Bow Valley Rock
Rock climbing in the Bow Valley has been so much fun lately, and although I've been mostly seasoning single pitch sport climbs at Bataan and Lake Louise, I've been really stoked on a couple of multi-pitch lines I've recently done.
Super Mega-Fauna (named after an encounter with a bear on the trail) was put up a few years back by the late, great Dave Thompson. Dave was one of the legendary route setters of the BV and this route is a prime example of his amazing drive. Sustained, technical, well bolted, and perched just above tree line ousted of Banff, it's a perfect route for summer. 8 pitches up the NE face of Mt. Edith and it definitely gets my recommendation.
Michelle Kadatz on Super Mega-Fauna
The NE face of Mt. Edith. SMF goes right up the middle of it.
Michelle halfway up the route
Another awesome line I climbed by another of the BV's best route setters is Silent Auction. Greg Tos opened this one up just a few months ago, and with five pitches of 5.12-, three of 5.11 and one of 5.10, this has to be one of the most sustained at its grade in the area. Highly recommended! Although it was sunny the day we climbed, there had been quite a bit of rain the week before, and we found the crux holds on the second and fourth pitches to be a little damp. Unfortunately the damp holds prevented us from getting the on-sight, on those pitches, but otherwise, we both managed to on-sight the rest of the route. There is so much good looking stone in this giant grotto on Grotto mountain just outside of Canmore, that I can only imagine this is perhaps the start of a stellar future climbing zone!
Samuel lambert on the 3rd pitch
Sam following the 4th pitch
Looking accross and all the unclimbed rock!
Sam following the wildly overhanging 6th pitch
Nice water streaks on the 7th pitch
Sam locking into a knee bar on the 9th pitch, and getting the first bit of sun of the day at around 3:30 in the afternoon. Climbing the whole route in the shade on a warm day made for perfect conditions. We both climbed every pitch pitch in a t-shirt, and hauled a light bag with a light puffy jacket each for the belays.
As I write this, I'm only a few hours away from my second trip into the Bugaboos this summer. So Stoked!!! The first trip was amazing with adventures on the Minaret Tower and amongst the Pigeon Feathers, and no doubt the second one will be super fun too. I'll post some pics when I'm back in August...