Howser Spire, The Bugaboos | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 3,412 m (11,194 ft) |
Prominence | 1,299 m (4,262 ft) |
Listing | |
Coordinates | 50°43′47″N116°48′48″W / 50.72972°N 116.81333°W |
Geography | |
Country | Canada |
Province | British Columbia |
District | Kootenay Land District |
Protected area | Bugaboo Provincial Park |
Parent range | Purcell Mountains, East Kootenay |
Topo map | NTS 82K10 Howser Creek |
Geology | |
Mountain type | Granite |
Climbing | |
First ascent | 1916 Conrad Kain Albert MacCarthy E. MacCarthy J. Vincent Henry Frind |
Howser Spire, or Howser Spire Massif, is a group of three distinct granite peaks, and the highest mountain of the Canadian Bugaboo Spires. The mountain is located at the southwest corner of the Vowell Glacier, within the Bugaboo mountain range in the Purcell Mountains, a subrange of British Columbia's Columbia Mountains, The highest of the three spires is the North Tower at 3,412 m (11,194 ft), the Central Tower the lowest, and the South Tower is slightly lower than the North at 3,292 m (10,801 ft). [1]
Howser Spire is named after the town of Howser on Duncan Lake and Howser Creek. [2]
The first ascent of the North Tower was made in August 1916 by Conrad Kain, Albert MacCarthy, E. MacCarthy, J. Vincent and Henry Frind. [2] [3]
The Beckey-Chouinard/West Buttress route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world. [4]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Howser Spire is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. [5] Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports the Vowell Glacier on the peak's north slope.
Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey, known as Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber, mountaineer and book author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds of first ascents of some of the tallest peaks and most important routes throughout Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. Among the Fifty Classic Climbs of North America, seven were established by Beckey, often climbing with some of the best known climbers of each generation.
Conrad Kain was an Austrian mountain guide who guided extensively in Europe, Canada, and New Zealand, and was responsible for the first ascents of more than 60 routes in British Columbia. He is particularly known for pioneering climbs in the Purcell Mountains and the first ascents of Mount Robson (1913), Mount Louis (1916) and Bugaboo Spire (1916).
The Bugaboos are a mountain range in the Purcell Mountains of eastern British Columbia, Canada. The granite spires of the group are a popular mountaineering destination. The Bugaboos are protected within Bugaboo Provincial Park.
The Conrad Kain hut is an alpine hut located in Bugaboo Provincial Park in British Columbia. The hut is maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada. Coordinates: 50°44′18″N116°45′48″W NAD27 11U 516700 5620754
Snowpatch Spire is a mountain peak in British Columbia, Canada. With its first ascent in 1940, it was the last of the Bugaboo Spires to be climbed. It is located southwest of the Conrad Kain hut, between Bugaboo, Vowell and Crescent Glaciers, at the south end of Bugaboo Provincial Park. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted October 29, 1962, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.
Bugaboo Spire is a peak in Bugaboo mountain range in Canada, located between the Vowell and Crescent glaciers, just under 2 km West of the ACC's Conrad Kain hut. It is known for its alpine climbing. The Spire was first climbed by Conrad Kain in 1916.
Pigeon Spire is a peak in the Purcell Mountains of the Columbia Mountains in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It may be one of the most climbed of the spires in The Bugaboos owing to its relatively low prominence from the Vowell Glacier and the existence of an easy route. It is not uncommon to have a couple dozen people on this route on a busy weekend. There are longer, harder routes on the spire's North and East faces.
Eastpost Spire is a peak in the Purcell Mountains of the Columbia Mountains in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Eastpost Spire lies just to the East of Bugaboo and Snowpatch Spires.
Hound's Tooth is a peak in the Purcell Mountains of the Columbia Mountains in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Hound's Tooth is a rock pinnacle at the end of Marmolata Mountain's northeast ridge. Both mountains are Nunataks, sticking up from the middle of the Bugaboo Glacier. The Hounds' Tooth is composed of a coarse, fractured granite.
Peter Kaufmann-Bohren was born on June 23, 1886, in Grindelwald, and he died on June 23, 1971, in Thun, at the age of 85. Peter was a Swiss ski instructor and mountain guide, climbing in the Swiss Alps and the Canadian Rockies.
Jumbo Mountain, sometimes called Mount Jumbo, is a 3,437-metre-elevation (11,276-foot) mountain summit located 42 km (26 mi) west-southwest of Invermere in the Purcell Mountains of southeast British Columbia, Canada. The nearest higher peak is Mount Farnham, 11 km (6.8 mi) to the north-northeast, and Karnak Mountain is set 0.79 km (0.49 mi) to the west. Jumbo and Karnak form a double summit massif which is the second-highest mountain in the Purcells, and fourth-highest in the Columbia Mountains. The first ascent of Jumbo Mountain was made August 4, 1915, by H.O. Frind, A.H. & E.L. MacCarthy, M & W.E. Stone, B. Shultz, and Conrad Kain via the North/Northeast Slopes. March 5, 1919, Conrad made a solo ascent of Jumbo Mtn on snowshoes - credited as the first winter ascent of an 11,000-ft peak in Canada. The peak was named by Edward Warren Harnden after the 1892 Jumbo Mineral Claim on nearby Toby Creek, which in turn was named for Jumbo the elephant. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted March 31, 1924, when approved by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.
Taurus Mountain is a mountain summit located in British Columbia, Canada.
Anniversary Peak is a 2,947-metre (9,669-foot) summit in The Bugaboos of British Columbia, Canada. It is located southeast of the Bugaboo Glacier, on the southern boundary of Bugaboo Provincial Park. Precipitation runoff from Anniversary Peak drains into Bugaboo Creek which is a tributary of the Columbia River. Anniversary Peak is more notable for its steep rise above local terrain than for its absolute elevation as topographic relief is significant with the summit rising 1,350 meters (4,429 ft) above Bugaboo Creek in 4 km (2.5 mi).
Mount Conrad is a 3,279-metre (10,758-foot) mountain summit in British Columbia, Canada.
Howser Peak is a 3,094-metre (10,151-foot) summit in The Bugaboos of British Columbia, Canada. It is located south of the Bugaboo Glacier and is the southernmost point of Bugaboo Provincial Park. Precipitation runoff from Howser Peak drains north into Bugaboo Creek which is a tributary of the Columbia River; as well as south to Duncan River via Howser Creek. Howser Peak is more notable for its steep rise above local terrain than for its absolute elevation as topographic relief is significant with the south aspect rising 1,380 meters (4,527 ft) in 2.5 km (1.6 mi).
Flattop Peak is a 3,063-metre (10,049-foot) summit in British Columbia, Canada.
Northpost Spire is a 2,911-metre (9,551-foot) peak in British Columbia, Canada.
Wallace Peak is a 2,940-metre (9,650-foot) summit in British Columbia, Canada.
Spearmint Spire is a 6,750-foot-elevation (2,057-meter) summit in Alaska, United States.
Doublemint Peak is a 6,372-foot-elevation (1,942-meter) summit in Alaska, United States.