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Canadian Rockies

Rugged, remote, and heavily glaciated Rockies are Canada's most well known mountains. They are also the highest mountains in Canada south of Yukon. The Canadian Rockies run along the British Columbia-Alberta border, mainly on Alberta side, from the Northwest Territories through into the US. They are located to the east (inland) of Canadian Coast Range and Columbian mountains.

The Canadian Rocky Mountains are Rugged, remote, and heavily glaciated, with steep snowy peaks. Most mountains have easy routes up rounded flanks, and more difficult climbs up steep rock faces. The rock is generally not renowed for its good quality, though. Weather is cold and snowy through much of the year, the best months for climbing being July and August.

Compared to other mountain areas of Canada, Rockies are easily accessible. Galgary located to the SE of the range is the nearest major city. Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff and Canmore are the main convenient centers in the area.

Highest mountain of the area is Mount Robson 3945m located in Mount Robson Provincial park in the northern part of the range. Other popular areas include Jasper National Park, especially Columbia Ice Field and Banff National Park, especially around Lake Louise, Yoho and Glacier National parks and Mt. Assiniboie Provincial Park with its namesake, the classic pyramid shape of Mount Assiniboine ("Matterhorn of Canadian Rockies", 3618m).

Mount Robson provincial park

• Mount Robson (3945m)

South Jasper Range

• Mount Edith Cavell (3363m)

Columbia Icefield

• Mount Columbia (3747m)
• North Twin (3684m)
• Mount Alberta (3619m)
• Mount Kitchener (3505m)
• Mount Athabasca (3491m)
• Snowdome (3456m)
• Mount Andromeda (3450m)

Icefields Parkway

• Mount Forbes (3612m)
• Howse Peak (3290m)
• Cirrus Mountain (3270m)
• Mount Chephren (3266m)
• Mount Patterson (3197m)

Lake Louise

• Mount Temple (3543m)
• Mount Victoria (3464m)
• Mount Lefroy (3424m)
• Mount Aberdeen (3151m)
• Wiwaxy Peak (2703m)

Valley of Ten Peaks

• Mount Fay (3234m)
• Mount Stanley (3155m)

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park

• Mount Assiniboine (3618m)

The following climbs in the Canadian Rockies are listed as the North American classics:

Mount Robson provincial park

• Mount Robson, Kain Face (nccs IV 48°/D/NZ3+/4; 48°)
• Mount Robson, North Face (nccs IV 55°/D+; 55°)

South Jasper Range Jasper National Park

• Mount Edith Cavell, East Ridge (nccs III 5.3/D)
• Mount Edith Cavell, North Face ()

Columbia Icefield Jasper National Park

• Mount Alberta, Japanese route ()
• Mount Athabasca, North Face

Icefields Parkway Banff National Park

• Cirrus Mountain, Polar Circus (TD; V WI5)

Lake Louise Bow Range Banff National Park

• Wiwaxy Peak, Grassi Ridge ()
• Mount Temple, East Ridge (nccs IV 5.7 40°)

Banff/Sawback Range

• Castle Mountain, Brewer Buttress (II 5.6)

Ghost River valley

• Ghost River Valley, The Sorcerer (IV WI5)

Banff/Massive Range

• Mount Bourgeau, Bourgeau Left (IV WI5)

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Southern areas

• Mount Assiniboine, North Ridge ()

Canadian Rocky mountains are the mecca of waterfall ice climbing of North America. Especially Banff, Canmore and Lake Louise have plenty of frozen waterfalls.

