The Bugaboos
Encyclopedia
The Bugaboos are a mountain range
in the Purcell Mountains
of eastern British Columbia
, Canada
. The granite
spires of the group are a popular mountaineering
destination. The Bugaboos are protected within Bugaboo Provincial Park
.
, in the south-east of the province. The nearest towns are Radium
and Golden
. They are commonly subdivided into four divisions: the Bugaboo Glacier Peaks, and the Eastern, Central, and Western Spires. The nearby Vowell and Conrad Groups are usually considered separate from the Bugaboos.
batholiths which form the group's distinctive spires. The surrounding rock is approximately 600 million to 1 billion years old, while the Bugaboo intrusion dates to 135 million years ago. The igneous intrusion cooled slowly, forming the crystalline structure of the hard granite found today.
Originally named the "Nunataks", the Bugaboo spires were first noted by a surveying expedition in the late 1800s. Mining brought the first Europeans to the region with a small, ill-fated gold rush
occurring in 1906 near Bugaboo Falls. The name "Bugaboo" apparently originated from this rush; the term was used by prospectors for a "dead-end".
Climbers became interested in the group shortly after. In 1910, an expedition led by Thomas Longstaff and surveyor Arthur Oliver Wheeler
entered the area. They were guided by renowned European climber Conrad Kain
. Kain would return to the area six years later and pioneer many difficult climbing routes. The Austrian climber described his route up Bugaboo Spire as his most difficult Canadian ascent, more challenging than his celebrated route up Mount Robson
, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Along with Albert and Bess McCarthy and others, Kain would pioneer first ascents of North Howser, Marmolata, and Crecent Spires.
Logging in the area resulted in road construction in the 1950s and 60s. This led to a new influx of climbers. Fred Beckey
and Yvon Chouinard
(founder of the Patagonia
clothing company) established new routes on several spires. The growing popularity of the area led the BC government to establish Bugaboo Glacier Provincial Park
and the Bugaboo Alpine Recreation Area in 1969. The Alpine Club of Canada
constructed a large hut in 1972 to reduce environmental damage to the fragile alpine meadows below the spires.
routes. The Beckey-Chouinard (South Howser Spire), West Ridge (Pigeon Spire), Northeast Ridge (Bugaboo Spire) and Snowpatch and Surf's Up (Snowpatch Spire) attract world-class climbers. There are both bolted and free routes throughout the group.
Climbers and hikers often use the 40-person Conrad Kain hut
, maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada. Located near Snowpatch Spire, the hut replaced the original fibreglass igloos placed by BC Parks. The Bugaboo Lodge, constructed in 1967, is near the eastern boundary of the park. Heli-skiing and heli-hiking are conducted from the lodge into the park. Ski touring
is also popular in the group during the winter.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in the Purcell Mountains
Purcell Mountains
The Purcell Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. They are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains, which includes the Selkirk, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains. They are located on the west side of the Rocky Mountain Trench in the area of the Columbia Valley, and on...
of eastern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
spires of the group are a popular mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
destination. The Bugaboos are protected within Bugaboo Provincial Park
Bugaboo Provincial Park
Bugaboo Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located in the central Purcell Mountains.The park is known primarily for the Bugaboos, a formation of mountains that attracts climbers and type:mountaineers, and for the Conrad Kain hut, an alpine hut managed by the Alpine...
.
Geography
The Bugaboos are located in the northwestern extreme of the Purcells in the Columbia MountainsColumbia Mountains
The Columbia Mountains are a group of mountain ranges located in southeastern British Columbia, and partially in Montana, Idaho and Washington. The mountain range covers 135,952 km² . The range is bounded by the Rocky Mountain Trench on the east, and the Kootenay River on the south; their...
, in the south-east of the province. The nearest towns are Radium
Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia
Radium Hot Springs is a village of approximately 800 people situated in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia. The village is named for the hot springs located in the nearby Kootenay National Park...
and Golden
Golden, British Columbia
Golden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located west of Calgary, Alberta and east of Vancouver.-History:Much of the town's history is tied into the Canadian Pacific Railway and the logging industry...
. They are commonly subdivided into four divisions: the Bugaboo Glacier Peaks, and the Eastern, Central, and Western Spires. The nearby Vowell and Conrad Groups are usually considered separate from the Bugaboos.
Geology
Located in the snow- and rain-heavy "Columbia Wet Belt", this section of the Purcells is subject to heavy erosion and large, active glaciers. Originally covered in weaker rock, glaciation eventually revealed the granodioriteGranodiorite
Granodiorite is an intrusive igneous rock similar to granite, but containing more plagioclase than orthoclase-type feldspar. Officially, it is defined as a phaneritic igneous rock with greater than 20% quartz by volume where at least 65% of the feldspar is plagioclase. It usually contains abundant...
batholiths which form the group's distinctive spires. The surrounding rock is approximately 600 million to 1 billion years old, while the Bugaboo intrusion dates to 135 million years ago. The igneous intrusion cooled slowly, forming the crystalline structure of the hard granite found today.
History
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
occurring in 1906 near Bugaboo Falls. The name "Bugaboo" apparently originated from this rush; the term was used by prospectors for a "dead-end".
