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Elevation: 6,213 ft
GPS: 50.93069, -114.87298
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 2,947,842 total · 14,304/month
Shared By: Peter Spindloe on Apr 15, 2007 · Updates
Admins: Dave Rone, Tom Jones, Richard Rose

Description Suggest change

Alberta is the epicenter (or epicentre) of Canadian Alpine climbing with countless snow and ice covered peaks, glaciers and famous north faces. Alberta is also famous for some of the best ice climbing in the world.

Fortunately, Alberta is also well rounded and has sport and trad rock climbing a-plenty. The limestone and quartzite in the river canyons in the Canmore area probably have Canada's greatest concentrations of sport routes. Trad cragging is perhaps a little more limited than some other areas as the limestone of famous peaks like Yamnuska have great history and great routes but less solid rock; the climbing is more adventurous than a granite-trained tradster might be used to.

Getting There Suggest change

Calgary provides easy access to Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise and all of the surrounding areas. Edmonton provides access if your destinations are further north.

Guiding Services

Suggest change
There are a large number of guides in large and small operations in the area. Guides on Crown lands are generally required to hold an ACMG certification for their discipline. You can find a guide through the ACMG search: http://acmg.ca/03public/guides/memberlist_mg.asp

Other Relevant Websites

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Consult this list of great websites for the valley:

TABVAR.org


The tabvar site is your organization for bolting, safety, partnership and rock climbing culture. They are the ones who pay for the bolts you clip. Yes, they pay for them. Send them some love, donate or be kind.

Rockies Obscure


A project by Greg Cornell which is documenting lots of cool lines in the rockies. Keep it up Greg!

Banff Rock old guidebook


Chris Perry's personal website hosts his old guidebook and lots of beautiful routes that you may consider doing (lots of unrepeated and alpine ones too)

Grav sports ice


Will Gadd's personal forum. read the rules and find what you want to climb this weekend. Great sharing site.

Avalanche Conditions


Check this to make sure you don't get destroyed by an avy this weekend as you are often under huge bowls of snow (think: cascade falls, for example)

Summitpost


Generally a good place to get more beta/info on climbs due to the fact that Dow W. is very active on this website and has climb most of the classic routes in the Valley

Kumpfy Shoes


Karel is the man in Canmore if you want to get your shoes resoled. Does 3.5mm vibram, 5mm vibram and 4mm stealth rubber for you 5.10 lovers. Don't toss your shoes! resole them!!

2,577 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Alberta Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Alberta

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
WI5
 43
Polar Circus
Ice 9 pitches
WI4-5
 66
Lower Weeping Wall
Ice 3 pitches
WI4
 83
The Professor Falls
Ice 6 pitches
WI4
 51
Moonlight
Ice 2 pitches
WI4-5
 95
Louise Falls
Ice 3 pitches
WI4-5
 38
Murchison Falls
Ice 4 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
 53
NE Buttress (aka NE Face)
Trad 11 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 65
Joy
Trad 10 pitches
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
 47
Achilles Spire
Sport, Alpine 13 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 61
South Face
Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 62
Plutonian Shores
Sport 7 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 67
Turtle Mountain
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 70
Cardiac Arete
Sport, Alpine 4 pitches
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 76
Meathooks
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 141
Wicked Gravity
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Polar Circus Icefields Parkway > Weeping Wall Area
 43
WI5 Ice 9 pitches
Lower Weeping Wall Icefields Parkway > Weeping Wall Area
 66
WI4-5 Ice 3 pitches
The Professor Falls Banff NP > Mt Rundle > Professor Falls Area
 83
WI4 Ice 6 pitches
Moonlight Kananaskis > Evan Thomas Creek > Moonlight/Snowline Area
 51
WI4 Ice 2 pitches
Louise Falls Banff NP > Lake Louise > Lake Louise Ice
 95
WI4-5 Ice 3 pitches
Murchison Falls Icefields Parkway > Mt Murchison
 38
WI4-5 Ice 4 pitches
NE Buttress (aka NE Face) Bow Valley > Ha Ling
 53
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 Trad 11 pitches
Joy Kananaskis > Mt Indefatigable
 65
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad 10 pitches
Achilles Spire Icefields Parkway > Mt Hector & Mt Androm…
 47
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c Sport, Alpine 13 pitches
South Face Banff NP > Sentinel Pass > Grand Sentinel
 61
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
Plutonian Shores Banff NP > Raven Crag
 62
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport 7 pitches
Turtle Mountain Banff NP > … > Back of The Lake > Outhouse Wall
 67
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Cardiac Arete Banff NP > Sentinel Pass > Grand Sentinel
 70
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport, Alpine 4 pitches
Meathooks Bow Valley > Grassi Lakes > Meathooks Area
 76
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Wicked Gravity Banff NP > … > Back of The Lake > Outhouse Wall
 141
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
More Classic Climbs in Alberta »

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