Home > News

Leclerc Quickly Free-Solos Big Rockies Routes

On June 27, Marc-Andre Leclerc free-soloed two big routes in the Canadian Rockies up steep limestone walls. Climbing the two walls, EEOR and Ha Ling, in a day has long been local climbers’ objective with dozens of recorded team ascents in the past.

Much like American free-soloist Alex Honnold, Leclerc is doing what climbers have done for centuries, pushing a fringe part of the sport of climbing. What makes Leclerc’s ascents so unique is that he’s doing them on almost a daily basis and pushing standards in the Canadian Rockies. Canada has never had someone climbing at such a level.

In the past, climbers have have posted times for linking Ha Ling and EEOR in a day in about eight hours as a team. Leclerc climbed the two in three hours and 25 minutes car-to-car. Timed solo ascents are nothing new in the Rockies, nearly two decades ago Will Gadd posted the first sub-24-hour up-and-down climb of Mount Robson.

The routes Leclerc climbed were EEOR’s Tail, a steep and loose 360-metre 5.10, and Cheesmond Express, a 600-metre 5.10 with very loose sections. Leclerc dubbed the link-up of the two walls, “the Canmore half-pipe” because of their position above the pass. Like always, when a time is posted, it’s not a call-out to see who can beat it, rather a note about a historical ascent.

Cheesmond Express and EEOR’s Tail (approximate lines)

 

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

Easter Weekend Sales on Climbing Gear

Be sure that your rack is updated and ready for the upcoming rock climbing season