[TR] Bugaboos - Bugaboo-Snowpatch col 8/9/2014

[coastal 'swhack]

Trip: Bugaboos - Bugaboo-Snowpatch col

 

Date: 8/9/2014

 

Trip Report:

Just got back from a great week in the Bugs and thought I'd post some pics of the conditions. The Bugaboo-Snowpatch col (used to access many routes) deteriorated substantially during the week we were there (Aug 2-8, 2014). There were numerous accidents at the col, including one slip into the burgshrund resulting in a heli rescue and one rope cut by rockfall during a rappel. Many people are still using the col, but we opted for the Pigeon-Snowpatch icefall rappels (p. 218 of Atkinson and Piche), which were in good shape and took only an hour or so longer to get us back to Applebee Camp.

 

Above is a pic of the BS col taken on August 2. There was still a good snow bridge over the 'schrund on the climbers right.

 

...and here it is on August 8. The crevasses at the bottom were really starting to open up, and there was regular rockfall coming down. Many people were still using it, but most agreed that the objective danger was pretty high.

 

Despite that, we managed to climb west ridge of Pigeon via the Pigeon fork of the Bugaboo Glacier (great views!), Surf's Up on Snowpatch, NE Ridge of Bugaboo Spire and Snowpatch Route. Good times!

[tvashtarkatena]

Thanks for the heads up.

[wayne]

that thing needs a tram.

[Zoran]

Do you know more about people who are hurt? ACC Vancouver trip was there.