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Bill starting on Malignant Mushroom

So you have been leading ice for a while, done many local routes, been to Orient Bay and now wonder where to go next? How about our Rockies? Hands down, it is a prime ice climbing venue in the world, at a cost marginally higher than a trip to T-Bay (check for seat sales).

I have compiled this information with intermediate ice climbers in mind, or those visiting the Rockies for the first time. In any case, I hope it will maximize your climbing time and simplify the logistics. I have picked moderate routes in classic areas, all of which are easy to get to and represent low avalanche hazard for additional peace of mind. For these reasons, they can be busy, so get there early, especially on weekends. The list is barely scratching the surface, so I would suggest purchasing Joe Josephson's guidebook as a superb source of complete information on this amazing destination - don't leave home without it!!! PS If you are interested in mixed routes, get Sean Isaac's recently published guidebook.

From Russia With Love
Make sure you know how to make Abalakov anchors and improve/equalize existing ones - carry lots of spare 7mm cord! As some pitches can be long, 60m ropes are very helpful. If you do not lead on doubles, haul an extra rope for rapping, otherwise you will have to build many intermediate anchors and lose plenty of daylight!

Ten Essentials
On longer multipitch climbs, have your second carry a pack with the ten essentials. Also a good idea to carry a thermos with a hot drink and a warm belay jacket that you can share. In addition, always carry a spare pick (they do break!), necessary wrenches for your axes and crampons, and a small knife (for cutting Abalakov cord). Petzl light also belongs to this category and can compensate for short winter days on your descent.

Transportation
You will need a car. The best spot to rent one is at the Calgary airport (various companies available). This greatly simplifies the logistics of not having to haul your duffel bag full of gear around town. It also makes chasing the plane on your way back much less stressful!

Town of Field - General Store

Where To Stay
Canmore - a nice town with "local" flair, which is growing (too) fast. Be ready to run into the "who is who" in Canadian climbing as a lot of them make it their home. Accommodations vary from our own ACC Clubhouse to multi star hotels and everything in between. Check Valhalla store on Main Street for good selection of gear and seasonal sales. Check out Zona's for great dinner and late night live music and Grizzly Paw for its famous selection of brews and single malts (they also serve good pub food).

Banff - nice but very touristy. You will meet many folks in Gucci (vs. MEC) wear. Check Mountain Magic and Monod's for gear - both have good selection and seasonal sales. Check out Earl's for great eats and St James pub for brews and single malts (they also serve good pub food). Visit Hot Springs for a +40C soak after a long day in the hills and go to the Whyte's Museum on your day off. Lots to do here.

Lake Louise - the ACC Hostel is superb and very popular, so book in advance. They have a great eatery that serves huge portions at a reasonable price, plus beer! Quite limited amenities in this tiny town, but adequate. Well positioned, as it sits in the middle of the various climbing areas and could save you 45 mins of sleep in the morning. Check out Laggan's for eats (opens at 6 am) and the neighbouring store for gear.

Golden - sleepy railway and logging town with not much happening, includes all the basic amenities, but not a full climbing gear store (as far as I was able to snoop). Somewhat limited eateries and rather highly priced. Very different ambiance from Canmore, or Banff (still).

Field - tiny town, with very limited amenities but has a super funky General Store, which seems to be the centre of local social life. It also serves as a local booze store, restaurant (great food!) and post office. Nice place to visit after bagging a climb in the area, or on the way back from Golden. A newly built lodge now sits just across the street from the store providing tourist accommodations.

Suggested Areas & Routes
(check the official guidebook for full details)

Soloing Junkyards

CRAGGING

Junkyards WI2-3:
Well suited for a couple of hours of play, or as a warm-up. Short walk of 15 mins gets you to the ice on the outskirts of Canmore. It is one of the few areas where you can actually walk up (right side) and set-up a top rope from screws.

Grotto Canyon WI3-4 (plus mixed lines):
Only 10 min drive from Canmore and 20 min hike up the canyon. PS The right side of Grotto Falls is usually in WI2 conditions by mid season - nice for first leads.

