Yamnuska has a reputation for terrifying routes on terrible rock. However after climbing Dreambed last year, and now Devil’s Right Hand, i’m starting to question if maybe Yamnuska should better be known for quite fun, but still occasionally tricky routes on moderately poor (but not that bad) rock. Devil’s right hand is a super fun,…
Cathedral Peak is a magnificent massif located in Yoho National Park near Lake Louise. The Cathedral Massif is comprised of several summits, the tallest main summit rising to a towering 3,189m (10,462′), one of the loftier peaks in what is already a large and prominent range (Lake Louise Group). While Cathedral Peak is a classic…
The Grand Daddy Couloir on Bow Peak in Banff National Park is a line I’ve been staring at for as long as i’ve been driving up and down the Icefields Parkway. Dozens of ski trips have had me staring across the highway at this thing, and every time it has called me to come and…
Rock Climbing on Yamnuska has a well-deserved reputation for being terrifying, with Yamnuska itself having a reputation for being a bit of a horrifying choss pile. Even some of the easier routes offer a pretty harrowing experience in some cases with complex route finding, tricky gear, and no shortage of loose rock. Dreambed is a…
The Alt-Left is a 5.11b A0 big wall multi-pitch climb located high above the Town of Canmore. This route is a modern mixed climb featuring all the best climbing that the Bow Valley is known for.
Arch Enemy (5.11d, Stanley Headwall) is what I would consider the ultimate modern classic. A simple approach, straightforward climbing, and well-protected, short cruxes in one of the most epic locations imaginable. This is like Takkakaw Falls on steroids, but far better rock, far better climbing, and even better views.
Minotaur Direct (5.11+, IV) – is a serious, but world-class 16-pitch alpine granite rock climb located on the East face of Snowpatch Spire in Bugaboos Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. This climb was first established in 2016 by Jon Walsh, Colin Moorhead, and Michelle Kadatz. Sadly, the original https://alpinestyle.ca website has disappeared from the web…
Mt. Whymper avalanche and accident report. Sometimes things go a bit differently than expected in the mountains. Mt Whymper was a great day that was a bit closer to the edge than we planned for.
Heart line climb is a multi-pitch route located on the north-west side of Heart Mountain near Canmore Alberta. It is a link up of a number of older routes up a fairly defined ridgeline on the mountain, mostly retrofitted with newer bolts and anchors where needed. It is roughly 17 pitches long, starting at Heart…
Before I ever got into climbing, Mt. Louis was always one of the top mountains I wanted to someday stand on the summit of. It is a pretty famous mountain in both climbing and non-climbing circles due partially to its prominence above the valley floor, and also due to the fact that all routes require…