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lovesclimbing's Logbook (196 ascents)

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Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Calgary: Yamnuska: yam

It's All McConnell's Fault Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.11a A1
  Safety Rating G
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2016-10-04 (View Climbing Log)

4 out of 5 stars Big project

There has been lots of talk of this route, the idea of a second ascent, a single push, maybe 1 day, this summer I tried to do it as a single push, I knew I would never be able to do it in a day, I set up two camps and started, we made it a bit under half way before my partner was just too wasted, we went down, I continued over the summer to complete this route in 7 days total with 3 of those days being shorter days, I think 5 days would be a good time, if you try to do it in 24 hours both partners would have to climb each pitch in about 16 minutes total. Not going to talk about beta for the size of the route but ask if you would like

Added: 2016-10-05

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Calgary: Yamnuska: yam

Astro Yam Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.11c
  Safety Rating R
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Hang Dog Hang Dog ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2016-09-17 (View Climbing Log)

4 out of 5 stars Great route

This is a very fun route with lots of sustained climbing above adequate protection but in need of retro. The route finding can be devious getting you to double check the topo on many pitchs. The first scrambling pitch gets you behind the pedestal to a 2 pin belay with lots of tat, 2nd pitch that has a R in the new guide and does deserve that has heady climbing with good movement, p2 is the first crux and that seemed to me to be the most sustained as well, not sure how loose the big loose block is but seems that it is used as hand holds at least closest to the bolt. P3 starts on a neat low angle ramp to an old rusty bolt with some tat on it (2016) to protect the seconds down climb, in fact if you can fashion a back belay perhaps with a tag line your second would be very happy, once to the first low bolt head up and right in what seems like a sea of limestone (somewhat scary pitch because of route finding with little gear) to another bolt. Cont up slightly right to the belay, bad bolt on belay ledge to possibly stop a slip. P4 is the graded crux, from belay head left to obvious feature and plug in gear as needed, at top of feature more gear as the first bolt seems like a long way, sustained climbing in the mid 10 range to the famous hole that we used a 5 and was tested with a decent fall seems to hold great. After the hole you have the crux section of about 10-15ft before your next bolt and easier climbing, if you can traverse left of the cam around the rib you can find great climbing. After the bolt cont up semi suspect rock with spaced pro to semi hanging stance. P5, I found after you clip the bolt cont up and left on good hidden holds as opposed to the down climb and flaring crack. Cont on good rock to past roof to higher ledge, traverse right to crack with short crux to great rock and great belay ledge. P7 head left and slightly up for 25m in order to find good weakness to the large ledge above, watch for loose rock, head right to a corner with good gear that will take you to the top, the were 3 new bolts just over the lip.

A very fun route, gives a lot of respect to the guys working it ground up as well as being lost in the 'sea' of limestone. Over all climbing seemed on the upper 5.10 range with short sustained crux's at grade but with lots of no fall zones

Added: 2016-09-17

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Calgary: Yamnuska: yam

How the West was Won Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.10a
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2016-07-21 (View Climbing Log)

3 out of 5 stars Descent route

This route is a few years old now, Havnt heard of a lot of people climbing it, theres some fixed gear on it and some of the belays are fixed although the crux pitch belay isn't although the pitch dosnt take a lot of big gear and theres a semi ok pin in the middle of the crux move. The route follows a real neat feature and some of the climbing is a bit spicy with the crux pitch having some great sequence both off the belay and the crux move. Definitely needs more people to check it out

Added: 2016-08-27

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Banff-Lake Louise: Mount Temple: North Face

Greenwood/Locke Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.10c ED1
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2016-08-14 (View Climbing Log)

