We just got through forester with a group of 10. Spent about 2 hours chipping away at the ice wall crux and made steps. It’s still an ice wall that is very dangerous but we all made it through. Definitely want spikes. I did it in vargo pocket cleats and was terrified. A few of us even submitted Whitney. The north side of forester is not bad, deep snow but good boot pack. Some of us did forester and kearsarge in one day. We hitched up to bishop to wait out the next storm and currently celebrating so I’m not going to answer much on this post. Just wanted to let people see the conditions and also know of another group making it through behind us. More that go through the better it will get. Also some people have climbed the rocks skipping the chute altogether, not sure where exactly. This is my 4th time through forester and was the sketchiest so far this early.