Routes in Alberta for selected grade

Tree anchor.

Access for setting up top ropes.

Go along close to the crest (left side) of ridge on various trails for about 1 hour for about 500 m. until hit first rock band – 30 m high wall. Checked down and left but couldn’t find easy spot. Apparently the easy scramble route is farther uphill to the right. We went up a 5.4 groove for 30 m and then scrambled some slabs and trees for another 50 m.

Put rope away if used it as it is another 1 hour as go up scree, small rock bands and treed ridge until hit second rock band which is 50m+ wall. Lots of cairns and we went down and left to the find the 5.5 layback crack beside a big tree. Need a left hand underhand move to go up this and some people rate it at 5.4. Good protection placements in crack. Top of ridge in another 20 m.

Now on rock ridge, go over exposed knife edge sections, some bolts(hangers removed as of aug/2011) and over one 5.2 tower. Put away the rope again for 20 -30 min as hike down scree and back up along broad ridge as it turns left. Scramble around some towers and up to a large tower/rock band that blocks the ridge. The trails leads right for 100 m along a 10 m wide ledge at the base of the band and then up easy rock for 15m to another ledge at the base of second rock band. Traverse back left to the top of the tower and then up onto upper rock band/rock ridge. This would be quite easy if dry but it was deep snow when we did it and not pleasant as we wallowed and were at risk of avalanche. A group behind climbed a 5.6 groove to the right of the tower but it was wet and we had our boots on so we went with the snow. Some groups rate this as 5.5/5.6 when dry and it would be much faster and safer than going around on the ledges.

The upper rock ridge has sections of knife edge and rubble- moderate scrambling. Some diversions left around towers/rock bands and eventually comes to the final steep 50 m high rock band. This looks steep but an easy 5.3 route slants up 30 m and left across the face and puts you on the scree/rubble slopes which lead to the false summit above the teahouse. 6 hours in total.

Easy, fully-bolted low-angle slab climbing. All pitches are at or just over 30m with two-bolt rappel anchors.

Approach: Follow the standard scramble route upwards until you start to approach the large slabs. Once at the slabs, traverse left - you may have to carefully backtrack and downclimb to keep pushing left. Pass below the beautiful runnel-filled Machu Picchu slab, pick up a trail and follow it to the base of the climb.

Descent: Walk off via the standard Door Jamb Mountain scramble route.

The middle line of three easy climbs. Head up the right slanting features to the chains

An easy climb for first-time leaders. Climb up the on the right hand corner to the chains

Photo Topo

A long day for most. Get ready for 10 hrs give or take a few depending on your speed.

Approach is via the Rockbound Lake Trail. Best reference is 'Selected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockies' by Sean Dougherty. Trail to Eisenhower heads off left aroundf the spot where the trail finishes climbing and is heading to the lake.

You need to cut left (keep your eyes open for a climbers trail) maybe 2-3 hrs from the car (depending on your approach hike pace). Follow this up to a headwall which you'll bypass around to the left where you'll then find a right angling approach gully. Up this to goat Plateau.

Walk to the spine on the east side of Castle Mountain (the Dragon's Back). Most easily conquered by walking right around it (north side) and finding a 2 pitch approach gully to get you to the base of the first proper headwall of Eisenhower tower.

Up this (look for some bolts) for a rope length or so, and then traverse left to a scree bowl. Up the left of this (some trad, some anchors) for 3-4 pitches seeking the line of least resistance. The descent route is on your right hand side, is equipped, and descends into the scree bowl. There is sometimes permanent snow in here so be careful on the descent!

Starts at the top of Men With Brooms

A very committing and seldom-traveled objective, this traverse covers the entirety of the ~2-3km skyline between the Victoria/Collier col and Abbott Pass. It is most often completed in a north-to-south direction (described here).

Climb the north summit of Mt Victoria via any route (the NE ridge is recommended). Once on the summit, the way ahead becomes clear, over loose, shattered rock and past several sub-summits and gendarmes. Travel along the ridge, bypassing most difficulties on the left (north) side. Rock quality varies from OK to terrible on most sections of the ridge, though it becomes markedly worse once passing the midway point on the subsummit of "Victoria Centre."

Once on the south summit of Mt Victoria, continue along the ridge and down the standard Southeast Ridge to Abbott Pass. Descend from the pass either via Lake Oesa and Lake O'Hara, or along the flanks of Mt Lefroy and down the Fuhrmann Ledges.

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ROUTE WITHOUT EXPERIENCE AND ABILITY ON CHOSSY ROCKIES LIMESTONE!

A very short gear route opposite the chimney on Centre Stone. Rarely, if ever, climbed.