Mount Torment, North Ridge. Since the ridge traverse from Torment to Forbidden Peak in 1958 (A.A.J., 1959, 11:2, pp. 301-2.), I had been anxious to return to this magnificent, alpine northern cirque wall. Starting from the Boston Mine trail near Cascade Pass on July 8, Jim Kurtz and I circled the west side of Torment, crossed the west ridge low and descended 1000 feet to the savage, nameless glacier on the north side of Torment. A rappel placed us on the glacier, where we skirted crevasses and traversed under an ominous ice cliff to the east of the north ridge. Once on the ridge, we enjoyed 1500 feet of exhilarating grade III rock climbing over firm granite. (See A.A.J., 1960, 12:1, Plate 51. Ridge rises to peak on the right.) At the summit, to our surprise, we found that this fine and accessible peak had not been climbed since our ridge traverse two years before. The descent was made down the southeast face where a rappel, a descent of a 55° snow finger, and another rappel over a schrund were required.

Edward Cooper