Both the Rockies around the Bow Valley and the Bugaboos have dozens of routes to choose from, with a variety of difficulties. Whether you want to do a lovely hike through alpine meadows to climb a few pitches up a slender quartzite tower, or you want get up a 20 pitch granite monster, you'll find it here. All of these routes have an "alpine" feel, longer approaches than your regular rock climbs, usually more complicated descents and they get you to a summit! If you have just a bit of rock climbing experience or if you have a lot, there are routes to choose from here.

The Rockies

The Bow Valley has a variety of alpine rock climbs on both limestone, dolomite and quartzite. Most of these routes can be completed in a day.

Castle Mountain, Eisenhower Tower (2766 m/9072 ft)

This is a beautiful route on pretty good stone and not too hard - a few short bits of 5.5. It gets you to the top of a broad tower with killer views. We can do this in one day, or two days by walking up to the Castle Hut (half day) and doing a shorter route the first day. The second day we would climb the Tower and descend to the road.

Difficulty: Although not difficult technically this is a long one if done in one day. Expect up to a 12 hour day. The climbing is up to a 5.5 standard. On descent we have to do some downclimbing and several rappels. If you pick the two day option it will require about 4 hours of walking with a 12 kg/25 lb overnight pack to get to the hut.
Trip length: 1 or 2 days
Season: June through September
Prices start at:
1 day
1 person - C$450
2 people - C$250 per person
2 days
1 person - C$830
2 people - C$530 per person
2 day option price includes hut fees, park fees and food. Price does not include 5% GST tax. 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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Castle Mountain, Brewer's Buttress (2766 m/9072 ft)

Another great route on Castle, which goes to the main summit. This one is about 10 pitches long with fairly sustained difficulties of around 5.6. Descent is a walk off and some rappels. As with the Tower we can do this in 2 days, do some climbing in addition to walking up to the Castle Hut the first day. Or we can take one long day.

Difficulty: A long route if we do it in one day. Expect a 12 hour day with half of that being walking time. Climbing is up to 5.6 with several rapples in descent. If you pick the two day option it will require about 4 hours of walking with a 12 kg/25 lb overnight pack to get to the hut.
Trip length: 1 or 2 days
Season: June through September
Prices start at:
1 day
1 person - C$450
2 people - C$250 per person
2 days
1 person - C$830
2 people - C$530 per person
2 day option includes hut fees, park fees and food. Price does not include 5% GST tax. 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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Mt Louis (2682 m/8797 ft), Kain Route

Another one of Konrad Kain's classics. A great climb on this limestone spire that starts on the east face and spirals around the mountain onto the south face. We finish on the Perren Crack, a long sustained pitch. Descent is by several raps down the west face.

Difficulty: A lot of 4th class and easy 5th class climbing. A couple of harder pitches. The Perren Crack is the crux and is 5.7. Multiple rappels on descent. There is a long hike to and from the peak, expect at least 12 hours on this route.
Trip length: 1 day
Season: June through September
Prices start at:
1 person - C$475
2 people - C$265 per person
Price does not include 5% GST tax. Take 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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Mt Louis (2682 m/8797 ft), Gmoser Route

Probably the best alpine rock climb in the valley. A bold line straight up the south face of Louis on firm limestone.

Difficulty: About 15 pitches of 5th class climbing. There is a lot of 5.6 with a great 5.8 corner half way up. We finish in the Perren Crack, 5.7. Multiple rappels on descent and a long walk to and from the mountain. Expect 12 hours of moving steadily.
Trip length: 1 day
Season: June through September
Prices start at:
1 person - C$475
Price does not include 5% GST tax. Take 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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Grand Sentinel

A fantastic quartzite spire in a superb position. Rock climbing surrounded by high peaks and glaciers. The walk to the route is worth it in itself, we start by the beautiful Moraine Lake and ascend through forest to alpine meadows covered in flowers. Up and over Sentinel Pass brings us to the climb itself, 4 pitches up to 5.8.

Difficulty: A 2.5 hour approach and 4 pitches of steep climbing on big holds up to 5.8. Rappel descent. Expect an 8 hour day.
Trip length: 1 day
Season: July and August
Prices start at:
1 person - C$450
2 people - C$250 per person
Price does not include 5% GST tax. Take 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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The Bugaboos

The Bugaboos are a special place, granite spires soaring out of glaciers with green forested valleys below. Situated in the Purcell Mountains, a 3 hour drive west of Banff - Lake Louise, the "Bugs" are stunning and provide perhaps some of the most enjoyable climbing I offer. Most of these routes we can access from the Kain Hut, which is a 4 hour walk from the trailhead.

