All Locations > International > N America > Canada > British Columbia > Columbia-Shushwap > Bugaboos > Howser Towers

The Minaret Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map This is our best guess at this area's location.
Fix Location

Routes in The Minaret

L › R R › L A › Z

	Bad Italian Mustache T 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a A0 R
	Reinhold Pussycat T 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b

Order Wrong? Sort Routes

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	10,500 ft	3,200 m
GPS:	50.73834, -116.82624 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	8,569 total · 43/month
Shared By:	Chad Umbel on Aug 11, 2008 · Updates
Admins:	Mark Roberts, Kate Lynn, Braden Batsford, Mauricio Herrera Cuadra Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: SNOWPATCH SPIRE ROCKFALL Details

BC Parks is aware of a rockfall incident that occurred on December 23, 2022 on the north end of Snowpatch Spire in Bugaboo Park. The natural occurring event triggered a significant deposit of rock into the glacial basin below, however no park facilities were impacted by the debris. The area involved is a popular recreation area during the operational season (July to September). With this in mind BC Parks has implemented a Closure Area (Travel Not Permitted – Section 17 (Park Act)) and a Rockfall Hazard Zone (Travel Not Recommended) in the localized incident area (February 1 – July 15, 2023) until more information becomes available.

Description

The Minaret is one of the most impressive granite towers in the world. It looks sorta like a silo of granite around 2,200 feet tall that just rises out of the glacier in front of the South Howser. It screams climb me. There are about six routes on this tower which were all aid until 2002 when Heidi Wirtz and Lizzy Scully bagged the first free ascent with their route Bad Hair Day (ED1 5.12-).

After this Renan Ozturk, Nick Martino, and Cedar Wright freed the Italian Pillar (ED1 5.12?) and also the FFA of the beautiful South West Pillar (ED1 5.12.+?). The Minaret is about 5 minutes uphill from the East Creek Bivy which is one of the most gorgeous zones in the range. Being able to bivy here is a dream. But we were really upset with the amount of human waste we found. If you are going to camp here pack out your shit.

There was a shit pit that was left down glacier that ran right into a perfect glacial lake which is now polluted due to peoples carelessness. We also found a five gallon bucket of shit that had a crack in the lid which would surely spill out into the glacier in winter. We built a laboratory that accepts WAG BAGS just right a couple hundred feet West of the first bivy sights at the Creek. Use it.

Getting There

Climb up the Bugaboo Snowpatch Col and gain the Upper Vowel Glacier. Cross over this heading toward the Pigeon Howser Col and go down this onto the East Creek Glacier. You will be seeing the Pigeon Feathers on your left and the Minaret and South Howser will come into view on your right.

The East Creek Bivy is a rib of rock and scree down to your right. There can be bridges and some crevasses in late season so be aware.