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kman
Oct 24, 2003, 4:57 AM
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Is there any good spots to climb or boulder within a half hour drive of Calgary? I know about Bow Valley and Canmore and all that, but is there any smaller spots that make for a good after work mid week type session? Not including gyms please :!:
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squish
Oct 24, 2003, 8:39 AM
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Well, there's the big rock in Okotoks...
Apart from that, isn't everything else FLAT around Calgary?
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biff
Oct 24, 2003, 6:01 PM
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in town there is buffalo rubbing stone (AKA crater Rock) in panorama hills NW
Split rock also NW.
The rockey view hospital rock sign has some routes on it .. but you have to go there at night.
There is some sandstone bouldering near BearsPaw dam .. but that also has access issues (the land is privatly owned by someone who does't want climbers)
So basically .. go to a gym, climb a building.. or drive for an hour.
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kman
Oct 24, 2003, 6:16 PM
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Cool. Thanks!
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rendog
Nov 6, 2003, 10:56 PM
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i heard you're ;just a gym rat anyway Kman....I don't understand why you would want to go get onto this "real rock" that stuff is crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
give me a call bud I'm back from work and ready to go. Thisa weekend I'm off to a new area to put up some new routes with my long time partner so I won't be around this weekend, but next weeek I will be
ttyl
"D"
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chadmartin
Jan 28, 2004, 8:11 AM
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Hey man, you can catch "New Life Stone" It is a rock on the edge of riverbend. If you draw a triangle between the trailer park, Riverbend, and the landfill, it would almost be in the centre! Check it out! I don't know how to access it other than to jump the fence from the road which leads to the landfill and Douglasdale!
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kman
Jan 28, 2004, 2:50 PM
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^^I have no idea where any of that is. Thanks though.
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winter
Jan 28, 2004, 5:21 PM
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You can climb at prairie creek near bragg creek. It's a 35 minute drive, 30 minute hike in. Also Heart creak is only like a 45 minute drive, no hike in....both are good places to go after work. Barrier is also ~ 45min drive, good after work. Hell we even go to Canmore and climb cougar or grassi after work. All are sport climbing areas.
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chadmartin
Feb 18, 2004, 5:46 AM
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Rockyview, eh? That is where my girl had well, my girl! I went by that stupid rock like twenty times while she was in labour alone! None of those times, did I have my shoes! I looked out of one hospital window, and my palms started sweating! Do the words on it count as a warmup route?
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skinner
Nov 1, 2004, 2:51 AM
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Bearspaw Reservoir Rock or “Little Arizona”
I would forget about Bearspaw until the reservoir freezes over solid. I went out there 3 times this year, and today had a run-in with the farmer. Let me tell you he is a real jerk and so are many of the people who live there.
The truth is, that no one "owns" the water in Alberta, and you can access the cliffs by following the creek down (if you stay in the creek).
I had some young kids with me and the farmer was getting extremely hostile or I would have pushed the issue with him.
Once the reservoir is frozen; you can drive down the boat launch ramp on the north side of the reservoir, drive right across and basically park at the base of the cliffs. I even saw a guy ice skate across with his rope, rack, and climbing shoes around his neck. I have seen people cross country ski, and even saw a guy on a 10 speed with a husky pulling him across the ice.
On a nice day in the winter, or during a Chinook it's a great spot where you will be in direct sunlight until about 4:00 pm.
If you look hard you will find about 20 bolts that are great for top roping. The cliffs are full of water formed caves and pockets that make for some unbeleivable handholds. There are some great overhangs that you can just monkey right over using these pockets. BEWARE of one area though; you will see where a major portion of the cliff collapsed into the creek below. The area's immediately on either side of this are prone to collapse in huge sections as the runoff was diverted by construction above the cliffs over the last 10 years and has created hydrostatic pressure behind this section. I will be contacting the Alberta Department of Lands and Forests on Monday to get a printed copy of the Legal description of public access to creeks, rivers, and lakes. I will be dropping a copy in this jerks mailbox on my next trip down.
I hope this wasn't TOO much information, but I love the place, it actually has a lot of history. It was frequented by the late Bugs McKeith who made a sketch showing the major routes which was published at one time.
