Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

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Marmot72
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by Marmot72 »

All I'll add, from being in Ruby last year for Fifteen and the Animas group (freak snowstorm came in and we had to bail on Pigeon and Turret) is that the approach to Twin Thumbs pass from there just looks horrid. Grueling. Not deadly, just a huge PITA. But sometimes a sufferfest makes a trip sweeter.

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I have phenomenal route-finding abilities. Specifically, I have an uncanny knack for selecting the path of most resistance.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by atodor »

Marmot72, I plan to do that in September. What makes it horrid? Would you advise this other route instead?
https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=12632
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Boggy B
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by Boggy B »

atodor wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 8:07 am Marmot72, I plan to do that in September. What makes it horrid? Would you advise this other route instead?
https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=12632
Twin Thumbs is the only way I'll access Ruby (except via Noname). I've done this 3 or 4 times both directions.
The first 10 feet down the north side of TT is 3rd class, but it's ugly when dry, so make sure you're comfortable with brief sketchy hardpan. I think I've read about someone rappelling it but I wouldn't recommend that. Then either descend straight down into a gully and cut left (W) at the bottom, or make a descending traverse NW above some cliffy slabs. Either way works, but the gully is less likely to hold snow and, regardless, you'll have to drop to around 12,400'; in a dry season you might be able to stay higher but at 12,400' you can then connect to a series of grassy ramps and make an ascending traverse W/NW to the Peak Twelve/N Eolus saddle.

Another option for those wishing to access upper New York Basin without ascending NY Basin is to pass over the W shoulder of W Eolus. I've done this once, and it wasn't great, but it sure saves on mileage (at least for Peak Fifteen) over Twin Thumbs. I can't speak to how it compares to Danny's route over the Eolus saddle. Probably not as good since the latter has a nice trail to 13,800'; but you can camp at 13k (no trees) below the S side of W Eolus.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by jjust »

Does anyone think this seems reasonable (or crazy)?

It's basically a loop going up Chicago Basin, day hike Jupiter, up and over Twin Thumbs Pass, day hike Jagged, up and over Noname-Ruby Pass (See Roach 13ers book page 257.), day hike Pigeon/Turret, and then hike out Ruby Creek. It ends up being about 29 miles and 17,000 vertical. We have an entire week to accomplish the loop. Any thoughts or concerns are appreciated.
San Juan 13ers.jpg
San Juan 13ers.jpg (208.37 KiB) Viewed 1953 times
Last edited by jjust on Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by atodor »

"Via Noname" means via Sunlight/Peak Eleven saddle, down all the way to 11000' and then back up on the other fork to Peak Twelve/Eolus saddle?
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by HikerGuy »

atodor wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:07 pm "Via Noname" means via Sunlight/Peak Eleven saddle, down all the way to 11000' and then back up on the other fork to Peak Twelve/Eolus saddle?
This track shows getting from Chicago to Ruby Basin via Twin Thumbs Pass and Ruby-Noname Pass. I believe Boggy was referencing coming up the upper part Noname basin from where one would normally approach Jagged, you can just see the Jagged track in upper right of my screenshot. In the post above by jjust, the short blue & black lines are the via Noname route.

You can find this GPX in my trip report: https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=19278
chicago-to-ruby-via-noname.png
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Last edited by HikerGuy on Mon Jun 28, 2021 4:23 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by HikerGuy »

jjust wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:53 pm Does anyone think this seems reasonable (or crazy)?
I think that would be the most efficient route from Needleton. Very reasonable. I've hiked all of that except for the small part up Noname Basin and folks do that all the time to get to/from Jagged.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by jjust »

HikerGuy wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:36 pm
jjust wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:53 pm Does anyone think this seems reasonable (or crazy)?
I think that would be the most efficient route from Needleton. Very reasonable. I've hiked all of that except for the small part up Noname Basin and folks do that all the time to get to/from Jagged.
Thank You!
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by Phill the Thrill »

jjust wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:53 pm Does anyone think this seems reasonable (or crazy)?

It's basically a loop going up Chicago Basin, day hike Jupiter, up and over Twin Thumbs Pass, day hike Jagged, up and over Noname-Ruby Pass (See Roach 13ers book page 257.), day hike Pigeon/Turret, and then hike out Ruby Creek. It ends up being about 29 miles and 17,000 vertical. We have an entire week to accomplish the loop. Any thoughts or concerns are appreciated.

San Juan 13ers.jpg
This looks fine, provided that you can safely descend the north side of Twin Thumbs Pass with a backpack. At a minimum, I would plan on taking microspikes and if snow/ice is present an ice axe may be necessary.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by Boggy B »

HikerGuy wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:24 pm
atodor wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:07 pm "Via Noname" means via Sunlight/Peak Eleven saddle, down all the way to 11000' and then back up on the other fork to Peak Twelve/Eolus saddle?
... I believe Boggy was referencing coming up the upper part Noname basin from where one would normally approach Jagged, ...
Right, sorry, only if I was already in Noname for other reasons. The bit above treeline on that side is actually pleasant, and Peak Twelve is a nice quick side-trip if you're already up there.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by atodor »

Is it reasonable to plan on doing Turret early morning the day of train departure from Needleton? I remember hiking back from Chicago Basin in something like three hours, so I would imagine from Ruby basin cannot be more than that.
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Re: Pigeon/Turret from Chicago basin

Post by dwoodward13 »

atodor wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 7:25 pm Is it reasonable to plan on doing Turret early morning the day of train departure from Needleton? I remember hiking back from Chicago Basin in something like three hours, so I would imagine from Ruby basin cannot be more than that.
Ruby could absolutely take longer than 3 hours especially if you are camping in the meadow below Turret. Chicago Basin is a super highway and Ruby is a faint marking in the grass/dirt. I wouldn’t attempt to compare times on them. There will be plenty of deadfall, steep loose ground, and getting lost and attempting to locating the trail again until you reach Needleton.
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