For anyone like me wondering if it is possible to skirt around the west (climber's left from Lunch Creek) side of Pollock mountain's final summit block, the short answer is yes it is.
The long answer is it is very sketchy. I climbed to the prominent column on the left side of Pollock's summit block and found a goat trail with a cairn that followed a narrow ledge about halfway across the NW face. Then it disappeared, and I had to climb down some sketchy class III/IV to reach the scree slopes (nothing worse than stuff you will be doing on BC later). Still, all things considered I would NOT recommend this way. Looking back from BC's summit, there appears to be a wider ledge of scree lower on Pollock's face below the point where I made the traverse. If you could find this ledge from the other side it MIGHT be an easy way for someone looking to cut off some time and a few hundred vertical feet to summit BC. Same as before, NOT recommended as the scree leads straight to cliffs. Descended via the highline. I consider myself slightly below average in physical capabilities, but even so and with a 15 minute recovery stop after a hurt shoulder I was back at my car after 6 hours exactly.
Jim_The_Kid7 - Oct 19, 2022 5:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2020
Trifecta
Did the trifecta starting with the cap and finishing with Piegan. The reason we did it this way was my partner had already done Piegan and we weren't sure if we gonna go up it or not. We did and I recommend doing this the other way, descending to highline not ascending from it.
Kyle Van Vleet - Jul 25, 2021 4:51 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2021
Trifecta!
Trifecta out of Lunch creek. Bishops cap was the third and final summit of the day. The scramble up Bishop's Cap was so much fun. Dropped to the Highline from the saddle between Bishops and Pollock and back out to Logans Pass.
CamDole - Jun 27, 2020 6:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2017
Trio!
Chimneys! Class 3, one member stayed back. Most technical of the trio (Pollock, Piegan, BC). Super sick climb
ToTheHeights - Feb 13, 2018 8:29 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2017
Four for the Fourth
7/4/17 w/Ryan Stadheim
Piegan, Pollock, Bishop's Cap, and Oberlin for an epic "4 for the 4th." Hauled a grill up Oberlin for a sunset grill out. One of the most memorable days of the summer.
GlacierCountry - Aug 26, 2016 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2016
Fresh snow
Took friend Michela. Her first GNP peak was Pollock this day, then on to BC. Gorgeous weather. A little snow the night before made it a little wet and slick, but not dangerous and certainly beautiful. My 3rd or 4th time here.
Summer 2015 with Mike M. Patrick S. And Fletcher M.
From lunch creek, up Pollocks cleft, and scrambled over to Bishops summit. Descended to the highline right as a storm rolled in.
GlacierCountry - Sep 23, 2015 1:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2015
Smokey
Got turned around the first attempt this summer due to dense fog. Made it this time! Views obscured by smoke from regional forest fires but we still were able to enjoy some decent close up views. A fun peak to bag for sure. Climbed with J Hawes.
MtMtnHiker - Aug 18, 2013 12:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2013
Bishops Cap
Climb with GMS. 2nd summit of the day having come over from Pollock.
climbed in combination with Pollock, ascended via Lunch Creek, descended via Piegan Pass to Many Glacier. We were nearly charged by a large bull moose near Lake Josephine.
Fun to look up and see the thing from the road. It looks like it will topple over any day now.
mtbound - Aug 22, 2011 11:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2011
Great Climb
Loved this climb, especially going thru the cleft. Great day with blue sky and no wind. Well marked near the summit and the book "Climb Glacier National Park" was in my backpack. Climbed with my son and husband.
GNPgumpy - Aug 1, 2011 10:22 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2011
Bishop's Cap
Climbed solo. Started with Piegan, then Pollock and BC, then dropped down to the Highline trail.
mtn ear - Apr 10, 2011 10:45 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2007
Traverse- part 3
The final peak of three that included a traverse from Piegan to Pollock to Bishops Cap.
FlatheadNative - Aug 18, 2010 11:49 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2010
Highline Trail
Finally! A great route and a classic climb.
Also went and did Pollock and Piegan as well as the false summit of Piegan. 4,700 feet elevation and 6.6 miles.
EarMountain - May 25, 2010 2:40 pm Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2002
Bishops Cap
2002 with John, April, Dennis and Bud via Pollock
1983 with Bill via Pollock
Walked the ridge from Piegan and Pollock. Great climb. Alot of fun scrambling. One of the most intimate summits in the park.
I have also dropped straight down to the highline, and hiked back to logans pass (then caught the shuttle to my car).
TwaMontana - Oct 5, 2009 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2009
Bishops Cap
Walked the ridge over from Pollock after first ascending it. Returned back to Pollock, down the cleft then dropped off the east side of the saddle to Piegan Pass and out to Siyeh Bend. Very windy day 20-30mph.
Did it again three weeks later with another friend. This time descending via the drainage between Pollock and Bishops Cap. Again very windy. Wonder if it wind ever stops up there.
MTkowski - Jul 8, 2023 6:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2023
Bypass of PollockFor anyone like me wondering if it is possible to skirt around the west (climber's left from Lunch Creek) side of Pollock mountain's final summit block, the short answer is yes it is.
