Piegan

[danlowery]

I'm interested in climbing Piegan via Piegan pass route. Passmore discusses the Piegan pollock saddle route. Wondering how challenging it is to find the route through the cliffs once host trails disperse. Obvious route through cliffs or several choices and not dangerous or a big deal?

Thanks
Dan

[southernguy]

We did it by Piegan pass a few years ago. Once at the pass head to the saddle between Piegan and Pollock. I could not find a trail for this part so we just made our way to the saddle as best we could.
Once there head to the south side of the peak and then walk up the ridge to the summit. It is a scramble thru loose scree to get to the south side of the summit. There are no cliffs on this route. We came down the lunch creek side thru several cliff bands.
I am not a climber so I would not go down this way again.
Here is video of our climb. Great views at the top.

Jim

[southernguy]

Here is the report I filed back then
http://glacier.nationalparkschat.com/ph ... =11&t=4415

[PeteE]

I'm interested in climbing Piegan via Piegan pass route. Passmore discusses the Piegan pollock saddle route. Wondering how challenging it is to find the route through the cliffs once host trails disperse. Obvious route through cliffs or several choices and not dangerous or a big deal?

Thanks
Dan

Hi Dan:

I haven't taken the time to look for the route through the ledges the two times I went up on Piegan.
However, this year I'm gonna find it!
I have Passmore's book. I don't think it's a big deal going up through the cliffs.
I was a bit worried(unnecessarily as it happened) about not having enough time to find the route and use it.
So I traversed around under the cliffs and then went up through the scree as in the video.
Going that way is a "walk-up" albeit walking through a lot of scree and rock.
I found it easier the second time staying higher, sooner. Walking in the bigger rock is easier for me than walking in the loose, smaller stuff.
Nothing dangerous about the hike at all imo.
I would not attempt going down to Lunch Creek myself. Too steep and too much scree for me.
It's about 12 miles round trip and +-3300ft via Piegan Pass. The elevation gain is spread out fairly well which is nice.
This time it took me about 5 hours going up and 3 hours coming down. I spent about 2 hours at the summit.
Keep in mind that I am a "slow hiker", stopping to take videos and pictures as well as rest
So it's easily done in a day.
Runs about 27 minutes


pete