Otto Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Trip: Pigeon Spire - Cooper-Kor Date: 8/6/2009 Trip Report: Ever since seeing the East Face of Pigeon Spire from the summit of Snowpatch in 1993, with Mark_L, I've wanted to do this route. The smooth upward sweep of it burned visions of gradually steepening, crack-split slabs into my imagination. The reality was a day of hard work, problem-solving, and worry on this challenging route. Arriving at Kain Hut on Sunday, 8/2, we had big plans to do this and two other routes in succession, under clear skies and the blessings of the bluebirds. Monday, Tuesday, and then Wednesday we spent doing a lot of reading. An entire fat murder novel and every climbing rag in the hut passed before me. 60, then 70 PoP and TS was the forecast, so we sat. It finally changed, we packed up and were out at 4:30 next morning. Moving around the South end of Snowpatch Spire in early light Dubious was Otto, without crampons, having forgotten to bring them. This is Madcap hitting the ice Initial view of the objective The schrund proved easy to go around, and the slope not too steep for those without crampons The start of the route is seen here as the thin, left-slanting line at the right side of the photo The Snowpatch/Pigeon col has a newly-bolted rappel route, down the cliff on the right side of this picture. From the dirty spot on the top-most ice, six single-rope raps gets one down. We paid close attention to this as it was to be our return route at day's end Madcap gearing up Otto relieved to be off the ice Wideness at the start. We had glossed over this 6" crack when reading the topo, and had only one #4 cam There would be no wandering off-route on the second pitch The end of the 4th class ledge The standard way up the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col was reportedly very melted out and dangerous. Instead, folks were coming around the South side of Snowpatch and Pigeon to do the Pigeon West Ridge Snowpatch Spire from the 4th class ledge Blocks and flakes lead up to the headwall On the high traverse, the first available pro comes at 30 feet out Carefully moving right down the ledge On the next pitch, Madcap following the tension traverse weighting the green rope. Leading it was easier the more rope was let out, so Otto kept calling for slack until more than 30 feet below the pendulum point. The rope rubbed over an edge, making one think about the sheath Pigeontoe from above, photog playing with the 15x zoom The next-to-last pitch finishes the wet groove with blocky ledges to pull over Bugaboo Spire We changed into mountain boots here for the scramble to the top Walking up ramps to the summit Snowpatch West face behind Near the summit, with the Howsers behind The Vowells One couldn't help but look at Bugaboo again Garden near the trail back to Kain Hut We barrelled home on the highway next day, listening to Emmylou and Knopfler and some other twang, merging it with thoughts of the climb... "This is us, on a high traverse This is us, hope it doesn't get worse Standing on a sloping ledge, gliding out along the edge Connected by a looping line, hoping that it turns out fine" photos: Bill Enger Gear Notes: Double rack to 3.5" and one 4", would have used a 5" Approach Notes: The snow on the glacier around Snowpatch is fast disappearing, slots are opening up fast. We saw one leader go in up to the armpits on the glacier between Snowpatch and Pigeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoroastr Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Magnificent! Jeezuz, what a T.R.!!! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Kidd Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Great TR, looks like a cool route. How much longer was the approach on the south side of Snowpatch? I was there last week and the Bugaboo/Snowpatch col was crappy, but definately not the horror show that people made it out to be. The worst part was the lineup for the two rappels at the end of the day. Each party had to complete both and clear out to avoid rockfall from the next. We were waiting for around an hour and a half... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 It must have been a bit longer, maybe an hour or two, with more glacier travel and crevasses to pass. But one party that started out with us made the summit at 12:30, approaching the West Ridge that way. So, still a reasonable day from the hut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainsloth Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 so jealous. good times in the bugaboos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I don't think it is all that much longer to reach the West Ridge of Pidgeon via the south side of Snowpatch and I believe that parties headed over to camp below the Howsers often go this way as the easier of the two choices but it might add an hour. I am always surprised at how difficult people seem to find the Bug Snowpatch col when there is a little slop over some ice but in such conditions the alternate is probably a little less dangerous for folks who don't have a lot of snow and ice experience although it is not entirely without a bit of mountaineering in that (1) some scree and scrambling is involved where you round the ridge below the standard route on Snowpatch, (2) you'll encounter bits of bare ice that are not flat and crevasses a little higher where you get back on the glacier, and (3) a few more crevasse obstacles as you climb up past the south face of Pidgeon. I was amused to read about someone fallig in up to their armpits on the flats below Pidgeon and Snowpatch -- that is the only place where I have ever fallen in a crevasse and I, too, went in up to my armpits. The view of the south face of Snowpatch from the flats below it is spectacular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Kidd Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Best picture I have of Bug/Snowpatch col conditions. Could carefully pick your way up the right hand choss or stick to the ice/snow option as we preferred on center right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiente Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) I was there last week and could the Bug/Snowpatch Col scary. The big problems we had with the Col was falling rock ( we saw several car size blocks run right past us) and the blue ice. The ice was so hard that no amount of kicking would get purchase. Nice work up there, we were in the Hut too but I'm not sure if we saw you up there. -Nate Edited August 11, 2009 by eldiente Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_L Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Forgot your crampons did you Bill? I know you better than that. Good way to save weight. I was not too far from you, climbing the East Peak of the Gothics on that day. Report forthcoming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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