It combines breathtaking scenery in the heart of the North Cascades National Park with long glaciated ski/ride descents. The combination of snow covered terrain and travel on skis allow us to efficiently cover a lot of ground while exploring the national park with a lot more solitude than in mid summer! In addition to completing an outstanding multi-day tour, we will also help you learn new skills -- from navigation to rope work to winter camping, this tour has it all!
Our standard itinerary completes the Forbidden Tour in three days, but we can easily add a fourth day to allow for a more relaxed itinerary with room for additional ski descents on the neighboring peaks.
Day 1 – We will meet in Marblemount and head up Cascade River Road to the Boston Basin trailhead (this may involve some walking on the road) and up into Boston Basin. We will camp near the base of the Quien Sabe Glacier with views of Sahale, Forbidden and Johannesburg mountains, among others.
Day 2 – We will ascend towards Sharkfin Col using skis and then switch to boots and crampons to tackle the steep climb. We will rappel onto the spectacular Boston Glacier for a fun ski descent. Then it’s up and over the North Ridge of Forbidden and down the long descent to Moraine Lake where we will make camp.
Day 3 – From Moraine Lake, we will ascend the Inspiration Glacier to the base of the east ridge of Eldorado Peak and eventually down Rousch creek to the Eldorado trailhead and our vehicles. With enough energy and time, we can go for an extra ascent and ski descent of the east ridge of Eldorado.
The Forbidden tour involves about 4000 vertical feet of up and down per day. While the descents are by no means extreme, spring ski conditions can be highly variable, so you should arrive in good fitness with strong skiing ability. If you feel comfortable skiing black diamond runs in the ski area in any conditions (ice, moguls, powder, chunder), then you’ll be able to tackle this tour and have a great time doing so! If you have any questions about your ski ability, please feel free to give us a ring to discuss. Or, better yet, come do some ski training with us in the North Cascades to get your fitness and technique ready for this longer tour.
EQUIPMENT LIST – OVERNIGHT SKI MOUNTAINEERING
TRIPS COVERED BY THIS LIST:
A NOTE ABOUT EQUIPMENT LISTS: Nothing can ruin a trip faster than having the wrong gear for the conditions at hand. All our programs are subject to rapid and severe changes in the weather. Select garments that are warm, lightweight and durable. Generally speaking, the best arrangement is to think in terms of layers – a system that dries quickly, allow flexibility and resists wind, water and abrasion. All of us have different tolerances for heat or cold; for example, you might choose warmer gloves than specified here if you tend to get cold hands. If you have doubts about a specific garment’s appropriateness, please talk to your guide in advance about conditions you are most likely to experience. This list is built for a trip with an unsettled weather forecast. With a good weather forecast some of these items may be left behind to save weight. All trips require that you bring adequate food and water, please see our “food” equipment list for details.
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CLOTHING Head, Hands & Feet
Upper Body Layers
Lower Body Layers
ACCESORIES
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ACCESSORIES continued…
SKI / RIDE
AVALANCHE SAFETY (these may be rented from NCMG)
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CLIMBING / TECHNICAL (these may be rented from NCMG)
CREVASSE RESCUE GEAR (this is required for our ski mountaineering course and recommended for skiers that have crevasse rescue experience)
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OVERNIGHT GEAR
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