[TR] Bugaboos- Many Routes 7/19/2006

[Weekend_Climberz]

Climb: Bugaboos-Many Routes

 

Date of Climb: 7/19/2006

 

Trip Report:

Post number one thousand? So, what should I do about that..... hmmmmmm.

 

So, I got back last night and I'm still stiff from wrenching my back trying to pull the lugs nuts off the flat tire RocNoggin had while we were in Kimberley, BC on Friday night. Here is a sample of photos for you to drool over. We'll be telling the full story soon enough.

 

 

Die Mannschaft

 

Home for the last nine days

 

Find the unrepeated traverse

 

Me leading the 4th pitch of McTech Arete, luckily I had a few lessons that Davis-Holland taught me before I left. I did take one screamer though up high.

 

Snowpatch, Pigeon, and the lower portion of the Kain Route on Bugaboo.

 

Gear Notes:

Double Cams, Stoppers, Slider Nutz, 10 Slings, Xtra biners, food for 10 days

 

Approach Notes:

Lame, Lame, Lame.

[Bigtree]

Very nice. Can't wait for more pics/details.

[Tophervw]

Good Work my friend...looks like it was terrific weather for ya! More Pics and shenanigans I presume

[Weekend_Climberz]

click for 4MB original Panorama

 

click for small panorama

 

edited: to make the page size smaller

Edited August 3, 2006 by Weekend_Climberz

[olyclimber]

nice pics. what routes did you do?

[Rad]

Yum!

Sounds like a blast.

I look forward to hearing the details.

R

[Weekend_Climberz]

nice pics. what routes did you do?

 

None of the routes on my tick list, but you know how that goes

[snoboy]

Yeah - sounds like a typical Bugs trip... lol

[corvallisclimb]

that panoramic shot is fuckin rad

[Weekend_Climberz]

Then you'll just love this one.

 

It's pretty much everything from East to West as seen from camp.

I took the picture with Bugaboo-Snowpatch Col and Bugaboo Spire on different

days than the rest, so that's why there's a bit of a fake shadow and ghost tent showing up.

 

click for 11mb original

 

click for small panorama

 

edited: to make the page smaller

Edited August 3, 2006 by Weekend_Climberz

[RocNoggin]

click for 11MB original

 

hell no! the last one that was only 4MB took forever to load and I gave up on it! LOL

 

did you see the latest conditions report from up there? snow and cold! looks like we got out of there just in time! :-)

[Weekend_Climberz]

did you see the latest conditions report from up there? snow and cold! looks like we got out of there just in time! :-)

 

Poor Rob, I hope he didn't get stuck on some route in a lightning storm again.

 

Hey Colin, Rob says HI

 

[Jens]

Cool Pics!

[Weekend_Climberz]

Okay, I'm starting to write a damn book for my own sake and for my family audience, but I'll just give you the watered down version here.

 

(Note: you can click the images to see the full size image in my gallery)

 

Day 1: We drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and then met up with Rob in Radium Hot Springs. The stores where closed, but of course since it's Canada, the beer was still fresh and cold at the local restaurants . Brian and I chatted with Rob, whom we had not met until that day and we got to know each other. We bivied down by the river, but left our van at home, so Rob and I were tent bound while Brian slept with the mosquitoes in the bed of his truck.

 

Note to self: Spokane sucks some major

 

Day 2: Finished shopping and had to drive down to Invermere to get cash (so we thought) and had our last meal. Back at Radium, we threw all our shit out onto the lawn to organize what to take, all along to funky stares from the kids playing field hockey in the baseball field at the park (don't they know its a damn baseball field?). With the packs packed, and the cars loaded, we snapped a quick group shot and took off up the road.

 

Wow! Nice condos in Radium, huh?

 

Once in the parking lot after the hour long drive up the dirt road we had to figure out how to actually situate the chicken wire to preserve the rubber hoses under our vehicles.

 

Voracious timber tigers up there, eh?

 

The approach: I had basically convinced myself the the barely three mile trail would be easy. After toiling up the thing for three hours, we finally made it to camp at around 6pm. The ~70 pound packs didn't really help much with the pace, and that was including a plan to go back down to the cars and resupply with another 5 days of food.

 

The sunset never seemed so sweet that evening as we rehydrated and loathed around camp.

 

 

Day 3: Opting for any easy start we hiked up to the base of the Crescent Towers for our first climb, Lions Way (II 5.6). It was the first time we had climbed with Rob, and he with us, so it was good to figure out our double rope technique and have an easy first climb. Brian fell on the first pitch, when he got a bit off route, leaving him with a nice rug burn on his inner left arm for the rest of the trip.

