Cougar Canyon Technical Rock Climbs

Lat/Lon: 51.0963°N, 115.3164°W- CLICK FOR TOPO MAP
Cougar Canyon is the only place, ironically enough, where mountain lions are
actually still spotted entering or exiting Canmore. It is the major drainage northeast of
downtown Canmore located in the Fairholme Range between the popular objectives
of Grotto Mountain to the east and Mt. Lady MacDonald to the west. Residences line
the well used approach trail along the wide creek bed. (even starts out paved)

As in all canyons in the Canadian Rockies, chasing the sun can be quite the
challenge on cold days. House of Cards is a good morning crag while Crowbar
further in on the left is a good afternoon crag. Covert and the Canadian Forks (way in
the rear of the canyon) catch sun most of the day. I have counted at least 183
routes on 21 separate walls in Cougar Canyon. The majority of these routes are in
the 5.10-5.11 range. This website, sponsored by our local climbing gym, has gone
through the painstaking task of putting together quite the print friendly topo climbing
maps showing all the routes. These would be much more beneficial than our local
guide book, Sport Climbs in the Canadian Rockies, but I recommend you take both
into the canyon.

Whichever route(s) you chose, start the day off right at the most popular local
climbers hangout, the Summit Café on Cougar Creek Drive off of Benchlands Trail
right before you reach the Cougar Creek trail head. It is the best coffee shop in town
and serves breakfast and sacked lunches. Ask for Steve.

Getting There
The TransCanada Highway runs from Calgary through the Rocky Mountain Canadian
National Parks on its way to Vancouver. Right before you enter Banff National Park,
there is the town of Canmore. The Benchlands Trail is what I would call the main
Canmore exit off of the TransCanada. Head north on the Benchlands Trial as it
curves right and turn right onto Elk Run Blvd, then take an immediate left into the
Cougar Creek trail head parking area. Hike north into Cougar Canyon. The trail starts
out paved, then turns to gravel and eventually you will make several creek crossings
as you get into the canyon itself. It is a several km hike depending on which wall you
are looking for.

Red Tape
Cougar Canyon and the Fairholme Range are not in Banff National Park, but rather
Kananaskis Country. There are no permit requirements to enter, climb and/or park
in Kananaskis. This is active grizzly country, therefore, you should always have bear
spray on your person. We had a grizzly fatality in Canmore in 2005 on the
Benchlands Trail which is perpendicular to the trail you will use to access the
Cougar Canyon climbs. I do advise checking with the park website link provided
above for possible trail closures, although Cougar Creek Trail is rarely if ever closed.

All camping is regulated. There is also a backcountry permit required if you plan on
spending a night in the backcountry versus the town campsites. This can be
obtained via the Kananaskis website above.   There is no official camping allowed
back in Cougar Canyon. You will see evidence of such however.

When To Climb
As with most rock climbing in the Canadian Rockies, the driest time is from June
through September. Virtually no one climbs in Cougar Canyon during the winter
months.

Camping
The closest camp site would be back in Canmore at the town campsite located at
the information center off of the TransCanada. The Alpine Club of Canada’s national
office is located in Canmore and also serves as a hostel, a recently renovated one at
that and is within walking distance to Cougar Canyon. There is actually a benchlands
trail that takes you from the Alpine Club to Cougar Canyon.

You cannot camp outside of the marked specific camping areas in Canmore or
Kananaskis. Refer to the Kananaskis Provincial Park website for more information
regarding backcountry camping. Of course there are tons of lodging options in
Canmore from 5 star spas to cheap motels.

Mountain Conditions
The Kananaskis Provincial Park website is a very thorough park website, including
trail conditions and/or closures, wildlife notices, weather conditions, avalanche
conditions, camping permits, whitewater conditions, etc.   It is an excellent source if
you are going to spend any time here and comparable to any National Park website I
have used. The Canadian Avalanche Association site is also useful, particularly for
winter travel. Canadian Alpine Accident Reports are also extremely helpful.

Routes
House of Cards is the first wall you come to in Cougar Canyon, about 2kms in
from the Cougar Creek trail head. You are looking for four real short pitches on your
left with the creek right below them. Then the wall opens up to some longer multi
pitch routes.    Routes listed from left to right as you face the wall.

First Section Short Routes
Rock 201-5.8- Not very entertaining and very smooth and worn. Two bolts to a tree.
Empty Nest- 5.9- Two bolts to the same tree.
Rock 301- 5.10b
Rock 401- 5.10c
Main Section Short Routes
Dreamcatcher in a Rusted Malibu-5.8- I like these short routes better than those first
couple. This drives under a corner-roof, 5 bolts to the station.
Kim and Murray-5.8- Three bolts to intersect Dreamcatcher
Innuendo- 5.10a
Fly by Wire- 5.10d
Main Section Long Routes
SPF- 5.10b
Solarium- 5.10a- My favorite route on House of Cards. Shares 6 bolts with SPF over
a small roof problem. Splits off to the right for 6 more bolts to a tree. Two rope rappel
or build a station with some gear.
Aqualung- 5.9- Eleven bolts to the same tree as Solarium. Two rope rappel or build a
station with some gear.
Slowpoke- 5.8- A little on the dirty side. Sees enough traffic that there is not too much
to come loose. Twelve bolts to a station 30 meters off the ground.
Fidget- 5.10c- The 2nd pitch of Slowpoke. Five bolts to a station.

