Avalanches are one of the biggest threats to ice climbers in the Canadian Rockies. Although most routes can be safely climbed during specific conditions, please educate yourself, research conditions, and be conservative about heading into avalanche terrain. See the links section for some helpful resources.
Here’s a growing list of ice climbs in the Canadian Rockies that are not in avalanche terrain. There are of course many other routes that have only have minor or occasional hazard, but they are not included in the list. More routes will be added over time, please feel free to leave a comment with suggestions for more avalanche free routes. For more info on specific routes, see Joe Josephson’s excellent “Waterfall Ice Climbs in the Canadian Rockies”, 4th edition, published by Rocky Mountain Books. (currently out of print) Also, check out Park Canada’s Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale for more routes & info.Â
Bow Valley
- Grotto Canyon
- Heart Creek smears
- Irish Mist
- Canmore Junkyards
- Bear Spirit
- Johnston Canyon
Kananaskis
- Wedge Smear
- Evan Thomas Creek (Snowline, Moonlight, Chantilly Falls, etc.)
Radium Highway
- Haffner Creek
- Marble Canyon
Icefields Parkway South & North
- Balfour Wall
- Tangle Falls
David Thompson Highway
- Owen Creek
- SAR’s on Ice
- 570
- Two O Clock Falls
- Cline River Gallery
- Nightmare on Elm Street
- Gallstones
- Issac’s Wet Dream
Jasper
- Maligne CanyonÂ
