Routes as trad in Alberta

Named after a huge gooseberry bush once found in the final pitch chimney, this is a classic multipitch, as much for its location as the quality of the rock. The route does not rely on very much gear, having been bolted fairly liberally over the years.

All belay stations are bolted.

Approach: from the intersection of Tunnel Mountain Road and Drive, walk across the open field to the far right corner. Take the trail down and left towards the left-end of Tunnel Mountain. Contour across until you reach the cliff, go a bit farther, and arrive at the start -- the name is scratched in the rock.

Start at the name scratched in the rock.

1. 5.4 30m. Climb easy slab right of the corner past some fixed gear to a belay station to the right.

2. 5.6 40m. Move up and left to a bit of a ramp to a large right-facing corner. Arrive at a treed ledge and bolted belay behind the trees.

3. 5.8 45m. Start left of the belay, climb up and left to a left-facing corner. Avoid following the bolts out left, or on the slab left of the corner -- but pull into the corner itself where there's a fixed piton. Climb up the corner past some bolts, then up the wall above (more bolts) to a belay to the right.

4. 5.6 25m. Pull up and left over a small bulge, then up and left to a left-facing corner. Continue up this to a bolted belay on a ledge (there are two, seperated by a few meters and a bolt).

5. 5.8 50m. Climb up the bolted face, passing excellent chert edges in the second half of the pitch to a bolted anchor -- clip this long, then traverse up and right on the large sloping ledge to another anchor.

6. 5.7 35m. Move up and left on rough rock to a groove capped by a roof. Go up this to a piton, then branch left following bolts to an anchor on a ledge, once again clip this long then traverse rightwards to the belay.

7. 5.7 35m. Move left and then do some awkward moves (at a bolt) into the chimney. A few meters up the chimney, follow bolts left on an easy ramp then up over more chert ledges to a chain belay; once again clip and continue up towards the trees, where there is a bolted belay on a big boulder.

Descent: walk up to the tourist trail, then descend it. Walk along the road back to the car.

Parking UTM 11U 0611200E 5658800N elevation 1700m Park at the upper Grassi Lakes/EEOR parking area beside Whitemans Pond, 6.2km west on Three Sisters Parkway, from the intersection with Three Sisters Drive.

Approach Walk back towards Canmore and follow the service road across the dam to its end. Head up 20m into the trees to the main trail. The Riders of Rohan mountain biking trail starts here. Follow the trail to the right 25m to the climbers trail. The best trail heads up and right staying mostly in the trees under Quick Release before traversing under the north face. There is a large cairn at the end of the face. The direct start begins here. For the normal route, continue across to a tree island and back up right to the base of the slab.

Base of Route UTM 11U 0612400E 5658200N Elevation 2100m

Recommended Rack C4 #.3 – 3, 8 Alpine Draws

Direct Start (5.7): See 'Northeast Face Direct'.

Regular Route (5.6)

• P1-2 100 m Climb 4th class slabs left of the left-facing corner system. Continue up and right to the edge of the buttress. You will pass three bolted stations at 25 m intervals. The final bolted station is at the edge of the buttress. This is where the Direct Start meets the Regular Route.
• P3 35m Climb the slab to a corner chimney. Exit right to a belay.
• P4 25m Step right around a buttress to a right facing corner. Follow this corner to a belay.
• P5 25m Climb a polished slab to a shallow chimney that leads to a belay ledge. (It is possible to combine P4 and P5, 50m.)
• P6 40m “Changing Corners” Climb up and right over a series of corners and pinnacles (4 bolts). Climb up slight right of the 4th bolt (possible protection). Traverse right past another bolt and up to the original station. Alternatively continue up right 5m to a belay on a broad ledge.
• P7-8 45m “The Roof” Climb up an angular corner trending left (2 bolts). Either pull the yellow roof on the left (preferred due to rope drag and protecting the second) or head back right to the black roof (loose block in roof crack). The belay is 5m above the yellow roof.
• P9 45m “Slab Traverse” Step up right (bolt). Traverse the slab and climb up to a rib. Climb around the rib to the right and up to a belay ledge.
• P10 45m “Great Dihedral” Follow the dihedral up 20m. Blocky ledges lead up left then traverse back to the corner. At 30m, follow another ledge left (bolt) to a polished groove and a belay ledge.
• P11 45m Traverse back to the corner. Climb up to a loose gully/ledge. Cross the gully and continue up a water runnel to a belay on a ledge.
• P12 35m Continue up the runnel to a ledge below the summit with a belay. Climb 5m up to the summit plateau.

