Camped in the first meadow past Needleton. Great weather, steep bushwhacking was no joke. Stay on the grassy slopes until near the top of the ridge to the summit. Then stick to the left skyline and follow cairns. I missed these on the way up, but if you follow them, it will be 2+ or class 3 tops. Went to Turret next. Solo, rewarding day.
mattpayne11 - Sep 24, 2017 7:36 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2016
Amazing climb
What an incredible adventure. I photographed the perseids from the Pigeon / Turret saddle. Trip Report:
seano - Sep 20, 2016 11:52 am Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2016
North Pigeon Creek
Start of a long dayhike out of Purgatory. Remember, the trail leaves the *southeast* side of the second meadow! Trip report.
Liba Kopeckova - Aug 31, 2014 11:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2014
Finally
I had this peak in my mind for a long time. Finally, made it. Went up North Pigeon Creek approach, and NW basin. Much technically easier than described.
Ran into Kiefer - he was on his way out and I was on my way in.
Also ran into Renata, another czech chick who completed her centennials with Pigeon.
Kiefer - Aug 31, 2014 11:58 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2014
Via Ruby Basin
Pigeon Peak handed me a full glass of "Shut the hell up." I seriously underestimated this peak. It kicked my butt. Probably one of the most scenic and demanding centennial peaks I've done.
Ran out of water going up and down this behemoth.
Luckily, there was a decent-flowing spring 1/4 the way up the west slope I was able to fill up.
I scrambled up to the ridge crest thinking I'd find a slightly harder way to the summit, 4th class maybe 5-easy. Got myself cornered into some hard 5th columns. Had to down-climb maybe 25' back to the slope & take the standard route up. Cost me about 30 minutes. This was a rewarding summit.
Ran into Liba on the way out via Purgatory Trail!
theREALCarpeDM - Jul 13, 2014 10:55 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2014
not much scrambling
Shawn and I were determined to beat the storms so we left camp at Ruby Lake at about 1am. Unfortunately, we got turned around in the dark and started to make a direct assault on Peak Fifteen's north side. We realized our mistake and got on track to the Pigeon/Turret saddle, but it cost us time. Even "on track," we had trouble figuring out where the "grassy" sections were. There were a lot more willows to get through than expected. So Pigeon was more annoying than fun. The scrambling section consisted of mostly ramps zig-zagging up the last 200 feet. And getting there from the Pigeon/Turret saddle was tedious.
Solo day trip from Purgatory TH: 28.2 miles RT, 9,800' elevation gain, 17 hours car-to-car. Approached via North Pigeon Creek. Interesting route finding exercise on the way to the upper N. Pigeon Creek drainage. Plenty of snow on the N/NW Face after the snowstorm. Nice hike/climb, beautiful weather, gorgeous views.
I did the brutally steep North Pigeon Creek ridge approach from the Ruby Creek trail as in Roachs' book. It took me 3.5 hours from Needleton to camp below Pigeon. 2 older climbers took 5 hours. The trail is not clear and a GPS unit was helpful going up and down. Routefinding up the slopes west of Pigeon was difficult in the dark since there's no trail and many rocks. There's a class 2 (maybe low 3) route all the way to the summit we found on the way down. We did one class 4 move on our route up. Took 3 hours up, about an hour down. Beautiful summit view!
Great peak for the 4th of July, nobody else in sight.
blueshade - Sep 30, 2012 3:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2012
SW Slopes
Nice little scramble towards the top. Ended up climbing it from Ruby in just over 2 hours- at the end of a 10 day trip. Awesome views and good pic opportunities.
Climbed Northwest slopes from camper's meadow below in North Pigeon Creek drainage. Approach from Needleton was killer; ~20% grade for 2.5 or so miles.
Beautiful sun on a late summer day. Spotted several groups of goats. You can avoid the one class 4 move (the chimney) by skirting through the scree to the East.
miztflip - Aug 28, 2012 9:51 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2012
Foggy Day
Very foggy day. Climbed with Turret from Ruby Basin. Great little climb and a beautiful Basin.
utclimber - Jun 29, 2011 10:05 am Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
Pigeon Dayhike
I climbed Pigeon Peak as a long day hike starting at the Purgatory trailhead.
What better way to celebrate freedom than on the summit of Pigeon! Approached via NY basin for an attempt at Peak 15 and failed. Awesome weather for Pigeon and Turret.
From Ruby Basin, steep route in place but has some really enjoyable scrambling near the top and a great little summit to hang out on and enjoy the views.
SarahThompson - Jul 21, 2009 12:08 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2009
Wet and slick
Climbed from camp at 11,400 ft in Ruby Basin after a night of heavy rain. The peaks were socked in for most of the morning, and the rock on Pigeon was still wet and slippery complicating the scrambling near the top. There was also some rotten snow lingering that forced us onto slightly more difficult rock. No views to be had, but a fun climb.
Brian Kalet - Jul 2, 2007 1:45 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2007
Route Climbed: west/north ridge Date Climbed: june 03
too late for a good snow climb, too early for a snow free climb, but amazing! place, from the basin on the west you have to bushwhack in to. Camped in heavy winds with nothing but elk for company for 3 nights. nice!
