Mega New 13-Pitch Mixed Climb in Rockies
Conditions will be shaping up for Bow Valley climbers to start mixed and ice climbing within the next month
Anticipation is a new 13-pitch 400-metre M6+ WI3 on Grotto Mountain above the town of Canmore in the Bow Valley. Given its location and safely protected pitches, this is sure to become a classic. Nick Baggaley and Greg Barrett established the route over several trips and completed it earlier this summer. It’s found at the back of The Sanctuary, a large canyon where the drytool crags The Playground and Alcatraz are found.
The first two pitches are mellow ice, but the next 11 have consistent climbing in the M5 and M6 range. “In some cases, we led pitches on gear and returned to place a bolt or two,” said Baggaley in his route announcement. “Our goal was to make a sufficiently safe route that people will actually want to climb it, and maybe have a fighting chance of getting through 13 pitches in one push. As each climber may have a different standard for bolts, our bolting standard may not match precisely with everyone’s preferences but we stand by our approach on this route.”
The route has overhead hazards, from rock and likely avalanches later in winter. The pitches go at WI3 30m, M3 WI3 55m, M5 25m, M5+ 35m, M6+ 35m, M4+ 25m, M5 20m, M5 25m, M5 18m, M6+ 25m, M5- 35m, M6 35m and M5+ 35m. For a detailed route description visit here.
Baggaley is the author and publisher of Winter Cragging in the Canadian Rockies, which you can purchase here. See photos of Anticipation below.
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