Climbers became interested in the group shortly after. In 1910, an expedition led by Thomas Longstaff and surveyor Arthur Oliver Wheeler
Arthur Oliver Wheeler
Arthur Oliver Wheeler was born in Ireland and immigrated to Canada in 1876 at the age of 16. He became a land surveyor and surveyed large areas of western Canada, including photo-topographical surveys of the Selkirk Mountains and the British Columbia-Alberta boundary along the continental divide...
entered the area. They were guided by renowned European climber Conrad Kain
Conrad Kain
Conrad Kain was an Austrian mountain guide who guided extensively in Europe, Canada, and New Zealand, and was responsible for the first ascents of more than 60 routes in British Columbia...
. Kain would return to the area six years later and pioneer many difficult climbing routes. The Austrian climber described his route up Bugaboo Spire as his most difficult Canadian ascent, more challenging than his celebrated route up Mount Robson
Mount Robson
Mount Robson is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountain range; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range. It is commonly thought to be the...
, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Along with Albert and Bess McCarthy and others, Kain would pioneer first ascents of North Howser, Marmolata, and Crecent Spires.
Logging in the area resulted in road construction in the 1950s and 60s. This led to a new influx of climbers. Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey is an American mountaineer and author, who has made hundreds of first ascents, more than any other North American climber.-Early years:...
and Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard is a rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry businessman, noted for his contributions to climbing, climbing equipment and the outdoor gear business. His second company, Patagonia is known for its environmental focus...
(founder of the Patagonia
Patagonia (clothing)
Patagonia, Inc. is a Ventura, California-based clothing company, focusing mainly on outdoor clothing. The company is a member of several environmental movements. It was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1972....
clothing company) established new routes on several spires. The growing popularity of the area led the BC government to establish Bugaboo Glacier Provincial Park
Bugaboo Provincial Park
Bugaboo Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located in the central Purcell Mountains.The park is known primarily for the Bugaboos, a formation of mountains that attracts climbers and type:mountaineers, and for the Conrad Kain hut, an alpine hut managed by the Alpine...
and the Bugaboo Alpine Recreation Area in 1969. The Alpine Club of Canada
Alpine Club of Canada
The Alpine Club of Canada is a mountain club with a National Office in Canmore, Alberta that has been a focal point for Canadian mountaineering since its founding in 1906. The club was co-founded by Arthur Oliver Wheeler, who served as its first president, and Elizabeth Parker, a journalist for...
constructed a large hut in 1972 to reduce environmental damage to the fragile alpine meadows below the spires.
Climbing and recreation
The Bugaboos have several internationally known rock climbingRock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
routes. The Beckey-Chouinard (South Howser Spire), West Ridge (Pigeon Spire), Northeast Ridge (Bugaboo Spire) and Snowpatch and Surf's Up (Snowpatch Spire) attract world-class climbers. There are both bolted and free routes throughout the group.
Climbers and hikers often use the 40-person Conrad Kain hut
Conrad Kain hut
The Conrad Kain hut is an alpine hut located in Bugaboo Provincial Park in British Columbia. The hut is maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada. Coordinates: NAD27 11U 516700 5620754...
, maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada. Located near Snowpatch Spire, the hut replaced the original fibreglass igloos placed by BC Parks. The Bugaboo Lodge, constructed in 1967, is near the eastern boundary of the park. Heli-skiing and heli-hiking are conducted from the lodge into the park. Ski touring
Ski touring
Ski touring is a form of backcountry skiing involving traveling over the winter landscape on skis under human power rather than through the assistance of ski lifts or snow vehicles. It can take place in terrain ranging from perfectly flat to extremely steep...
is also popular in the group during the winter.
Spires
- Howser SpireHowser SpireHowser Spire or Howser Spire Massif, is a group of three distinct granite peaks, and the highest mountain of the Canadian Bugaboo Spires. The mountain is located at the southwest corner of the Vowell Glacier, within the Bugaboo mountain range in the Purcell Mountains, a subrange of British...
(3412m - North Tower) - Bugaboo SpireBugaboo SpirePerhaps the most impressive peak in the Bugaboos, Bugaboo Spire sits between the Vowell and Crescent glaciers, just under 2 km West of the ACC's Conrad Kain hut...
(3204 m) - Pigeon SpirePigeon SpirePigeon Spire is a peak in the Purcell Mountains of the Columbia Mountains in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It may be one of the most climbed of the spires in The Bugaboos owing to its relatively low prominence from the Vowell Glacier and the existence of an easy route . It is not uncommon...
(3156 m) - Snowpatch SpireSnowpatch SpireWith its first ascent in 1940, Snowpatch Spire mountain peak was the last of the Bugaboo Spires to be climbed. It is located South-West of the Conrad Kain hut, across the Crescent Glacier.-Routes:* Wildflowers* Kraus McCarthy* Sunshine...
(3084 m) - Marmolata Spire (3019m)
- Brenta Spire (2958m)
- Crescent Spire (2842m)
- Crescent Towers (2830m)
- Hound's Tooth (2830m)