• Corbett, Bill: The 11000ers - Of the Canadian Rockies. Rocky Mountain Publishing Company, 2004. Isbn: 9781894765435.
• Dougherty, Sean: Selected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockies (Falcon Guides Rock Climbing). Heritage House Publishing, 1999. Isbn: 0-921102-14-3.
• Isaac, Sean: Mixed Climbs in the Canadian Rockies. Rocky Mountain Books, 2000. Isbn: 9780921102816.
• Josephson, Joe: Waterfall Ice (Falcon Guides Rock Climbing). Rocky Mountain Books, Incorporated, 1995. Isbn: 092110233X.
• Kroese, Mark: Fifty Favorite Climbs - The Ultimate North American Tick List, 1st edition. Mountaineers Books, 2001. Isbn: 9780898867282.
• Kroese, Mark: Fifty Favorite Climbs - The Ultimate North American Tick List, 1st edition. Mountaineers Books, 2001. Isbn: 9780898867282.
• Roper, Steve & Steck, Allen: Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Sierra Club Books, 1996. Isbn: 9780871568847.
• Roper, Steve & Steck, Allen: Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Sierra Club Books, 1996. Isbn: 9780871568847.

• Overview map of Canadian Rockies
• Overview map of Jasper national park
• Overview map of Banff national park
• Overview map of Glacier national park
• map of Yoho National Park
• Kootenay National Park

• Bivouac.com. Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia.
• Canadian Rockies. Introduction to climbing in Canadian Rockies. By Matthew Buckle.
• Canadian Rockies. Area page. At SummitPost.
• Canadian Rockies. Area page. At Bivouac.com.
• Canadian Rockies Alpine climbs. Area page. At SummitPost.
• Canadian Rockies Ice. Area page. At SummitPost.
• Canadian Rockies ice-climbing on-line. All sorts of usefull information about the waterfall ice climbing in Canadian Rockies.
• Fifty Classic Climbs Of North America. At SummitPost.
• Ice routes. Information about recommended routes. At Rockies Ice Specialists.
• Mountain Project. Beyond the Guidebook - The Premier Resource for the Climbing and Mountaineering Community. Load of info about US climbing areas (some info about few other areas well).
• North American Classic climbs. At Los Alamos Mountaineers.
• Peakfinder. This collection of databases presents comprehensive information about each of the 1560 mountains in the Canadian Rockies. As well, information may be found regarding almost 200 passes and over sixty mountain ranges in the Rockies. Biographies of over 100 individuals who are part of the history of the Canadian Rockies are also available as is a chronology of the history of the Canadian Rockies. By Dave Birrell at Rocky Mountain Books at Rocky Mountain Books.
• Steck and Roper's 50 Classic Climbs. List of routes included in Steve Roper and Allen Steck's "Fifty Classic Climbs of North America" (1979, ISBN: 0-87156-884-5).
• Waterfall Ice Climbs in the Canadian Rockies. Information about areas and routes routes. At Rocky Mountain Books.

Mount Robson provincial park

Mount Robson provincial park is located to the SW of Jasper National park, on the border between British Columbia and Alberta. The park contains the impressive massif Mount Robson, which at 3954m (12,972 feet) is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.

The main convenient center is the city of Jasper.

The following are the best known climbs of Robson area:

Mount Robson provincial park

• Mount Robson, Kain Face (nccs IV 48°/D/NZ3+/4; 48°)
• Mount Robson, North Face (nccs IV 55°/D+; 55°)
• Mount Robson, Emperor Face

Jasper National Park

Jasper is the largest and most northerly Canadian rocky mountain national parks, part of a spectacular World Heritage Site. It is located in Alberta, adjacent to and east of Mount Robson Provincial park. The main convenient center is the city of Jasper. Best known climbs in Jasper are found in three areas:

• South Jasper Range located to the south of city of Jasper. The range consist of Meadow-Clairvaux group, Fraser-Rampant group, Trident range and Cavell group. Cavell group with its namesake Mount Edith Cavell (3363m) is the most prominent of the groups and also most interesting for the climbers.
• Columbia Icefield. Columbia icefield is located partially in northwestern tip of Banff partially in southern end of Jasper National Park, between Jasper in the north (60 miles) and Lake Louise in the south (80 miles). Some of the highest mountains, as well as many of the most popular climbs, in the Canada Rockies are located around the edges of the park.

