Northwest Ridge + Lion's Way*, Bugaboo Provincial Park, BC | 4th class - 600ft, 5.6 - 6 pitches
Justin has been talking up the Bugaboos for as long as I’ve known him. We decided it’s time for me to see what it’s all about! It was Justin’s fifth or sixth time up and my first. I’m very lucky to get to follow him around.
We drove out late Wednesday night with an obligatory stop at McDonald’s and Superstore. We decided we didn’t want to hike in at 1am and ended up sleeping at the single camping spot by Bugaboo Falls. I have never slept better than having my neck scrunched in a corner listening to the sound of thousands of kilos of water falling. The following morning we drove the last five minutes to the parking area and armed the car (apparently a tasty snack) against porcupines.
This was my first time summer backpacking. The approach was about 4.5km and had about 1000m of elevation gain from the parking lot to the Applebee Campground.
PC: VOC
The approach was simply beautiful. The views and Justin asking me how I’m feeling and responding “hundo p” were enough to distract me from how surprisingly tired the hike made me feel.
We were chatting about how crazy it is that some group of people originally did this steep hike in without all of the perfectly placed rock steps and ladders. Then eventually someone came into this remote mountain and decided to put cement (???) steps in??
The day we walked in, we did a quick rip up to the top of East Post along the Northwest Ridge. Alpine 4th class is certainly quite real. I would argue the last 15m were closer to lower 5th.
Very cool to sit at the top of one of my first alpine summits and peek down at the campground.
The next day, we walked over to the Crescent towers. Very enjoyable light scrambling and snow sliding on the way to the base of the climb!
We got to run up Lion’s Way* as two parties: Justin + me, Becca + Evan + Connor. We were laughing because sharing anchors is all fun and games until Justin is left with zero gear for the upper pitches. It’s a good thing he probably only placed 12 pieces on the entire climb and surely didn’t need more.
Justin at the top of Lion's Way*; Becca stoked to be summitting.
* = About 5 days after we left the Bugaboos we realized we may not have actually climbed Lion’s Way. Not quite sure what we climbed up, but there was an incredible 5.8 (ish) handcrack that was so good that Justin got his foot stuck and nearly broke his shoe.
Pano of the peaks surrounding Crescent Towers taken from the top of Lion's Way.
Hello! Strangers that we saw across the way that had just finished climbing Ears Between. We asked if they wanted a photo - here it is. They allegedly took a photo of us and I hope they're looking back on it wondering what their photo looks like.
After rappeling / scrambling / boot skiing down, we sun tanned on a beach rock in the middle of the snow and watched Jacqueline send Energy Crisis (5.11b/c) on Crescent Spire. AMAZING.
feat. Justin and Vic with the glacier glasses
An excellent introductory two days in the Bugs was of course followed by good food – taking bites out of salami and cheese; curry out of a slipper.
… then followed by the best alpine toilet.
All in all - see you soon (buga)boo(s).