Woodie Hopper - Sep 13, 2024 10:06 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2024
From Needleton (North Pigeon Creek approach)Camped in the first meadow past Needleton. Great weather, steep bushwhacking was no joke. Stay on the grassy slopes until near the top of the ridge to the summit. Then stick to the left skyline and follow cairns. I missed these on the way up, but if you follow them, it will be 2+ or class 3 tops. Went to Turret next. Solo, rewarding day.
mattpayne11 - Sep 24, 2017 7:36 pm Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2016
Amazing climbWhat an incredible adventure. I photographed the perseids from the Pigeon / Turret saddle. Trip Report:
HERE
seano - Sep 20, 2016 11:52 am Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2016
North Pigeon CreekStart of a long dayhike out of Purgatory. Remember, the trail leaves the *southeast* side of the second meadow! Trip report.
Liba Kopeckova - Aug 31, 2014 11:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2014
FinallyI had this peak in my mind for a long time. Finally, made it. Went up North Pigeon Creek approach, and NW basin. Much technically easier than described.
Ran into Kiefer - he was on his way out and I was on my way in.
Also ran into Renata, another czech chick who completed her centennials with Pigeon.
Kiefer - Aug 31, 2014 11:58 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2014
Via Ruby BasinPigeon Peak handed me a full glass of "Shut the hell up." I seriously underestimated this peak. It kicked my butt. Probably one of the most scenic and demanding centennial peaks I've done.
Ran out of water going up and down this behemoth.
Luckily, there was a decent-flowing spring 1/4 the way up the west slope I was able to fill up.
I scrambled up to the ridge crest thinking I'd find a slightly harder way to the summit, 4th class maybe 5-easy. Got myself cornered into some hard 5th columns. Had to down-climb maybe 25' back to the slope & take the standard route up. Cost me about 30 minutes. This was a rewarding summit.
Ran into Liba on the way out via Purgatory Trail!
theREALCarpeDM - Jul 13, 2014 10:55 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2014
not much scramblingShawn and I were determined to beat the storms so we left camp at Ruby Lake at about 1am. Unfortunately, we got turned around in the dark and started to make a direct assault on Peak Fifteen's north side. We realized our mistake and got on track to the Pigeon/Turret saddle, but it cost us time. Even "on track," we had trouble figuring out where the "grassy" sections were. There were a lot more willows to get through than expected. So Pigeon was more annoying than fun. The scrambling section consisted of mostly ramps zig-zagging up the last 200 feet. And getting there from the Pigeon/Turret saddle was tedious.
strudolyubov - Sep 28, 2013 3:29 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2013
Pigeon Peak via N. Pigeon Creek from Purgatory THSolo day trip from Purgatory TH: 28.2 miles RT, 9,800' elevation gain, 17 hours car-to-car. Approached via North Pigeon Creek. Interesting route finding exercise on the way to the upper N. Pigeon Creek drainage. Plenty of snow on the N/NW Face after the snowstorm. Nice hike/climb, beautiful weather, gorgeous views.
Trailboss88 - Sep 4, 2013 8:21 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2013
northwest slopes, N. Pigeon Cr. approachI did the brutally steep North Pigeon Creek ridge approach from the Ruby Creek trail as in Roachs' book. It took me 3.5 hours from Needleton to camp below Pigeon. 2 older climbers took 5 hours. The trail is not clear and a GPS unit was helpful going up and down. Routefinding up the slopes west of Pigeon was difficult in the dark since there's no trail and many rocks. There's a class 2 (maybe low 3) route all the way to the summit we found on the way down. We did one class 4 move on our route up. Took 3 hours up, about an hour down. Beautiful summit view!
rockymountaindiva - Jul 26, 2013 4:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2010
Independence dayGreat peak for the 4th of July, nobody else in sight.
blueshade - Sep 30, 2012 3:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2012
SW SlopesNice little scramble towards the top. Ended up climbing it from Ruby in just over 2 hours- at the end of a 10 day trip. Awesome views and good pic opportunities.
#30 of 31
gmon03 - Sep 16, 2012 12:27 pm Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2012
Beautiful Late Summer SunClimbed Northwest slopes from camper's meadow below in North Pigeon Creek drainage. Approach from Needleton was killer; ~20% grade for 2.5 or so miles.
Beautiful sun on a late summer day. Spotted several groups of goats. You can avoid the one class 4 move (the chimney) by skirting through the scree to the East.
miztflip - Aug 28, 2012 9:51 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2012
Foggy DayVery foggy day. Climbed with Turret from Ruby Basin. Great little climb and a beautiful Basin.
utclimber - Jun 29, 2011 10:05 am Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
Pigeon DayhikeI climbed Pigeon Peak as a long day hike starting at the Purgatory trailhead.
shknbke - Jul 11, 2010 7:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2010
NY to RubyWhat better way to celebrate freedom than on the summit of Pigeon! Approached via NY basin for an attempt at Peak 15 and failed. Awesome weather for Pigeon and Turret.
chicagotransplant - Jul 6, 2010 11:10 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2010
RubyFrom Ruby Basin, steep route in place but has some really enjoyable scrambling near the top and a great little summit to hang out on and enjoy the views.
SarahThompson - Jul 21, 2009 12:08 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2009
Wet and slickClimbed from camp at 11,400 ft in Ruby Basin after a night of heavy rain. The peaks were socked in for most of the morning, and the rock on Pigeon was still wet and slippery complicating the scrambling near the top. There was also some rotten snow lingering that forced us onto slightly more difficult rock. No views to be had, but a fun climb.
Brian Kalet - Jul 2, 2007 1:45 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2007
Northwest Slopes4 hours from Needleton.
DaveC - May 21, 2004 9:16 pm
Route Climbed: west/north ridge Date Climbed: june 03too late for a good snow climb, too early for a snow free climb, but amazing! place, from the basin on the west you have to bushwhack in to. Camped in heavy winds with nothing but elk for company for 3 nights. nice!