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photo of Bugaboo Provincial Park ' Bugaboo Provincial Park
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important info, warnings, alerts for park visitors
general overview of park, size, special features safety, park hazards, wildlife information, health risks
park location, parks nearby, how to get to the park history, cultural heritage, conservation, wildlife
maps of park and/or campground, trails, etc. Management Planning
campsite reservations, group and picnic site reservations images of the park
 

vehicle accessible, drive-in campsites wilderness, backcountry, walk-in camping group camping - 15 or more campers picnic, day-use facilities, no camping wheelchair accessiblity drinking water toilets showers sani-stations, sani-dumps firewood, campfires There are no electrical hook-ups in this park interpretive, educational programs
walking, hiking trails playgrounds swimming canoeing, kayaking power boats, boat launch fishing cycling, mountain biking, bicycling horses, horseback riding pets, domestic animals in parks Icon Legend- Green =Available Grey = Unavailable

wildlife viewing
winter recreation, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, toboganning, ice skating scuba, snorkelling windsurfing waterskiing hunting climbing, rock climbing spelunking, caving cabins, yurts, lodges click on green symbols for more information

 

Attention Visitors - Important Notice!

As of June 9, 2008:

  • Trail Updates
  • The hut is once again open to the public but the systems are not operational until the end of June when the hut is staffed on a full-time basis. During this time the hydroelectric, propane, water, and grey water systems at the hut are not operational. Bring your own cookstoves and be prepared for winter conditions. Click here to contact the Alpine Club for more information or bookings.
  • Snow line is currently at 1700-1900 metres (well below the Kain Hut on the Spires trail).
  • Please note that fires and domestic animals are prohibited within the park.

Park Info:

Bugaboo Provincial Park, situated in the Purcell Mountains of southeast British Columbia, continues to draw climbers from around the world to its airy, glacier-sculpted granite spires. With many peaks over 3,000 metres in elevation the Bugaboo’s offer awe inspiring mountain and glacier terrain.

The Conrad Kain Hut is maintained by BC Parks and the Alpine Club of Canada. This base camp for climbers operates to reduce visitor impacts on the fragile timberline area below Snowpatch Spire.

Road access to the park is relatively easy via logging roads but hiking trails are few. Inexperienced or ill-equipped climbers and hikers should forego a visit here in favour of less demanding areas of the province.

Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.

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Park Size: 13,646.60 hectares

Special Notes:

  • Bugaboo Provincial Park is a remote area. Persons intending to visit the Bugaboos must realize there are no supplies, equipment or transportation arrangements of any kind available in the park. Visitors must be prepared for outdoor living in a mountain environment. Hut accommodation is not available in winter because of avalanche dangers.
  • It is recommended that visitors protect their vehicle perimeter with a portable chicken wire fence to deter porcupines and other small animals from chewing on rubber brake lines and tires.
  • National Topographic Series Maps 82K/10 (Howser Creek) and 82K/15 (Bugaboo Creek) are at a scale of 1:50,000 and cover all but the western limits of the park. These maps are available from Government Agents and most map retailers in British Columbia.
  • 'The Bugaboos - One of the World's Great Alpine Rockclimbing Centres' is a comprehensive and accurate guidebook to climbing and mountaineering in Bugaboo Park. It is written by Chris Atkinson and Marc Piche and published by Elaho Publishing (ISBN # 0-9733035-1-4).

Management Planning:

Online Management planning information for this park is not available at this time.

Location:

Bugaboo Provincial Park is located in southeastern B.C., between Golden and Radium Hot Springs, and west of Highway 95. Access to the park is about 50km of gravel road from Hwy #95. This gravel road, which opens late spring through late fall, begins at Brisco, 27 kilometres north of Radium Hot Springs or 76 km south of Golden on Highway 95. A 4x4 is not required but a 2wd with some decent ground clearance is recommended. The last 3km section of the gravel road is rough; low-riding compact vehicles need to go slow to avoid scraping the bottom. It is recommended that visitors protect their vehicle perimeter with a portable chicken wire fence to deter porcupines and other small animals from chewing on rubber brake lines and tires.

Access to the northern portions of the park via the Vowell and Malloy Creek drainages is possible by leaving Highway 95 at Spillimacheen, north of Brisco, then crossing the Columbia River and turning left on the West Side Road. After travelling 0.8 km, turn right onto Bobbie Burns Creek drainage and drive past the lodge of the same name. Logging roads up Vowell Creek and Malloy Creek lead to semi-open terrain which can be hiked into the park. The status of bridges in inactive logging areas may vary in upper drainages.

Map/Brochure:

Any maps listed are for information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

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Nature & Culture:
  • History
  • Conservation

  • Visitor Safety:
    • Persons visiting Bugaboo Provincial Park are reminded that the park is a wilderness area, without supplies or equipment of any kind. All arrangements for supplies and transportation must be made beforehand.
    • All park visitors should wear strong waterproofed, lug-soled boots and carry a daypack with raingear, extra warm clothing and food. Weather conditions can change suddenly in this area and lightning storms with hail and snow are common in summer. For overnight trips a sleeping bag, groundpad, waterproof tent or bivouac bag and lightweight stove are essential. Only experienced climbers practiced in crevasse rescue and properly roped should venture onto snowfields and glaciers.
    • Loaded logging trucks and other industrial traffic may be encountered while accessing this park. Drive with extreme caution and for your safety always yield to industrial traffic.
      Climbers should check with the hut keepers on current conditions and destinations before departure. A register is kept in the Conrad Kain Hut for this purpose and your convenience. Climbers are responsible for their own safety; rescue services are not readily available.
      Public communications services are not available.

