the bugaboos chris atkinson Snowpatch Spire West Face

the bugaboos chris atkinson Snowpatch Spire West FaceLike the nearby Howser Towers, the two granite peaks of Snowpatch and Pigeon Spires have very different characters depending on which aspect you look at: long and steep on their east and south aspects, with extreme aid and free routes (and now rockfall), and a lot more moderate on very reasonable 300m high faces rising above the Vowell glacier. The west ridge of Pigeon Spire, in particular, is an easy classic with a very unique feature: pit toilets

Like the nearby Howser Towers, the two granite peaks of Snowpatch and Pigeon Spires have very different characters depending on which aspect you look at: long and steep on their east and south aspects, with extreme aid and free routes (and now rockfall), and a lot more moderate on very reasonable 300m high faces rising above the Vowell glacier. The west ridge of Pigeon Spire, in particular, is an easy classic with a very unique feature: pit toilets with the best view in Canada!

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Route List

1: Buckingham Route: the Enjoyable Way, 5.8, A. Buckingham, A. Guess, R. Page, E. Wipple, 07/1958
2: Eli the Bad Guy, 5.10, A. Rennie, K. Chartrand, 08/2016
3: Wedding Jitters, 5.11-, C. Atkinson, K. Fraser, C. Giesler, R. Rankin, 08/2009
4: Gran-Hudson, 5.7 A2, A. Gran, J. Hudson, 08/1961
5: Tobin Sorenson Route/Flamingo Fling, 5.10, R. Accomazzo, T. Sorenson, 08/1975
6: North Summit Direct, 5.11+, P. Morand, J.C. Sonneuye, 08/1979/T. Gibson, R. Rohn, 08/1981
7: Bugaburl, 5.11d, C. Moorhead, C. Brazeau, 2006
8: Tower Arête, 5.12- R, Gibbons, Green, Hecht, 1986
9: Wile Flowers, 5.12a/b R, C. Brazeau, Q. Brett, 07/2013
10: Super Direct, 5.10+, N. Preshaw, R.M. Preshaw, 07/1992
11: Tam-Tam Boom-Boom Pili-Pili, 5.11+, P. Faivre, J. Lemoine, P. Tanguy, 08/1987
12: Beckey-Rowell, 5.10+, F. Beckey, G. Rowell, 08/1967/A. Bowers, G. Edwards, 08/1997
13: Beckey-Greenwood, 5.10, F. Beckey, B. Greenwood, 07/1959
14: Liver and Fava Beans, 5.10, T. Hanson, K. Chartrand
15: Wildflowers, 5.9, B. Dougherty, A. Higbee, 08/1974
16: Kraus-McCarthy, 5.9+, H. Kraus, J. McCarthy, J. Rupley, 08/1956/A. Ourom, E. Weinstein, 08/1974
17: Furry Pink Arête, 5.10+, P. Croft, G. Foweraker, 08/1981
18: Which Way, 5.10, C. Copeland, T. Thomas, 08/1987
19: Dégringolade, 5.10, S. Hechtel, J. Jones, 07/1973
20: Attack of the Killer Chipmunks, 5.10, G. Creighton, C. Thompson, 08/1986
21: Henault-Trout, 5.10, A. Henault, K. Trout, 08/1974
22: Surf’s Up Direct, 5.9, E. Davies, P. Derouin, 08/1971
23: Surf’s Up, 5.9, B. Greenwood, G. Homer, 08/1971
24: The Beach, 5.11-, C. Atkinson, M. Piché, 08/2002/T. Gibson, 2012
25: Wingtip Arête, 5.10-, C. Atkinson, R. Green, 08/1987
26: Northwest Face, 5.7 A3, F. Beckey, Y. Chouinard, 08/1961
27: Feather Fallout, 5.10, L. Johnson, S. Mikesell, R. Skelding, 07/1974/T. Hanson, M. Piché, 2010
28: Tail-Feather Pinnacle Left, 5.10, C. Atkinson, L. Eltis, T. Fodor, 08/1989
29: Direct Becky, 5.10, T. Hanson, Becky Philips, 08/2010
30: Tail-Feather Pinnacle Right, 5.10-, J. Benson, G. Klein, R. Green, 08/1987
31: West Ridge of Pigeon Spire, 5.4, E. Cromwell, P. Kaufmann, 08/1930

Sources

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

• “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

• The American Alpine Journal, Vol. 60, Issue 92, 2018

• Mountain Project

• Friends of the Bugaboos Facebook Page

• James Madden

• Jon Walsh

Updates

Feb 8, 2023: First version published.

May 15, 2024: Graphic design update

Feb 18, 2026: Graphic design and caption update, including color change.