Crowbar Crag, left, is a couple of more walls in from House of Cards, 4th
bolted wall on your left. It has a short section on the far end that angles up and west,
thus the name Crowbar. You are looking for another section to start with just like
House of Cards. It starts off with a couple of short routes and then the wall opens up
to multi pitch length.   Routes listed from left to right as you face the wall.

First Section Short Routes
Lougheed the Great- 5.7- This is the only 5.7 you will find in Cougar Canyon. This is
the first route you come to. Three bolts to station.
Depth Charge- 5.11b
Diptheria- 5.10b

Main Section Short Routes
Terminal Velocity- 5.11a
Blockhead- 5.9- Two bolts, follow the corner to the left upper station. Just at the
beginning of the main section.
Block Buster- 5.11a
Doppler Effect- 5.11c

Main Section Long Routes
Shockwave- 5.10d
Surface Tension- 5.11b
Critical Mass- 5.10c
Susie Q- 5.11c
Island Experience- 5.11a
Islands in the Stream- 5.9- My 2nd favorite so far at Crowbar Crag. The start is at the
far right of Crowbar. Four bolts to a ledge and first station. At least 2 bolts to finish
2nd pitch. One 60 meter rope will get you to the ground from there. This is a left
diagonal line that starts with Argon, but moves left under a couple of trees.
Face Value- 5.10b- Fun route that splits off of Islands in the Stream and goes
straight up, right of the trees for 8 bolts on the 2nd pitch.
Argon- 5.10a- My favorite route on Crowbar Crag. Islands in the Stream fist pitch and
then follow the far right bolted line for at least 7 bolts to the summit of the crag. The
last few are the crux on this route.
Mean Street- 5.11a

Made in the Shade is on the right side of Cougar Canyon, several walls
back from House of Cards . Walls on the right hand side of Cougar Canyon are
either right on the creek or set back. Made in the Shade is more of a set back wall. It
is one of the shaded areas behind the trees and moss, however, it gets decent
afternoon sun in May.

There is a right and left side divided by 40 meters of mosey covered ledges. The left
side is closer to being along the creek, the right side is further back. There are more
bolts on these routes than what show in the current edition (5th) of Sport Climbs in
the Canadian Rockies. The right half has significant features including a corner,
Shadow of Turning, and a small roof, Skyjack. A stick clip is needed for most of the
routes on the left wall.

Left Wall
Tender Mercies-5.11a
Shady Lady- 5.11b (Stick Clip)
Made in the Shade- 5.10b/c
Crashcourse- 5.10b (Stick Clip)
Clipjoint- 5.11c (Stick Clip)
French Connection- 5.11d (Stick Clip)
Tree Men- 5.11a
Crybaby- 5.10a

Right Wall
Shadow of Turning- 5.9- Just about the best 5.9 back here because you can top rope
High Wire which is a 10d and Skyjack which is an 11b. All three have asterisks in the
guide book and deserve them. This is a fun crack/corner system that starts out a little
tough, eases up a bit in the middle, hit a crux, eases up again and then you must
come out from the corner onto the face for another tough move or two. About 7 bolts
to chains.
High Wire- 5.10d- Same anchor as Shadow of Turning, but that is where the route
similarities end. The crux here is the start; it is polished off pretty bad. You would like
a stick clip here if not top roping. The middle is easy for the grade and then you climb
the face for the last third which is challenging, but not as difficult as the beginning of
this route. About 7 bolts to chains.
Skyjack- 5.11b
Pin-toe Flakes- 5.10b/c

Cosmology Crag, right, is about seven walls back on the left. It is kind of a
three summit feature. The right half of the wall contains the longer routes. There is a
corner that runs from bottom to top that is a significant feature on the right side.
Routes listed from left to right as you face the right half of the wall.

History of Time- 5.10c
Dr Gage’s Meat Injection- 5-10.b
Timescape- 5.9
Milk Run- 5.5 (but why?)
Cosmic String- 5.8- Just below that long corner that runs to the top, start off left.
Three bolts to the corner and then fall into it. Follow it for 2 more bolts to the first
station. Bring the 2nd up. Then 5 bolts to the top. That is 32 meters to the ground, so
you can return down the corner or there is a station on Milk Run you could use for a
double rappel as well.
Prime Cut- 5.10d
Outer Limits- 5.12a
Dead Heat- 5.10b
Gaia- 5.9- My favorite so far on Cosmology Crag. Second to last bolted route on the
wall to the far right. Nine bolts to the station, 27 meter rappel to the ground.
Entropy- 5.10a

Essential Gear
At least one 60 Meter Rope, Helmet, Climbing Shoes, Some Gear (mostly bolted
sport routes though), The Local Guide Book (Sport Climbs in the Canadian Rockies)
and the Topo Maps I give a link to above.

Trip Report
I am staring at Cougar Canyon as I type. It is right out my window to the north. We
must have 1000+ rock routes around Canmore. 200 of them are back in here and I
like Cougar Canyon as much as any other location. Depends where the sun is
shining most regarding preference. If you are in town and need someone at the end
of a rope, send me an email. Cheers.