Bugaboos timing

Im considering a trip to the canadian rockies this year, scheduling for either July 2-10 or later in july/aug. All else being equal, id rather do july 2-10 because i have some days off work.

Need to decide soon because the bugs trip timing determines timing of other trips for which i need to book permits soon. 

Mainly focusing on easier routes in the bugs, maybe venturing toward banff (mt temple, banff long sport routes, assiniboine might be a stretch)

How are the conditions in early July? i see that there are some ticks in early July, but less than later.Is it better to wait until late july for routes and approaches to melt out? Most of the routes are *not* north-facing, except for potentially assiniboine.

There are no permits right? Should we be concerned that all campsites will be full?  Is all camping limited to the Kain hut and applebee campground, or is there unlimited dispersed camping? Apparently you cannot reserve the Kain hut, and regardless its power is out. We'd probably hike in on july 3, a holiday weekend for US and CA.

I went in late-July to early-August, and stayed at the hut. I don't know the details of their snowpack this year, which will influence the details. Sorry no info on permits or camping, but WRT timing, my understanding it is a trade off: 

• earlier timing = better B-S Col conditions, better glacier travel conditions, cooler temps, some routes may not be "in" yet (for example no one had climbed BC until mid-Jul), longer days (they're pretty damn long!), likely using mountain boots for approaches
• later timing = worse (risking "out") B-S Col conditions, worse (potentially unpassable) glacier conditions, warmer temps, maybe shorter days (but still pretty long!), might be able to get away with trail runner or approach shoes for approaches

We decided that late-July and early-Aug was a good compromise, mainly to preserve B-S Col, however it meant we didn't get to do BC or Sunshine. Going back I'd push my window a later as I'd be happy climbing without having to go up or down B-S Col. As a first visit preserving ability to get up and down B-S Col is probably important. 

A heavy snow pack pushes "late" later WRT B-S Col, a light snow pack is obviously the opposite. 

The rappels on the other side of Snowpatch worked (we did it once, after Pigeon Spire, to have a GPS track and for the experience), but I think they are (significantly?) further and less direct than B-S Col (100% a true fact if going to Applebee vs. Kain Hut).

Hope this helps ...

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks a ton. It would be great to go without mtn boots. I didn't realize it was ever feasible to fo without them.

I havent researched what the implications of BS col being "out" are. I recall reports of it being extremely sketchy sometime last year, but seems like it was "in" until at least mid aug.

If there are indeed no permits, then i can choose a week in late july or early aug depending on conditions. I see in another post that the bugs did indeed close for wildfires in 2021, so better not go later than early aug.

This is what "out" looked like in mid-August 2014: 

I was hoping to do the Kain route, but would probably have had to go all the way around the back side of Pigeon to get there, which was a bit too much.  I'd keep an eye on the Snotel site, which showed average to slightly above last time I checked.

I was fine on the glaciers with trail runners and KTS crampons, a setup I've used in the Cascades, Tetons, and elsewhere to good effect.  If you're there early enough that it's not bare ice, strap-ons on running shoes should be good enough.

Based on the Snotel reading of East Creek today, snowpack is at 114%. I went end of July 2017 and the Col was great shape. Given the good snowpack and cool late Spring BC is having, seems like late July/early August will be a good time to go, even later possibly as well.

Is there a thread for 2023 conditions yet? I didn't find one and the Friends of Bugaboo Park haven't posted on their FB page. Curious on what the snowpack is like this year

It's kinda early, but keep an eye on MCR: mountainconditions.ca/

Bugs are closed until at least July 15 due to the massive rockfall that occurred on Snowpatch.  

@Teddy 

Where you seeing that closure? All I’ve seen is that the Snowpatch Spire and the area of the rock fall is closed. The Snowpatch-Bugaboo Col remains open though travel isn’t recommended according to the public notice.

https://nrs.objectstore.gov.bc.ca/kuwyyf/bugaboo_RD_Closure_Order_Snow_Patch_Spire_Feb2023_16febd3442.pdf

The above beta is good.

Early July is fine.

Mid august is too late.

June can go but can be a bit early.

Camp sites are a plenty at applebee. They aren’t numbered sites, you just squeeze your tent down wherever it fits.

Approach shoes and strap on crampons can be fine instead of boots if that’s your preference. Everyone picks their own system there. Plenty of people rock full shank mountain boots and still climb hard too.

I prefer to be there a little early season rather than late. Mostly for the bugaboo/snowpatch col to be in.

Depending on your route selections, you might not care about that being in or not. 

