Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go and climb a multi-pitch in a fantasy novel? Something like a combination of Middle Earth, Narnia, and throw in something from the Studio Ghibli films for good measure. Climbing at the Stanley Headwall, on a bluebird late August day, is probably the closest you can get to that experience. Massive walls, equally spectacular waterfalls, and a little hazy dreamlike light to round out the experience.
“Wolverine Petting Zoo” is one of the latest lines to be put up in the Adventure Sector in this incredible valley at the Stanley Glacier area in Kootenay National Park. The route was established by Craig McGee & Lindsay Anderson in August 2023. There are a number of other lines here, including the amazing Arch Enemy, Stanley Fever, Livin in Paradise, and a number of other shorter lines on the left side covered here.
Clocking in at 7 pitches at 5.12a, this line is not only one of the hardest, but also one of the longest of the routes here. Fortunately, it is also one of the most consistently sustained, and incredible of all the routes in what is already one of the best sectors for multi-pitch, semi-alpine rock climbing in the entire Banff and Kootenay National Park regions.
This, and other routes would not exist without the vision and hard work of the late Gery Unterasinger, along with a small group of other route developers who put in collectively hundreds of days of work up here to establish and FA these spectacular lines.
A friend of mine told me a story about the establishing the route. As she and her partner walked past the base of the wall late one evening, they noticed Craig McGee just starting up the route (solo) to work on it. They headed back to their car to sleep in the parking lot for the night.
She woke up in the middle of the night and peeked over, noticing Craigs empty vehicle sitting silent in the parking lot. She woke up her partner, a little concerned that it was after midnight and Craig hadn’t returned from the wall. They drove back to castle junction for cell service, calling Lindsay (Craig’s partner) worried about Craig.
“Oh, no worries, he just does that sometimes” she laughed.
Sure enough, somewhere between 2am, Craig returned to his car. No doubt, one of many overnight bolting expeditions he’s done over the years establishing so many incredible lines for us to enjoy.
Route Description
Wolverine Petting Zoo consists of 7 pitches, fully equipped as a sport climb – you can leave the rack at home. A 70m rope is recommended to give yourself a little margin of safety if you are rappelling as some are rope stretchers. You only need 11-12 quick-draws (14 recommended if you are linking pitch 5+6) to do the route. The route is also heavily equipped with several chain draws to help with the rappel descent. Be sure to use this (and/or your own backclipping) or you will end up rappelling into space! This route overhangs much more than you might realize.
Access
The route is located in the Adventure sector (the large wall left of Nemesis Waterfall). It is about 10 meters of the right of Stanley Fever, just to the right of a large T-shaped cave.
Pitch Descriptions
Pitch 1 (5.0) 20m – 2 Bolts – Scramble easy stepped blocks right of the small pillar right of the large T shaped cave. Clip a lone bolt and head up right, clipping one more bolt to end on a small ledge below a high anchor with three bolts near a cool flake.
Pitch 2 (5.11) 30m – 12 bolts (including 3 chain draws) – A sustained and pumpy pitch! Start on the flake and head left following the bolt through difficult to read and sustained rock, finding mostly ok holds, but few places to rest along the way. Watch for loose rock, and a bit of a sting in the tail at the last bolt!
Pitch 3 (5.11) 20m – 9 bolts – A brilliant pitch of technical slab, requiring excellent footwork and commitment. Work your way through the first few bolts of easier terrain before attacking crux after crux of technical movement. Well protected and fun, but might leaving you in doubt until the final move at the anchors!
Pitch 4 (5.7) 20m – 4 bolts – Don’t stop for lunch yet, instead attack the choss, trending up and right following bolts to a few steeper moves below a massive and very comfy lunch ledge. No wonder Craig spent the night here, possibly the most incredible lunch view you will find anywhere. Rest up, you will need those forearms fresh for the next two pitches!
Pitch 5 (5.12a) 30m – 13 bolts (including 3 chain draws) – This is one of the finest 5.12 pitches you will ever find anywhere, dancing up perfect climbing following the stunning, overhanging arete high above the valley floor. Do not get sucked into the corner on the right on this pitch.
Start up left from the anchor, following easier moves up the flake/crack feature for a few bolts to a shake at the first chain draw. Good jugs, separated by pumpy, steep and cruxy climbing on excellent crimps and holds define the next few bolts, alternating between both sides of the arete until you find yourself below the small roof. Launch up through amazing lieback moves in the crack to exit the roof, stepping left onto the slab. One more tricky crimp move will get you to the hanging anchor.
Optional: Either continue climbing to pre-clip the next bolt (then lower back to the anchor), or link the next pitch for an absolutely epic 5.12 pitch if your forearms can handle it.
Pitch 6 (5.11+) 20m – 6 bolts (including a chain draw) – Continue up and slightly left from the anchor then back right, on technical and insecure face climbing to the first bolt. Be sure to put in a Jesus draw before you go, a fall wouldn’t be fun here for anyone. Continue up pumpy liebacks through steep crack to a small alcove, where the climbing eases slightly and continue to the final bolt. Clip the last bolt and follow the crack up right until you can step left above the bolt, and follow pumpy (but good) runout climbing to the anchor.
Pitch 7 (5.7) 15m – 4 bolts – Follow scrambly/chossy rock to the top of the wall.
Descent: Either walk off to the left, or make 7 rappels with a 70m, being sure to back-clip the steep pitches so you don’t rappel into space.
