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Canadians Send Hard Routes in Autumn Temps

From coast to coast, Canadians have been busy sending boulders and hard sport routes this month.

Climbers have been taking advantage of the fall weather windows to tick their long-standing projects.

In the Grand Wall Boulders, Jamie Finlayson, who recently had a baby boy, sent Vince Pinch Low V13 and wrote after, “I was not expecting to send this as quickly as I did. It went down on my first session after sending the higher start. Psyched!” Also in the Grand Wall area, Tiffany Melius sent Killa Gorilla V8 and Alannah Yip sent The Rookie V8.

Jamie Finlayson on Vince Pinch Low V13. Photo Natalia Finlayson @nataliafinlasyon (blissmassagetherapy.ca)
Jamie Finlayson on Vince Pinch Low V13. Photo Natalia Finlayson @nataliafinlasyon (blissmassagetherapy.ca)

In the Apron Boulders, Danny Martin sent The Method V12, which is his hardest problem of the year. Sender Stu Smith repeated Finlayson’s Shaving with a Knife 5.13a in Murrin Park. Also at Murrin, Smith sent Caress of Steel 5.13c and Animal Instint 5.13a, two classic Pet Wall climbs.

At Tunnel Point in Vancouver, Rich Wheater sent the esthetic finger crack called The Whip 5.12b, which eats small cams.

Just south of the border, Vikki Weldon and Tom Wright were visiting Smith Rocks. Weldon sent Darkness at Noon 5.13a on her birthday. She also sent The Backbone 5.13a, Kings of Rap 5.12d, Doritos 5.12c and the classic Chain Reation, of which she wrote, “Tried this route my first trip to Smith and almost sent it first try. Then failed miserably each attempt afterwards. Made an extra effort today and voila.”

Farther east, Alex Bourassa made the first ascent of Clockwork 5.13d at the New World crag in Skaha after seven days and 30 attempts. Over at Frank Slide in Alberta, Josh Bylsma made the first ascent of The Sun Also Rises V11. On Yamnuska, Sonnie Trotter sent his summer project Blue Jeans Direct 5.14a.

Sonnie Trotter on Blue Jeans Direct 5.14.  Photo John Price
Sonnie Trotter on Blue Jeans Direct 5.14. Photo John Price

At the Coliseum on Grotto Mountain, Evan Hau made the first ascent of Queen Bee 5.14b and said it is an amazing line bolted by Matt Pieterson that climbs through “spectacular features.”

In the alpine, Ian Welsted and Jay Mills came within a pitch of the summit ridge on Mount Tuzo after a five-hour bike ride to Moraine Lake and long approach. In the past, late October has been great for early ice climbing in the Rockies, but it has been too warm this year for any ice to form.

Out east, Alex Brunel sent La Releve V10 at Morin-Heights in Quebec. On the East Coast, Ben Smith has been busy making first ascents of a number of hard problems. On Dover Island, me made the first ascent of Ghost in the Shell V8 and at Chebucto Head in Halifax, Longer Harder One V12, Requiem V13, Kodiak V13, Splinter V13 and Look to Windward V12.

As the rock climbing season in Canada winds down, there is still a few more weeks to send your projects. Check out what Canadians have been climbing far from home, here.

Jay Mills on the north side of Mount Tuzo in the Canadian Rockies. He and Ian Welsted came within a few pitches of the summit, but had to turn around due to daylight and lack of good ice to climb.  Photo Ian Welsted @ianwelsted
Jay Mills on the north side of Mount Tuzo in the Canadian Rockies. He and Ian Welsted came within a few pitches of the summit, but had to turn around due to daylight and lack of good ice to climb. Photo Ian Welsted @ianwelsted

– Be sure to follow Canadian climbers on Sendage.com and Gripped on Instagram @grippedmagazine.

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