Haffner Creek WI3-4 (plus many desperate mixed lines!):
Relatively short drive, 20 min approach and plenty of steep single pitch ice makes this spot very popular for cragging! Also a Mecca for hard mixed climbs.

Johnston Canyon WI2-5:
Just a short drive away, 20-30 min hike and very scenic. Ignore the intermediate flows and take the walkway to its very end to get to the main climbing area.

Jennifer at Haffner Creek

MULTIPITCH

Kicking Horse Canyon:
Close to Golden with multitude of high quality climbs, most with no avalanche hazard and quite a few just across the road. From easy 2 pitch outings such as Riverside WI3, to more serious Essondale Right WI4+/5 and a 5 pitch moderate Pretty Nuts WI4. All within 5-20 minutes from your car! Beware of trains if you walk the tracks and do NOT touch the trip wires on the hillside fence (usually there is a donkey trail to a good spot where you can carefully duck underneath them to get through). Think ACCESS !!!

Columbia Icefields:
The Weeping Wall is approx 2-hour drive from Canmore, but worth every minute of it and the views along the way are superb! Home to a 4 pitch Snivelling Gully WI3 and Left Side WI4, as well as much more challenging options if your head and forearms can handle it. Only 5 minutes from the car, with low avalanche hazard. Note: when descending down Snivelling, it is easy to use ice anchors (usually abound due to high traffic) vs bolted stations described in the guidebook, which may snag ropes. The area is also home to the ultra classic Polar Circus WI5 just minutes away to the South, which offers many moderate pitches (up to WI4) on its lower flanks taking you up to the famous Pencil. (NOTE: Going beyond The Pencil dramatically increases the commitment, difficulty and objective danger of this route) Also, be sure to check for avalanche conditions if planning to climb any portion of this route. Another climb worth doing is a bit further down the highway to the North: Shades of Beauty WI4. This 3-pitch route can be seen from the highway deep in the valley; about 45 min hike and is deemed easy for its grade. Some avalanche hazard may exist on final approach slope.

Banff:
Cascade WI3 - 6-7 pitches of great climbing, provided you have checked for avalanche hazard, which is often very high. To get off, traverse left all the way to Rogan's Gully to find fixed rap anchors (use the bolted station, ignoring the slinged tree to the right). Professors WI4 - 7 high quality pitches of steep climbing. Due to road closure it is now a 2-hour slog from the parking lot if you decide to walk, so rent a bike instead (contact Gear Up in Canmore for rentals). The route is very popular, so start early.

Bill on Shades of Beauty

Lake Louise:
Louise Falls WI-4+ - great route with virtually no avalanche hazard and easy 20 min approach. First two pitches are WI3 with the crux pillar rated at (usually stiff) WI4+. You can rap off very easily after the first 2 pitches by traversing on easy terrain to a large rap tree on your right. One rap gets you down.

Kananaskis:
Nice area for WI2-4 climbing, with an easy 1 hour approach: Chantilly Falls WI2, or just a bit further down (10-15 mins) a more challenging trio of classic climbs, including an excellent 3 pitch Moonlight WI4 and its 2 other, albeit usually thinner neighbours to the right hand side. Zero avalanche hazard!

Field:
The home of classic beer climbs! 2-3 pitch Massey's WI4 is just a short 20-30 min hike down the train tracks to the left of town (be ready to jump off the tracks as the trains will not slow down for you!). Park your car at the Info Centre (to your right when you enter the town), hike up the road and follow the tracks to your left. Just to the right of Massey's are a couple of more challenging mixed lines. Another excellent route, Guinness Gully WI4 is on the right side of town, following a steep, but very short approach and approx 4 pitches of great ice. More challenging options abound, including the ultra classic Pilsner Pillar WI6. Check for avalanche conditions if climbing in this area. If you want to scope out the routes, drive on the highway just past the town for better look and then come back.