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If you don’t mind the touristy atmosphere at the two major resort towns of the Canadian Rockies, there is some outstanding climbing to be had. There are 3 sport crags in the Banff area, as well as some longer rock and ice routes on Rundle and Cascade mountains. Back of the Lake, at Lake Louise, is one of the largest and probably the best crag in the Rockies, offering a wide variety of sport and gear routes on quality rock in a fine situation above the emerald blue lake.
Location
Both Banff and Lake Louise are located along hwy 1 in the central Canadian Rockies. Banff is approximately 120 km west of Calgary (~25 km west of Canmore), and Lake Louise is about 60 km further west. Two small crags (Raven Crag and Spray Slabs) are within walking distance of Banff, while a third (Coral Crag) is located near Cascade creek, about 6 km off Lake Minnewanka road. Back of the Lake is a twenty minute walk along the tourist path leading from Chateau Lake Louise around the lake.
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Weather
The weather in Banff and Lake Louise is, in typical Rockies style, completely unpredictable. The climbing season generally starts in late April, as soon as the snow melts, and continues until sometime in the early fall, depending on how early winter comes and what you consider climbing weather. Throughout the summer the temperature generally ranges from 15 to 25 degrees, and afternoon showers and thundershowers are very common. Lake Louise, due to the altitude and close proximity of the glaciers, is generally a few degrees colder than elsewhere, and the climbing season generally doesn’t start until early June.
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| Back of the Lake |
| My favorite crag in the Rockies. Single and multi-pitch routes, both gear and sport, adorn the outstanding quartzite cliffs at the backside of the scenic, emerald green lake. The rock is far and away the most solid in the Rockies, and offers a fine mix of face and crack climbs. The cliffs range from slabs to overhanging, and offer a variety of grades. The main cliffs along the tourist path are mostly one to three pitches, while the Goblin wall on the south side of the lake offers a number of longer routes. The steeper walls, many of which are topped by enormous roofs, are nearly always dry, though it can be quite cold when the weather is bad. |
| Coral Crag |
| The largest of the Banff area crags, with about 50 routes. Mostly near vertical cliffs, often with thin, edgy cruxes. This area is relatively new and has not seen a lot of traffic to date. |
| Raven Crag and Spray Slabs |
| Both of these are small crags on the north end of Sulfur Mountain, within walking distance of Banff. Raven crag is a steep cliff with only a few climbs, mostly 5.12’s. Spray slabs is a less than vertical cliff, which offers some footwork intensive slab climbing. On hot sunny days, Spray Slabs can be very difficult |
