Ptarmigan Traverse, North Cascades

Scott wanted a rest day, so Bob and I got up early and traversed to the unnamed glacier below the south face of Forbidden Peak, and climbed up to a notch in the east ridge (red line) to climb the Northeast Face route. The route is class 3-4 and sometimes climbed unroped. However, the exposure is breathtaking and a few people have proven a single slip is fatal. We roped up and placed protection, climbing together when it felt safe and belaying at other times. Between the long traverse to and from the mountain and the climb itself, it took us 12 hours to get back to camp, exhausted.