Type: Sport, 3700 ft (1121 m), 32 pitches, Grade III
GPS: 51.01345, -115.3521
FA: Brandon Pullan, Dave Smart 2024
Page Views: 255 total · 37/month
Shared By: Brandon Pullan on Jun 15, 2025
Admins: Dave Rone, Tom Jones, Richard Rose, Rhys Beaudry

You & This Route


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Goliath Suggest change

Goliath (5.8R, 32 pitches, 1,120 m): Goliath is the continuation of Cyclops up the south face of Big Sister. Pitch 16 is the point of no return, once you climb 17 it’s too dangerous to rappel due to the nature of the rock and long traverses. Rappelling with people below would be dangerous as there's a lot of loose rock around the route, away from the line of climbing. After pitch 16, you have to climb to the top of 32 - there are no rappel options - then you have to follow a steep, technical scramble descent that is hard to find. 

Goliath is for experienced Rockies climbers. There are several run-outs, steeper climbing, and loose rock, no way down but to the top of pitch 32, scramble over steep scree, and hopefully find the rappel bolts - very technical descent. 

From pitch 16, the top of Cyclops (bolts are runout on every pitch, rock is chossy in spots):

P17: Ramp up left to a broken corner, loose blocks. No visible bolts, left over step and straight up (5.2, 35m)

P18-23: Up slabs, ledges and some chossy rock (5.4, 175m)

P24: Up the headwall out left (5.8, 35m)

P25: More vertical rock (5.7, ~30m)

P26: Long, loose run-out traverse left (5.3, ~35m) 

P27/28: Chimney/groove (5.5, 70m)

P29: Final steep section (5.7, ~40m)

P30-32: Follow ridge, some bolts, single-bolt belays, pitches longer than 35 metres, no rappel options.

Descent: Once on scree, scramble west/left to find a small rock outcrop with a bolt. A few rappels take you to the top of a steep ridge. This descent is rugged. Go down through toppled trees and rock steps. No easy way, follow your nose. It looks possible to continue to the summit of Big Sister and then down the scrambler's route.

Location Suggest change

Start as for Cyclops

Protection Suggest change

70-metre rope, 12-15 quickdraws (some alpine), FA team did not have a rack of gear, but a small rack might be good for some of the runouts

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