Caving & Climbing
The spectacular scenery and exhilaration of climbing and caving in Alberta's Canadian Rockies attract enthusiasts from around the world. From the tips of our majestic ranges to the labyrinth of chambers deep within their cores, the allure is irresistible. Do your mountaineering independently or let Alberta's world-class guides show you the ropes and show off the scenery.
Caving & Spelunking
The caves of the Canadian Rockies are unique in that most are located at alpine levels, with entrances at or above the treeline. Many of the traverses involve steep vertical components, requiring extensive use of technical alpine climbing equipment. Because of the altitude, most Alberta caves tend to be quite cold (4 C/39 F). It is not unusual to find ice in the entranceways 10 months out of 12. The harsh environment and level of difficulty involved in negotiating these caves make them an exciting and challenging experience for those seasoned in spelunking.
An excellent source of information and advice on caving can be found at the Alberta Speleological Society. Visit their site to find out about current cave conditions and to learn about the rules and requirements for safe caving. This group recommends that cave guides follow the guidelines prepared by the Canadian Caving Conservancy to ensure visitors have a safe and environmentally friendly experience.
Beginner Level
There are only a few caves in the Rockies that have passages suitable for novice cavers. Grotto Mountain near Canmore is a good spelunking location for physically fit beginners and is accessible with an experienced guide.
Intermediate/Expert Level
Because the majority of Alberta caves are found at high elevations and often in difficult terrain, basic survival and technical climbing training along with a high degree of physical fitness are essential.
Spots for Spelunking
- Cadomin Cave: southwest of Edson in Whitehorse Wildlands Provincial Park: almost 2,800 m (9,150 ft) in length
- Canmore Caverns & nearby Rat’s Nest Cave: Canmore area
- Castleguard Cave at Castleguard Mountain: largest cave system in Canada, and the longest at 20.2 km (12.5 mi), best in winter, often flooded in summer. It extends from the north end of Banff National Park to the Columbia Icefield.
- Hole-in-the-wall, Sawback Range east of Banff Townsite, is one of the most visible caves in the Rockies. Though you can only traverse a short distance, the view outward is spectacular.
- Crowsnest Pass area: 14 chambers, including Cleft Cave, Gargantua Cave and Yorkshire Pot, the second longest, deepest cave in Canada.
Alpine Climbing
Some of the world’s most challenging ice climbing, rock climbing and alpine climbing adventures are found in Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kananaskis Country and Waterton Lakes National Park.
The Rockies are made up almost entirely of sedimentary rock—layers and layers of limestones, dolomites, argillites, shales and silicas, including quartzite. Unlike granite, sedimentary rock varies widely in quality—from solid and dependable to loose and hazardous—making mountaineering in western Canada unpredictable, which is part of the allure. But considerable skill is required, especially when traversing the unavoidable areas of loose chipshale found on most alpine climbing routes.
In Banff National Park, the best climbing quality is on the thick-layered limestones (as found on the lower cliffs of Mount Rundle) and dolomites (Castle Mountain). Climbing the gorgeous quartzites of the main continental divide ranges is a one-of-a-kind experience.
The rock climbing season can begin as early as May as the cliffs at the lower elevations along the east side of the park begin to dry off. Alberta's most popular multipitch climbing crag, Yamnuska, is located 20 k (12.4 mi) east of Banff National Park and can be climbed from May to October.
Skill Schools
There are many outlets in Alberta that teach mountaineering skills—alpine climbing (rock, snow, ice, glaciers), sport climbing, scrambling, spelunking and more. The University of Calgary's Outdoor Centre and Yamnuska Mountain Adventures (Canmore) are excellent places to take classes and book trips. In Nordegg, an hour west of Rocky Mountain House on Hwy 11, the Centre for Outdoor Education offers mountaineering training and custom "adventure programming" for all ages.
The Alpine Club of Canada—the grandaddy of them all, having recently celebrated its centennial—has Alberta chapters in Edmonton, Calgary, Canmore, Central Alberta, and Jasper/Hinton that provide instruction in scrambles, rock climbing, mountaineering and ice climbing, as well as offering customized multi-day adventures, year round. Check out the club's mountain adventures, many of which incorporate stops at at their legendary backcountry huts.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable climbing encounter, the majority of informed climbers hire qualified guides through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or by contacting the organizations above. Can't find anyone to join you? Check out Mountain Equipment Co-Op where you can sign up for climbing partners.
Famous Faces in Alberta's Canadian National Parks
Whether you are into mountaineering, sport climbing (rock climbing on bolt-protected cliffs) or the popular pursuit of “scrambling” (peak bagging via non-technical routes), your choices are endless. Famous favourites include:
- Bear’s Hump (Waterton)
- Cascade Mountain: Mother’s Day Buttress (Banff)
- Castle Mountain (Banff)
- Mount Athabasca (Jasper)
- Mount Blakiston (Waterton)
- Mount Edith (Banff)
- Mount Fairview (Lake Louise)
- Mount Louis (Banff)
- Mount Rundle (Banff)
- Temple Mountain (Banff)
- Wasootch Slabs (Kananaskis)
- Weeping Wall (Jasper)
- Yamnuska (Banff adjacent)
Indoor Climbing
Indoor climbing is a great way to train and get in shape for your outdoor adventure in Alberta. Get started with a program designed to enhance flexibility, balance and coordination.
Ice Climbing
To learn more about winter ice climbing opportunities in Alberta, visit the Skiing & Winter Fun page in the EXPERIENCE menu to your left, and check out Other Winter Activities.
