New Long Moderate Rock Route in Jasper

Gripped Magazine July 8, 2015

Alberta’s Bedson Ridge gets a new route on surprisingly solid limestone.

Jesse Milner and Ryan Titchener climbed Cypress Hill 5.10bR during the first week of July. The seven-pitch 400-metre route climbs the well-known Bedson Ridge about 50 kilometres east of Jasper.

Climbing through a steep section of pitch-four, a 62-metre 5.10a. Photo Ryan Titchener

“We climbed it ground up with no bolts on the first push,” said Titchener. “Only one pitch was below 5.9 and has the route had five 5.10 pitches.”

The rock climbing scene in Jasper suffers from a “locals only” attitude that has kept any new guidebooks side-lined for decades. “It would be nice to promote new routing in Jasper because there is so much more out there that has never been touched,” said Association of Mountain Guide rock guide Titchener who is hoping others will make the trip to the well-known town to climb new routes.

The stunning sixth pitch, a long 5.9. It's the only pitch they shared with Hob Knobbing, one of the first routes on the wall. They stayed in the corner up left to finish the route. Photo Ryan Titchener — The stunning sixth pitch, a long 5.9. It’s the only pitch they shared with Hob Knobbing, one of the first routes on the wall. They stayed in the corner up left to finish the route. Photo Ryan Titchener

“The name comes from a mix tape I found in my truck after I bought it,” said Titchener. “We always rock it on the dirt road to Bedson.”

Bedson Ridge is across the Athabasca River from the Pocahontas Warden Station. The south-facing wall is good from March to November some years. The routes range from four to 11 pitches and is often a little run-out. Local Matt Reynolds published one of the only online crag topos and you can find it here.

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