Saddle Mountain

SPORT

TRADITIONAL

MAP

On the south side of Saddle Mountain overlooking Paradise Valley and Mount Temple is a large quartzite cliff visible from many locations on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Lake Louise. It is one of the most impressive exposures of Gog Quartzite in the area and has rock climbs up to 200m in length. The cliff compares well with those on the south side of Lake Louise but its remote location and previous lack of information have made it much less developed. It also says in the sun until mid afternoon and has a much longer climbing season. The cliff has been climbed on for years but many of the early routes have gone unrecorded. The information given here has been gathered from many sources but is most likely incomplete. There are plenty of unclimbed lines and interesting areas of rock to explore but old pitons and fixed gear may turn up in unexpected places. Existing climbs follow mainly crack and corner lines and are gear-protected. One climb, Screams From the Balcony, uses bolts but only on its final pitch. The cracks tend to be continuous and require large amounts of gear. A double set of cams is recommended for most climbs including big gear when specified in the route description. The approach takes about 1½ hours with an elevation gain of 500 m but the cliff offers excellent, multi-pitch quartzite climbing in a remote location and with superb views. The classic of the crag is undoubtedly Toys in the Attic (5.10c) but Screams From the Balcony (5.11b) and the MacTrump Route (5.10b) are also highly recommended.