The long answer is it is very sketchy. I climbed to the prominent column on the left side of Pollock's summit block and found a goat trail with a cairn that followed a narrow ledge about halfway across the NW face. Then it disappeared, and I had to climb down some sketchy class III/IV to reach the scree slopes (nothing worse than stuff you will be doing on BC later). Still, all things considered I would NOT recommend this way. Looking back from BC's summit, there appears to be a wider ledge of scree lower on Pollock's face below the point where I made the traverse. If you could find this ledge from the other side it MIGHT be an easy way for someone looking to cut off some time and a few hundred vertical feet to summit BC. Same as before, NOT recommended as the scree leads straight to cliffs. Descended via the highline. I consider myself slightly below average in physical capabilities, but even so and with a 15 minute recovery stop after a hurt shoulder I was back at my car after 6 hours exactly.
Jim_The_Kid7 - Oct 19, 2022 5:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2020
TrifectaDid the trifecta starting with the cap and finishing with Piegan. The reason we did it this way was my partner had already done Piegan and we weren't sure if we gonna go up it or not. We did and I recommend doing this the other way, descending to highline not ascending from it.
Kyle Van Vleet - Jul 25, 2021 4:51 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2021
Trifecta!Trifecta out of Lunch creek. Bishops cap was the third and final summit of the day. The scramble up Bishop's Cap was so much fun. Dropped to the Highline from the saddle between Bishops and Pollock and back out to Logans Pass.
CamDole - Jun 27, 2020 6:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2017
Trio!Chimneys! Class 3, one member stayed back. Most technical of the trio (Pollock, Piegan, BC). Super sick climb
GlacierCountry - Jul 23, 2018 1:11 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2018
and yet againTaking a group up for the trifecta again
ToTheHeights - Feb 13, 2018 8:29 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2017
Four for the Fourth7/4/17 w/Ryan Stadheim
Piegan, Pollock, Bishop's Cap, and Oberlin for an epic "4 for the 4th." Hauled a grill up Oberlin for a sunset grill out. One of the most memorable days of the summer.
GlacierCountry - Aug 26, 2016 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2016
Fresh snowTook friend Michela. Her first GNP peak was Pollock this day, then on to BC. Gorgeous weather. A little snow the night before made it a little wet and slick, but not dangerous and certainly beautiful. My 3rd or 4th time here.
awhite28 - Jul 21, 2016 11:51 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2016
Via HighlineClimbed via the Highline both ways. Only the top 500 feet or so of the couloir was super loose. Fun mountain! Great views!
Dansmlgnp - Mar 19, 2016 7:56 pm
Bishops cap from PollockSummer 2015 with Mike M. Patrick S. And Fletcher M.
From lunch creek, up Pollocks cleft, and scrambled over to Bishops summit. Descended to the highline right as a storm rolled in.
GlacierCountry - Sep 23, 2015 1:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2015
SmokeyGot turned around the first attempt this summer due to dense fog. Made it this time! Views obscured by smoke from regional forest fires but we still were able to enjoy some decent close up views. A fun peak to bag for sure. Climbed with J Hawes.
MtMtnHiker - Aug 18, 2013 12:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2013
Bishops CapClimb with GMS. 2nd summit of the day having come over from Pollock.
ManyGlacierMountaineer - Feb 24, 2013 6:26 pm
Bishop's Cap2009 - w/ Anders Olson
climbed in combination with Pollock, ascended via Lunch Creek, descended via Piegan Pass to Many Glacier. We were nearly charged by a large bull moose near Lake Josephine.
larch32 - Mar 3, 2012 10:43 pm
Very funFun to look up and see the thing from the road. It looks like it will topple over any day now.
mtbound - Aug 22, 2011 11:19 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2011
Great ClimbLoved this climb, especially going thru the cleft. Great day with blue sky and no wind. Well marked near the summit and the book "Climb Glacier National Park" was in my backpack. Climbed with my son and husband.
GNPgumpy - Aug 1, 2011 10:22 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2011
Bishop's CapClimbed solo. Started with Piegan, then Pollock and BC, then dropped down to the Highline trail.
mtn ear - Apr 10, 2011 10:45 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2007
Traverse- part 3The final peak of three that included a traverse from Piegan to Pollock to Bishops Cap.
FlatheadNative - Aug 18, 2010 11:49 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2010
Highline TrailFinally! A great route and a classic climb.
Also went and did Pollock and Piegan as well as the false summit of Piegan. 4,700 feet elevation and 6.6 miles.
EarMountain - May 25, 2010 2:40 pm Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2002
Bishops Cap2002 with John, April, Dennis and Bud via Pollock
1983 with Bill via Pollock
Glacierscrambler - Feb 9, 2010 11:34 pm
Bishops CapWalked the ridge from Piegan and Pollock. Great climb. Alot of fun scrambling. One of the most intimate summits in the park.
I have also dropped straight down to the highline, and hiked back to logans pass (then caught the shuttle to my car).
TwaMontana - Oct 5, 2009 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2009
Bishops CapWalked the ridge over from Pollock after first ascending it. Returned back to Pollock, down the cleft then dropped off the east side of the saddle to Piegan Pass and out to Siyeh Bend. Very windy day 20-30mph.
Did it again three weeks later with another friend. This time descending via the drainage between Pollock and Bishops Cap. Again very windy. Wonder if it wind ever stops up there.