Howser Spire, Granite summit in The Bugaboos, British Columbia, Canada.
Howser Spire is a granite summit in the Bugaboos area of the Purcell Mountains. The formation consists of three distinct towers with steep rock faces suitable for technical climbing routes.
The first ascent of the North Tower, the highest of the three spires at 3,412 m, was made in August 1916 by Conrad Kain, Albert MacCarthy, E. MacCarthy, J. Vincent and Henry Frind. The massif is named after the town of Howser on Duncan Lake and Howser Creek. The Beckey-Chouinard/West Buttress route is listed in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
Howser Spire takes its name from the town of Howser on Duncan Lake and from Howser Creek. Among climbers the Beckey-Chouinard/West Buttress route is listed in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and is regarded as a classic worldwide.
The massif sits at the southwest corner of the Vowell Glacier, so approaches cross glacier terrain; the Conrad Kain Hut is among the nearby landmarks. The subarctic climate brings cold, snowy winters and mild summers, with winter temperatures below −20 °C and wind chill below −30 °C. Plan for technical rock climbing on steep granite faces.
The location sits at the southwest corner of a major glacier in the region. This geographic position makes it a key reference point for mountaineers exploring the Bugaboos.
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