May 22-23, 2009, Forbidden Tour, Eldo and Primus
5/22/09
5548
8
Tobae, Joe, Richard, and I got a 4:30 am start from the Eldorado trailhead for the Boston Basin trail. The road walking was easy. Road is repaired to second gate, but closed? Snow and avy debries needing removal beyond about milepost 22. A little postholing later and we were in Boston Basin with superb views all around. Snow in the clearing still a little hard for comfortable skinning without ski crampons. Put crampons on and frontpointed up the colouir to Sharfin Col. A short section of snow over ice put you on your toes. Rappel onto the Boston required a 30 m rope only (we had 2 x 30 with us in case). Boy what a temperature difference in this basin by the time we got there - roasting!
Skinning to the col on the N ridge of Forbidden was a real easy traverse except the last part which was quite steep. Able to put a track in all the way to the col. We found the col easy to locate for this group of Forbidden virgins, from Volken's description - 'northernmost low point on the ridge'. The ski down to Moraine Lake was on fantastic corn. Snow is continuous to the basin by one narrow finger on skiers right. Took a long deserved map on rocks down by the lake. You can bivy dry here by now. Lake is open at the outlet and inlet, we felt it was safe to cross. Across the lake snow is continous on climbers left, but quite steep and it would take us a way from where we wanted to camp. We headed right and through a crumbly rock band for about 150-200 vertical. It was easy scrambling. We then reached a lobe of the inspiration glacier and made camp at about 6500 where the glacier is quite flat.
After a great night sleep - we all slept in and woke up with not so high motivation levels. Joe and I decided to head to Primus and were off by 7:35. Tobae and Richard carried the tents and headed to Eldorado a while later.
To get to Primus we skinned to Klawatti Col and on to the McAllister Glacier over the ridge (continuous snow now) to the Klawatti Glacier. We made a descending traverse of this Glacier and crossed underneath Austera Towers at 6800 and onto the N Klawatti Glacier. The skinning from here to the top of Primus was super easy and the summit was easily attained. From this side the mountain is cindercone like. Super duper great corn skiing from the top. 1500 feet of elevation loss in a minute or so.
Joe and I retraced our route, but set a high traverse over to Tepeh Towers on the Inspiration Glacier and climb the highest one. Skied on a descending traverse to the rocks on the ridge of Eldorado where we were united with Tobae and Richard who reported excellent skiing on Eldorado. Skiing from here and down to the trail got progressively worse as it was about 3 pm by now. Crossing from Roush Creek to Eldorado creek drainage can be made without putting on skins now. We were able to ski down to 4200 and were happy for only having to boot down 2000' of boulders and steep trail! A most superb trip!!
Maybe you can hook up some pictures Joe, Richard, Tobae?
Skinning to the col on the N ridge of Forbidden was a real easy traverse except the last part which was quite steep. Able to put a track in all the way to the col. We found the col easy to locate for this group of Forbidden virgins, from Volken's description - 'northernmost low point on the ridge'. The ski down to Moraine Lake was on fantastic corn. Snow is continuous to the basin by one narrow finger on skiers right. Took a long deserved map on rocks down by the lake. You can bivy dry here by now. Lake is open at the outlet and inlet, we felt it was safe to cross. Across the lake snow is continous on climbers left, but quite steep and it would take us a way from where we wanted to camp. We headed right and through a crumbly rock band for about 150-200 vertical. It was easy scrambling. We then reached a lobe of the inspiration glacier and made camp at about 6500 where the glacier is quite flat.
After a great night sleep - we all slept in and woke up with not so high motivation levels. Joe and I decided to head to Primus and were off by 7:35. Tobae and Richard carried the tents and headed to Eldorado a while later.
To get to Primus we skinned to Klawatti Col and on to the McAllister Glacier over the ridge (continuous snow now) to the Klawatti Glacier. We made a descending traverse of this Glacier and crossed underneath Austera Towers at 6800 and onto the N Klawatti Glacier. The skinning from here to the top of Primus was super easy and the summit was easily attained. From this side the mountain is cindercone like. Super duper great corn skiing from the top. 1500 feet of elevation loss in a minute or so.
Joe and I retraced our route, but set a high traverse over to Tepeh Towers on the Inspiration Glacier and climb the highest one. Skied on a descending traverse to the rocks on the ridge of Eldorado where we were united with Tobae and Richard who reported excellent skiing on Eldorado. Skiing from here and down to the trail got progressively worse as it was about 3 pm by now. Crossing from Roush Creek to Eldorado creek drainage can be made without putting on skins now. We were able to ski down to 4200 and were happy for only having to boot down 2000' of boulders and steep trail! A most superb trip!!
Maybe you can hook up some pictures Joe, Richard, Tobae?
thanks Oyvind, Joe and Richard for a fantastic trip. The photos hardly do justice to the scenery though.
Nice. Looks like you guys hit it just right! Great weather and good snow!
Oyvind, Joe and Tobae. That was the best trip ever! Thanks for such a great time. Here are a couple of photos:
It's good to be Home! Thanks to Richard for carrying the tent to Eldorado and giving Oyvind and I the kick in the rear we needed to go bag Primus.
Nice tour and photo selection. Snowbell and I were in the Eldo area this last weekend; TR coming soon. Beautiful weather in "The Alps of America".
Thanks for the tracks guys, we were up there for 3 days last weekend and you did some perfect route finding.
Thanks for sharing beta with me as you crossed the Eldorado Gl. It proved helpful.
As Tobae said, the photo's hardly do the scenery justice but great pics none the less.
As Tobae said, the photo's hardly do the scenery justice but great pics none the less.
You sure all made great time with the route finding and hot weather that first day to camp all the way up on the Inspiration gl--way to go!!
Tobae rocks 8)
Reply to this TR
Please login first: