Pigeon Feathers and Snowpatch Spire: Three New Routes

Canada, British Columbia, Purcell Mountains, Bugaboo Provincial Park
Author: Olivier Ouellette. Climb Year: 2018. Publication Year: 2019.

I first went to explore the west face of Lost Feather Pinnacle in East Creek Basin in 2016 with Lisa Mullaly, climbing only two pitches. In July 2018, I went back with Mike Loch to try the third pitch, and a month later, on August 8, completed the first ascent of Double-Double (180m, 5.11c A1) with Sébastien Tanguay. Pitches one and two were freed on lead, but pitches three and four were only done on top rope or with a few hangs, as the cracks were still quite dirty. I estimate the route will go completely free in 2019 at 5.12+ or 5.13-.

Sébastien, Éliel Bureau-Lafontaine, and I then established a nice moderate route on the south- west face of Prince Albert Tower, which we named Fat Albert (150m, 5.9). With five pitches of corners and slabs, the route begins 50m to the left of Solitary Confinement.



On August 15, the three of us completed a new route on the western shoulder of the south face of Snowpatch Spire. Started with our friend Chris K. Willie, this climb is a memorial to him; his piton hammer was engraved and hung at the base of the third pitch by Dylan Cunningham, who also put a lot of effort into the route. Guy Like You (230m, 5.12) starts with the first two pitches of South Saddle Schtickup, a route recently established by Chris Brazeau. After two moderate pitches and a short scramble, the route steepens with a finger crack that widens to an offwidth-squeeze and is very sustained at 5.11+. Pitch four traverses left across the wide, left-facing corner and climbs a 5.12 bolted dike. The final 50m pitch links two shallow left-facing corners and clocks in at 5.12-. The route can be rappelled with two 60m ropes.

– Olivier Ouelette, Canada



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