Shades of Beauty, III, WI 4

Lat/Lon: 52.30000°N / 117.2861°W- CLICK FOR TOPO MAP
Beauty Creek is the tributary that feeds Stanley Falls in Jasper National Park on the
east side of the Columbia Icefield Parkway north of Tangle Ridge. There are many
ice routes that form in the shadows of Tangle Ridge, but the most common is
Shades of Beauty, 120+/- meters of WI 4 ice I climbed in May, 2006.

The approach along Beauty Creek Trail is quite memorable. Although I have been to
the summit of Tangle Ridge, I had yet to venture back along its north side until
climbing Shades of Beauty. Beauty Creek Trail runs you along a deep canyon
named Stanley Falls (photo). This canyon is very similar to Johnston (Banff National
Park) and Marble Canyons (Kootenay National Park), but more remote and less
visited. No less than 8 waterfalls descend through this limestone gorge (Stanley
Falls). The approach to the ice routes in this area actually travels the left bank of this
gorge.

The ice routes are numerable, however inconsistent in form from year to year:
SUNWAPTA FALLS , 65m III, WI 3- Directly east of where you park.
CHALKSTONED, 60m III, 5.8, WI 3- Left of Stanley Falls
RICK BLAK MEMORIAL, 50m III, WI 5- 100 meters right of Shades of Beauty
SHADES OF BEAUTY, 120m III, WI 4
STANLEY FALLS SENIOR, 45m III, WI 4- Directly across from Shades of Beauty
FREE AND FOCUSED, 30m IV, WI 5R- 30 minutes east of Shades of Beauty
SOUL ASYLUM, 25m IV, 5.7, WI 4+- 200 meters right of Free and Focused

Getting There
The Trans-Canada Highway dissects Banff National Park east to west as you come
in from Calgary. Continue past the Banff and Sunshine Ski Resort exits to Lake
Louise. Exit onto the Icefields Parkway. Drive 130 kms+/- northwest to the Columbia
Icefield Center. Continue for approximately 15 kms into Jasper National Park to a
pullout on the right, less than 3 kms south of the Beauty Creek Hostel . This is the
trailhead for Beauty Creek Trail.

There is a park kiosk as you enter the Icefields Parkway which serves as a forced
stop to check park driving permits which you should already have. The Icefields
Parkway is probably the most “wildlife viewed” road in all of North America. I have
witnessed moose and bear crossing the road in this area. I advise following the
speed limit for that reason. We encountered a black bear crossing the parkway at
Mosquito Creek in 2005.

Red Tape
You will be required to purchase a national park pass as you enter the parks via
Banff, Jasper or Rocky Mountain House. This pass is good for all four national
parks. If you plan many visits to Canadian National Parks within one year, you
should purchase an annual pass. There are no permit requirements to climb in
Jasper National Park, but 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 parks website. Parks Canada headquarters
are located in Banff and Jasper and you will drive through the manned kiosks as you
enter the parks from any direction.

This is active grizzly country, therefore, you should always have bear spray on your
person during non-hibernation months. I advise checking with Parks Canada for any
area and/or trail closures.

When to Climb
Ice is best climbed in the winter of course, but this is the Canadian Rockies. We
climbed ice three straight days in May and Shades of Beauty was one of our routes.
Can’t say its brethren, Stanley Falls Senior, directly across from it was doing so well
in May with its southern exposure.

Camping
Beauty Creek Hostel is less than 3 kms north and is partially (whatever that means)
open in the winter. The closest camping is located back east 15 kilometers at the
Columbia Icefield Campground located on the north side off of the Columbia
Icefields Parkway. You can go on line at Jasper National Park to pick your camp site
and obtain your camping permit. You will also be required to obtain your backcountry
permit, if you are going to use a backcountry site, which is separate, but can be
obtained simultaneously.

Mountain Conditions
Jasper National Park’s website has weather, wildlife reports, trail closures, etc.
Outside of the parks web site, Canadian Avalanche Association is also useful,
particularly for winter travel.

Route-Shades of Beauty
Shades of Beauty is 120+/- meters of III, WI 4 ice dripping down the north flank of
Tangle Ridge. Tangle Ridge is located on the east side of the Columbia Icefield
Parkway in Jasper National Park. Shades of Beauty has at least one published
accident report .

The approach along Beauty Creek Trail is quite memorable. Although I have been to
the summit of Tangle Ridge, I had yet to venture back along its north side. Beauty
Creek Trail runs you along a deep canyon named Stanley Falls (photo) en route to
Shades of Beauty. From the Beauty Creek parking area, head south towards Tangle
Ridge along the signed trail. The trail starts on a hiking dam of sorts and quickly
enters a wooded area. You ascend to an old road, turn right for a short distance and
then follow the trail left into the woods again. Soon the trail places you on the left
bank of Stanley Falls, a limestone gorge consisting of eight waterfalls. Follow the
gorge until it ends into Beauty Creek just being a creek and spot Shades of Beauty
dripping down the right flank of Tangle Ridge.

You are looking for several curtains of ice on top of one another that originate out of
a steep rock overhang above. Cross the creek and angle left up a steep hill (several
hundred meters) of moss and snow to the base of the climb (is avalanche prone). If
you stay right, you might get a little higher without crampons. Once you get your
crampons on, most would be comfortable soloing to the base of the first curtain.

The first pitch is not the grade of this climb. It involves two easy curtains separated
by a bench. At the top of this pitch, we built a station in the ice below what we
considered to be the crux pitch of the route, the third curtain, which is shorter
(12-15 meters) than the last pitch, but much steeper. We chose the left corner
which was probably the most difficult line on this particular curtain, but aesthetic,
steep and challenging. Again, setting up anchor in the ice on the next bench, the last
pitch was a joy, a longer sustained curtain, relatively easy for the grade. You top out
on this last pitch below a cool rock overhang which gives you a scenic platform to
take in the views to the north up the Sunwapta River.

The descent offers quite the airy rappel. You will definitely need two 60 meter
ropes. Move climbers left below the rock for approximately 50 meters or so, looking
for a tree that had a rap sling in 2006. Walk your way down the rap a few meters to
where it goes over a cliff, watch your hands and rap device and maneuver over the
cliff for a cool free air rappel (photo). From here, you scramble down traversing
skiers left the whole time to avoid other short cliffs all the way back to below the
base of the climb. Cross the lower ice and descend back to Beauty Creek.

It would be interesting to combine the rock above Shades of Beauty for some sort of
mixed climbing adventure.

Essential Gear
Two Ice Tools, Double 60 meter Ropes, 12+/- Ice Screws and Draws, Crampons,
Helmet, Warm Clothes, Full Shank Boots