Tangle Ridge

Last monday my buddy Jiro and I made the slog into a newly climbed route called "Undertow", on the backside of Tangle Ridge on the Icefields Parkway. A big congrats to the first ascentionists - Mike Verway, Jay Mills, and Steve Holeczi(who taught me how to ice climb in '05).

This was a big rig with over 600meters of ice in the WI 4 to 6 range. There was 3 steeper pitches, but most of the climbing was closer to WI4. The exit pitch over the dormant serac at the top was short but burly and very unique, toping out onto low angled ice and snow. The summit views were incredible! A full pano of the Columbia Icefields with Mt. Kitchener in front and centre.

With a good overnight freeze we were able to hike into the base in 3 hours, climbing the popular "Shades of Beauty"(WI4, 120m) along the way. Add that to the overall length and your looking at nearly 800m of ice!! All that fat waterfall ice at this time of year is just awesome. We used a 70m rope and topped out after over 9 long rope-stretching pitches. Every pitch was unique and fun. After enjoying the summit views and playing the peak naming game, we casually descended the south ridge back to Tangle Falls and the Parkway. We had been on the go, non-stop for 15hours and feeling a bit tired, but mainly thirsty. Its hard on your body to exert for that long on just 1.5 litres of water and a few snickers bars, but you gotta keep the weight down in order to travel quicker.

I would say that "Undertow" is one of the best pure waterfall climbs that I have done! If you're into this sort of thing, make the slog in and enjoy one of the very best ice climbs in the Canadian Rockies.

Sails for Seniors - WI6

Rob Smith and I deciced to go looking for some end of season ice. We drove up the Icefields Parkway but wasn't sure about the amounts of recent snowfall around Mt. Murchison. It's a good thing Murchison is on the east side of the parkway and lies in a rain shadow as west of us winter was still very much alive there.

We decide to have a look at a newly climbed route called "Sails for Seniors" (M6, WI6), located in a gully just up and left of the popular Balfour Wall. The approach is simple as it follows the Balfour Wall approach for 40min before contouring up to tree line then traversing up and left to the dry looking break in the cliffband above. 1.5 hours later we were standing below a short pitch of black ice dirtied from runoff rocks and dirt. This short pitch of WI3 led to a low angled snow slope, which led to the base of S for S. The climbed looked thin and fun from the base. 2 gorgeous pitches of thin ice climing with some excellent rock protection in a awesome setting made this one of the funnest climbs I have done this year! There is some interesting chimneying with blobs of good ice and some rotten WI6 ice on the second pitch to make it exciting. Both belays and most of the good gear was in rock. More info on www.gravsports-ice.com. FA J Mills and M Adolph

Banff Life

Spent the day guiding with Sarah H. and the Banff Life Crew. We had an intro to ice climbing day and spent it at The Junkyards. It's an excellent beginner area to learn the basics and swing the tools. There is lots of ice and numerous areas to set up a rope or practice your lead skills. We start off the morning by learning how to walk in crampons, front pointing, swinging ice tools, body positioning while on the ice, belaying, tying in with a figure-8, and general into. We then move into setting up top-ropes and getting into applying the basics to getting up the ice. Folks have a chance to try out numerous climbing areas within the Junkyards and test their skills on low-angled, and steeper ice while getting instruction on climbing technique. We also enjoy getting to know one another and enjoying the great outdoors!

Thanks Banff Life Crew!!! You're Awesome!!

A Classy Ghost Link-Up

Yesterday, my friend Jiro and I linked up the popular Hydrophobia and The Sorcerer, in the Ghost Wilderness area. Giri-Giri member "Jumbo", and Rob Smith joined us in the link-up climbing the same routes in opposite order. The climbs could not be in any better shape. We found dry and good quality hooked out ice most of the way making the climbing quick and easier than I have experienced in the past.

After an aggressive 1.5hour 4x4 ride in my new 4Runner - including river crossings, deep snow ruts, steep hills, and bogs - we parked within view of Hydrophobia. At 0815 Jiro and I left for the Sorcerer. After 2 hours of hiking and bushwhacking and backtracking on a few trails we were at the base of the aesthetic Sorcerer - 210m, WI5. At 1230 we topped out on the Sorcerer after a tricky exit pitch skirting a good size cornice and plugging in a couple cams for peace of mind. I was surprised to find a 2 bolt anchor up and right in which to belay Jiro on. After a snickers lunch and a couple gulps of water we started the hike over the Hydro.

As we skirted the scree and small snow slopes up to our right, we spotted Rob and Jumbo making their way over from Hydro in the drainage below us. A few hoot and hollers confirmed that all was good and we would meet up back at the truck. Other than a constant side-hill hike, the walk over to Hydro was not bad and took approx 1 hour to reach the top of Hydro. We set a v-thread and started the rappels. Now, I had never climbed Hydro before, so seeing it from the top down as we rappelled by was awesome. The exposure is even greater than that of The Sorcerer! This was such a cool spot.

At the base of Hydrophobia(150m WI5+) we sorted the gear and swapped leads completing the climb in 3 gorgeous pitches. The ice was perfect and the temps were perfect and the day was turning into perfect. As we rapped Hydro I was scanning the very intimidating mixed neighbour Cryophobia(M8 WI5+ 225m) and wondered if I would ever have the guns to send such a route. Compared to the guidebook photo, it currently looks like its in excellent conditions with some bolt protected ice climbing on the 4th and 5th pitches. Maybe by spring??

Walking back to the car from Hydro I had time to scan the valley and found it very beautiful. Large limestone boulders of excellent quality were scattered around the valley floor. Looking back at Hydro you can scan the natural amphitheatre and find so much beauty in that place. I also found a set of car keys lying directly in the middle of the trail - they turned out to be Jumbos!! What are the chances!

As we hiked back through the forest to "Barney" - my purple looking 4Runner, even though its officially midnight blue - we ran into Rob and Jumbo and timing could not be more perfect. We hiked the remaining 5 minutes reminiscing excitedly about the day.

In my opinion. If your planning on doing the linkup from the Waiperous, the best way to do it is Hydro first, then Sorcerer. This avoids a few things: the longer uphill hike to the Sorcerer, the mixed pitch/cornice exit on the Sorcerer, and the extra v-threads needed to get past the upper rambly ice on Hydro. From the top of The Sorcerer its easier to start the raps using the first 2 bolt anchor.

Rockies Winter Alpine

Yesterday, Nic Ranicar and I climbed the awesome "Riptide" ice climb on the North East face of Mt. Patterson located just north of Bow Summit, Rockies. I finally felt like I had the guns to give this one a go. In it's current form, its a pure ice climb and a lot fatter than its original ascent conditions.
We found steep climbing on all 3 pitches along with thin ice, chandeliery ice, snow-ice mix, overhanging features, and delicate and unprotectable pillars. The good thing is we found good belays and pretty good pro on lead(after some digging). The pitches felt like they went at WI6, WI5+, and WI6+R. Meaning bloody steep and scary!
Nic did a fantastic job of leading the cux pitch and held it together throughout a necky lead.