Alex Luger about his experience in the Purcell
Mountain Range in British Columbia, Canada.
Govinda said: “But is what you call ‘things’ something
real, something existent? Isn’t it the deception of the Maya, only illusiveness
and appearance? Your stone, your tree, your river – are they reality?”
“About this”, said Siddharta, “I do not distress. May
things be appearance or not, then I am an appearance, too, and they still are
my own kind. That is what makes them so near and dear to me: they are my own
kind!”
(Hesse, Siddharta)
I am standing at the roadside between the airport
transit and a crash barrier. There is no sidewalk. I am seeking for a
staircase, a lift, any kind of way out to get one level higher to the departure
hall. The reception staff at the hotel advised me to take a shuttle for the two
kilometre long route to Frankfurt airport. When I asked if there was any
walkway they gazed at me disparagingly and repeated the departure times of the
shuttle once again.
I am squeezing my way through the guardrail while
buses are speeding past me and I am happy that I only have one bag. Finally I
get to the departure hall of Terminal 2. “You have to go to Terminal 1! Take
the shuttle bus!” So I sit down on a bench at the bus stop. I am travelling to
Asia. The word “connected” pops up in my mind, “everything is connected”! Three
days ago I was still in bear country, in British Columbia. Seemingly endless
vastness, rugged mountain ranges, rivers…
In-between I did a quick stopover in Vienna to
organise my visa for China. I thought this is weird - in the Bugaboos, a region
of the Purcell Mountains, we were free. Free to go where we wanted, free in our
decisions. It was a simple game, avoiding crevasses, jumping over the shrund
when sliding down the col, not falling when simul climbing, simple rules with
clear consequences. The freedom to climb and to move in the mountains according
to your skills. No shuttle buses, but two legs. No street lighting but a
headlight. No traffic lights, but eyes. No TV, but 800 meters steep and rugged
granite needles. Rules?! Only those you impose on yourself, rules that
correspond with my ethics when being in the mountains.
”An airport is a playground
of progress, an organisational master piece. Countless travellers are guided
daily through the gates and consigned on the their dedicated seat.” With this
thought in my mind I pick up my luggage, at least I can carry that myself,
board the shuttle bus and decide to obey the announcements and display panels.
“Sir, please wait behind the red line!” I look down at my feet, which are
placed one step in front of a red line that I haven’t event noticed. I raise my
head and see the officer twiddling his thumbs. Now that I stepped back he
summons me to come to the counter.
I’m reflecting on the past
weeks in Canada. The Bugaboos. How impressive these mountains are, how stunning
the scenery is. Rugged granite formations protrude from the glacier. They
remind me of gigantic rhinos. The only proposition in this region, I think, is
to not leave any marks. Neither when you are hiking, nor when you are camping/
bivouacking or climbing! You have the freedom to chose your route, your belay
stations, where to set up protection, and how to descent. Of course, there is a
guidebook with recommendations, but they are ‘only’ recommendations. What make
sense to some may seem silly to others.
And to tie in with the
quote of my introduction: “If things are illusive, then I’m illusive, too, and
that’s what makes things lovable.” I am comfortable in the mountains; I enjoy
solitude and above all I enjoy having the freedom to go where I want, climb
where I want and think and feel what I want! One of my realities: “being alive
and grounded.”
Traversing the Bugaboospire
Approach to basecamp don´t stop walking the mosqiustos will eat you
Jamming on the on sight of "Fingerberry Jam" on Pigeon Feathers
Run-in Johannes focused for the next pitch
Snowpatchspire left , right ridge "Kainroute" Bugaboospire
So steep....crux pitch "Power of Lard"
Upper Vowellglacier
Approach from Calgary
Airport to Applebee Campground, Bugaboos, Purcell Mountains, BC
Day 1: Sunshine Crack,
Snowpatch Spire, 5.11- (on-sight)
Day 2: Energy Crisis,
Crescent Spire, 5.11+
Day 3: Northeast Ridge,
Bugaboo Spire, 5.8, 2 hours from base camp to summit (on- sight)
Day 4: Rehydrating, Eating,
Regenerating
Day 5: Fingerberry Jam,
Pigeon Feathers, 5.12, (on-sight)
Day 6: Beckey- Chouinard,
South Howser Tower, 5.10, 4 hours from start of the face to summit (simulclimbing)
Day 7: The Power of Lard,
Snowpatch Spire, 5.12/13-
Day 8: Cooper- Kor, Pigeon
Spire, 5.10, scary wet traverse
After eight days the ways
turned and it started to snow. Johannes and I climbed almost every day and one
day we also descended down to the valley in the evening to get food. We
experienced very intense climbing days with freezing cold temperatures,
beautiful crack metres and incredibly great weather.
© Words and photos by Alex Luger
Translated into English by Sonja Hamel
