Mons Peak

Getting ready for an alpine climbing adventure in the Canadian Rockies is a true test of planning and logistics.  The Alpine Club of Canada Toronto Section assembled in the mountains north of Golden BC for some incredible alpine climbing at the Mons Glacier (and later at the Lyell Glacier).

Let's see, we needed:

• back packs - check
• climbing boots - check
• crampons - check
• ice axe - check
• summer clothes - check
• winter clothes - check
• glacier glasses - check
• food - check
• cook - check
• fearless leaders - check
• chicken wire - check
• helicopter - check 

Within minutes (~ 5) we were choppered up into the alpine and our new "home" for the next 10 days.

Looks kinda cosy from a distance with a "little wee outhouse at the edge of all things".  The Mons Hut is located near the glacier on a rocky outcrop at an elevation of 7,630 ft (2,235 m).  High enough to be "up there", but low enough to allow glacial melt streams for drinking water.

It was a whole new experience for some of us: early morning "alpine" starts, glacier travel, moving across snow, ice and crevasses, sharp but loose rock, cool temps, warm temps and hot temps, but mostly lots of sun, fresh mountain air and truly amazing views.

Mons Peak loomed high above us and many hours away.

After some climbing, we got closer to our destination ...

Just a few crevasses to negotiate and the summit would be ours!

Mons Peak at an elevation of 10,115 ft (3,083 m).  Ya!!!

Sweet!

Lyell Heli Dance

The Rocky Mountains along the Alberta / BC border are breathtaking (especially at the 11,000 ft elevation).  The Lyell Glacier and surrounding valleys and mountain peaks are truly spectacular!

Here's a short video of our helicopter ride returning from the Lyell Mountains near Golden BC in August 2012:

Lyell Heli Dance http://vimeo.com/47428359 "Lyell Mountain helicopter ride from the glacier hut to the valley below."

Enjoy!

Ah Ha Ling!

Well, climbing the Northeast Face of Ha Ling near Canmore, Alberta turned out to be a long, long day.

A gorgeous morning view of Ha Ling from the ACC Clubhouse just got us psyched to climb the route so we cruised up to the Grassi Lakes parking area and started the 1.5 hour approach to the base of the route.

The Northeast Face of Ha Ling is 12 pitches of mostly 5.6 climbing on variable terrain with lots of loose limestone rock and the odd overhanging section and runout pitches to keep it "western" and "spicy".

There were a couple of beautiful dihedral pitches with good cracks, great pro and nice features for climbing.  We would have like more climbing of this style, but we're not on Squamish granite, right!!!

Ya, these pitches were fun!  And we were getting really high; it started to get windy and a bit chilly on Ha Ling.  Time for the puff jackets and wind shells!

A few more runout pitches and some more loose rock, and before we new it, we were at the top!  Ya!!!

It was freezing up there and the wind was howling around 20 knots!  Nevertheless, it was an awesome climb!  (Somewhere between type 1 and type 2 fun, unless you're into Rockies choss and then it would be all type 1 fun).

But, like they say in the mountains, when you're at the top you're only half way.  The 2 hour decent along the hikers trail awaited us.  A pleasant, but sustained hike with 30 lbs packs and water supply running low.  Brutal.  Maybe we were suffering from the altitude change and had a touch of jet lag. Who knows?

Twelve hours later (car to car) and a few beers with friends in town seemed to brighten the mood.

There are a few more climbing routes on Ha Ling which go at higher grades of difficulty.  I'ld have to give it some thought and maybe get some route beta before tacking any of them since my main issues with this type of Rockies climbing are (1) loose rock and (2) route finding - not trivial characteristics in the mountains when help is either far away and not there at all.

Canmore is a cool place to climb in the summer (which apparently lasts about 4 weeks!)  If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes or drive to the next mountain range and enjoy the sunshine.

Maybe you'll find a waterfall and raging river nearby.

Cheers!

Real Mountain Climbing

Now this is what we call "real climbing" - Tim chilling in the Bugs.

Now That's Entertainment

WOW!!!

Climbing at Bon Echo on a warm summer day is awesome most of the time, but climbing "The Entertainer", a 5-pitch, 5.9 beauty, is simply amazing!!!

The Entertainer lives up to its name and is truly fun climbing on every pitch!  Not too physical.  Not too technical.  Mostly great climbing on good rock with interesting features, nice movement and great protection!!!  (My kind of route!)

The route starts with a 10m vertical scramble straight out of the boat off the water to a comfortable ledge.  No gear.  No rope.  Not hard climbing, but not trivial either.  It gets your climbing head "in the game" right away!

The second pitch starts with a pumpy traverse and then up to a shattered (?) block belay stance with great exposure.

Pitches 3 and 4 have harder technical climbing, the "money pitches" starting with thin finger cracks ...

... and ending with overhanging hand cracks.  A bit physical in places, but the cruxes are brief and well protected with ample gear placements.  (I would give these pitches a 5.10a or 5.10b rating elsewhere).

The view of the cliff and lake from the ledge above pitch 4 is spectacular!

Of course, it wouldn't be Bon Echo unless there was a "sting in the tail".  Pitch 5 has some delicate slabby sections with lichen and then a final exit to the top of the cliff through an overhanging crack.  Burly!  Fun!

What's next? Time to coil the rope, walk down to the water's edge and wait for an ACC boat ride to our next adventure.

Sweet!

Holy Cow!

Finally!  A route at Rattlesnake Point near Milton, Ontario that (a) isn’t polished like floor wax, (b) doesn’t suck and (c) isn’t crawling with top ropers, rappers and commercial ops!  (Well, actually, we had to duck under a rope or two on our journey up the cliff - you’re never alone at Rattlesnake Point on a nice sunny day).

Today, after getting “schooled” on a pumpy and polished 5.8 “warm-up” (?) on Rattlesnake Point limestone, we hopped on Holy Cow, a 2-pitch 5.8 route near the spring and, you know, it wasn’t bad!  I actually liked it!! A lot!!!

Two pitches (a rare event on the Niagara Escarpement) with decent friction, great gear, some crack, a spicy traverse, interesting movement, comfortable belay stances, no bugs and a beautiful view of southern Ontario in summer.

We'll have to do it again.  Next time ... you lead!