Remote New Rockies Mixed is Grab the Cupcakes

The Canadian Rockies have hundreds of established mixed and ice routes and many say the area’s gems have all been climbed.

But every season, climbers sniff out unclimbed lines, some where look as aesthetic and classic as the most talked about routes in the range.

Hiked 3 hours into Protection Valley yesterday to shoot @canadianrockiesalpineguides and @rockiesalpineguide on Arian P’tit Gremlin but when I arrived they had decided to do a first ascent instead. Here is Jay about half way up Pass the Cupcakes M6 WI4+ 310m

A post shared by Climbin Photographer & Realtor (@timbanfield) on Nov 10, 2017 at 8:02am PST

This year is no different. With new ice routes climbed in Kananaskis Country, new alpine-mixed ascended near Lake Louise and Storm Mountain and now a long new ice-mixed climbed in Protection Valley.

Kris Irwin and Jay Mills, two local Rockies guides, teamed up to climb their new Grab the Cupcakes M6 WI4+ behind the western end of Castle Mountain at Castle Junction.

“We hiked into Protection Valley intending to repeat a Guy Lacelle first ascent, but ended up doing our own,” said Irwin.

Earlier this season, Irwin and John Price made the first ascent of Remembering Fred near Taylor Lake. For more see here.

Other Protection Valley Routes:
Smothered Hope WI5 120m
Guinevere WI5R M4+ 160m
Paradis Perdu WI5 170m
The Wicked Witch of the West M6R/X WI6R 190m
Mon Ami WI4+ 150m
Arian P’tit Grimlin 5.3 WI6 250m
Superlight 5.10 WI5+ 150m

A post shared by Canadian Rockies Alpine Guides (@canadianrockiesalpineguides) on Nov 10, 2017 at 8:22am PST