Climbing in the Canadian Rockies in Early Oct?

[KathyS]

A dear friend of mine is getting married in Field, BC the first weekend in October. I am planning to go and would like to make a vacation out of it since I'll be flying all the way from the east coast. So, I'm wondering what the climbing is like in the area that time of year? Too cold, but too early for ice season? My preference is for multipitch trad routes, 5.8 and under, but would consider other options in the same grade range. What areas should I be looking at? Are there guide services in the area? I'm planning to rent a car. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Kathy

[AlpineK]

The Kain Route on Mt. Louis is a fun one (5.7).

 

Brewer Buttress on Castle Mountain is good (5.6).

 

Both routes are north of HWY 1 between Lake Louise and Banff. You can't miss Castle Mountain driving on the highway. Ultra Brewer is better, but it is a little tricky to find the base, and it is 5.9.

 

Those are the ones I've done close to Field. Mt Victoria seems like a fun thing to do.

 

The weather stays pretty good through September. October I don't know. I went on a couple bc ski trips off the Parkway in November. The weather sucked then.

[Le Piston]

Mt. Louis looks really cool...it was raining when I was there and didn't climb it. Another climb to consider in the Rogers Pass area is Mt. Sir Donald...long mid-5th class multipitch climb on quartzite (much nicer than a lot of Canadian Rockies choss). There is another nice peak next door called Uto Peak. Beautiful area.

[glassgowkiss]

Kathy, it will be most likely too cold to do any longer rock routes. You might be able to get a day or two at Bataan or crags like that, which are south facing and in a direct sun it might be warm enough to do some pitches. Yamnuska would be OK, as long as it's a sunny day.

However it would be a great time to do high alpine mix routes. Shooting Gallery, Asteroid Alley on Andromeda, Side Street on Little Snow Dome, Slawinski/Takeda , Mt Athabasca.

Check Alpine Select (Dougherty), maybe new guidebook by Slawinski will be out by this time too. Also check Will Gadd web page and www.live-the-vision.com for latest condition updates.

[KathyS]

Thanks for the info, folks! What about local guide services? I won't have my own partner for this trip. Couldn't talk any of them into going.

 

Kathy

[Le Piston]

You might check out Yamnuska guide service or I have climbed twice with a guide Larry Dolecki and he was great. Look him up online at icefall.ca. Good Luck!

[glassgowkiss]

hook up with someone from Calgary or canmore.