Home > East

Ten Big Canadian Sends in 2016 Before Canada Day

Happy 2016 Canada Day! Here are 10 big sends that have gone down in Canada this year.

Marc-Andre Leclerc Solos Emperor Face The West Coast crusher finishes one of the most impressive winter seasons by a Canadian by making the first solo of the Emperor Face of Mount Robson via Infinite Patience. He is spending his summer on Baffin Island, we can’t wait to hear what he gets up to.

Ben Harnden Sends Cobra Crack Squamish-based Ben Harnden made the third Canadian ascent of Cobra Crack, the world’s famous 5.14 gear route. The first ascent was by Sonnie Trotter and the second Canadian to climb it was Will Stanhope. A number of strong international climbers have ticked the test-piece.

Jamie Finlayson Ticks The Reckoning V14 One day before Canada Day, Jamie Finalyson sent the low-start to The Reckoning, which is one of Canada’s only V14s. The North Walls Boulder problem has less than five ascents.

Today was a good day, one of those magical days that makes the pain and hard work worth it. It was very special to have my son, Thomas, cheer me on as I made it to the top of The Reckoning V14, my hardest to date. Even though he is only 8 months old I think he understood what I had just done. I sat on top of the boulder looking down at him in his portable crib and we giggled together taking in the moment. The other guys who were bouldering on the adjacent boulder blissful looked on. Thomas and I started this project together almost 4 months ago and we finished it together today. This photo is from a few weeks ago as I forgot my phone today and had no extra room for my camera. I did managed to carry 3 @petzl_official crash pads, diaper bag, baby squeeze food tube, baby crackers, a change of cloths for Thomas, toy car, toy rattle, toy rings, baby water bottle, my water bottle, my @evolvusa #Shaman's and #agro's, chalk bag, brush, collapsable baby crib, and of course 21 pound Thomas! Having a baby adds a new dimension when packing! #squamish #squamishbouldering #bouldering #alwaysevolv #croakiesadventure #petzlgram #sendage

A photo posted by Jamie Finlayson (@jamiefinlayson) on

New Waddington Route Japanese climbers Noboru Kikuchi of Japan and Yamada Toshiyuki and Takeshi Tani of Alberta climbed a new route on Asperity in the Waddington Range. Their new route is called Happy Trio and goes at V 5.10a WI3 950 m.

Will Gadd Mega Route Rockies-based Will Gadd opened a number of hard routes at The Temple mixed crag near Mount Chephren on the Icefields Parkway. One of those routes is Instagrade, which Gadd said is his hardest ever, meaning it’s possibly North America’s hardest cave-style mixed routes.

New route: Instagrade. Grade? A lot harder than anything I've ever climbed, and do the ice or you didn't do the route, same as ever. Bring a 100M rope and whatever you need to climb 50M of cave and 10M of totally hollow 2cm ice. I haven't been this scared on ice since the early 90s. So many days of effort, fun, not fun, and today's unexpected success. This is a mixed route out The Temple, a crag discovered by John Freeman and Pat Delaney, and developed by a huge team of people including possibly the first M13 FA by a woman, Supernatural, established by Sarah Hueniken. There are now 3 finished routes that go at M13 (Supernatural), M14 (Solarium) and Mharder, (Instagrade). The Temple is in massive avalanche terrain on the Icefields Parkway, so careful planning is in order. More details later, a big thanks to everyone who made the Temple what it is. Photo and belay today thanks to @thealpinestart, thanks!. @arcteryx @redbullcanada @blackdiamond @scarpana @sterlingrope @smithoptics

A photo posted by Will Gadd (@realwillgadd) on

New White Bluff Route Peter Hoang and Matthew Sapiecha established and sent Keep Summer Safe, a new airy 5.12 at Whites Bluff in Ontario. It climbs along the edge of a roof above Georgian Bay.

Hard Newfoundland Mixed Route Will Mayo established the seven-pitch The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe WI7+ M12 on a big wall on Canada’s east coast. Mayo, who has sent some of the world’s hardest mixed climbs, said it was the high-water mark of his career.

Becca Frangos Sends Endless Summer Canmore-based Becca Frangos sent her second 5.13d with a June ascent of Endless Summer at Acephale. Frangos had worked on the route on and off for a number of years.

Stu Smith Opens New Smoke Bluff 5.13+R Stu Smith sent a multi-year project at the Smoke Bluffs in Squamish. He sent the run-out Every Minute 5.13+R after unlocking a thin sequence through a horizontal seam.

Evan Hau Sends New Rockies’ 5.14 Calgary’s Evan Hau sent the steepest line at his Apocalypse Cave and called it Belly of the Beast 5.14a. It adds to the growing number of hard routes at the new crag.

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The Best Climbing Gear According to Our Editors – March

Every month we're bringing you our favourite gear so you can complete your climbing kit with the latest and best stuff out there