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- Jul 16, 2014
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Alan’s Torment Forbidden Traverse Report
A couple years back I met Gordon and Thiago in a 6 day glacier mountaineering course on Mount Shuksan. They were both intrigued by climbing in technical terrain and picked it up quickly. For this summer the lofty goal of climbing the Torment Forbidden was decided upon.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=14b21230fc2bb15e0174620d6d74ba73 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=07a92fc18649be50f0f57eaee0e1ccfd 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=fa280b3bf5aaf4283ffc70415ab41502 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=454f8d96e3991fb42f864b856aca09fc 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=24fadc0c9684ef9d5423026bec4ecc81 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=6e69cb89f98f1977281614dc9d70eafe 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=713c5ec74792d4192b27db43e813f5c1 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=91bf2652b44d33376d28f5354e8c8a7c 1024w)
Psyched to climb the Torment-Forbidden Traverse!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=ab93599eb888e6f42a7954953b2d9d33 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=7554158bc6e22a08637d90155707c033 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=5267bf08f7293f87d15a0d0e3d19c23c 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=8034b26ac2f37674175a4d36e69f77dc 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=6c8212ce1a30a205a61fab94f32d276c 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=26d9e6b18a0ae60152b11d19e1fe60b9 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=173691bd657dfdda73a5b22372f9052b 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=3355184fe827ceb0b70256815c9f5a43 576w)
Steep snow.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=18987ce0de774ea34c159713e3d7937a 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=4d2184745037bf1769f3a2e097800428 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=a9e9d29355be282172b5375c4c9dfbcc 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=6759de3e629cb10c7d163b1b93533618 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=c8af2e7b406f558493be2be7e0608ac0 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=cdb40616e795c29abb28f0a6aca07f6b 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=5c7c8baf960d0917cf78763756388834 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=2201d9531af5f60d2bc58796c63fd27d 576w)
Climbing the ice face.
Fortunately, a couple of beautiful bivy spots presented themselves as we ran out of steam a bit past the ice face. It was a great night except I picked up 4G cell service just long enough to find out Thiago’s homeland (Brazil) had been massacred by Germany in the World Cup. I had to show him my phone because he thought I was messing with him. For those of you who don’t know they lost 1 – 7, a possible record for worst beating in a World Cup match. The rest of the climb he would say “I’m hurting, but not as bad as the Brazilian team.”
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=32dd904f4b86ee4d6e9bad130f042d14 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=aa80f571e5c3284fc0f5d96a69b40b3c 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=c88f59f6a6c0c2f6655c7984537a424a 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=722c0873212f497570d37a5377d92f87 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=95970348813ac1de67fbd60e23e3d459 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=20a16564813cc3b19245bca6848eae69 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=e879c420003231a7c2711f5d5a14a55e 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=0103733ee63b49f06525cbca1626b78b 1024w)
Well-timed and scenic bivouac site.
The following day we continued on our mission to the base of Forbidden’s west ridge. Once we arrived in the notch all the overnight gear came out of our packs, and we ascended and descended the mega classic west ridge with light packs in the heat of the afternoon. That evening we all relaxed and enjoyed our dramatic position knowing we had completed the traverse and just had to descend the snow couloir the following morning.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=b78635bb260f61d7573bfceaa4fc4f6c 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=5765d61b126a18c4c2ba1fe2fc795e37 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=26e3ea7fea018370614c33c6e3a56bbd 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=50e336d5cb45c06210b61298e86accf2 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=da2f4ff8b097382cbb88caf15eb8bf76 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=8ce94dc515331b579be10ab380c6192b 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=5d99d67fa38ce0fc1250e51fceefbcb1 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20140707_TFT_AlanR_1024px-6.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=2281a3fed4b270d935f08713ec7e7df9 576w)
Rockin’ the west ridge.
It was a great few days traversing an incredibly aesthetic ridge in the heart of the North Cascades. Thanks fellas, and I look forward to future adventures together.
~MM Guide Alan Rousseau