Bugaboos but not Bugaboo'ed........

I have had a great week in the Bugs (Bugaboo Provincial Park - BC). For a place known for bad weather, I have had great weather. Not counting the 3 days of rain/snow that that I hiked gear up to my camp, set up and rested; it has been amazing.

The Bugaboos are in the Canadian Rockies near Banff and Kootenay National Parks. They got their name by miners that moved in to explore the area and were "bugaboo'ed" when they came up with nothing. The area was made famous by Conrad Kain in 1916 when he put up the 1st route to the top on Bugaboo Spire in what he called the Canadian Alps. At that time it was the most impressive Alpine ascent. Since then Bugaboos which consist of 3 main granite spires, Bugaboo, Pigeon and Snowpatch along with the infamous Howser Towers has been the "poor man's" Patagonia for North Americans.

I plan on posting more later but wanted to post these pictures for now, let every know what I am up to and get back up to Applebee cuz it ain't raining yet.

And a special thanks to Ryan McCombs for loaning me a 4 season tent. I wouldn't have been miserable in my southeastern 3 season backpacking tent. You are a fine Texan.

A break in the rain.

Bugaboo Spire w/ Snowpatch in the background (sent via Kain Route & the Northeast ridge).

Central Crescent Spire (sent via Lion's Way).

Snowpatch Spire w/ Pigeon Spire and the Howser's in the back ground L to R (sent via the Snowpatch Route, my favorite so far).

Descent w/ Kain Hut & Summer Flowers.

Hope all is well, wh.

Canada Day!! Happy 4th!! & goodbye to Squamish ....

Squamish got a double hit of traffic this weekend. Saturday, July 1st, was Canada Day and of course Tuesday was July 4th. When in Rome (or Canada), enjoy the holiday as the natives do and I did. Canada Day, although apparently not as popular in the West as in the East was good time. The local city park pavilion played host to several bands and the weather encourage everyone to get out and enjoy. This is Karie with who might have been the most patriotic Canadian present.

Karie is visiting from Santa Cruz, CA on a mountain biking trip. Unfortunately someone lifted her bike while she was in Vancouver. We are all glad Karie didn’t turn tail and head home. Instead she pushed onto Squamish where we have been trying to convert her into a climber but, she insists that climbers smell bad and don’t bath enough. She may have a point. I think James and I have both had showers since that comment but not before I got Karie on the Squamish Classic Deidre.

I was able to get in some more climbing since my last post. I made it to the top of the Chief via Rock On 10a into Squamish Buttress 10c but was not able to tick the Grand Wall. I blame that on a summer head cold (whine, whine). It is hard to leave to the splitter cracks and near perfect weather of Squamish but I am ready to head to the Bugs and Canada day marks a good end to my visit in Squamish. I am gonna miss the splitter weather and perfect cracks.

Bugaboos Provincial Park (the Bugs) is in eastern BC near Banff, Alberta, between Golden and Radium Hot Springs, BC. I will probably check out Banff and maybe Calgary before I hump all my gear into the Bugs. By humping, I mean that I will backpack my gear into the Applebee Campsite for a 2 week stay. It’s a 3.5 mile hick with 3100’ elevation gain. More than likely it'll take two trips. That ought to get rid my head clod.

Internet Links for the Bugs:
http://www.britishcolumbia.com/parks/?id=65
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/bugaboo.html
http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/facility/kain.html

Some folks have asked what my schedule is like for rest of summer and fall; here it is in rough form:
Leave Squamish – 7/6/06
Arrive and enter Bugaboos – 7/8/06
Depart Bugaboos – 8/2/06
Arrive Spokane, WA – 8/5/06 (Montgomery Family Vacation and Mike's 21st Birthday)
Depart Spokane, WA – 8/8/06
Arrive Portland, OR – 8/9/06 (Mother and Lee Visit!! Columbia Valley Tour)
Yosemite Valley - 8/19/06
Leave the Valley and Head Home - 10/23/07
Marry off Cousin Amy!!! - 10/28/06
Halloween SlossStyle – 10/31/06

I don't expect to have internet access for a while so please write but, be patient on the response.

Oh Yeah, I also got a haircut. Jackie a friend of mine from Boulder cut it for me last week. It just got too hot so I dug out my clippers and now have what is called a faux hawk.

Hope this finds everyone well.