Bugaboos

I finally made it the Bugaboos.  This mountain range is found in British Columbia of Canada.  It is well known to alpine climbers and photographs of the peaks and spires entice climbers from all over the world.  I attempted to climb there last summer but a bad weather forecast foiled our plans and I ended up climbing in the state of Idaho.  This year I drove north with two climbing friends.  Dave Smith and JJ Cieslweise.  We did the drive over 3 days.  Staying one night with my brother Clair in Hayden Lake, Idaho at his comfortable and beautiful home.  The weather was clear as we hiked in with heavy packs up the steep trail towards the climbing hut.  The Conrad Kain hut can hold up to 35 people when full.  It was full during our stay up in the Bugaboos.  We slept on pads on the upper loft of the cramped yet cozy hut.  The next morning we were one of the first climbers to get going.  We were soon hiking on the glaciers below the granite spires.  We found the glaciers to be challenging with many exposed crevasses and our route finding was not a straight line as we weaved back and forth looking for the safest way to avoid or cross the crevasses.  The weather was perfect as we climbed along the West Ridge of Pigeon Spire and stood on its striking summit block.  Our climb that day took us ten hours.  The following day the weather forecast was grim.  A stormy system was supposed to hit the area around noon and settle in for at least two days.  Nevertheless, JJ and I attempted a 6 pitch route on Crescent Spire called the McTech Arete.  As we hiked early in the morning up to this route the skies were clear and the mountains beautiful.  The first two pitches were on excellent granite and were challenging and aesthetic.  At the the top of pitch two on a ledge we saw the first clouds touching down on the peaks.  We made a decision to descend.  As we got back to the ground at our packs the storm came crashing in with lightning, thunder and strong winds.  I was completely soaked as we stumbled back in the hut.  With the less than ideal forecast we made the decision to end our climb in the Bugaboos a few days early and we hiked down still with heavy packs.  The next few days were spent traveling back into Idaho and down to the City of Rocks.  There we found perfect weather and great climbing.  The granite faces and cracks of the domes there are a delight to climb and the campsites are enjoyable with great vistas and clear star filled skies.  Soon enough we had to make the drive home to St. George.  It was such a contrast as we opened the door to the truck in my driveway to experience the summer temps of 108 degrees!  The Bugaboos were impressive and elusive.  Still a fun and rewarding climbing trip.