 
mountain adventures
MOUNTAINEERING IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
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Mountaineering, Climbing, and Skiing In The Canadian Rockies
Mount Robson is Canada's famous mountain. Climbers come from around the world to attempt its icy flanks. The great bulk of this heavily glaciated peak creates its own climate and the summit is never assured. Just getting to the peak can be a challenge, the summit is surrounded by broken glaciers, icefalls and tangled rainforest. Even if the weather cooperates you'll still need stamina, drive and good mountaineering technique to reach the summit. Why try it then? Simply it's a beautiful mountain, its shiny, trapezoid summit massif rising far above all other peaks for miles. The climbing is classic, challenging glaciers on the approach, a demanding ice face followed by a twisting, sculpted snow ridge leading to a spacious summit. Just getting to the top is half the battle, you have to reverse all you've climbed to get there.
Topping out on the Kain Route, Mount Robson. George Reid photo. The PeakMt. Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and its summit elevation is 3954m. It's located on the western edge of the range, 100km west of Jasper in British Columbia's Mount Robson Provincial Park. Its massive bulk, the first thing that moist westerlies hit after crossing B.C. has resulted in a moist local microclimate . At its base is temperate rainforest more typical of the coast and its upper heights are cloaked in the massive glaciation that makes it such a beautiful and challenging climb.
Due to the dangerous state of the Robson Icefall we now often access the high Dome Camp by helicopter. This allows us to climb the peak in as little as two days. Alternatively we can fly to a point lower on the mountain and access The Dome via the ridge from the Resplendent col, itself a challenging climb, especially when carrying a heavy pack. Approaching on foot it would take at least six days to complete the climb. Other routes on the mountain include the Schwarz Ledges on the South Face. Overhung by unstable seracs this route is not very appealing. Harder routes include the North Face and the Fuhrer Ridge, these are routes we would only consider guiding with guests who have already built up a climbing relationship with our guides. Kain Face ItinerariesFly to Dome Camp Day 2: Acclimatization and training day. Possibly climb Mount Resplendent (3426m). Day 3: Summit attempt via Kain Face route. Expect to be out for 14 hours. Leaving camp in the very early hours of the morning you will head to the base of the 'Kain Face' and commence 550m of climbing on snow, ice or both with angles reaching 500. From here the fun continues with the beautiful snow and ice aręte leading to the steep slopes circumventing the 'Roof' and then, finally, the last section to the summit. To descend we reverse the climb! Day 4: Spare day for another summit attempt; or, if weather permits and we were successful the previous day, we may fly out early and head to Mt. Edith Cavell or the Columbia Icefields for another climb on the last day. Day 5: Either fly out from the Dome or do a final climb such as the East Ridge of Edith Cavell. Return to Canmore where the trip finishes. This can be a long day, so make travel plans accordingly.
Climbing on the Kain Face of Mount Robson. James Blench photo.
Fly to Upper Robson Glacier or Rearguard Meadows Day 2: Move up as high as conditions and fitness commit. If all goes well to The Dome, otherwise camp in the Resplendent Col. Day 3: Complete ascent to The Dome or 1st summit attempt via Kain Face route. Expect to be out for 14 hours. Leaving camp in the very early hours of the morning you will head to the base of the 'Kain Face' and commence 550m of climbing on snow, ice or both with angles reaching 500. From here the fun continues with the beautiful snow and ice aręte leading to the steep slopes circumventing the 'Roof' and then, finally, the last section to the summit. To descend we reverse the climb! Day 4: Spare day for another summit attempt; or, if weather permits and we were successful the previous day, we may fly out early and head to Mt. Edith Cavell or the Columbia Icefields for another climb on the last day. Day 5: Fly out from the Dome or do a final climb such as the East Ridge of Edith Cavell. Return to Canmore where the trip finishes. This can be a long day, so make travel plans accordingly. Weather and Alternates
Because the icefall below the Dome has lately been too dangerous to climb we are likely to have to fly up to the Dome. To do this required reasonable flying conditions. If the weather is not good enough we may have to wait in valley. Once on the Dome bad weather may force us to descend on foot, possibly via the Resplendent ridge. Any booking made for a Mount Robson cannot be cancelled at short notice due to weather or climbing conditions. This is because in accepting a booking on Mount Robson other guiding work will have been turned down. Should Mount Robson be unsafe or the weather unsuitable then the guides will organize alternate climbs in the region or elsewhere. Thus participants must not only be in excellent shape for high climbing they must also be willing to adapt to whatever the weather forces upon us. Guides and Guide RatiosThe guides assigned to lead Mount Robson climbs are fully-certified Mountain or Alpine Guides. They have been certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or by other member countries of the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA). Where numbers warrant a second guide, he or she could also be an ACMG Assistant Alpine Guide. Yamnuska's guides operate within the official terrain guidelines of the ACMG and Yamnuska also is licensed to operate on the peak by Mount Robson Provincial Park. The maximum ratio on a Mount Robson climb is 1:2. In certain situations or on certain routes the maximum may be 1:1. Time Needed & Climbing SeasonWe require a commitment of at least 5 days for attempts on the Kain Face. This allows a reasonable amount of spare time in case of bad weather which may delay access to and from the peak and limit summit opportunities. Should bad weather further prolong the trip guide fees will be charged for extra days. We will only consider shorter Robson trips if they are imbedded into longer private guiding programs such as where a guest may have booked the guide for at least 5 days in any event. If the trip is successful early on then the extra days can be used on other climbs in the region. If wanting to walk to and from the peak then extra days will be required. The snow on the upper peak tends not to stabilize until mid-July. The optimal season is usually mid-July though the 3rd week of August. Some years you can climb right into September but there is a risk that the mountain might be out of condition due to late season storms. How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?You must have a resume of prior mountaineering experience which includes glacier travel and climbing on steep ice and snow. This is one of our most demanding and challenging climbs. You will also need to be in excellent condition. If you have insufficient experience for this climb consider taking our advanced 'Intro to Alpine Ice' mountaineering program or arrange for at least 4 days of training with our guides beforehand. If it becomes obvious that you are either not fit enough for the climb or lack the mountaineering skills needed then the guide will organize alternatives if possible. There will be no refunds in this situation. CostsWe offer a fixed price 5-day Kain Face ascent package.
