UKC

Alberta, Canada - Canmore etc Any Recommendations?

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travlinmatt 11 Feb 2014
Hello all,

Planning a trip back home to Calgary for the Stampede in June/July and been doing a bit of Googling. Looks like the Canmore/Kananaskis area is the best bet for climbing. I was wondering if anyone had been climbing in Western Canada on the east side of the mountains? Happy to travel out of Calgary/Edmonton a bit for a decent route or three.

Thanks!

Matt
 Jonny2vests 11 Feb 2014
In reply to travlinmatt:

Lake Louise is fantastic for a day or three. The bugaboos of course are amazing, but more of a mountaineering setting, with the logistics that go with it.
 AndyDWilson 11 Feb 2014
In reply to travlinmatt:

Grassi Lakes are great for sport and nice views over Canmore. Thats the only place I climbed, however Lake O'Hara is stunning for walks and there is a bit of climbing at the back of the lake.
travlinmatt 17 Feb 2014
In reply to travlinmatt:

Fantastic, thanks guys, that's added to the planning list.
 hamsforlegs 17 Feb 2014
In reply to travlinmatt:
There's a huge amount of choice around Canmore, from massive trad undertakings to full on sport. A lot of it is in the middle, bolted but by no means a clip-up. I have done literally a few days around there, so have done the research but not personally experienced very much.

As noted, the 'Back of Lake' at Lake Louise has plenty of very good quality sport climbing in an accessible spot with a nearby cafe etc. You can take anything from that to very committing trad routes on Mount Yamnuska within a short drive from the Canmore area.

The best guidebook is Canadian Rock: Select Climbs of the West. This covers a very big area, but has pretty good topos and brings together climbs that otherwise are spread across lots of different Rockies are guidebooks. I'm sure places like Needlesports will stock it.

If you want big, adventurous sport on amazing crozzly limestone, take a look at some of the areas south of Canmore. Don't be fooled by the bolts.

Have fun!
Post edited at 17:19
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 17 Feb 2014
In reply to travlinmatt:

Canmore limestone is good rather than world-class, lots of interesting routes in remote canyons, nice summer temperature, + grizzy bears. True Grit is a superb multipitch 5.10c (a tough 5.10a when we did it!) multipitch on EEOR.
Lake Louise is a bit touristy, beautiful area, decent routes (steep) on slightly skiddy quartzite,

Chris
 Iain Peters 17 Feb 2014
In reply to Chris Craggs:

+1 for True Grit plus IIRC some good but meatier pitches to its R up the face below the huge headwall.

Is Back of The Lake all sport? I'm sure there were some trad lines there.

The Bugs are fantastic. We climbed the Beckey/Chouinard and Sunshine in 4 days. One for the long and quite hairy drive up to the road head, porcupine protection of the car and then a flog up to the hut, two days climbing and then a mad dash back to the US and our flight from Spokane to LA.

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