Bow Valley, B.C. -- A Trip of 15 Minute Approaches

by Bill Piekos

Having read not one, but two issues in a row in which editors were encouraging people to share their climbing experiences, I have finally motivated myself to contribute. After all, I really look forward to every issue, and particularly enjoy the trip reports. So, I’ve decided to describe some of the summer routes we did out West this season, hoping that at least some of the readers would find the beta useful in planning their trips to the Rockies. I am sure many of you will instantly recognize the routes, as they are very popular objectives. However, I must apologize to all the hardy mountaineer types, as none of the routes involved jumping across ‘shrunds, slogging for hours with a huge pack, or even getting our big boots on! Indeed, a common thread between them all, were 15 minute approaches!

Onwards with the list, which includes my personal (read: highly biased) descriptions: Raptor on East End of Rundle (EEOR): good multi pitch sport route, with a balancy crux on the first pitch. Lots of people French aid, as to peel off that move means making hard contact with a ledge below. Geriatric, also on EEOR: cool trad climbing, but last 2 pitches of 5.8 have no pro, so many finish off by climbing the neighbouring sport routes instead, to reach the top of the buttress, Eeyor’s Tail on EEOR (duh!), superb trad route, a bit run out in spots. PS If anyone has climbed it, please tell me if you know what the heck the "sentry box" is (ref Bow Valley Rock Guidebook).

Red Shirt on Yamnuska (OK, so this was one exception to the 15 min approach rule - it took 3 times that!) another multi pitch classic with most of the climbing being truly "out there". Expect very polished rock on the first 2 pitches (I think even worse than at our Rattle Snake- if you can imagine that!), no doubt because many folks bail out at that stage, while they can still rap off before the memorable traverse. However, the rest of the climb is absolutely amazing and definitely on my all time favourite list!

Sea of Dreams at Guides' Rock area on Mt Cory: a great multi pitch sport route, much more varied than Raptor, with safer pro and super quality rock. Someone has chopped the bolts where the route merges with another trad route, but the pitch (about 5.8) is quite short and protects easily with nuts. It is possible to do an alternative start to its right (via Paper Chase trad route at about 5.8), which bypasses the crux 5.10c pitch and rejoins the route one full rope length later.

Furhmann’s Route on Tower of Babel at Moraine Lake: a very enjoyable multi pitch climb with fixed stations and many in situ pins (some of them very old though). The first couple of pitches are a bit loose, but not too bad. The last few pitches are on an amazingly colourful and steep, quality quartzite, very similar to the Back of the Lake crags. The route starts 50 m up the descent scree gully on a large ledge going left. Follow it to its end, climb a small pinnacle and step bravely onto the main wall… (check out the route picture in the Selected Alpine Climbs guidebook).

Mother’s Day on Cascade Mtn: we expected a short day and got a work-out instead! The climb is technically easy at 5.5, but pretty long (about 8-9 pitches) and very loose in places (OK, most of the places!), requiring a high degree of concentration and attentive rope work to protect your belayer/second from potentially deadly rockfall. Great positions and views, and perhaps a good training climb for attempting other, more challenging piles? Pretty good pro, as long as you don’t cam loose blocks ! The rather obscure descent can be found by looking for orange flagging on the trees, which marks the surprisingly easy donkey trail. It traverses all the way West across the Cascade Falls, to Rogan’s Gully and a single rap from a bolt station (ignore the tree with slings to the right) deposits you on the lower trail.

Lumpy Corner at Barrier Mtn: a classic trad route of the crag with great pro. Both crux moves (5.8) are well protected by in situ pins. It now has a brand new fixed station on a lower ledge, which is a much better option than the original one higher up. The cliff contains many moderate 2-3 pitch trad routes and a well developed sport area on good rock. We also did a couple of sport routes there, which were equally enjoyable. It is worth investing in a Barrier Cliff guidebook, which covers all of the climbs and is readily available locally. N.B. The Sport Climbs in the Rockies guide does list all the sport climbs and the Lumpy Corner topo.

Back of the Lake, Lake Louise: a true world class mecca for cragging, it contains many superb sport and trad climbs, most of them 1-2 pitches long. Great for rainy days, due to its overhanging Outhouse Area, which stays dry. We spent two days there due to rain and had a ball ! Grassi Lakes, Canmore: currently the hottest spot for local sport climbing, being only 5 mins from the road (upper parking area), but rather scruffy in appearance and already showing signs of severe over use (the Rockies’ version of our "Beach" !). We only did one route there and were glad to escape the crowds. Grizzly Paw, Canmore: not a climbing route, but a local micro brewery in Canmore, with good eats and 33 (oh, mommy !) brands of single malts - I will only say, that I needed a belay to crank the "exit" moves !!!

So, this concludes our summer trip. P.S. Both Jennifer (my better half) and I did many of the above climbs accompanied by a qualified guide, while tackling the more benign ones by ourselves.