Descend via the hikers' trail to the Goat Creek parking lot and walk back along the road to the parking.

Take the Trans-Canada Highway to Lake Minnewanka Road and drive east for 0.6km to a small paved turnoff on the right side of the road, where an old cadet camp used to be. Hike 0.2km further down the road to a gravel wash-out on the left side of the road. Hike up this and follow the trail, keeping on the right of the drainage gully until you reach a slab with two bolts on it at the base of the route.

1. Climb the slab (2 bolts) to a ledge.

2. Traverse left on ledges then angle left up a broken groove to a scree ledge with trees. Alternatively, climb straight up into the corner (5.7) to a separate anchor.

3. Climb a short crack then traverse right to a steep bowl. Head towards the large corner and then pull out awkwardly onto the face, clipping a piton. Climb past another piton to an anchor.

   If you climbed the P2 5.7 variation, you can either rejoin P3 shortly from the P2 anchor, or you can take a 5.8 variation up the large yellow corner, rather than pulling out awkwardly onto the face.

4. Climb along the ridge to another bolted anchor.

5. Climb series of right-angling ledges to an anchor above a tree. Alternatively, there is a 5.8 variation that goes up the large yellow corner and ends at the same anchor.

6. Either take the left corner or the right corner for two different variations (both 5.5) that rejoin before the anchor. The anchor for this pitch is hidden behind a tree on the left.

7. Climb along the ridge to another bolted anchor.

8. Climb the right-angling corner on gear, or a bolted line on the left. There is an anchor at about 50m, or you can keep climbing to a second anchor at the top (60m).

To descend, take a trail along the top of the cliff heading towards Rogan's Gully. Scramble down, find a rappel station (20m rap) then hike back down towards the Cascade Falls tourist trail. The descent takes about 1.5-2 hours.

Great climb, impossible to get lost on. All gear anchors, very few fixed pieces. Bring doubles or triples of 0.3-1 cams (BD). Amazing views!

Can be done in 9 pitches with a 70m rope and around 10-14 with a 60m. Note the descent trail down Mt Indefatigable is long closed for Grizzly protection. It is possible to descend via a 500m scree chute back to the approach path. After scrambling up to the meadow follow the knife blade ridge east until a scree fan is seen descending steeply all the way down.

route runs just right of the white stain running down the wall, walk off available, bring some wires, mostly bolted

This is the most likely candidate for a first ascent up the tower by an unknown party, pre-1960. Great climbing throughout with a lot of opportunity to practice your jamming technique but many face climbing options for those who prefer not to. Each pitch is equipped with bolted anchors.

The easiest way of finishing the route is via a 5.5 variation by climbing up and left to the outside edge but the 5.9 direct finish is highly recommended for those who climb the grade.

Descend by rapping the route but be courteous to parties that may be below you.

A long day for most. Get ready for 10 hrs give or take a few depending on your speed.

Approach is via the Rockbound Lake Trail. Best reference is 'Selected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockies' by Sean Dougherty. Trail to Eisenhower heads off left aroundf the spot where the trail finishes climbing and is heading to the lake.

You need to cut left (keep your eyes open for a climbers trail) maybe 2-3 hrs from the car (depending on your approach hike pace). Follow this up to a headwall which you'll bypass around to the left where you'll then find a right angling approach gully. Up this to goat Plateau.

Walk to the spine on the east side of Castle Mountain (the Dragon's Back). Most easily conquered by walking right around it (north side) and finding a 2 pitch approach gully to get you to the base of the first proper headwall of Eisenhower tower.

Up this (look for some bolts) for a rope length or so, and then traverse left to a scree bowl. Up the left of this (some trad, some anchors) for 3-4 pitches seeking the line of least resistance. The descent route is on your right hand side, is equipped, and descends into the scree bowl. There is sometimes permanent snow in here so be careful on the descent!

As of Aug 2018, the top anchor looked pretty weathered - can be backed up with a large nut.

Climb Current Account and continue up and left along the flake. Bring a medium/large nut to protect the top or run it out. Second the pitch and make two raps to reach the ground.