3 out of 5 stars Fine day in the alpine

This is the 2nd route I have done on the NF, the other being the Jones, this route is described as the classic route although with it finishing the way it does it feels more like a long rock route. We walked in a bit early and waited for some light finding that we were far west of the 'Dolphin', thinking we were only one couloir off we walked east a couple hundred meters and started heading up the couloir and indeed we did see the seracs high left although we were still one couloir east of the Dolphin. This afforded us fast travel up the bottom half of the face to a very large ledge to have a snack on but in seeing the upper head wall knew we were off by a couple hundred meters. We headed east up trending until came to steeper ground at about 5.6, did one pitch to where we came to a very steep wall, I checked out traversing hard left around the prow but was very steep with no pro, tried going up following a feature just right of the prow but no pro, I went about 30m left of the pro, followed a corner for about 10m on thin pro and a knife blade in the corner, headed out on the face left to a steep bulge with a couple of ok pieces to a bomber #3 and some more easier steep moves to the weakness above and a great 4 piece anchor to bring my second up at 10c-dish R. Another scrambling pitch brought us to the very big awesome ledge at the base of Icarus Buttress, great lunch ledge and change back into boots and crampons. We headed out on the obvious traverse ledge that's very loose and sloped with pro being mainly pins for a full rope length to old pin and a couple of marginal pieces that boots and crampons were footwear of choice, this got us to the traverse pitch on route to the buttress. One more long traverse pitch that was slightly steeper but more fixed gear (high bolt as well, bring a sling to leave on the sling hanging, you will understand if you do it) to a two pin anchor, hard to back up. About 4m left is where the start of the climbing on the buttress begins, we did this pitch in boots and crampons, once at the belay ledge you can change back into rock shoes. almost all of the pitchs on the buttress followed great rock aside from P3 on the buttress, place lots of pro as I had a few footholds blow after standing on them for a few seconds. The climbing for the most part is in the 5.8-5.10a range. 2nd last pitch is crux at what is now called 10c, I had to pull through on the pins in place because of rain and night fall. The last pitch is very loose.

A good route although if you only could do one I would recommend the Jones instead. As well I took full set of nuts and doubles from .2-#2 and a single 3, with a descent selection of pins. I would think any less than this some of the pitchs could be quite run out.

As well we were off route for the bottom half but after looking down at the ground and hearing all the rock fall I think our way even with that crux pitch (no Fall zone on crux, aid if you need too) was a better and safer route.

Added: 2016-08-27

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: The Ghost: Ghost River Valley: South Ghost

The Real Big Drip Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty WI6 M8
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Red Point Red Point ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2016-03-08 (View Climbing Log)

4 out of 5 stars Hard exciting route

We did this route as a team of 3 turning into a long day, I have climbed the bottom half of this route twice, once with the ice 'low' and once high on the first pitch, it is much more enjoyable low at a much easier grade. There is plenty of talk of this or that flake being pulled off, when the ice is low on the first pitch ie a body length or so above the roof the first pitch (crux) is a sustained m8/m8+, when the ice is higher it is more m9, this route has been retro bolted in the last year or 2, the first pitch starts off moderate and than around bolt 6 or 7 you get the technical crux, bolt line is slightly left and crux move is right so seems a bit off, the rest of the pitch climbs steeply on decent holds, stepping over to the ice when it is low is very exciting as it is usually about 4ft away from the wall and seems slim compared to the size of everything, take care where your first screw is placed, there is a bolt much higher up incase ice is poor or is not in changing the grade and safety significantly, steep ice climbing to a large ice ledge with bolt belay probably buried in the ice.
If your hardcore and want the WI 7 experience start second pitch right and up, if like the rest of us WI 6-/+ is good enough head up left and climb fins passing odd bolt and possible ice roofs to 3rd pitch, strange bolt belay low right that is generally covered as well.
3rd pitch follows bolts steeply past roof on good holds to a very exciting traverse line on small but very positive pockets than up and behind ice to climb great feature to a hanging belay, be cautious of setting up belay as piller may be fractured (new bolt belay would be best). 4th pitch is steeping around piller and climbing to huge ledge above, bolt belay on right, P5 climbs for full rope length up Curtin and P6 finishes curtin and up rambly ice, you can go a few more pitchs and even take it to the ridge if you so desire but main climbing on first 5 pitchs.

