Belfry Route on Yamnuska, 5.8+, 345m

Lat/Lon: 51.123611°N / 115.116667°W- CLICK FOR TOPO MAP

Belfry, 5.8+
This is a 2500’+/- ascent day. Belfry is a “2 star” 5.8+ route featured in Andy Genereux’s
“Yamnuska Rock” guide book and a “1 star” route in the “Bow Valley Rock” guidebook.
Andy mentions that it would be a 3 star in his book if it were longer. My partner on this
route and I concur with that sentiment. We got our moneys worth regarding all four pitches
of technical climbing. The fact you had to scramble up half of Yamnuska’s face on low 5th
class ground I saw as a plus, not a negative. There are days (in my circumstance I had
just climbed Brewer Buttress the day before) where you are actually looking for shorter
routes, whether due to weather, conditioning, etc. Therefore I give it the three stars (5 by
Summit Post standards) it deserves.

Belfry was the fourth route established (Greenwood-1957) and is one of the most
identifiable routes on Yamnuska via a significant pinnacle (rock tower called the
“belfry”) marking the top of the route as well as a large roof stuck in a corner on pitch 3. It is
part of a group of routes called the Necromancer area just to the east of the “West End”
routes.

We actually went off route to start the first pitch of this route (photo). The entire wall is
littered with bail off slings. I believe my notes will definitely clear up the first pitch start
considerably. From there the route is fairly straightforward.

Follow the climber’s path to the base of Yamnuska. Turn left and follow the trail along
Yamnuska’s base for quite some bit, passing Suicide Wall, CMC Wall and Direttissima,
all the while looking for the “Belfry” rock tower (very prominent feature) on the skyline. You
are also looking for a prominent cone coming out of the base of Yamnuska. As the trail
attempts to skirt it below, you should see some faint trails that lead up to the right side of
this cone feature. You can start anywhere really. Some teams pitch this out as there are
some mid 5th class moves. We soloed on different lines for 200 meters until we got to the
base of the technical climbing. Both of us picked up tons of non-fixed gear used for hasty
bails along this 200 meter portion. However, I found this nothing more than a scramble
and would be comfortable down climbing it as well, but your depth of experience might
dictate otherwise.

Route Description
Andy’s directions via “Yamnuska Rock” really threw us off regarding the first of four
technical pitches. What he did was describe the 200 meter scramble portion in detail and
we did not need that as there are quite a few easy lines up to the base of the wall. When
we got to the base of the first pitch, there is still some easier climbing to the left and we
continued to scramble past the start of the climb. Midway up we roped up and the next
thing I knew I was leading a run out pitch that angled left past random old piton
rappel bailouts (photo). I advise that you sort of ignore all of his “to start” paragraph and
just focus topping out onto the cone and start the climb on an obvious crack and into a
chimney to the right of the top of the cone. He does not use the word chimney in his first
pitch description, but uses it in “To Start” and that can lead you to believe you should keep
scrambling past the first pitch by mistake.

345 METERS, Including the Scramble Portion
1st Pitch- 45m- 5.8/ Climb the wide crack up and into the sustained chimney. Climb over
a small roof problem and continue to the top. Take up a corner there that moves up and
left on ramping ground to a steeper crack. Move left under the crack and over a steep
bulge to a fixed piton on a slabby ledge.

2nd Pitch- 25m- 5.8+/ Climb the steep corner straight up above for 15 meters to right
below a dirty overhang. Take the overhang (crux) and continue. As the climbing eases,
move left slightly and up into a small position inside a huge roof. There is one bolt and
easy placements for a station.

3rd Pitch- 30m- 5.8+/ In my opinion, the crux pitch. Follow the crack up into the roof
further, moving out right below it (protect here) and make a committing move out of the
roof to the right onto the face and into a steep corner ( 5.8+). Take the corner through an
overhang and move slightly back left onto small ledges where we built our own station
(perhaps we missed a fixed station, but don’t think so).

4th Pitch- 55m- 5.7/ Climb the corner above your belay and turn a decent sized roof to the
left (crux move-piton). Then up a loose right facing corner moving out right on to the face
for better rock. Here you will top out at three cool stepped slabs. Move out left a little to
gain the 2nd slab, then back right to gain the 3rd one. Follow a nice floor crack left to the
last move or two that put you onto the summit. There is a chock stone to protect the final
few moves. You will have to do a sitting belay off the summit.

Essential Gear
Full set of Cams, 00-9 Metolius for example with a BD 3 or 4. Full set of nuts. You will find
some fixed protection, so you do not need to overdo it with the gear. Helmet, rock shoes,
etc. We used a single rope. Despite having to gain over 1500’ to the base of the climbs on
Yamnuska, wear trail runners versus boots so you can haul them with you. You will not
return to the base of the climbs.

Accident Reports for Canadian Rockies (there will be quite a few of these for Yamnuska
and at least two for Belfry)