitness
The Forbidden West Ridge: Grade 3 / 5.6:
The Forbidden Peak West Ridge is one of the 50 Classic Climbs in North America - with good reason. An approach from camp of about one hour will get you to the base of the Unnamed Glacier which is located below the Forbidden Peak's South Face. We will ascend the glacier and then climb up the well-known access couloir to the actual West Ridge. In early season this is a fairly straight forward affair involving basic crampon and ice axe work. Eventually the couloir melts out and we then access the West Ridge via one of the rocky gullies that border the snow couloir on its west side.
Once on the West Ridge, we follow the ridge to the top. This ridge is where the route truly earned its reputation. The rock quality is great, the exposure is spectacular but not overwhelming and the scenery is stunning in every direction. Round trip time from camp to camp is approximately 8 to 10 hours.
PGS Supplied
At least some prior mountaineering experience is required.
No, you are responsible for your own food; however, we are glad to help with suggestions.
Try to fit your gear into a 50 liter pack.
Although tipping is not a requirement, it is considered standard practice in the guiding industry and is appreciated by our guides. We generally recommend roughly 10%-15% of your course or trip cost or a flat amount that you are comfortable with.
