Lambone Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Pretend it was your first ice trip to the Can. Rockies...If you had just three full days to climb ice in the Banff/Canmore Area, what routes would you climb? I'm going the weekend before Thanksgiving. Anything up to WI 5 is ok. What is a good game plan? With only three days, I hope to avoid driving around and getting shut down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Slipstream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Dru said: Slipstream Sorry to spray, but... Do it in two hours! Solo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted November 13, 2003 Author Share Posted November 13, 2003 off the couch...no problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Cascade Falls and Professors are multi-pitch classics in the area. Not sure what condition they are in right now. If it's "in" and you're fellin' ballsy, go hit up the terminator wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fern Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Murchison Falls . I guess it is obvious that to minimize driving and maximize climbing on a short trip you need to go to a section that has good routes close together? In that respect Canmore itself is not always the best center. Gravity is high there. The Ghost is far, the Kananaskis is far, etc. Lake Louise is good for being closer to all the Parkway climbs (Bow Falls, Mt. Wilson, Polar Circus), as well as Field (the Beer routes) Also nearby is Johnston Canyon if you want to monkey about with an audience. The higher elevation stuff on the Parkway is fairly dependable even if a Chinook comes in. I spent 3 days there on a November trip while it was raining in Banff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 check www.live-the-vision.com and www.gravsports.com for conditions reports. Says there Cascade is crowded slush and Professors is very wet. In a few weeks it might change. However Polar Circus is FAT right now it also says. Also Mixed master is in with lotsa ice. I mean if you only have 3 days why mess around? Go stay at Rampart Creek Hostel, climb weeping wall one day, polar circus one day, mixed master one day. Three quality routes and no fucking around with approaches! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Dru said: I mean if you only have 3 days why mess around? Go stay at Rampart Creek Hostel, climb weeping wall one day, polar circus one day, mixed master one day. Three quality routes and no fucking around with approaches! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 The rampart creek hostel is really neat too! Though I can't complain about the lake lousie hostel which was downright plus and full of HAWT australian girlies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted November 13, 2003 Author Share Posted November 13, 2003 Yeah Nice, Rampart Creek Hostel sounds like a good base camp, and close to the Parkway routes. Do you need to make reservations there, or is it walk in? Is it too late allready? Murchison, Polar Circus, and Weeping would be fantastic. Is that a realistic tick list for three days in a row? Also, I'm meeting my bros from Bozeman, so we'll have a party of three. Kind of slower, but they are ropeguns... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Yeah, you should be able to do those three. I would start with Murchison's (it has the longest approach ~1 hour), do weeping wall in the middle for a shorter day with no approach and a two minute drive from Rampart Creek, and then finish with the big guy, Polar Circus. If you tick those three, that would be f'ing cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurthicks Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Taken on Sunday: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted November 13, 2003 Author Share Posted November 13, 2003 Gracias, Just found this source, it's pretty sweet... http://www.wickedgravity.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 wazzumountaineer said: Taken on Sunday: fo weeping wall that is really thin.... normally the ice goes right across on the lower wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceIceBaby Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Defiantly not the very familiar with the Canadian Rockies but this is what Ill do for the time I have Weeping wall BrideVail falls Ice 9 area North face of Fay Chouinard route Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinkyclimber Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 IceIceBaby said: North face of Fay Chouinard route This is a fun route, not very hard, but definately not waterfall ice, and not really a winter route. Getting up to Colgan Hut would be a pain in the ass too. More of a summer line, I thought, but I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceIceBaby Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 conditions as for 11/08/03 seems to be in favor there is no new snow on the ground and it looks pretty straight forward although everything could already changed by now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 fern said: Murchison Falls . I agree with fern that this should be one of the three days. The other two should be occupied by one of these: Professors Louise Falls Weeping Wall Polar Circus depending on avalanche conditions iambone said: Murchison, Polar Circus, and Weeping would be fantastic. Is that a realistic tick list for three days in a row? Probably not, unless you and partner are in really really good shape. However, two of these with a shorter day in the middle would be reasonable. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 stinkyclimber said: IceIceBaby said: North face of Fay Chouinard route This is a fun route, not very hard, but definately not waterfall ice, and not really a winter route. Getting up to Colgan Hut would be a pain in the ass too. More of a summer line, I thought, but I could be wrong. you are right. Doing N Face of Fay in winter would suck up 2+ days of your schedule, for 3 pitches of steep snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Led_Hed Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 If you could do only one right now I would have to vote for Polar Circus. It's a fabulous route and reportedly in great shape at the moment. Murchinson is also classic and not far from the Rampart Hostel. Professors is a fun one to but very rambling. Weeping Wall also rocks. Wonder what the N. Face of Athabasca looks like right now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Fisher Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 If mixed master was in, I'd nix either weeping wall or murchisons and do it instead. In my last 3 trips up there in the last three years it was bone dry. weeping wall and murchisons are cool and all, but they'll always be there on your next trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted November 16, 2003 Author Share Posted November 16, 2003 Forked out for the plane ticket to Calgary today...pretty cheap, it's on! Got a week to train... Any one else going to be there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kailas Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Check out Johnston creek area, a number of climbs from 2-5WI at the end of the 2.5km hike. Take hwy 1A from Banff. The end of the hike is a 70m wide sheet of ice plus ice all along the route in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted November 19, 2003 Author Share Posted November 19, 2003 Ok, new question. Avy danger looks to be high now, forecast says "Ice climbs with snow above them are a bad idea." So if conditions continue to worsen later this week, what are some good routes that arn't prone to avy hazard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinkyclimber Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 JoJo's book is pretty good for this sort of info. It has been a long time since I was there, but I think Johnstone Canyon is probably a good bet for these conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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