ColinF wrote:

@Teddy 

Where you seeing that closure? All I’ve seen is that the Snowpatch Spire and the area of the rock fall is closed. The Snowpatch-Bugaboo Col remains open though travel isn’t recommended according to the public notice.

https://nrs.objectstore.gov.bc.ca/kuwyyf/bugaboo_RD_Closure_Order_Snow_Patch_Spire_Feb2023_16febd3442.pdf

Thanks, Colin!  Good info.

https://nrs.objectstore.gov.bc.ca/kuwyyf/bugaboo_RD_Closure_Order_Snow_Patch_Spire_Feb2023_16febd3442.pdf

We're up in that neck of the woods for a family get together and were hoping to bag a route or two in the Bugs June 16th - 18th if feasible.  We've got a solid array of snow gear.  Has anyone been up there yet this year?  Any advice? 

June is really early for the Bugs, the regular season doesn;t really begin until mid July. I went early one year (June 25 - July 5th) and was only able to climb maybe 2 days in that period because of rain and snow. Although it was nice to have so few people around, I would never go so early again. It can be sunny and warm in Golden, and raining and snowing in the Bugs. They seem to create their own weather patterns.

You will likely just have to get lucky with weather with such a short 3 day window, and go in and see how things look for yourself. The mountain conditions link above is where the guides post conditions, check that as well before you go. It's a big approach into the bugs, you only have 3 days? If you are mega-fit I suppose that's doable. I wouldn't bother going in there though unless you had 5 days minimum.

Also, if you are near Golden and the Bugs don't look good, there is pretty fun sport climbing nearby as a back-up

Meghan C wrote:

We're up in that neck of the woods for a family get together and were hoping to bag a route or two in the Bugs June 16th - 18th if feasible.  We've got a solid array of snow gear.  Has anyone been up there yet this year?  Any advice? 

Take a hard look at your schedule, the drive & approach times, to see if it'll be feasible for you to climb more than 1 day (the 17th)

the approach gains 3000 feet to Applebee Campground. With a heavy pack, for me it would be tough to both approach and climb a route in the same day; not to mention you'd need clear afternoon weather. But I did meet some crushers who did exactly that.

Then on descent, it'll just depend on whether you really have all day on the 18th in order to climb a route and then pack out and get back to the car late. 

Crescent Spires will be your best bet for shorter days, closer to camp and short-ish routes. 

If you won't have time to climb on the 16th and 18th, then it's just up to you to decide whether the trip is worth it to do 1 big route on the 17th. 

Last year I also spoke to people who echoed what others have said in this thread -- The weather was unstable late June, and they didn't get to climb much due to rain/snow. Many routes were wet. then it was totally bluebird for me in mid July. 

Thanks for the beta.  My partner's climbed up there before so we have a feel for logistics, just not the weather / snowpack that time of year.  I'd be psyched to bag even one route if we can. 

Since moving to the SE, I've been missing for bigger hills. If the weather's bad, would anyone have recommendations for other big alpine routes further south?  We're driving up from Whitefish.  

This year is a very different story from last year, and most years.  we had a very low snow year and a warm spring. people have already been rock climbing up there for a bit. At this rate the BS col should be good and sketchy real soon, so everybody be sure to stay home this year, the bugs are over !!

How is the air quality with the fires?

Bump. I have July off from work in Haines and was thinking about spending it in the Buggaboos. It’s a 2-day drive each way, but that would still leave me a solid 3 weeks. I’ll need to dig up a map and sort out how much is off limits because of the Snowpatch Spire rockfall before committing. 

I'd love to hear if anyone has experience traveling over the Pigeon Fork of Bugaboo glacier? I'm contemplating a trip early July but given the BS col situation, it seems like a lot of routes may be out for me.

Nicole LF wrote:

I'd love to hear if anyone has experience traveling over the Pigeon Fork of Bugaboo glacier? I'm contemplating a trip early July but given the BS col situation, it seems like a lot of routes may be out for me.

I did both approaches to pigeon spire when I was there. The Bugaboo glacier approach was fine for us. We were there in late June. Definitely roped up and probed certain areas as we moved. Some huge crevasses on that approach.

I posted a trip report somewhere on MP after returning and I believe there are some pics of us on BG.

My friend and I just booked flights into Calgary, CA in order to climb out in the Bugaboos. Does anyone know how much snow may be out in the mountains there and if climbing is even possible on any of the spires? Or, would skiing/snowboarding be better in Banff during that time? Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!