bugaboo history Snowpatch Spire South Face

bugaboo history Snowpatch Spire South FaceWith classics such as the Northeast Ridge (part of Steck and Roper's 50), the Cooper Gran and the moderate Kain route, the east face of Bugaboo Spire offers some great climbing with a moderate approach (by Bugaboo standards). The south face of Snowpatch, on the other hand, is the realm of long and difficult aid routes, with a few more modern free lines being put up on the left side in recent years. Download: Medium resolution, personal use only Route

With classics such as the Northeast Ridge (part of Steck and Roper's 50), the Cooper-Gran and the moderate Kain route, the east face of Bugaboo Spire offers some great climbing with a moderate approach (by Bugaboo standards). The south face of Snowpatch, on the other hand, is the realm of long and difficult aid routes, with a few more modern free lines being put up on the left side in recent years.

Download: Medium resolution, personal use only

Route List

1: Guy Like You, 5.12c, D. Cunningham, O. Ouellette, C. Willie, 2017 E. Bureau-Lafontaine, O. Ouellette, S. Tanguay, 2018
2: South Saddle Schtick Up, 5.11c, C. Brazeau, C. Lank, 2016
3: South Face Left, 5.8 A2, C. Jones, J. Lowe, 08/1973
4: This Monkey’s Gone to Heaven, A4, A. Berg, J. Hector, 09/2005
5: ASTA, 5.9 A3, J. Blanc-Gras, D. Jonglez, 08/1996
6: Edwards-Jessup, 5.12- R, G. Edwards, M. Jessup, 08/1999
7: South Face Direct, 5.8 A2, H. Abrons, G. Millikan, 07/1965
8: Upper South Face, 5.12-, J. Hudson, A. Leemets, R. Williams, 1966/T. Gibson, R. Rohn, 08/1980
9: Lightning Bolt Crack, 5.10, G. Banks, L. Dean, N. Beidleman, 08/1981
10: Left Hand var., 5.9, A. Hall, C. Hall, C. Boeking, 08/1986
11: Direct var., 5.10-, R. MacAllister, G. Gledhill
12: Snowpatch Route, 5.8, J. Arnold, R. Bedayn, 08/1940
13: Honeymooners var., 5.9, L. Benoliel, A. Hamilton, 08/1989
14: Kain Route, 5.8, C. Kain, A. MacCarthy, B. MacCarthy, J. Vincent, 08/1916
15: Herr2 Route, 5.11, Hugh Herr, Hans Herr, 08/1979
16: Japanese Pillar, 5.12-, S. Cosgrove, M. Bowling, 08/1992
17: Cooper-Gran, 5.11, E. Cooper, A. Gran, 08/1960/M. Tschipper, T. Gibson, 08/1980
18: Symposium, 5.8 A2+, A. McAfee, 08/2002
19: Midnight Route, 5.12b, J. Wilson, P. Cole, 07/1981/C. Brazeau, J. Simms, 08/2007
20: Divine Intervention, 5.11b, C. Moorhead, C. Brazeau, 08/2006
21: Modern Graffiti, 5.10+, K. Harvey, S. Roach, 09/1990
22: Pretty Vacant, 5.10 A1, J. Buszowski, C. Thompson, 08/1983
23: Where’s Issac, 5.11+, J. Copp, J. Hollenbaugh, 07/2002
24: Northeast Ridge, 5.8, D. Craft, D. Isles, R. Sykes, J. Turner, 08/1958/J. Buszowski, B. Ehmann, 1985

Sources

• “The Bugaboos, The Climbers Guide,” Chris Atkinson, Marc Piché, High Col Press, 2022

• “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America,” Steve Roper, Allen Steck, Sierra Club Books, 1979

• “Bugaboo Rock, A Climbing Guide,” 2nd ed., Randall Green, Joe Bensen, The Mountaineers Books, 2003

• “The Bugaboos, An Alpine History,” J.F. Garden, Footprint Publishing, 1987

• “Pigeon Feathers and Snowpatch Spire: Three New Routes,” Olivier Ouellette, The American Alpine Journal, Vol. 61, Issue 93, 2019

• Mountain Project

Updates

Feb 14, 2023: First version published.

May 15, 2024: Graphic design update

Feb 18, 2026: Minor graphic design update, caption update with initials and months of ascent (pretty much always August anyway)