Notes on hiring a guideWhen hiring a guide you pay guide fees plus expenses. The guide fee is a daily rate, which varies according to the number of people per guide. Expenses you will incur include the cost of transportation for yourself and the guide to Mount Robson, camping gear rentals if applicable, Provincial Park fees and meals (for the guide also). In addition there is the cost of any helicopter flights. To simplify things we have offered the 5-day package price outlined above. Helicopter cost Transportation Getting to Mount RobsonMount Robson is located in Mount Robson Provincial Park which is 100km west of Jasper on Highway 16. For ease of logistics we suggest you arrive via Calgary, travel 120km to Canmore where you can overnight then in the morning meet the guide pickup the supplies and gear before driving north to Mount Robson via the Icefields Parkway and Jasper. If flying to the region we would suggest you pick up a rental car at Calgary Airport that you can use for the trip. Pre & Post Trip AccommodationOptional pre and post trip accommodation packages are available from $80 per person per night for shared room lodging ($160 for single occupancy). Purchase with booking. Subject to availability. You can also make your own arrangements. Check our links page for a range of recommended Canmore accommodations. In addition the Alpine Club of Canada Clubhouse (403 678-3200) is a good hostel here in Canmore with good facilities and reasonable prices. Equipment and ClothingWe supply group camping and climbing gear but you must bring your own personal climbing gear (e.g. harness, helmet, ice axe, ice tools), clothing and general equipment. We can lend you a harness, helmet, ice axe, ice tool and crampons. Let us know, in advance, what you will need. The equipment and clothing you bring with you will play a large role in the quality of your experience. It should be lightweight, durable and in good condition. You must be familiar with the function of your equipment. Make sure that it fits and that it works with other items of your equipment before you come. You don't want it to let you down at 12,000ft. Small additions can make life easier (for example short lengths of cord attached to zippers and wrist loops added to mittens). Read the following suggestions and list carefully. If you have any questions or need clarification don't hesitate to call or write. There is room for substitution and changes but if you have any doubt, do contact us. CLOTHING LISTWe suggest layers of light, easily carried clothing that allow for fast and easy adjustment to best suit fast changing temperature conditions. We discourage cotton clothing as it causes rapid heat loss when wet. Feel free to call us if you have any questions about what to bring. You will need to bring:
CLIMBING EQUIPMENT LISTYou will need to bring: (Items in blue are available to rent from Yamnuska, we can loan you the items in red). You must give us plenty of notice if wanting to rent or loan gear.
PERSONAL CAMPING GEAR
MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT
InsurancePlease ensure that you are covered for the cost of evacuation or rescue should you fall ill or be injured. Most health benefit plans (public and private) and some travel insurance policies do cover this. Otherwise, in the unlikely event that you need these services you may be liable for the cost (not astronomical). We can give you further information if necessary. Booking InformationPlease contact us directly, by email or phone to arrange a climb. Once a date and guide can be confirmed we will require a deposit of 35% of the cost. Full payment will be required 8 weeks in advance of the climb. All guests must fill in an Experience Questionnaire when first booking. Please note that you will also be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy. Should you cancel more than eight weeks in advance of trip, a $106 cancellation fee will apply. Cancellation between six and eight weeks before trip commencement will mean a loss of your deposit. Cancellation less than six weeks before trip commencement will result in a loss of all payments made. We suggest you take cancellation insurance, this is available on booking and will cost 5% of the package fee quoted. For detailed booking instructions and conditions, click here. If you need any rental gear please let us know early to ensure its availability. More information on private: Rock climbing Ice climbing Ski Mountaineering Hiking & Backpacking PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT US IF |
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We prefer to attempt the the Kain Face on the
N.E. side of the peak, it was the first ascent route in 1916. Now it is much steeper as the
glaciers have changed. It is a serious climb involving some objective hazards and whilst
the climbing is not extremely technical (45 - 550 snow and ice), conditions and weather can increase the challenge considerably. The summit day
is often long
and demanding can take takes 14 hours
or more.
Mount Robson is known for its variable weather and it is important to realize
that reaching the summit is very weather dependent. We have experienced a 50%
success rate over the years.
Yamnuska Mountain
Adventures
