Just back yesterday from 5 days in the Bugaboos. The winter's snowpack is mostly still there above treeline but at least it is now a deep summer snowpack.

Trail is in mediocre shape with some big blowdowns requiring some limbo and yoga manouvers down low. Ladder and chains are in good shape and snow free.

Snow starts just below the hut as of Monday afternoon but it was melting fast with warm nights, some sunny days and some big hard rain events. We had excellent snow travel anywhere it was deep, even during warm afternoons and rainy days.

Routes on the Crescent Towers and Eastpost all looked snow free. Sunshine Crack got climbed and I would assume West Face of Snowpatch was snow free also. Routes like the Kain on Bugaboo, West Ridge of Pigeon would require some clever snow climbing strategies as they might be scary in the heat. East ridge of Bugaboos looks dry from the Crescent side but I would guess it is still pretty wintery in the upper chimneys at least. Howsers looks very wintery. With a decent freeze the Pigeon feathers traverse, Houndstooth etc look like they are in good general mountaineering kinda shape. Getting onto the Bugaboo Glacier below Son of Snowpatch looks good but we actually bailed from going for a brief look out there. We had a slow group and really didn't want to linger out there on a warm humid afternoon with all those rocks perched above.

Bugaboo Snowpatch col looks good for now but is as always not a place to linger. LOTS of boulders perched above the slope from last summers hot times.

Hot currently has running water but only 4 burners on the stoves. Applebee is slowly melting out and has no running water yet.

Lots of Bugs and some sign of Boo.

Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide