I’ve been dreaming about the bugaboos since I (Jason) was a kid reading climbing magazines that show off photos of the most incredible destinations that I could ever dream to go to. Bugaboo spire even made the cover of my favorite mountaineering book, “Freedom of the hills”.
The beauty of a road trip is getting to visit these places that I have been dreaming about for so long. And the bugaboos exceeded expectations! Plus intimidated the hell out of me…..
You know this spot is crazy as soon as you enter the parking lot where every car is rigged up to survive the nightly porcupine attacks. Apparently they love to chew tires, break lines and just about any other piece of the car they can get their mouths on.
The night before the trek into the Conrad Kain hut we finally got some work done from the van. Here’s proof for those who don’t believe us.
Sunset the night before from our campground with the hound’s tooth, a rarely climbed spire, poking up in the distance (note the bear spray in hand; it never leaves your side up here!).
The real fun began the next morning with a brutal climb up to the Conrad Kain hut at the base of the glacier.
Despite the brutal climb, we were rewarded with a rainbow over the Purcell mountains.
The Bugaboos is a truly magical place, but the routes are intimidating! These massive spires rise thousands of feet out of the largest glaciers I’ve been on, in a setting that feels like the top of the world. Not to mention the fickle weather!
Unfortunately the weather held us back from doing any big routes. Instead we had a great day of practicing glacier travel, ice skills and touring around the incredible cirque beneath Bugaboo and Snow Patch spires.
Relaxing after a long day
And heading down to the warmth of the hut
Though we didn’t conquer any of these summits, the trip was still a success. Some of the most awe inspiring terrain we’ve ever seen!