Elevation Gain: 2,366m
Distance: 21.6km
Total Time: 2 days
Date: August 9th, 2025
(Stats include Pigeon Spire + approach and descent)
Geoff, Nathan, Brayden and myself had just completed a climb up Snowpatch Spire and were enroute back to camp. There was still some time in the day and despite the brooding clouds we thought we might as well try a quick climb up Pigeon Spire. We were the only group around when we reached the base of the climb. I’d later find out this is a rarity. From what I can gather Pigeon Spire is normally a bit of a circus with lines of climbers pitching out the ridge. I mean no disrespect to anyone who aspires to climb Pigeon, but that sounds purely dreadful. In any event, we were perhaps lucky to find the ridge empty, although I’m share the lateness of the day and the threat of rain helped the cause.
We were also lucky in that Geoff had just been up the week before and knew the route by heart. I carried a rope just in case, but otherwise we came equipped with climbing shoes, harness and the aim to beat the sunset.
Most of the route involved fun scrambling interspersed with the occasional low 5th moves and the two cruxes came right at the end. The first as a short down climb into the last notch below the summit and the second was a 5.4 off-width crux to gain the upper ramp system to the top. Both were reasonably managed and we all stood on the summit after 35 minutes of rambling.
Not wanting to get caught out by the rain we were quick to escape the summit and elected to just down climb the crux. This part was quite exposed, but the off-width section is fairly secure. After that it was easy climbing and scrambling to return to the base of the route. We set off for the tents after and crashed out with some dinner and a well earned rest.
The next day marked the last day of my extended trip with Brayden. We’d be driving all the way home from there and then I’d be at work before I knew it. Our weather window was nearing an end anyhow, so we packed up the tents and headed down the glacier.
As we descended we passed throngs of people booting up to climb Pigeon Spire. No less than 10 parties and perhaps even 15 were vying for the top. Notably, most parties were not roped up for the glacier, with it’s hidden or weak snow bridges, but were carrying a full rack to climb the summit. Somehow the priorities felt wrong, but everyone has their own risk levels and comfort zones. We felt it was prudent to rope up for the glacier and stayed tied in until the dry basin below.
From the basin we worked our way down the standard trail and left the Bugaboos with a satisfactory two and a half days behind us. Our drive home required running the gauntlet through multiple construction closures and car crashes which necessitated at least two massive detours to work around. Eventually we reached home after one long ass day of driving.