This route is quite sustained but very well protected on the rock but do watch for loose rock on first pitch. 3rd pitch is very amazing and one of the best pitchs at that grade of m7+/8, 1st pitch is very long, not uncommon to have 20 draws or a couple more

Added: 2016-08-27

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Banff-Lake Louise: Stanley Headwall: Stanley Headwall

Nightmare on Wolf Street Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty WI6 M8
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Red Point Red Point ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2016-01-10 (View Climbing Log)

5 out of 5 stars What a Route!!!

This is a wild route steep through out, the rock is bolted very well, the ice can be serious and hard with some thin sections detatched. A must do route, if not climbing fast at grade dont underestimate the time needed. I have skied to it everytime and out again however I did once decend down the slopes about 100m right of Nightmare, it requiered basicly a 70m rap or a 50m and 20m Im not sure if its any faster than doing the full traverse or not but we had very stable conditions.

Added: 2016-01-16

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Banff-Lake Louise: Stanley Headwall: Stanley Headwall

French Reality Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.8 WI6
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2015-12-20 (View Climbing Log)

5 out of 5 stars Great route

This is a amazing route with a bit of everything, great mixed climbing with the odd steep move, steep ice that is hard to find in other areas, great ice climbing.

Added: 2015-12-23

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Jasper: Mt. Murchison: Murchison Falls Area

Virtual Reality Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty WI6 M4
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2015-12-03 (View Climbing Log)

4 out of 5 stars Very fun

This is a great route, when trail is broke in it is about 1-1.5 hours in, with great areas to rack up. There is a couple of approach ice steps that can be easily soloed, make your way to the base of the route and decide on a dry line, 1st pitch is between wi 4-5 depending where you go but take a look at all the hanging daggers, I found a great ice cave 50m up on the left side, 2nd pitch I left the cave to the left up a short piller to another piller to a mixed traverse to a hanging belay. 3rd had a small mixed move to globs of ice held together by delaminated ice with poor pro for a few meters to a small ledge. Pitch 4 went up a layered curtin with poor pro for 10 meters and started to drop off in angle for another 20m to the top. We topped out to a huge cool valley and rapped murchison.

Added: 2015-12-04

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Jasper: Weeping Wall Area: mix master

mix master Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty WI5 M4
  Safety Rating R
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2015-11-25 (View Climbing Log)

4 out of 5 stars Super fun

Great route, very fun straight forward climbing, last pitch was very poor ice, more like lenze ice over snow with poor pro but great climbing more like 5 pitches of climbing

Added: 2015-11-28

Routes: North America: Canada: Alberta: Kananaskis Country: Mt. Kidd (II): Mt.Kidd

North East Buttress Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

Ratings
  Difficulty 5.7
  Safety Rating PG13
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: lovesclimbing on 2015-09-21 (View Climbing Log)

3 out of 5 stars Fun day out

This route is graded III 5.7, as with most alpine rock routes in the rockies if it feels much harder than the grade your off route, there is a fair amount of loose rock and route finding in the begining goes against the rock climber in you, do not try the obvious grove on the buttress proper, this leads to much more diffcult climbing and bad pro, find the easier loose 'chimney' to the left, there is the odd set of pins you may find a pitch off the ground although this is an old rap station, above the chimney leads to aboout 100m of scrambling in which you may find odd pin scars at the base of the upper face on the border of the NF and buttress. The next pitch climbs better rock, once below the white spot the next couple of pitchs are the good climbing on the route, traverse right aprox 20ft diagonal to what seems like the most solid but steep break in the wall, the pro is thin and I placed a lost arrow at this break and did the best move on the route that seems a bit above grade but when climbing easier routes.... Cont up and slight left following the best rock and pro, I did not find the 'grassy ledge above the white spot' but did find the single bolt anchor on a good ledge out further right of the white spot that allows you to do the final 2 long pitchs that mainly follow cimneys and gullies to the top. 8 hrs or less on route should be expected as long as no route finding diffculties.

the approach on the ridge is really neat as its almost flat from the fire look out to the base with a quaint trail

Added: 2015-09-21

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