Bugaboos 2022, A Dream Realized

Desires, to Dreams, Realized

I had been wanting to come to the “Bugs” for years. That desire outlived the age of this blog, and in many ways, had evolved from a desire to a dream. I hadn’t found the right partner to turn that dream into a reality, and for year’s course those massive granite towers would just be photos I’d look at dream about. 

In 2018, on a fairly terrible climbing trip to the Cordillera Blanca, I met Jessica. Within a few months, she moved across the continent, and we joined together not only as romantic partners, but also climbing partners. A couple years later, we got married, and undertook an uncountable number of climbs together. (Most of this blog is of those climbs, at this point.) And after 2022 forced us into the desert crags for the better part of the year, we finally felt ready enough to realize this dream.

Our goal this year would be to climb a few classic moderates and get acquitted with the region in preparation for more lofty goals for the future.  Nothing crazy at all.  We also had a few others in our back pocket if the weather played ball. 

We packed for a 6 night trip, which was not so different than our standard 2 or 3 days trips, but with just a ton more food. Our 70L backpacks, usually more than large enough for the Cascades had trouble closing. 

Long drive, easy hike

We loaded up our van. We’d be breaking up the drive in 2 days.  It had become a new little extension of our home for us over the past few months.  A day and a half, a few burritos later, we found ourselves nearing the end of the bumpy Bugaboo Creek Road. The parking lot was fuller than full, it was overflowing. Our van struggled to make its way around the densely packed cars all individually barricades with chicken wire, rocks, and sticks.  We finally found a spot outside the lot, built our barricades, and crashed. 

The hike in was heavy, but far more moderate than we expected. No point of the trail was maintained anything less than perfectly. This was a far cry from what we had grown accustomed to in the North Cascades. Our bags were heavy, so the well-groomed trial made it much more manageable. A few hours in, we registered ourselves in the Kain Hut and found ourselves at camp. 

Our first objective

Our second objective

Our final objective

In conclusion

Overall, this was an extremely fun trip, mostly type 1 fun, really, with the moderate objectives we chose.  We couldn’t help but begin planning our next trip during our hike out.  We hoped we could be lucky enough to catch another good window while conditions are good again the following year.  

The community at the Applebee Campsite is as inspiring as the mountains around.  I can honestly say that I’ve never been in a place with that density of not only strong, but friendly and welcoming, climbers.  We had the opportunity to make new friends, and spend time with the super cool and legendary Chris Atkinson and Marc Piché.  (Their new guidebook was just released after more than 20 years, and I can say first hand that it looks fantastic!)

In this range, there are, what feels like, infinite inspiring lines up the peaks.  Pidgeon Spire’s West Ridge truly lived up to being world class.  I cannot wait to tackle some of the other more challenging lines in the region that look like they live up to similar epicness.

See you next time, Bugs!

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