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Stanley Headwall

International > N America > Canada > Alberta > Banff NP > Radium Highway (93 So…

Description

Home to a number of the Rockies' best-known ice and mixed routes, the Stanley Headwall is a truly spectacular venue. Joe Josephson's guide says it best: "Every major route on the wall is sustained, technically difficult, and contains sections of serious climbing."

Getting There

Although the Stanley Headwall is actually in B.C., most people access it from the Banff National Park. So I'll list it as such. Drive 20 miles north from Banff on Hwy 1 to Castle Junction. Take a left on Hwy 93 for a little over 8 miles to the Stanley Glacier trailhead, which is on the south side of the road. Follow the well-marked and heavily traveled switchbacked trail until it eventually emerges from the trees into the valley above. The Headwall will be looming above you to the right.

Allow 1.5 - 2 hours, depending on snow, how fit you are, and whether or not you are using skis or snowshoes.

Routes from Left to Right

WI6 M8
 2
Rhamnusia
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 5 pitches
WI6
 25
Nemesis
Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
WI5 M6
 5
General Malaise
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 3 pitches
WI5+ M8
 1
Fiasco
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
WI5+ M7+
 14
Suffer Machine
Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
WI5 M8
 8
Man Yoga
Trad, Sport, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 5 pitches
WI6 M7 PG13
 6
The Day After les Vacances de Mo…
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 7 pitches
WI6+ M7+
 5
Nightmare on Wolf Street
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
WI6 M8+
 1
Dawn of the Dead
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c WI6 M7-
 14
French Reality
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Rhamnusia
 2
WI6 M8 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 5 pitches
Nemesis
 25
WI6 Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
General Malaise
 5
WI5 M6 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 3 pitches
Fiasco
 1
WI5+ M8 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
Suffer Machine
 14
WI5+ M7+ Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
Man Yoga
 8
WI5 M8 Trad, Sport, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 5 pitches
The Day After les Vacances…
 6
WI6 M7 PG13 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 7 pitches
Nightmare on Wolf Street
 5
WI6+ M7+ Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
Dawn of the Dead
 1
WI6 M8+ Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
French Reality
 14
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c WI6 M7- Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Stanley Headwall, from the trailhead.  The prominent streak is French Reality.<br>
[Hide Photo] The Stanley Headwall, from the trailhead. The prominent streak is French Reality.