Credit: Patrick Hendry Via: Unsplash
The Canadian Rockies are famous for their abundant hiking trails, ski slopes, wildlife, and ice climbing. They’re an ideal destination for disconnecting and immersing yourself in nature: wherever you are in the Canadian Rockies, you’re never far from blue lakes, snow-capped mountains, and dense forests — it’s an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise.
But despite the name ‘Rockies,’ a sometimes-overlooked pastime is rock climbing. That’s a shame: there’s an abundance of all-season climbing opportunities here, with many pros considering the area to have some of the best alpine limestone climbs in North America.
While many climbers will head to Lake Louise for their climbing fix, here, we will focus on rock climbing at Moraine Lake from late spring to early fall. Located 14 kilometres outside Lake Louise Village, Moraine Lake is a glacially fed lake approximately 6,000 feet above sea level in the Valley of the Ten Peaks — an all-season climbing hub.
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Getting to Moraine Lake
The road to Moraine Lake is closed to private vehicles. To get there, visitors must book a seat on one of the 24-passenger buses that service the area from early June to mid-October. Fortunately, some forward-thinking shuttle services begin their trips as early as 4 a.m. — ideal for climbing routes that require early access!
What to Expect
Moraine Lake offers challenging, multi-pitch routes for experienced climbers. Many climbing tour operators run out of the Banff area for the less experienced who are looking for guided assistance, and for those who’d like insight from local experts.
Here are just a few climbs beginning at Moraine Lake — which should give you a good idea of the range of available routes.
Climbs to Keep in Mind
- Grand Sentinel, South Face — Difficulty 5.9 — Grade II — Trad Climbing and Mountaineering — This one takes most of the day and has four pitches.
- The Tower of Babel, McKay Route — Difficulty 5.7 — Trad and Alpine Climbing. This route is considered a ‘classic trad experience for the aspiring trad climber.’ The base to the quartzite Tower of Babel is a relatively short hike from the Moraine Lake car park. The climb has seven pitches and will take most of the day to complete.
- Grand Sentinel, Cardiac Arete — Difficulty 5.10d — Sport Climbing and Mountaineering — Takes most of the day. This route has a five-star rating on one popular climbing website; one experienced climber comments that it’s “one of the most magnificent alpine settings for a sport route anywhere in the world.”
- Perren Route to Neil Colgan Hut — Difficulty 5.7 — Technical rock climb — Takes most of the day. Note that there’s the option to sit for a moment at the Neil Colgan Hut, a sleepover spot generally used for winter climbers taking on Mount Fay and Quadra the next day.
Planning Your Day
Getting an early start and booking a seat on one of the earliest shuttles of the day will give you plenty of time for many routes. It’s advised you monitor regional advisories before you solidify your plans; this is grizzly bear country, and Parks Canada sometimes puts regulations in place mandating parties no smaller than four visit the national parks — and fines enforce these rules.
If you’re an avid rock climber planning to visit the Canadian Rockies, pack your gear and book your bus for Rock Climbing at Moraine Lake.. You won’t regret it!
