This shot typifies the climbing on the West Ridge, easy but with serious consequences if you blow it badly.

All Locations > International > N America > Canada > British Columbia > Columbia-Shushwap > Bugaboos > Pigeon Spire > W Ridge (5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c)

This shot typifies the climbing on the West Ridge, easy but with serious consequences if you blow it badly.

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Low fifth class down climb from second summit to col with main summit.

Approach up the BS col, across the vowell glacier...

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4.5 from 2 votes

Brad Brandewie

Dec 18, 2006

“This shot typifies the climbing on the West Ridge, easy but with serious consequences if you blow it badly.”

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Nearby Photos

Approaching the summit of Pigeon Spire.

Lisa Foster and Paul Kejla on the descent with Bugaboo Spire on the left.

West Ridge Ascent : Aug 2017

The new facilities at the saddle...

West Ridge of Pigeon Spire

View of Pigeon Spire from the northeast. The West Ridge route follows the right skyline of the spire.

Stopping to admire the Howser Towers while descending the West Ridge of Pigeon Spire.

Great exposure on the west ridge of Pigeon Spire

On Pigeon's west ridge.

Climber on the west ridge of Pigeon Spire

GoPro fisheye view of the exposed traverse on the West Ridge

Kinda nice views along the ridge (Photo by Mary-Jane Cross, 1982)

Reaching the Summit

Looks like some jam cracks coming up, eh? (ps- the tie-in is a bowline-on-a-coil around the waist, 1982. Rope is 100 ft of 9mm) Photo by Mary Jane Cross .

slabs leading around to the main summit. You should head for the big gap in the wall seen in the photo. Guidebooks call it Icy ledges and you do encounter some snow and or ice but nothing too significant

Low fifth class down climb from second summit to col with main summit.

This shot typifies the climbing on the West Ridge, easy but with serious consequences if you blow it badly.

Approach up the BS col, across the vowell glacier...

bolted anchor on the main summit. Either a double rappel or Two single rappels with a 60 m rope should get you back to the slabs. The second is also bolted

Taking in the view of the Howser Towers from the ramp

Guided Party 1982-Style

MJ Cross "scrunches" along the crux (5.4 - 5.5?) moves just below the summit. [Well, crux except for the boulder move to the summit block.] Note the 9mm is now doubled.

West Ridge with boot from summit of Pigeon ...

summit, rocking my tights

A telephoto shot of a team taking a break on the glacier below.

West Ridge, Pigeon Spire<br>
contour interval : 100 feet<br>
<br>
Blue - Bugaboo-Snowpatch Approach<br>
Yellow - Rock climbing section to summit

Fred Batliner with Howser Towers behind - on a very chilly, but wonderful, day.

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