Glacier Classic, Day 3: The Trifecta (Piegan, Pollock, Bishops Cap)

Date: August 20, 2017

Trip Leader: The Rocky Mountaineers

Attendees: Jen Bardsley, John Bardsley, Jim Goss, Forest Dean, Monica Roscoe, and Chris Dunn

Written by John Bardsley

Jen was keen to do the Trifecta after seeing pictures from a friend who had done this outstanding ridge traverse earlier in the summer. She had also convinced her friend Monica to do it, and I was game to take them. Forest, Chris, and Jim decided to join us, filling out the group.

We left camp at St. Mary about 8:15am, groggy after two days of climbing and celebrating. We were at Lunch Creek by 9am and soon started the climb. The route up through the Lunch Creek cirque to the saddle between Piegan and Pollock is straightforward, with well-trodden and visible climbers’ trails taking away the need for much route finding. From the saddle, the walk up to Piegan is quick and mellow, and we soon summited and were back to the saddle. From there, the route to the base of the Great Cleft – which provides class 3 access to the summit of Pollock – follows another well-trodden climbers’ trail. Our party made quick work of the Great Cleft, had a snack at the top of Pollock, and then continued along a very fun and beautiful ridge traverse to the base of Bishop’s Cap. At this point, only Forest, Chris, and I opted to climb the last class 4 section to the summit. All of us then returned to the saddle between Pollock and Bishop’s Cap, and made the long drop west, down scree slopes and ledges, to the Highline Trail. Several of us then jogged back to Logan Pass just in time to catch a shuttle to our cars. Yet another fantastic day, and what a weekend!

Trip statistics: 6 miles, 4500 feet of gain.