Mountain Project: Climbing Canada

It would be as difficult to sum up the climbing potential in Canada just as it would be to sum up that in the United States, unless you wanted to use broad terms like LOTS. From sea cliffs to urban crags, high altitude to bouldering, almost every type of climbing is available (except desert sandstone perhaps).

Rather than trying to describe it in this overview, let's describe it area by area and route by route, right here.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Canada:

West Ridge 5.4 Trad, Alpine, 1500 feet, Grade IV The Bugaboos : Pigeon Spire

Northwest Ridge 5.4 X Trad, Alpine, 2400 feet, Grade IV Selkirk Mountains : Mount Sir Donald

North Face - Chouinard/Beckey/Doody 5.7 Mod. Snow Trad, Snow, Alpine, 12 pitches, 5000 feet, Grade IV Jasper National Park : Mt. Edith Cavell

North East Ridge 5.7 Trad, Alpine, 10 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade IV The Bugaboos : Bugaboo Spire

Diedre 5.8 Trad, 6 pitches, Grade II The Chief : The Apron

Northeast Buttress 5.9 Trad, Alpine, 25 pitches, Grade V Western Chilliwack Range : Mt. Slesse

Penny Lane 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet The Smoke Bluffs : Penny Lane

Rock On 5.10a Trad, 5 pitches, 400 feet, Grade II The Chief : The Apron

Flying Circus 5.10a Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet The Smoke Bluffs : Neat and Cool

McTech Arete 5.10- Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 500 feet, Grade III The Bugaboos : Crescent Spire

Angel's Crest 5.10b Trad, 13 pitches, Grade IV The Chief : The Sheriff's Badge

Beckey-Chouinard 5.10 Trad, Alpine, 15 pitches, 2000 feet, Grade IV Howser Towers : South Howser Tower

Exasperator 5.10c Trad, 2 pitches, 150 feet The Chief : Grand Wall Base Area

The Grand Wall 5.11a A0 Trad, Aid, 9 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade III The Chief : Grand Wall Area

Southeast Face 5.11- Trad, Alpine, 18 pitches, 2000 feet, Grade V The Cirque of the Unclimbab... : Lotus Flower Tower

Sunshine Crack 5.11- Trad, Alpine, 11 pitches, 900 feet, Grade IV The Bugaboos : Snowpatch Spire

All Along the Watchtower 5.11 C2- R Trad, Aid, Alpine, 32 pitches, 3000 feet, Grade VI Howser Towers : North Howser Tower

Crime Of The Century 5.11c Trad, 1 pitch, 40 feet The Smoke Bluffs : Penny Lane

Freeway 5.11c Trad, 11 pitches The Chief : The Dihedrals

Alaska Highway 5.11c/d Trad, 5 pitches, 550 feet, Grade III The Chief : The North Walls

Comments on Canada

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By Joe M
From: Rapid City, SD
Sep 13, 2007

Anybody have any info on New Brunswick climbing and/or ice climbing?

By skinner
From: Calgary, AB
Dec 15, 2007

In western Canada, (British Columbia & Alberta) Squamish and the Bugaboos are exceptional- world class destinations. However.. if you are able to get your head around the chossy limestone the makes up the majority of peaks, the infinite number of previously unclimbed lines could keep you occupied for several lifetimes.

By cliff thomas
Apr 15, 2009

I am planning a climbing trip to Banff. Am interested in beta about time of year to go, places to stay on the cheap, moderate climbing and perhaps an opportunity to find partners or good roped solo routes in that area. Thank you
Cliff Thomas
thomasci@msn.com

By Peter Spindloe
Administrator
From: North Vancouver, BC
Apr 16, 2009

Cliff,

The time of year depends on what you want to do. The summer alpine season (all the classic north face ice routes) are best in August and September. Nice low altitude rock, mostly sport, can be found in the canyons around Canmore: Heart Creek, Cougar Canyon, Grassi Lakes, etc. The season for these is probably May to October. There are many moderate scrambles (Table Mtn., Cascade, Lady MacDonald) and climbs (Ha Ling, Yamnuska, etc.).

There are campgrounds in Banff and Lake Louise, and probably in Canmore. The Alpine Club of Canada's clubhouse is in Canmore and is a great place to stay. I think there are reciprocal agreements with other alpine clubs, or you can buy a membership, which can be worth it if you're staying a while. It's also a good place to meet people.

Hopefully you'll get some more detailed information from others. It has been a while since I've road-tripped there. You might also want to post in the forums.

By Dom
Administrator
From: New Brunswick Canada
Apr 17, 2009

Joe M sorry I'm a year and a half later but there is actually excellent rock and ice climbing in N-B.
The rock climbing is mostly trad in a wonderful granite setting called Cochrane Lane and the ice is just everywhere!

check out climbeasterncanada.com or www.beta-source.com/ for pics, info etc.

By curt hegel
Mar 21, 2010

good place for info/beta finding partners, etc. is Gravsports-ice.com run by Will Gadd. Ice season is running out, but the alpine/rock is starting soon.

By Matt Allshouse
Sep 13, 2010

I just won two free passes on Canada North Airlines...Anyone know good ice routes around Yellowkife,Norman Wells, or Iqaluit?

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