Bugaboos update

[dbb]

Thought folks around here might be interested in this:

 

Hi,

I have just recently returned to the Bugaboo lodge and have some

observations from the bottom of the hill.

 

Most importantly, the road is a mess with intense logging activity from the

19 km to the 21 km. The road is unrecognizable with big clear cuts and new

roads leading in many directions. It is difficult to describe the right way

but luckily all the new roads are short so if you make a mistake it should

become obvious pretty quick. At this time all logging traffic is turning

south at the 11.5 km turn off so the bottom half of the road has been low on

traffic but be very careful from there to the 21 km. The road frequency is

158.46 for those of you with programmable radios. Low clearance car have

made it recently but it is slow going.

 

The snow is melting fast but there is still a lot to go. Right now it looks

like the last 200m of elevation to the hut will require some post holing and

I am not sure what travel conditions will be like above. There is still

lots of snow up high on the shady sides (Summit of Snowpatch and much of the

West Ridge of Pigeon) but climbing in the sunny Crescent area might be dry.

With the current weather and forecast there should be a dramatic change for

the better in the next week.

 

Seems like a quiet year for grizzly sightings so far but I am sure they will

come around soon. Several Black Bears have been observed nearby and one

mother with two cubs has been seen several times now.

 

Cheers,

 

Marc Piche

[sjwages]

Visited the Bugaboos during 4th of July week.

The Bugaboo-Snowpatch col is in good step kicking condition, no crevasse or 'schrunds have opened up yet.

There was about 1 foot of snow on the slab just below the NE ridge of Bugaboo, the scramble for the Kain route had snow but people were climbing it.

Eastpost and Crescent is dry.

Don't know if Snowpatch was being climbed, it looked like there was at least a foot of snow on top.

Pigeon 7/4/07--the finger crack at the top was wet, snow and ice kept us from climbing the last bit to the top, otherwise awesome weather.

[wayne]

We did laps on Snowpatch, We were the first parties on it though this year. People doing Pigeon now too. The only thing waiting now are the Howsers. Cornices on summits still

[dbb]

FYI:

 

Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:38:49 -0600

 

Bugaboo road closed again! And this time for at least a couple of days. 16mm of rain overnight has

brought down three major and several minor mudslides between km26 and km28.

These mudslides have created some major washouts as well and will take some

time to fix.

 

[G-spotter]

Oh No 16mm of rain overnight

[colt45]

Thanks Dave. Where can I get this information directly? I am hoping to leave for the bugs in a couple of days, but maybe that plan will need to change...

[dbb]

this is from the MCR Digest which you can subscribe to here: http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/mcr

[jpark42]

So I am in a bind. Yesterday I ended up leaving my car at the bugaboo lodge and hitching hiking back to seattle because the road had been closed. I am looking to get back back to the bug's so I can get my car back. If some one is heading up there at the above times I am more then willing to split gas costs heading up there to get my car back. Also if some one is planning on trying to hitch hike out of there I am more then willing to pay them gas money to bring my car back. If you are interested please give me a call at 406-270-3157.

 

PS: The road is destroyed and probably won't be repaired until Tues or Weds. It was in pretty bad condition when I left.

[bonathanjarrett]

PM sent

[jpark42]

So here is the deal with the road from Mark the Assistant Director of Bugaboo Lodge. He says that the road is intermitently open and closed because of work on the road. He also says that smaller cars can make it but you have to be very careful on certain sections of the road because of rocks

[Indy_jones]

I drove out last night (7/20) at 9 pm. Road was single lane and the mud was deep but only bottomed once with 8" clearance.

 

One of the mud slides came from the Alpine!

 

It looks like they have to replace some culverts. (replacement materials already on sight). You will probably have delays during working hours, but I'd call the CMH lodge for the latest.

 

BTW, we (unscientifically) measured 28 mm on rain in our stove pot at Applebee. And Mctech Arete was climbed the following evening.

[bstach]

I drove out last night (7/20) at 9 pm. Road was single lane and the mud was deep but only bottomed once with 8" clearance.

 

One of the mud slides came from the Alpine!

 

It looks like they have to replace some culverts. (replacement materials already on sight). You will probably have delays during working hours, but I'd call the CMH lodge for the latest.

 

BTW, we (unscientifically) measured 28 mm on rain in our stove pot at Applebee. And Mctech Arete was climbed the following evening.

 

Where is your trip report, Dr. Jones?

 

[goatboy]

BUMP - latest road conditions???

 

Thanks,

 

Goats

[StevenSeagal]

I drove out last night (7/20) at 9 pm. Road was single lane and the mud was deep but only bottomed once with 8" clearance.

 

One of the mud slides came from the Alpine!

 

It looks like they have to replace some culverts. (replacement materials already on sight). You will probably have delays during working hours, but I'd call the CMH lodge for the latest.

 

BTW, we (unscientifically) measured 28 mm on rain in our stove pot at Applebee. And Mctech Arete was climbed the following evening.

 

Where is your trip report, Dr. Jones?

 

Maybe this is his report...the first two scenes must be on the approach.

 

OilKXsDoB8M