Bugaboo Conditions

Does anybody know what the current conditions are in the bugs--specifically the bugaboo-snowpatch col? I am trying to plan a trip there in early September and I am crossing my fingers that because it was such a late winter this year the col will still be in somewhat decent shape. Thanks!

I just got back and the conditions were the best I've seen in many trips there. If you are comfortable with steep snow then you can travel up and down the col with approach shoes, and no crampons or even an ice axe. But it was melting fast. As of 3 days ago the crevasses were just starting to open up a little bit on the col.

Travel on the glaciers was good, and most routes are in excellent condition. The snowpatch route was a bit wet still. Getting down into east creek was easy, and the Beckey Chouinard could be done with no crampons or axe for either approach or descent.

In September I would imagine it will be icy on the Bugaboo Snowpatch col. I would think you will want crampons and axe for sure, and possibly some ice screws to ascend the col. And double ropes to rappel the col on descent. Or you could use the Pigeon Snowpatch raps to get down instead.

Thank you Hans! This was exactly the info I was looking for. Sounds like you had a great trip too :)

heading up there this weekend until thru mon. will give update.

Thanks Ethan!

As of Saturday conditions were pretty good, but the crevasses are opening up still and there was some scary rockfall.

Frozen boot tracks in the mornings made it very easy to go up. If it snows between now and September though you might wish you had crampons. I brought the front half of my Sabertooths and strapped them onto hiking shoes. It worked pretty well.

The rappels down the col reach almost to halfway. They were very popular. One thing we did make an ice axe anchor at the bottom of the last rappel and send down one more full rope length rappel to reach easier slopes. Then the top person drops the rope and uses the ice axe to get down while the bottom person coils. It's still pretty steep, but not as dangerous as high up. This can save you from carrying an extra ice axe on something like the Northeast Ridge.

Hello! I'm bumping to try and beg some more information. I'm hoping to climb the Beckey-Chouinard this weekend and am wondering how feasible it would be to get on the route without crampons and ice axe. I'd imagine if we did this, we'd be doing it round-trip from Appleby and we'd leave the gear at the Pigeon-Howser col.

Any information on condition of the B-S col, and other input, is also welcome.

Thanks!

Thanks George. Can you tell me anything specific about the descent from the P-H col into East Creek and the base of the route? Or traveling from the last rap off South Howser back to the col? I've heard various opinions about crevasse danger.