Snowpatch Spire is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

peak in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, Canada. With its

first ascent In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in climbing guidebook, guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers a ...

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 The Geographical Names Board of Canada (GNBC) is a national committee with a secretariat in Natural Resources Canada, part of the Government of Canada, which authorizes the names used and name changes on official federal government maps of Canad ...

Climate

Based on the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, Snowpatch Spire is located in a

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...

zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C.

Routes

Climbing routes on Snowpatch Spire: * ''Wildflowers'' - * ''Kraus-McCarthy'' - class 5.9 * ''Sunshine'' - class 5.11 * ''Surf's Up'' (''aka'' Southwest Ridge) - class 5.9 * Southeast Corner (''aka'' Snowpatch Route) - class 5.8

Gallery

File:Snowpatch Spire, ne.jpg, Northeast aspect File:Snowpatch Spire.jpg, Snowpatch Spire seen from Bugaboo Spire File:2015-06-21 Bugaboos 8790.jpg File:2015-06-21 Bugaboos 8802.jpg File:Aerial of the Bugaboos.jpg, Howser Spire (upper left), Snowpatch Spire (left of center), Bugaboo Spire (upper right), Eastpost Spire (lower right). Camera pointed west. File:Snowpatch Spire in the Bugaboos.jpg File:Anniversary Peak to Snowpatch Spire.jpg, Anniversary Peak (left), Hound's Tooth/Marmolata Spire (centered) in Bugaboo Glacier, and Snowpatch Spire (right). East aspect as viewed from Bugaboo Lodge.

References

External links

* * Snowpatch Spire weather
Mountain-forecast.com
{{Geographic Location 2 , Center = Snowpatch Spire , North =

Crescent Spire Crescent Spire is a peak in the Purcell Mountains of the Columbia Mountains in southeastern British Columbia, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories ext ...

, Northeast = Conrad Kain hut , East = Bugaboo Creek , Southeast = Hound's Tooth , South = Marmolata Spire , Southwest =

Pigeon Spire 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 spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a buildi ...

, WSW = Howser Spire , West = Vowell Glacier , Northwest =

Bugaboo Spire 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 ...

Columbia Valley Three-thousanders of British Columbia The Bugaboos Kootenay Land District