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Elevation: 4,400 ft
GPS: 51.047, -115.1566
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Shared By: Jordan Ramey on May 18, 2011
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Description Suggest change

Heart Creek is a popular sport climbing area east of Canmore with most of the climbs located next to a babbling brook. There are 6 or so developed areas and most climbs are about 30 meters with most climbs in the 5.9 - 5.11 range. There are a sprinkling of easier climbs in the 5.6 - 5.8 range and a couple of 5.12's at the end of the canyon. Most climbs can be approached in 10 to 20 minutes of easy walking.

A summer area where climbers start to show up when the last snow melts off the lower elevations. The area can be crowded on the weekends.

Getting There Suggest change

About 15 km east of Canmore and about an hours drive from Calgary. Take the Lac des Arcs exit and goto the Heart Creek Trailhead and follow the signs to the Heart Creek interpretive trail. The sport walls are obvious right off the path as one walks up the trail.

Alternatively, to park a bit closer, head east on highway 1 from the Lac des Arcs exit and park at the climber pullout with the no parking sign. Not sure if you'll be ticketed since it seems like a good pullout, so pull very far off the highway (obvious) and follow the trail up to the creek and then follow the interpretive Heart Creek Trail to the climbs.

136 Total Climbs

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Location: Heart Creek Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Heart Creek

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A0
 21
● Heart Line
Sport, Aid 17 pitches
Bunny Hill
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 14
● Last Call
Sport
Jupiter Rock
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 7
● Sleeping Beauty
Sport
SUMC Buttress
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 8
● Let It Bleed
Sport
First Rock
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 20
● Callisto
Sport
Jupiter Rock
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 6
● Fetish
Sport
SUMC Buttress
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 12
● Puppet On A Chain
Sport
Jupiter Rock
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 8
● Heart of Gold
Sport
Jupiter Rock
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 8
● Sciatica
Sport 6 pitches
Sciatica Area
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 7
● Slackline King
Sport
Upper Blackheart Amph…
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 7
● Trail's End
Sport
Waterfall Wall
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 16
● Crimson Tide
Sport
Jupiter Rock
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 9
● Heart of Darkness
Sport
Jupiter Rock
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 5
● Beat Farmer
Sport
Bayon
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 5
● The Convincer
Sport
Upper Blackheart Amph…
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Heart Line Bunny Hill
 21
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a A0 Sport, Aid 17 pitches
● Last Call Jupiter Rock
 14
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Sleeping Beauty SUMC Buttress
 7
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Let It Bleed First Rock
 8
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Callisto Jupiter Rock
 20
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Fetish SUMC Buttress
 6
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
● Puppet On A Chain Jupiter Rock
 12
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
● Heart of Gold Jupiter Rock
 8
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
● Sciatica Sciatica Area
 8
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport 6 pitches
● Slackline King Upper Blackheart Amph…
 7
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
● Trail's End Waterfall Wall
 7
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
● Crimson Tide Jupiter Rock
 16
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
● Heart of Darkness Jupiter Rock
 9
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
● Beat Farmer Bayon
 5
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
● The Convincer Upper Blackheart Amph…
 5
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
More Classic Climbs in Heart Creek »

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Jupiter rock from the hiking trail
Jupiter rock from the hiking trail
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