Here is a link to a site with all the local climbing areas and breif descriptions, hope this helps!
http://www.calgarymountainclub.com/env_bouldering.htm
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alberta_climberboy
Nov 1, 2004, 3:38 AM
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It's not honestly that flat here. And Kman, there is climbing near Calgary. Calgary is located on the boarder of the prairies and the foothills. So no, not everything is flat. Back to you Kman. If you have ever been to Fish Creek park in South West Calgary there are some spots for bouldering. Some. Not many. Also if you know where the UofC is you can climb there. Although it's indoor.
Hope I helped.
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kman
Nov 1, 2004, 3:57 AM
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Thanks for the replies guys. I have been living in Canmore since May so no problems getting out mid week after work. 10 minutes to the crags!
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alberta_climberboy
Nov 4, 2004, 2:58 AM
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Goodl stuff! There's lots of hiking and stuff in the Kananaskis which you are close to, but I would assume you are more into climbing!
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kman
Nov 4, 2004, 3:55 AM
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In reply to: lots of hiking and stuff in the Kananaskis which you are close to, but I would assume you are more into climbing!
I hike to the climbing :wink:
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alberta_climberboy
Nov 5, 2004, 3:39 AM
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HAHAH. Me too Kman. I'm more fo a hiker than climber. But I do climb!
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alberta_climberboy
Nov 5, 2004, 3:46 AM
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HAHAH. Me too Kman. I'm more fo a hiker than climber. But I do climb!
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alberta_climberboy
Nov 5, 2004, 3:47 AM
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HAHAH. Me too Kman. I'm more fo a hiker than climber. But I do climb!
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winter
Nov 5, 2004, 10:27 PM
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Hey SKinner, where is the bearspaw boat lauch, ie what road do you take to drive there 1A ? Thanks !
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kman
Nov 5, 2004, 11:40 PM
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Too much hiking cuts into the climbing time!
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skinner
Nov 6, 2004, 4:38 PM
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Hey winter,
I guess it depends where you are coming from to get there, but if you come from the south, you would go north past bowness park and across the 85th st. bridge, then take the bearspaw damn road east. You have to get off of the bearspaw damn road where it turns north and becomes 87th st. and get onto what is/was the remnants of the old damn access road. I am sure there is more boat launches though. All of the public launches will be on the north side of the reservoir. BUT, they usually close access to the launches about now, until the reservoir is frozen solid enough to drive on, just to keep the morons from playing submarine captain with their cars.
I don't know if any of you guys have ever been out there before, but here is a picture I took of *part* of the cliffs a couple of months ago.
http://www.geocities.com/skinner_ab/bearspaw/cliffs/
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skinner
Nov 9, 2004, 2:36 AM
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Just thought I would post this in case anybody is interested..
-=A Tribute to the Life and Times of Bill Davidson=-
-Date
: This coming Saturday
: November 13
-Location
: Bowness Community Center
:7904 43 Ave. N.W. in Calgary.
This will be your last chance to come out and look back into another period and the life and times of Bill Davidson a big wall climber and a significant contributor in our local climbing history. Urs Kallen and Perry Davis have put together a film depicting footage from the early seventies. This original climbing footage details the two of our early rock masters. Billy Davidson and Jeff Horne these two put up first free ascent of the intimidating “Freak Out” on the East End of Yamnuska. You will marvel at the blue jeans and lack of seat harness, for in those days it was common to only climb with a chest harness. The gear will amaze as well when you think of doing a route a route like “Freak Out” with the modern rack of today and your still shaking at the top of the route.
At the first tribute in Canmore this past Saturday and there were some amazing exhibits from a truly unique individual. This is a worthwhile event to go and learn a bit about the past and bullshit with your climbing buddies about what to do in the future. There is beer and wine being served with a pub dinner for $5.00 and raffle prizes. This was a good time and rare chance to visit an era that many of today’s climbers will never know. Its for a good cause any funds raised will be donated to TABVAR for improving fixed gear in the Bow Valley. Hope to see everybody come out and support the event and have a few beers share some memories and the times of Bill Davidson.
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