Ascents by Kate Hunt

This is a really nice crack climb, good variety of styles along the route. Fun 'classic canyon' bit at the top where it turns slabby and you have to shift styles.

Made a stupid mistake and fell after the first clip. Otherwise a fine climb which asks for a little creativity and is fairly well protected. The slab section at the top is probably the hardest bit.

What a nice lead - hard technically at its grade but bolted so that you feel secure on all the major moves, and with one tricky clip that challenges without being dangerous. Great if your lead grade is at or around 5.8/5.9. Led it first climb of the session, felt fine warming up on it this time.

Sent it finally - when you have the beta it's actually not too bad (also, I last attempted this last season, and I'm stronger now.)

Nice to have a chunk of overhang that's easy but still asks for some big moves. Took my time on the stairway, because I could: the stretch above is far better with all the dirt shoveled out of it. Rock to the left is apparently still loose in spots, as a new climber we had with us found out when he went that way and pulled some down. But the route itself is much cleaner. Stick to the obvious wide slot with the staircase in it. Last climb of the day: I took down the anchor from the NEW bolts.

This climb gets better and better. Deceptively big and blocky through the start, with fun dihedral work at the top and a big step to the left to get to the anchor (for Dave, Dave.)

Embarrassed that I fell on the start: I blame the frog.

Still a very fun climb. Wriggling between the tree and the face is a bit awkward but always entertaining.

This climb has real potential, particularly the crack in the upper half, but it will definitely need some gardening. The rock at the start felt friable: proceed with caution here. After the wide step right, as you start to move up, look out for loose rock in the mini-dihedral to your left. Then just enjoy the heck out of the finger crack that takes you to the top.

The start is definitely the hardest bit: from the ground to the first ledge, and then a step up to a big pocket. After that it's all legwork and small fingertip edges.

Followed David up this to start the day. More gear keeps presenting itself, which is a good thing. The top dihedral is still a bit run out. WATCH OUT on lowering: there's a notch (at the top of the second big blocky section, I think) that has a nasty tendency to catch the rope and stop it.

End of the day, and the finer focus needed for the feet was slipping, but still got it clean. An odd mix of face work and friction slab.

The crack is definitely the hard part. Swore at it a lot and eventually made it up, not without a certain amount of 'belayer assist.' Classic crack technique needed, with a side helping of power.

Lovely face climbing on the lower half, and an easier but not trivial stretch of slab at the top. A great climb for those who enjoy working with tiny finger ledges and big steps. I was really pleased to send this one on second.

It feels as though the trad grades are slightly stiffer than the sport grades in this area: this struck me as a tricky climb. Balance and angle on the crack were a bit strange.

One of the best climbs in the Canyon: a small roof at the start, some thin face climbing on oddly rounded features, and a big slab at the top. Thoroughly satisfying. Was pleased to pull the roof, less happy with how I performed on the small edges, but then the sun was directly in my eyes for that section (this climb is very tricky around noon because of the angle of the sun.)

Glad to be on top rope when we noticed the missing hanger. The lower half is not particularly hard, the upper gets tricky: friction slab.

The warm up for the day. Somehow the first climb of the day always makes me regret that last cup of coffee.

Nice set of mini-roofs with underclings to get you through them: feet are plentiful and hands are sparser for most of the climb. Halfway up, the obvious weaknesses in the rock can lead you leftward onto the route next to it: stick to the two mini-roofs, straight up, for full value IMHO. When the holds run out at the top traverse left (good feet, minimal hands, it's an exercise in balance) to finish at anchor for middle climb. Also needs a better name. :-P

My warmup for the day. Got a bit off route in the middle - headed left when I should have headed right - and stalled for a bit. Nice lead, keep the bolts to your left most of the time.

Climbed it twice, once just climbing it, once while consulting with David on where he was going to bolt it. Fell once on the second ascent (and more than once the first time): one longish (for me) move on the bulge took some working out. A fun climb with a stretch of technical, a rest ledge, and a big balls-out finish. Needs a better name ;-)

Gorgeous: with a little dash of spice right at the end to kick it up a bit.

