who's been to the bugs

[Adam]

http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/above ... _bugaboos/

i'll get there one day....

[granite_grrl]

It would be really great to get there someday, but I have a few other places still higher on my list.

It always seems to have the most beautiful shot taken of it though.

[chossmonkey]

Definitely a cool place that is on the list. From what I heard you really need time to be on your side or be extremely lucky with weather. But I guess all high elevation climbing is like that.

[granitoid]

We climbed the west ridge of pigeon spire (5.4) two summers ago in 36 hours door-to-door from Calgary - incredible trip - anybody who's been on the route will recognize this section - what a blast!

[Adam]

is the tip of the ridge white from pigeon $h!t? must be slippery!

[granite_grrl]

We climbed the west ridge of pigeon spire (5.4) two summers ago in 36 hours door-to-door from Calgary - incredible trip - anybody who's been on the route will recognize this section - what a blast!

I don't think I've ever seen a bad photo of pigeon spire. Its one of the most popular/famous climbs there, right? How hard is it to get on it?

[granitoid]

I don't know if the white path is due to climber traffic or if it is related to some aspect of the exposure (high winds whipping over the ridge?)

The Kain hut is about 3 hours from the parking lot (fun ladders en route), and I think it took us 3 or 4 hours to get from the hut to the base of Pigeon Spire. From the hut, there is a short walk on rock (good trail) to the base of a snow slope coming down off the Bugaboo-Snowpatch Col. The slope has a notorious crevasse / serac that you skirt around. Once on the col there is a pleasant glacier walk to the base of the spire (1-2 hours, can't remember, it took longer than we thought it would, couple of crevasses to avoid). Definitely need crampons and an axe.

We simul-climbed the spire on a 60 m rope. The gear is so good you can place your entire rack down to the last 2-3 pieces and still build a station without much trouble.

[Shawn B]

Great first route to do in the Bugs. Basically very exposed scrambling and ridge walking with a few moves of 5.4. Highly recommended. Pic is of me rappelling off summit. I've got one of the "au cheval" as well but can't find it. Nice to see you walking it rather than riding it. I'm guessing it is worn from climber traffic. That section is sooo exposed. Prob 1000 feet to the glacier on one side and a few thousand on the other. Walking across getting hit with wind gusts is rather exciting. If you want any info on the Bugs ask Mr. Bug...aka Ulysse. I doubt anyone else knows the place like he does. Be strong physically and mentally when you go as you have to move fast over technical and exposed terrain to be safe.

[granite_grrl]

Hey, my friend Grant just came back from the Bugs. He didn't have as much fun as he had hoped:

http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=50&contentId=6063&position=5&languageId=1

I'm just glad that he and the group he was with was all okay. And just an FYI he is an experianced climber and this certainly wasn't his first time to the Bugs. Just shows how serious the area can be.

[Adam]

oh yah, if i wanted to go i'd just have to give Ulysse a call i'm sure. might just have to do that in the next year or two.