Looking for some input!
Next week I have Sahale Glacier Camp permits and we're planning to climb Forbidden (west ridge) the day before if weather cooperates. My question: is it possible to do a low traverse below (avoiding) the Quien Sabe glacier from Boston Basin up/over Sahale arm over to Sahale Glacier camp? I'd like to stay above the tree line and below the glacier if possible. I've been in Boston Basin once and remember there being lot of slabby rock in the direction of Sahale arm. I'm wondering if gaining the arm from Boston Basin will be tricky (steep, needing pro, etc).
Thanks in advance!
Absolutely possible, I've done it 3 or 4 times. Probably a bit different variation each time. I think the sweet spot is somewhere in the middle. Too high up gets into steep slabs. Just above tree line looks like a bunch of choss. In the middle is mostly fairly straightforward traversing. A little scrambly in a few places. Might be some brief steepish snow patches to cross as well. Also requires a couple hundred feet of scrambling to get up onto Sahale Arm. Probably more than 1 line that works. The climbing is of the dirty, loose junk variety. Probably class 3-4? Nothing particularly difficult but sometimes feels a little insecure because of loose rocks/gravel type stuff. It's weird, I thought it was easy when I first did it, but found it more tedious and less fun the most recent time (the climb up onto the Arm specifically). I did do it once w/ 2 complete non-climbers and I don't remember them getting freaked out by any of it.
edit--no pro used on any of the times I did the traverse
Great, that is exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you! We'll have plenty of pro with us for Forbidden but we're trying to leave our crampons and ice axes at home. We'll also just have come off Forbidden so will be tired and looking for a relatively straight-forward traverse to SGC. Thanks for the info!
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