What it says on the tin: a jug wall. Nice starter for the day.

The one 'move' feels a bit bigger on lead, but protected so well it's not a big problem.

Looks deceptively blank from below: placements reveal themselves as you go. Protects very well.

Think we got off route, but had fun doing it.

Easy going and fun: pretty polished from traffic, gear was sometimes obvious because of wear.

A lovely route...

Slipped on the opening moves but sent the rest: came down after cleaning and tried the bottom again and think I got it. Totally worth stopping for on the way out.

Even in the rain, a great climb. Fun moves, really glad I onsighted it.

In the rain! Second pitch is more fun: nice belay ledge for a beginner's multipitch.

Whee!

Love this climb. And this time the crux section was far less work for me: must be getting stronger. And much happier with small finger ledges than on my last run up this one. Wanted to lead it again but ran out of sunlight.

La-la-la-la-la-la, sing a happy song (clip) - la-la-la-la-la-la, smurf the whole day long (clip)

Still a great crack. Seconding was made more interesting here, because the leader just buried his gear: spent a lot of time trying to get it back out. Solid gear and some really cool moves.

Beer and skittles.

I want to send this, and I think if I go back and give it a couple of tries I can. It's on my hit list.

The climbing is easy but the gear is super thin.

I really wanted to lead this: but the placements are a bit strange, the fall consequences were uniformly bad, and I realized I just wasn't feeling it and retreated after a few meters. Angry at myself, but glad I made the responsible call.

The grade is contestable: we talked it over and thought the lower bulge (not included in the regular route) went at about 5.8, maybe 5.7. I personally think the upper offwidth at the roof is harder than 5.5 too; it's awkward and challenging for my size and strength.

The way I started it last time is gone: a hand hold broke on me on the opening move. Instead started to the left of the route and up to the ledge, which went easier anyway. Loose rocks that scared me at the top have now been trundled, exposing an interesting featureless bit and better climbing. Still needs cleaning!

The bottom half is a really lovely set of finicky slab moves with tiny pockets (made a little more interesting by lichen) - the sequence is quite defined. One of the best routes on this face. The top half is a bit unremarkable though.

Still needs a ton of cleaning but the rock is really interesting on this route: features you don't find at other nearby areas and a nicely sustained stretch of fairly delicate climbing. As the rock gets cleaned I think it will just get better.

Got it clean this time! The crack's a bit awkward but a very satisfying pull up out of it and into the rest of the climb.

For some reason this time up rope drag was so bad it almost stopped me making it to the top: by the top stretch I was barely able to pull up enough to keep moving upward. No idea why - I extended. Maybe the two times I slung the tree? Problem being, not slinging the tree results in serious runout at the top dihedral and beyond (there's theoretically a nut placement in a tiny chink at the back of the dihedral, but it's not secure.)

Going to update my rating to 'classic' if only because I keep going back to this route when I'm at Calabogie and I keep enjoying it. This was not my best showing, but still fun. Tetchy at the bottom, ballsy at the top, and with that lovely final move to get up and over. A nice, nice route. Someday I'll send it.

Happy to have led it! I think it's soft at a 5.9+ but still glad to have made the redpoint.

Second attempt. Still can't pull the crux, which the other folks I was climbing with that day confirm goes a lot harder than 10b (though the rest of the climb might well be 10bish. But that key bit to get on the ramp just under the roof is - according to the others - at least 10d.

Not my first lead on this route, but I was pretty happy with how much easier it went this time. Some effective beta from a friend really helped. Plus, I think I'm just stronger now than the last time I tried.

Sent it this time! A beautiful climb.The lower flake is a really satisfying series of stemming moves followed by an undercling, smearing traverse and a burly pull up onto the top of the flake. The second half moves up a slab - not hard, but with a nice flow to it.

Felt a little easy for 5.9 but still has some really nice balance moves.

A really nice crack climb with some variation and a good flow.