The Bugaboos

  • Description

    The granite spire that make up the Bugaboos which, are located in the heart of the Purcell mountain range of British Columbia, are such an absolutely inspiring alpine climbing mecca that their popularity is world renowned. The climbing options are almost endless. With the help of our guiding service, this place is suitable for beginners to experts climbers AND even for hikers who are looking to get into mountaineering and experience glaciers under their feet and jaw dropping granite spires that shoot skyward. Send us an email and let us design the perfect Bugaboos trip to suit your personal goals and experience.

    Typical trips range between 3-6 days and there are three main options for places to stay: the Conrad Kain Hut, Applebee campground, and Boulder campground. There is also the East Creek bivy boulders which you can walk or heli to and provides great access to such routes as the famous Beckey-Chouinard route on South Howser. Below we’ll outline some commonly guided objectives:

    • Hiking around the Crescent glacier, spending some time learning about glacial travel/crevasse rescue, general mountaineering on the Bugaboo or Vowell glaciers.
    • Eastpost Spire (2728m)- NW Ridge (F, 4th)
    • Crescent Towers (2830m)- Lion’s Way (AD-, 5.8, 6P), Ears Between (AD, 5.9, 6P)
    • Crescent Spire (2842m)- McTech Arete (D-, 5.10-, 6P), Paddle Flake (D-, 5.10-, 6P), Woza Moya (D-, 5.10-, 6P)
    • Bugaboo Spire (3204m)- Kain Route (AD, 5.6, 450m), NE Ridge (D-, 5.8, 12P)
    • Snowpatch Spire (3084m)- Snowpatch Route (D-, 5.8, 19P), Sunshine Crack (D+, 5.11-, 9P), Buckingham Route: The Enjoyable Way (AD+, 5.8, 8P), Wildflowers (D, 5.9, 8P), Kraus-McCarthy Route (D, 5.9, 8P), Surfs Up (D, 5.9, 9P)
    • Pigeon Spire (3156m)- West Ridge (PD, 5.4, 500m)
    • South Howser Tower (3364m)- Beckey-Chouinard (TD+, 5.10, 22P)
    • Pigeon Feathers (2990m)- Pigeon Feathers traverse (PD, 4th, 80m)
    • Hounds Tooth (2830m)- NW Face (PD-, 3rd, 100m)
    • Marmolata (3019m)- East Ridge (AD-, 5.6, 280m), West Ridge-North Face (PD, 5.6, 140m)

  • Grade

    IV

  • Duration

    3-6 days

  • Aspect

    All Aspects

  • Length

    10'509 / 3204m

  • Max Guiding Ratio

    Depends on route

  • Directions

    Bugaboo Provincial Park. From Canmore, the drive is approx. 2hrs. (187km one-way) to Brisco, BC. Then from Brisco, continue driving 46km (1hr.) along a sometimes rough gravel road to the Conrad Kain Hut Trailhead parking lot.

  • Approach

    From the Bugaboo parking lot, a hiker's trail leads up to the Conrad Kain Hut and Boulder Campground which, takes typically approx. 4 hours to access (+1hr for Applebee). The trail is well worn in but steep as it travels 725m up over 4km. There are exposed cliffy sections along the way, some with chains to hold on to and a fixed ladder to climb up.  

  • Descent

    Guests should be comfortable with exposure, descending loose rock/snow/ice terrain, and lowering/rappelling over cliffs.

  • Routes Nearby

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