2 bolts and gear to a DBB

Fun 5.7 with gear on first pitch. second pitch is 5 bolts of rather burly 10c (Watch out The bolts and the belay station of pitch two was really rusty. 2016/4)

Second/Clean of this dog tooth mountain. 14 pitches, the second last pitch grade 16(?)crack is totally exposed with 3000ft dropoff to valley below...check out the pics of Mt Louis on Canada climbing webpages

Place gear through a thin starting section, bolts through the crux then traverse right to the anchors of Pub night. Make sure you have someone to second it!

6 pitches of sustained, technical climbing, with an involved scrambling approach and several hundred metres of 4th and low-5th class climbing to the summit. Notoriously underestimated for its hard climbing.

4 bolts and gear to a DBB

This is a perfect finger crack that can be climbed safely on gear. Use the finger crack the full length of the crack while stemming across to the perfect corner. This route is bolted with 4 bolts, but they should all be cut out because the route can be safely climbed on gear.

The original route followed by MacCarthy/Kain in 1916. Following numerous pitches of easy climbing/difficult scrambling from the East, this route gains the imposing south face and shares the final 8 pitches or so with the Gmoser Route. The most difficult, exposed, and enjoyable climbing is at the Perren Crack (last two pitches).

Start 100m right of the toe of the buttress, scrambling up Right side of 10 m high square block. Possible to rap up to pitch 8 with double ropes, otherwise walk down tourist route for Mt Rundle. Bolts have replaced most of the piton.

Easy climbing directly upwards from the large crack. Don't be fooled by the first bolts halfway up and continue to the second set.

1. 5.5, 27m.

2. 5.7, 30m.

3. 5.4, 27m.

4. 5.6, 35m.

5. 5.5, 43m.

6. 5.7, 35m.

7. 5.6, 20m.

Gear to 4". Climb Pub Night, 22m (pitch 1) and continue on to make it one long pitch. Lower back to the mid station. Lower again or Rap to the ground.

Wide crack with lots of smaller cracks for gear on the sides.

One of the best of its grade in Banff National Park. Six pitches of good climbing, four of which follow a long corner system.

Pitches 1 and 2 can be skipped by scrambling up on the left.

1. Climb the lower corner system in interesting, knobby rock filled with pockets to a tree belay.

2. Continue climbing to a bolted belay station.

3. Climb to an overhang in the corner and continue up and around it on good holds to a small ledge and bolt belay on the left.

4. A long pitch up the corner leads to a semi hanging two bolt belay on the right. The climbing is interesting and quite sustained but can be well protected with gear.

5. Continue up the corner with gear.

6. Climb a broken crack above and left of the block and move left back into the main corner.

Enjoyable little trad climb on an otherwise sport climbing dominant crag. Short but sweet, standard set of black diamond stopper nuts should do the job.

Lookout Buttress forms the skyline of the lower tier of buttresses when viewed from the Trans-Canada driving west from Banff or east from Lake Louise.

The buttress is named for its location above the old fire lookout, and it's approached via the lookout hiking trail. The climb stays mostly to the right of the crest, on generally excellent rock.

1. 5.8, 45m.

2. 5.4, 30m.

3. 5.8, 30m.

4. 5.9, 30m.

5. 5.10a, 35m.

6. 5.9 or 5.10b (left var.), 35m.

Follow the crack up a short crux to easier terrain. Ignore the first set of anchors to clip bolts above B3.

This route had originally been bolted over twenty years ago but bolts were chopped by Sonnie Trotter. Test piece for the grade and one of Canadas best king lines!

very fun route, climbs one of the striking corners on the lower half of the face and good route finding, traversing and runouts make this one of the best routes around.

5.10a then 5.9. gear route that follows a thin seam in the lower wall heading to a prominent crack higher in its face. It is one of the classics of the crag.

Mostly a trad climb, with bolted anchors at the top of pitches 2-5, and 6 protection bolts on pitch 5. Phenomenal position on the final pitch.

Start at the wide crack approx. 9m right of the regular start, continue up the chimney and traverse left at 15m up a steep ramp to a belay ledge below the corner Continue pitches 2 and 3 as per Kraut Pinnacle

The classic route of the area. This is the obvious, bright orange left facing corner you can easily spot from the carpark. The climbing is fun with solid rock and gear. A single rack to #3 is required with a few doubles in the medium sizes. A #4 BD camalot is can be handy as well. A bolted anchor is found on the obvious ledge to your right 30m up the corner.

May have been retrobolted recently.

Gear to 4"