 

Brian stacked below me as Rob belays us up

 

We topped out feeling pretty good for the first day of climbing.

 

Look at that smile!

 

How many people can you count in this photo? (hint: there's 9)

 

Day 4: Wanting to do something a little harder, we opted for McTech Arete (III 5.10-) as our next objective. Rob was itching for some hard leads, so he took the 5.9 and 5.10- first and second pitches, then I would take the 5.4 and 5.9 third and fourth pitches and Brian would finish the last two 5.8 and 5.7 pitches. Being that is was so hot, we were out of water and energy by the top of the fourth pitch and decided to bail from there. We met a group of four from Cantolona Spain on the way down, and while sharing a rap station with them (that's a total of six at one station) Rob and I taught them a new english word, "Cluster Fuck".

 

Pitch 1:

 

Pitch 2:

 

Pitch 3 :

 

Pitch 4:

 

Day 5: Well Brian and I were pretty worked after McTech, so we took the day off while Rob and his new buddy he met in camp, Warren, headed off to do Surf's Up on Snowpatch Spire. My day was spent reading the manual to my new camera and chasing the damn timber tigers (i.e.:snafflehounds) around.

 

Voracious Timber Tiger

 

Day 6: So, Brian and I planned to climb the NE Ridge of Bugaboo the night before now that we were both pretty rested. Rob, on the otherhand, got pretty worked on Surf's Up, so decided to take a semi-rest day by getting the rest of his food for the next ten days. He was going to stay after we left and climb with another friend from Montana who was meeting him there in a few days. At 3am that night, or plans changed drastically as the first thunder storm rolled and lit up the sky with a dazzling lightning display. Sleep was hard to come by that night, so we choose instead to head up the Donkey Ears via Ears Between (II 5.8). Another great route with easy access and a great position.

 

Brian starting Pitch 2:

 

Brian following Pitch 3:

 

Us on top:

 

 

Day 7: We were running low on food, Rob and Warren were off to finish McTech arete, so Brian and I chose to head back to the car and get the rest of our food for the trip. We were off by 8am and pulled into camp just afternoon, including a half hour spent doodling around the Kain Hut looking at Fred Beckey photos. Some ominous clouds began to appear to the West, so I buttoned up the tent and put everything away. Not soon after the first lightning crashes echoed from the granite walls that surrounded us. After about a half an hour it passed, but not before we heard what we thought was another thunder crash. This time it was a massive chunk of Bugaboo Spire that broke off and littered the glacier below scouring a large groove in the snow. We also learned its not a good idea to pitch your tent in the dirt as one family up for a backpacking trip found themselves floating by the time the storm receded. They had little time to get everything dried and moved before the next round came through and hour later.

 

Passing thunder storm

 

Bugaboos Spire rockfall

 

Day 8: Still a little pooped from grabbing a load from the day before, we held off on NE Ridge of Bugaboo for one more day and decided do something a little more mellow. We choose the Kraus-McCarthey Route on Snowpatch Spire (IV 5.9), so much for the easy day The guide book says its suppose to be eight pitches, we ran it out in 4 and a half. We were doing good on speed, until we hit the squeeze chimney on top where Brian was symied. I took a swing at the lead and nearly got my ass stuck in the bastard. I was so pumped I had to yard on a piece on the following 5.9 lieback crack that ends at the top.

 

Brian on Pitch 1:

 

Us on top:

 

Day 9: Still tired from the day before and the stinking resupply trip up that f'd up trail, I decided for another rest day and chilled in camp with Rob. I finished my Joe Simpson book and practice my curve ball on some of the snaffles around camp. Brian was itching still to climb, so he took a solo trip up the West Ridge of Pigeon leaving late and getting back after about six hours. Hanging the food so the damn timber tigers wouldn't get to it got to be real old, especially with the munchies all day long.

 

Note to self: don't be anywhere near these things when a thunder storm rolls through

 

Pigeon Spire in the center (west ridge on right skyline):

 

Day 10: With a migrane headache all night long, I pussed out and we walked down to the cars to head back home. After having a few beers, brie, fillet mignon, strudel a la mode, cognac, and some live music, I was feeling much better. We found a comfortable place for the night in Kimberley, BC and planned to do the drive back the next day.

 

Day 11: We drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove, and I threw my crap out onto the my lawn. Good times, Good times

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Thanks for the TR sounds like a great trip.