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You will drive through a kiosk area again as you gain the Icefield Parkway. You will drive through the manned national park kiosks as you enter Banff National Park on the Trans-Canada. The Alpine Club of Canada headquarters is located in Canmore, AB, the Banff National Park headquarters is located in Banff, AB and Yoho National Park headquarters is located in Field, BC. The huts are managed by the Alpine Club of Canada versus the Parks. This can be obtained via the parks website which is included in the camping section below. There is also a backcountry permit required if you plan on spending a night in the backcountry versus the conventional campsites.
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There are no permit requirements to climb in Banff or Yoho National Parks, but all camping is regulated. If you plan many visits to Canadian National Parks within one year, you should purchase an annual pass. This pass is good for all four national parks. Red TapeYou will be required to purchase a national park pass as you enter Banff National Park coming from the east on the Trans-Canada. This is a several hour drive from Canmore. Weeping Wall is directly across the parkway.
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Pull off at a small parking area with a maintained winter outhouse on the left hand side 10 miles north of the Rampart Creek Hostel. As you pass through Lake Louise heading westbound, you want to exit onto the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) towards Jasper National Park. Team Effort 40m III, WI 4 Getting ThereThe Trans-Canada Highway runs from Calgary through Banff and Yoho National Parks on its way to Vancouver. Mixed Master 300m IV, 5.8, WI 5- Considered one of the finer mixed routes in the Rockies. Within Polar Circus is a feature named the Pencil which rarely forms to the ground, but when it does it is one of the finer WI 6 pillars anywhere. Charlie Porter is credited for naming the route while on first ascent when complaining about setting up a station on one of the steep pitches, referring to his situation as nothing more than a “Polish Circus”. Featuring 2300’+/- gain with over 1600’ of waterfall ice spread out over 9+/- pitches, Polar Circus is a classic to say the least. It is one of the most sought after routes anywhere in the world. Polar Circus is called the “showpiece of the Canadian Rockies and a must for all climbers” by Joe Josephson in his reknowned guide book “Waterfall Ice, Climbs in the Canadian Rockies”. Polar Circus 700m V, WI 5 This is a 2300’+ ascent day. You are more likely to have it to yourself if the road is in bad winter condition which can be a good strategy to avoid crowds as long as it is not closed or they close it while you are climbing. We went on a Tuesday in late December and had the entire place to ourselves. Snivelling Gully’s four rap descent off of bolted chains and a tree is used by most parties climbing on Weeping Wall’s other routes, so look for traffic on weekends. The first and last pitch are sustained for their grade, but the 2nd and 3rd pitches are more ice scrambling than climbing. Snivelling Gully will come into view to your left as it creeps up between the rock and ice to the top left hand corner of the lower Weeping Wall. Leave the parking area and cross the road to ascend to the base of the broad Weeping Wall. Your approach to the left corner of Weeping Wall will last all of 10-15 minutes. The ice climb itself is approximately 180 meters. Snivelling Gully 180m II, WI 3- This is less than a 1000’ ascent day. Routes Lower Weeping Wall (all kinds of lengths and grade-see photos) Joe Josephson’s “Waterfall Ice, Climbs in the Canadian Rockies” is an excellent guide book featuring photos and topos relative to these 22 routes. Weeping Wall is comprised of a minimum of 22 published waterfall ice and mixed climbing routes. Rampart Creek Hostel- manned and open in the winter almost exclusively for ice climbers/skiers. Southern Exposure- although you will lose the sun fairly early during the short winter afternoonsģ. Access- many routes are accessed just 15 minutes from your carĢ. Three critical factors make Weeping Wall popular:ġ. Weeping Wall is located on the east side of the Columbia Icefield Parkway just north of the Mount Wilson ice climbing area in Banff National Park, one of four connecting national parks making up the central Canadian Rockies.