Big New Routes Keep Falling in the Rockies

Two more major new ice routes have been climbed in the Canadian Rockies, still weeks before the official start of winter. 

On their second attempt, locals Steve Holeczi and Rob Owens made the first ascent of the Northwest Face of Mt. Bell, west of Banff, via a 12-pitch route they called Zeitgeist (530m, IV+ M7- WI5 R). The route features a smorgasbord of mixed climbing on good quartzite, including a “beautiful narrow Scottish snice corner” on the fifth pitch, followed by three hard (M6+ and up) pitches in a row. Protection included 10 screws, many nuts and cams, pitons, Spectres, and Bird Beaks, placed when seams were too small for pitons. “Quite solid really!” Holeczi said. The two rappelled the route. 

Meanwhile, the Swiss climbers Simon Anthamatten and Ueli Steck, who have climbed a host of major repeats and new routes in recent weeks (See the previous HOT FLASHES News Items: Visitors Pillage the Canadian Rockies and Swiss Duo on a Rampage in Canada), concluded their Canadian holiday with another very hard new climb. Foiled once again by poor conditions on a hoped-for new route on Howse Peak, the two turned their attention to an unclimbed route they had been eyeing by the Crowfoot Glacier, off the Icefields Parkway. 

On November 6, the Swiss climbed two WI5 pitches to the base of a huge rock overhang with icicles at the lip. With no drill, they quickly realized they couldn’t protect the rock and retreated to Canmore, then returned the next day equipped for bolting. They placed nine bolts to protect this 45-meter pitch, which overhangs 20 meters, and on November 8, their last full day in Canada, Anthamatten completed a two-hour lead to redpoint the bolted pitch at M9+. Steck then made his own attempt but broke off an icicle at the top. He rappelled, rested, and then sent the pitch. With one hour of daylight left, the two led the last pitch, a WI5+ R freestanding pillar, to complete the climb they are now calling Cockfight.

Dates of Ascents: November 8, 2007 (both climbs) 

Sources: Steve Holeczi, Gravsports-ice.com, Ueli Steck, Mountainhardwear.com

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