Dolomite Climbing in the Bow Valley

I think the Coyotes must have been through town because I didn’t see a single cat around this year. Sorry Anna, no photos.

Climbing in Canada’s Bow valley is noted for its compact limestone with a lack of cracks. One exception is the great crack that splits the face of Mount Corry from top to bottom. Neither Everett, Andy Paul (his friend) or myself had climbed this…….

Andy finds a way into the crack system. All these Bow Valley Alpine rock climbs have very vague starts.

Typical Dolomite crack climbing.

Terry looks happy as he joins Everett. The haze in the valley is smoke from the controlled forest fires in Kannanaskis, a last ditch attempt to stop the Pine Beetle plague as it ravages west to east across Canada.

Terry and Everett on top!

We should have known better than to look happy because the real difficulties were only just beginning i.e. the descent. Let’s just say it took (me anyway) about two days to recover!

Mel was in town too and sends his regards to all.

Here you see Mel and Terry outside his new place right next to the Bow River. An impressive abode.

Nearly winter now in the Bow Valley. Here is the view of the Three Sisters from Everett’s deck. Ice streaks are just forming on ‘Twisted Sister’. Won’t be long now!

Really the end of Multipitch rock climbing season in the Bow Valley, it’s getting too cold. But we thought we might just snatch something else.

Most of the routes on the larger Goat Crags get few ascents. Many await second ascents. They have a reputation as death routes (and nobody wants to die these days) with long unprotected run outs on compact limestone and poor belays. An exception is the Trevor Jones route of the 1980s, ‘Deception’, which has now been retrobolted. Although by no means ‘sports spacing’, there are at least bolted belays and a few bolts in between.

Here Everett leads the steep third pitch, totally unprotectable without bolts. Hats off to Trevor!

…and comes across a balancey slab.

Meanwhile, the girls cycled in the Bow Valley Provincial Park, a long way below us. Vikki, Lucille and Carol.