Gripped

Area Details

Guidebook: Rock Climbing Jasper National Park by Francois Laplante. It’s available at Gravity Gear in Jasper.

Getting There: Drive south on Maligne Lake Road until Medicine Lake, park on the right. Follow a faint trail on the east shoreline until you can hike up the first canyon. Gear: 60 metre rope, 12 quickdraws, helmet.

Season: Late spring until the snow flies in late fall.

Excelsior Fire: In 2015, a fire burned along the lake and up Watchtower Cree, but it did not damage the rock or bolts. Top Five Hard Routes: Purple Hazing 5.13a, To Infinity and Beyond 5.13a, Footprints from Canmore 5.12d, Kazathon 5.12c, Mojo 5.12a Top Five Moderate Routes:

Moose is Loose 5.9, Hot Carl 5.10b, Summer Rain 5.10c, Seamstress 5.11a, Schooner 5.11b

Wildlife: This is bear country, so bring bear spray. When in season, expect mosquitoes and wasps.

Medicine Lake: If you have a paddleboar­d or canoe, then you should follow up your climbing with a cruise on the lake. It’s fun to paddle to the obvious large boulder on the peninsula across from the parking. There are three problems: Voice of Reason V4, Great Than V3 and Or Equal To V3.

Camping and food: Jasper has several campground­s, it’s also easy to find a place to park your van for free. Check out the Whistle Stop Pub for great local food post-climb. Jasper National Park: You’ll need to purchase a park pass to enter this area. Other Climbing Areas: Rainy Day Slab and Medicine Slab offer classic slab climbs, such as Cadot Crack. Lost Boys south of Jasper is a must-visit crag.