Mountain Climbing

Banff, Alberta

Lisa Pugsley
Staff Writer

Banff National Park is located right in the heart of the Canadian Rockies making it an outstanding place to scramble up world class peaks. Rock climbing excursions in Banff allow climbers to tackle some gigantic mountains originating from the Continental Divide that run through Alberta’s western borders.

Banff National Park hosts high alpine climbs as well as some slightly lower routes. The Trans Canada highway runs along the continental divide distinguishing between the glacial alpine ranges to the west and the drier ranges to the east. The highway gives climbers access to the towns of Banff and Lake Louise and also offers plenty of jumping off points to summit some of the best peaks in Canada.

The Best of Banff Mountain Climbing Sites

With a wide range of options to choose from, here are some of these more popular routes to help get you started. These climbs are sorted by difficulty.

Moderate

• Mts. Edith and Cory: Both peaks are popular for scrambling. They are located close to the road near Banff townsite for roped rock climbs.
• Cascade Mountain and Mt. Rundle: Both peaks are popular for scrambling. They are located near Banff and in the Lake Louise area.

Moderate to Difficult

• Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: This area is a popular summer climbing destination in North America and the Canadian Rockies. The high peaks of this region contain a combination of moderate scrambles to difficult alpine faces. Access to the scrambling faces are provided by extensive and well established network of trails.
• Mt. Louis: This summit jets out of the Canadian Rockies after a difficult set of limestone rock climbs.
• Castle Mountain: These steep rock climbing routes on dolomitic limestone are located to the west of Banff.