The boundaries of the Hatteras Group are Hatteras Creek and Snowman Pass on the north and northeast, the middle fork of Crystalline Creek and Hume Pass on the east, lower Hume Creek on the south and Duncan River on the west.
MAPS- 82K/14 Westfall River, 82K/15 Bugaboo Creek
Some summits of the group lie on the watershed. At the point where the big ridge containing Sugarplum Spire turns northwest, there is an important geological contact where late Pre-Cambrian sediments are intruded by granodiorite rocks (a close relative of granite, referred to as granite here) of an isolated, intrusive stock of Cretaceous age (like a batholith, but smaller; John O. Wheeler and Peter B. Read, 1976) which forms the spire and some of the pinnacles. This contact stays just northeast of the ridge and several metamorphic outliers are on the northeast side. The granodiorite probably provides the best climbing in the Northern Purcells, and the northeast flanks support large glaciers that send melt waters to Hatteras Creek. Mount Hatteras is the highest summit but has loose rock.
The quality of the rock of Sugarplum Spire near the bottom is not the equivalent of the Bugaboos or the Vowells. The joints are far too close together; they fall apart. However, the upper part of Sugarplum appears more massive and solid.
Access
1. From the Duncan River Road. The bridges on the Duncan River Road were to be pulled in 2016.
The Duncan River road passes on the western edge of the group, but a backpack of 1000 meters through typical Columbia Mountain bush is necessary to reach the alplands above. The campsites at the lakes west of Sugarplum Spire may be reached on this way up the ridge above the confluence of Duncan River and Hume Creek. They may also be reached over the Sugarplum-Pirouette col.
2. Backpack from the Ruth Mine on Vermont Creek over Cold Shiver Col, to the Valley of the Lakes (about 6 hours; see Vermont Group). Ascend to a bench from the upper lake, and contour south to a pass just west of the lower lake. Cross the pass, bear generally south, and descend to meadows and open forest. Cross two wooded shoulders to a terrace far above the valley of the creek. Camp here, in the forest, or 0.8 kilometres farther near the tongue of Hatteras Glacier.
The winter of 1954 produced heavier snowfall than seen here in the years since. The approach from Vermont Creek was thus easier, as was the ascent of Mount Hatteras, whereas the northwest ridge of Sugarplum Spire was more difficult than usual. This should be noted in reading route descriptions by the 1954 party.
In 1994, camp was at 922-373, west of upper Hatteras Creek and northeast of Sugarplum Spire. From the mine, it is a long day with an elevation gain, and loss, of 1200 meters; 4 hours from the Valley of the Lakes. A less direct, but not recommended, path used by the 1954 party is to cross the pass south of the lower lake, descend to Snowman Lake, and go over Snowman Pass, descending northwest to join the above route.
3. The Hatteras Group is 12 minutes by helicopter from Golden, 6 minutes from the head of the Bobbie Burns Road and 5 minutes from the CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge. By far the best campsite (2010) is a beautiful, totally flat meadow with a lake in it, below west Hatteras Glacier at 928-372, north of Squab Peak, central to the peaks. Its lake generally will dry up by September.