Pigeon Spire (3156 m/10,352 ft), West Ridge

We can climb this peak in a 2 day trip from Banff - Lake Louise although I would recommend the 3 day option to better enjoy this area. The climb has an interesting glacier approach up and over Bugaboo-Snowpatch Col. Once on the ridge the climb is airy and in a fantastic position. Mostly 4th class with a few short bits of easy 5th class, the route is on solid granite with glaciers, peaks and wild valleys in every direction. If the 3 day option is chosen we can climb another peak such as Bugaboo Spire.

Difficulty: One of the easier classics. The approach to the hut takes about 4 hours and you will need to carry an overnight pack of about 12 kg/25 lbs. From the hut to climb the peak and return will take about 8 hours, with another 2 hours to descend to the car. The route has some steep snow, glacier travel and easy but exposed rock climbing. Maximum guide:guest ratio 1:2.
Trip length: 2 days, 3 day option is available and recommended.
Season: June to early September.
Prices start at:
2 days
1 person - C$1035
2 people - C$600 per person
3 days
1 person - C$1585
2 people - C$930 per person
Includes guiding fee, food, hut, most climbing equipment. Price does not include 5% GST tax. Take 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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Bugaboo Spire (3204 m/10,509 ft), Kain Route

First climbed in 1916 by a party led by the famous guide Conrad Kain, this route was the most difficult rock climb in North America in it's day and it is still challenging! Starting up the Crescent Glacier we ascend steep snow slopes to the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col. From there the route starts easily up third class terrain until "the" gendarme is reached. A fifth class pitch here brings us to the upper mountain and more fourth and fifth class terrain deposits us on the summit. We descend the same route, downclimbing and rappelling. We can descend to the road the same day or I recommend making a 3 day trip to enjoy another route in the Bugs, such as Pigeon Spire.

Difficulty: Glacier travel, steep snow slopes and rock climbing up to 5.6. Expect about a 9 hour round trip from the hut, with another 2 hours down to the road. Maximum guide:guest ratio of 1:2.
Trip length: 2 days, 3 day option is available and recommended.
Season: Mid-June to early September.
Prices start at:
2 days
1 person - C$1035
2 people - C$600 per person
3 days
1 person - C$1585
2 people - C$930 per person
Includes guiding fee, food, hut, most climbing equipment. Price does not include 5% GST tax. Take 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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Bugaboo Spire (3204 m/10,509 ft), Northeast Ridge

Another great climb, but harder than the Kain Route. It follows an aesthetic soaring ridge to the north summit, then we traver se the peak and descend by way of the Kain Route. There are over 10 pitches of rock climbing up to 5.7, and lots of fourth class terrain. On the third day we can do a short climb near the hut before heading back down to the road.

Difficulty: Glacier travel, steep snow slopes and multiple pitches of rock climbing up to 5.7. Expect about a 12 hour round trip from the hut. Maximum guide:guest ratio of 1:2.
Trip length: 3 days.
Season: July to early September.
Prices start at:
1 person - C$1635
2 people - C$980 per person
Includes guiding fee, food, hut, most climbing equipment. Price does not include 5% GST tax. Take 10% off in the low season (before July 1 and after September 7).

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S Howser Tower (3364m/11,033 ft), Beckey/Chouinard

Oh, this is the line. Simply the best rock climb I have done, ever. Baffin, Cirque of the Unclimbables, Chamonix, none of those areas has a route like this. Reasonably easy access, a remote feel, sound rock quality and stellar, stellar climbing. How does miles of 5.8 climbing in hand and finger cracks on knobby granite sound? Throw in two short bits of 5.9 to spice it up and you have a classic. I do this trip in 5 days: 1.5 days to approach, a day on the route, a day in case of bad weather (or to climb another route), and a day back to the road.

Difficulty: 1.5 days with overnight packs to approach (heli access option: >>contact me for details). Lots of moderate climbing to 5.8. Two short sections of 5.9. Up to 20 pitches of climbing. Seven rappels and downclimbing on snow in descent. Expect 12-16 hours on summit day. Maximum guide:guest ratio 1:1. Maximum 2 guests per trip.
Trip length: 5 days.
Season: August
Price: C$2765 (1:1 guest:guide ratio only)
Price includes guiding fee, food, hut fees, group climbing and camping gear. Price does not include 5% GST tax. Ask about a shorter trip option with helicopter access.

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