The following are probably the best known climbs of Jasper area:

South Jasper Range Jasper National Park

• Mount Edith Cavell, East Ridge (nccs III 5.3/D)
• Mount Edith Cavell, North Face ()

Columbia Icefield Jasper National Park

• Mount Alberta, Japanese route ()
• Mount Athabasca, North Face
• Mount Andromeda, Skyladder (nccs II AI2/AD+; II/AI2/45°)
• Snowdome, Slipstream (nccs V WI4+; VI/WI4+/80°)
• North Twin, North Face
• Mount Kitchener, Grand Central Couloir (nccs V 5.9 AI4/ED; V/AI4 M6 VS, 5.9)

During the winter there's plenty of waterfall ice climbing to be had in Jasper. However, jasper is not as popular as the more accessible Banff areas.

• Overview map of Jasper national park

• Jasper National Park. Area page. At Mountain Project.

South Jasper Range

South Jasper Range located to the south of city of Jasper. The range consist of Meadow-Clairvaux group, Fraser-Rampant group, Trident range and Cavell group. Cavell group with its namesake Mount Edith Cavell (3363m) is the most prominent of the groups and also most interesting for the climbers.

• Mount Edith Cavell (3363m)
• Mount Simon (3313m)
• Throne Mountain (3120m)
• Blackhorn Peak (3000m)
• Chevron Mountain (2879m)
• Tonguin Hill (2398m)

Columbia Icefield

Columbia icefield is located partially in northwestern tip of Banff partially in southern end of Jasper National Park, between Jasper in the north (60 miles) and Lake Louise in the south (80 miles). The area is accessible from Icefields parkway (highway 93). It is the largest icefield in Canadian Rockies consisting of eight major glaciers including:

• Athabasca Glacier
• Castleguard Glacier
• Columbia Glacier
• Dome Glacier
• Stutfield Glacier
• Saskatchewan Glacier

Some of the highest mountains in the Canada Rockies are located around the edges of the park. The highest peak of the area is Mount Columbia (3747m, the second highest peak in Canadian Rockies). Most important peaks of the area are:

• Mount Andromeda (3450m)
• Mount Athabasca (3491m)
• Mount Bryce (3507m)
• Castleguard Mountain (3090m)
• Mount Columbia (3747m)
• Mount King Edward (3490m)
• Mount Kitchener (3505m)
• North Twin (3684m)
• Snowdome (3456m)
• Stutfield Peak (3450m)

The area has host of famous climbs. Moderate classics include north face of Mount Athabasca (3491m) and Skyladder on Mount Andromeda while Grand Central Couloir on Mount Kitchener (3505m) and North face of North Twin (3684m) are test pieces for the elite.

• Columbia Icefield. Area page. At Peakbagger.com.
• Columbia Icefield. At SummitPost.
• Columbia Icefield. Area page. At Bivouac.com.

Banff National Park

Banff National Park and surrounding areas are popular among climbers. There are classic alpine destinations as well as loads of winter ice climbing. Banff-area consists of multiple areas:

• Northernmost part of the Banff is formed by Columbia Icefield.
• Icefields Parkway covers the areas accessible from Icefields Parkway between Sunwapta Pass (Columbia icefield) and Lake Louise.
• Areas located close to city of Lake Louise in the heart of the Canadian Rockies is where mountaineering began in Canada. The highest peak of the Lake Louise group (Bow Range) is Mount Temple (3543m). Other important peaks include Mt. Fay (3234m) , Mt. Lefroy (3424m) , Stanley Peak and Mt. Victoria (3416m) . Sawback range is located on the other side Bow valley, opposite to Bow range.
• Yoho national Park
• Glacier National Park
• Kootenay National Park (Valley of Ten Peaks)
• In the south lie Mt. Assiniboie Provincial Park with its namesake, the classic pyramid shape of Mount Assiniboine ("Matterhorn of Canadian Rockies", 3618m). The mixed north ridge is a classic climb (IV 5.5).

Main centers of the area are Lake Louise in the northern part of Banff and Banff and Canmore in the southern part. nearest major city is Galgary.

