Bugaboos Alpine Climbing 2009
Three of us..Hans, Junya and myself went to the bugaboos in 2009 for a 12 day climbing trip....a spectacular alpine climbing area in British Columbia. Multiple Spires rising from glaciers with multiple routes of all difficulties. Even hikers & scramblers can enjoy the area...although a bit more limited. We enjoyed 4 days of superb climbing and were quite shocked to see the rockslide down the bugaboo/snowpatch col...a main gateway to many routes... only a few days after we had left...very sobering !!!
Although we did lug 12 days worth of stuff up and stayed only 5 days due to the weather changing, we had an excellent time climbing.
Because we climbed in threes and only Junya could lead speedilyefficiently we stuck to routes doable as a threesome : Pigeon Spire 5.4 , Ears Between 5.8, Snowpatch Spire Buckingham Route: The Enjoyable Way 5.8 .
The Hike Up:
Our first day saw us arriving at the Parking lot at 7 pm with a planned evening/night ascent to the hut...the car got chicken wired, we set off, the skies started darkening..there was a thunderstorm brewing. We only made it to the start of the moraine before the storm was upon us...only two more less desireable bivy possibilites within the next 30 minutes. The boys decided to carry everything at once...I couldn't lift their packs...Hans and Junya must have Sherpa Blood in them !!! I just couldn't climb with two packs so had to ferry them one by one on some of the steeper sections. Regardless, we all made it in 3 hours to the hut and Boulder Camp. When thunderstorms are possible at dinner time it's nice to have a hut to cook and sit in...worth the hut use fees. For sleep we retreated to our tent just a few minutes walk from the hut. The Plan was to move up to Applebee Dome once the fresh food was used up.
Day 1: Pigeon Spire 5.4
Our first climb was to Pigeon Spire. We left at 430 am. The Crux was ascending the increasingly treacherous Bugaboo Snowpatch Cold. My 4th time there and haven't seen it so barren. Slots open at the bottom, a gaping bergschrund only passeable on the bugaboo side, ice above the schrund. Glad Junya had an Ice Screw and both of them comfortable ice climbing with limited gear. My ice ax is useless on ice so I was very glad to be the last one on the rope and have the security of a belay or at least knowing that Junya had reached easier ground and wasn't in danger of being pulled off should I slip. It was still early and what little snow there was was firm...that helped. I noticed that the bolted/chained rap stations were at least 2 m above us...unreacheable on the Snowpatch side and Couldn't even see them on the Bugaboo side. A boulder/ rock outcrop about 30 m above the Schrund on the Snowpatch side had slings and served as the midway station. We safely made it up.
10 days later a massive Slide from the bugaboo side swept over the usual uptracks below the schrund. A quick snack at Pigeon Col and up we went. It took just over an hour to get to the summit. My crux was a flake near the bottom that I got stuck in behind...after some muttering of unmentionable epithets I took the pack off and Voila..I fit through. The easier way would be to bypass it simply on climbers left....doh !!!! The rest of the climb was simply fun...we took our time and lots of pictures...no need to hurry. Pigeon looks steep from some angles, but once you're on it it doesn't feel that steep or exposed ...there's always something solid to hold onto. The " Au Ceval " was pure fun.
We had a full rack but in the end we used a # o.5, 2 & 3 BD Cam, a nut, a bolt and one piton plus a sling or two. Most of it on the Slab option below Pigeon Summit ( the 5.4 route would have been to climbers left when you stand right below the last bit of summit block ). We went Right. No clue what rating it would be something in the low 5th maybe but wouldn't want to be on it if its wet. A Short distance up along the slab are the bolts for the rap route,
Finally at the summit..time for pics and a nap before having to leave this gorgeous spot.
In Past years you could head up to Pigeon Col via Bugaboo Glacier, staying Close to Pigeons' East Side... a nice ridge leading down with few cracks...not so this year...lots of open Slots
Day 2 : Crescent Spires Ears Between 5.8
This Climb, being the long weekend had a lineup. We were third in line. The route basically goes up to the col between the two Donkey ears. We added the optional bottom 5.8 pitch which is not to be missed. The last pitch...the chimney...you can stay mostly out or on the edge of it. From there it's a short scramble to the top of the East Donkey Ears. To get down you can rap off the summit all the way down to the Snow, Circle the mountain and come out at the Eastpost Crescent Col. Beautiful Views abound.
Day 3 : Snowpatch Spire Buckingham Route The Enjoyoable Way 5.8
Again we had to deal with the Bugaboo Snowpatch Col. Almost got hit by a rock on the way up as I'm crossing the Schrund and nearly escaped a small boulder on the rapell. This time we elected to stay off the ice over by the safer Snowpatch side which had expanded, and go up the Rubble as no one was behind us. Not technical, Quicker but loose...very unpleasant, and having seen the slide picture wouldn't do it again.
We had a late start and didn't get to the bottom of the climb till 11 am. We were the first group on it. The crux is the last 25 meters where a 5.8 two bolt slab awaits the leader. From the end of the climb its a few meters to the thin summit ridge. I got a bit anxious as the skies darkened and I heard a rumble while we were waiting for the group behind us to get secure at a belay before we could rapell. Luckily this storm blew over but we knew the next one was not far behind. The rapells are set up for 60 m raps. One of our ropes got stuck right at it's very end.. on the factory tape telling you what rope you got.....amazing how well it held.... on our first rap and Junya had to climb back up to free it. The remainder of the raps went smoothly. We had to wait our turn to rap off the Col..again it was good we could do 60 m raps. At the halfway station we almost got hit by a big rock/small boulder...thankfully no one was on the ropes at that moment as it careened right down the rap path into the schrund. The Storm held off until we were safely down from the col. we ran more than walked...counting seconds between lightning and thunder, but it wasn't until all three of us banged the hut door behind us that the heavens let loose and Lightening and Thunder were one. PHEW !!!!
A full trip report....above narrative with interlinked pictures is here :
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topi...TOPIC_ID=33133
a flickr slideshow is here.
