Mount Rundle

SPORT

TRADITIONAL

MAP

The long ridge of Mount Rundle extends all the way from Canmore to Banff, a distance of approximately 15 km. On the steep northeast side of the mountain, paralleling the Bow River, Palliser Formation limestone outcrops in a series of impressive buttresses, many of which are over 400 m in height. Most of the buttresses are referred to by number, starting the count at Canmore, but the first is generally called East End of Rundle or EEOR. The last buttress, just before Banff, is called somewhat predictably WEOR or the West End Of Rundle. Climbs on all of these buttresses are described in the Bow Valley Rock guidebook, 2000 (currently out of print) but those on WEOR are included here since they are within the park boundary and are accessed from the golf course road. The ridge drops down steeply towards the Banff town site and forms a well-defined arête in its lower section overlooking the Banff golf course – see photograph opposite. The ridge itself makes a long easy climb (5.5) and there is a small sport/gear climbing area on its right-hand side (Four Corners) and a bouldering/practice area directly below it (Rundle Rock). 
Five climbing areas on Mt Rundle are described in this chapter and all of them are accessed from the golf course road. They are described from right to left in the order that they are reached along the road– see map at the beginning of Chapter 1. The areas are Rundle Rock, Rundle Ridge, Four Corners, Golf Course Crag, and WEOR. The climbs at Spray Slabs, also accessed from the golf course road, are described in Chapter 1.