The following climbs are considered classics:

Icefields Parkway Banff National Park

• Cirrus Mountain, Polar Circus (TD; V WI5)

Lake Louise Bow Range Banff National Park

• Wiwaxy Peak, Grassi Ridge ()
• Mount Temple, East Ridge (nccs IV 5.7 40°)
• Mount Lefroy, West Face (nccs II 35°)
• Mount Aberdeen, East Slope ()

Sawback Range

• Castle Mountain, Brewer Buttress (II 5.6)

Ghost River Valley

• Ghost River Valley, The Sorcerer (IV WI5)

Massive Range

• Mount Bourgeau, Bourgeau Left (IV WI5)

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Southern areas

• Mount Assiniboine, North Ridge ()

Valley of Ten Peaks Bow Range Banff National Park

• Mount Stanley, Kahl Route ()
• Mount Fay, West Ridge (Normal) or Chouinard Route (North Face)

During the winter the area has several world classic ice climbs. Especially Icefield Parkway (Columbia Icefield; Cirrus Mountain (Polar Circus, Weeping Wall), Mount Murchison; Mt. Patterson; Mount Wilson), Bow valley (Cascade Mountain, Mount Rundle, Lake Louise, Bourgeau, Mount Temple) and Ghost River valleys have loads of world class ice for the connoisseur.

• map of Yoho National Park
• Overview map of Banff national park
• Overview map of Glacier national park
• Kootenay National Park
• Hiking Trails in the Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Area

• Banff National Park. Area page. At Mountain Project.
• Banff National Park of Canada. Activities: Climbing and Mountaineering "The Lay of the Land".
• Banff national park. Area page. At SummitPost.
• Bow Range. Area page. At Bivouac.com.
• Climbing and Mountaineering. Area page. At Out There.
• Lake Louise. Area page. At SummitPost.

Icefields Parkway

Icefields Parkway covers the areas accessible from Icefields Parkway between Sunwapta Pass (Columbia icefield) and Lake Louise.

• Mount Forbes (3612m)
• Howse Peak (3290m)
• Mount Chephren (3266m)
• Cirrus Mountain (3270m)
• Mount Patterson (3197m)

Bow Range

Bow range is classic alpine area located on the border between Alberta and British Columbia, tho the west of Bow river valley and Lake Louise. The range locates partially in Banff national Park and partially in Yoho national park. The highest peak of the Lake Louise group (Bow Range) is Mount Temple (3543m). Other important peaks include Mt. Lefroy (3424m) , Stanley Peak and Mt. Victoria (3416m) .

Valley of ten peaks is located around Moraine Lake, somewhat to the south of lake Louise and just to the north of Kootenay National Park. The most important peak of the area is Mt. Fay (3234m).

• map of Yoho National Park
• Overview map of Banff national park
• Hiking Trails in the Lake Louise & Moraine Lake Area

Lake Louise

Valley of Ten Peaks

Valley of ten peaks is located around Moraine Lake, somewhat to the south of Lake Louise and just to the north of Kootenay National Park. Normal routes to the ten peaks located to the south of the valley, as well the south face of Mount Temple located to the north of Moraine Lake are generally non-technical. Traverse of the Ten Peaks in III 5.5 and requires at least one bivouac for the most parties. Classic hard routes of the area are East Face of Mount Fay and Super Couloir on the north face of Mount Deltaform (3424m, IV 5.8, 1000m).

Main starting point is the parking lot by Moraine Lake. Calgan hut offers accommodation.

• Kootenay National Park

• Valley of the Ten Peaks. Area page. At SummitPost.

Southern areas

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park

Mount Assiniboine area is completely dominated by Mount Assiniboine, the "Matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies". Sunburst Peak (2820m) is probably the second best known climbing destination.

Access to the area is from Canmore to road end, from where it is 20km hike (6h) or helicopter ride to Lake Magog.

Kananaskis Country

With Sir Douglas and Mount Joffre being the most notable exceptions, the climbing in Kananaskis Country is mainly on rock. Generally speaking both routes and approaches are shorter than in most other parts of Canadian Rockies and the weather tends generally better as well.

• Sir Douglas (3406m)
• Mount Joffre (3449m)
• Mount Lougheed (3125m)