[MCR] Bugaboos July 8-12

Subject: [MCR] Bugaboos July 8-12
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:30:41 -0700
Climbed in the Bugaboos July 8-12.  Excellent travel conditions on snow right 
from the Kain Hut.  Warm days and not much freeze at night.

The Bugaboo-Snowpatch Col is in fine shape (see photo), and glacier travel is 
excellent.  The east side of the Howsers is still pretty snowy.  We climbed on 
Crescent Towers, Bugaboo NE Ridge, and Hound's Tooth.  

The NE on Bugaboo Spire is in great shape (see photo), all dry except for one 
snowpatch in the Bugaboo-Crescent col and a few small bits of snow in the upper 
chimney which is easily avoided.  We climbed up the NE and down the Kain Route 
on Bugaboo without crampons, but this will change if it starts to freeze at 
night.

The Kain route on Bugaboo Spire has some big patches of snow on the east side 
of the lower ridge, but they are easily avoided.

Reports of dry conditions on Pigeon's west ridge.

There was some loose snow avalanche activity observed off the climber's right 
side of the 'snowpatch' on Snowpatch Spire.  With the hot weather all week we 
also noted numerous icefall and rockfall events as the winter snow and serac 
ice melted out.  Limit your exposure to overhead hazard.

The crevasses are quickly opening up with the warm weather.  

The mosquitoes were very bad right up to the Hut elevation, but seemed to be 
better on the hike out last evening.

Not very busy at the hut, and we didn't run into many climber's on our routes.  
A perfect week in the Bugaboos!

Jordy Shepherd
Mountain Guide
www.PeakAlpine.com

Attachment: Bugaboo - Snowpatch Col July 9.jpg
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Attachment: Bugaboo Spire July 9.jpg
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Attachment: Kain Hut July 10.jpg
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Attachment: Snowpatch July 9.jpg
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Attachment: Pigeon Spire July 10.jpg
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