    Visitor Safety Information (park safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)

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    Reservations:For parks that accept reservations, all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
    group sites) must be reserved through Discover Camping.

    Explore Parks: Fees, park listings, what you should know before you go and other useful links.

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    vehicle accessible, drive-in campsites

    No vehicle accessible camping facilities at this park.

    wilderness, backcountry,  walk-in camping

    Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is allowed. Backcountry campgrounds are provided at Boulder Camp below the Conrad Kain Hut and on the bare rock slabs of Applebee Dome, 1km above the Conrad Kain Hut. A per-person fee is in effect at these campgrounds, payable at a self-registration station located inside the Conrad Kain Hut. To prevent contamination of the water supply and damage to the sensitive alpine environment, camping in the park is not permitted elsewhere in the vicinity of the main spires (Bugaboo, Snowpatch, Crescent, Pigeon, Howsers). Bivouacking is not permitted unless circumstances dictate it's necessity. Wilderness camping is allowed in other, more remote areas of the park, such as the Vowell Group. Leave-no-trace wilderness camping ethics should be utilized.
    Backcountry Camping Fee: $5.00 per person / night, for all persons 13 years of age or older

    group camping - 15 or more campers

    There is group camping allowed in the Conrad Kain Hut. Practice a no trace visit. Do not leave food or garbage in the hut.

    picnic, day-use facilities,  no camping

    This park has a day-use/picnic area at the Kain Hut.

    wheelchair accessibility

    There are no wheelchair accessible facilities at this park.

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    drinking water

    There are hot and cold water taps in the Kain Hut. To ensure drinking water is safe it must be boiled for at least 5 minutes.

    toilets

    This park has pit toilets - no flush toilets. There are two pit toilets located near the Kain Hut for users of the Hut and Boulder Camp. There is also one pit toilet located at Mt. Applebea campground and in the parking lot at the trailhead. Where there is adequate soil (at least 6 inches) but no toilets, bury human waste and burn toilet paper, otherwise collect and deposit human waste in toilets.

    showers

    No showers.

    sani-stations, sani-dumps

    No sani-station/dump facilities.

    firewood, campfires

    There are no fires permitted in Bugaboo Park. Bring a portable gas stove for cooking.

    There are no electrical hook-ups in this park There are no electrical hook-ups in this park
    interpretive,  educational  programs

    There are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at this park.

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    walking, hiking trails

    There are hikes that do not require technical mountaineering skills. Trails to Conrad Kain Hut and Cobalt Lake offer superb scenic values for the experienced, physically fit and well equipped hiker. Here is more trail Information. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroy plant life and soil structure.

    playgrounds

    This park does not have a playground.

    swimming

    No swimming.

    canoeing, kayaking

    There are no opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this park.

    power boats, boat launch

    This park does not have a boat launch.

    fishing

    No fishing.

    cycling, mountain biking, bicycling

    Cycling is not permitted.

    horses, horseback riding

    Horseback riding in the park is by permit only.

    pets, domestic animals in parks Dogs are not allowed in Bugaboo Park.
    Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.

     

    wildlife viewing

    No wildlife viewing opportunities.

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    winter recreation, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, toboganning, ice skating

    No winter recreation opportunities.

    scuba, snorkelling

    No SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities.

    windsurfing

    No windsurfing opportunities.

    waterskiing

    No waterskiing opportunities.

    hunting

    No hunting in the park.

    climbing, rock climbing

    The spectacular Bugaboo Spires attract all levels of well-equipped climbers. There are a few easy to moderate routes, but most routes involve crossing the Glaciers and negotiating difficult traverses. Crampons, ice-axe and ropes are essential.

    spelunking, caving

    No spelunking or caving opportunities.

    cabins, yurts, lodges

    • The Conrad Kain Hut is available for overnight accommodation for a maximum of 40 persons. Reservations may be made through the Alpine Club of Canada at 403-678-3200 or through the Alpine Club of Canada website.
    • Any unreserved spaces are allocated on a first-come first-served basis. During the peak climbing months of July and August the hut is often full - reservations are highly recommended.
    • A small hydroelectric plant provides power for electric lighting and cooking, with propane stoves and lamps as backup to the electrical system. The kitchen is supplied with hot and cold running water as well as all necessary cooking and eating utensils. Foam mattresses are provided in the dormitory-style sleeping quarters located on the second floor and in the loft. Visitors must bring all other necessary equipment and utensils.
    • A nightly, per-person fee is levied during the period June 1 - September 30. Occupancy is limited to seven consecutive days. Fees are payable to the Alpine Club of Canada.
    • The Alpine Club of Canada charges the following fees for use of the cabin:
      • $25.00 per person/night
      • $50.00 per family/night
    • Click here for more information about the Conrad Kain Hut.

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