Cline River Gallery - Approach
The Cline River Gallery is a deep river canyon in the Front Ranges of the central Alberta Rockies. It is known for a series of single pitch ice climbs located along its steep sides. The trailhead to access the Gallery is reached by driving east on Alberta Provincial Highway 11 for 42.5 km from the junction of Highway 11 and Highway 93, the Icefield Parkway, at a popular spot named Saskatchewan River Crossing. Park at the Pinto Creek Trailhead near an old gravel quarry.
Begin hiking west up the hill and through the trees, toward the Cline River Canyon, a deep canyon of sheer rock faces, dropping to the river fifty meters below in places. You will probably be following a recent trail that begins just north of the Cline River bridge. As you reach a large grove of poplar trees on your left, the trail slowly begins to drop towards the river. A large canyon with a river at the bottom of it should be obvious to your right at this point.
You will generally not see the climbs from up on the cliffs, but will have to access the river at a spot usually well-marked with orange survey ribbon on some large trees. This spot takes about an hour of up and down hiking from the highway, but it's not too strenuous; it just warms you up for the collection of various fun-to-nasty little ice flows and faces dropping down the canyon walls to the river. Formations can be checked out upriver but are not recommended due to an overall high risk factor with open water nearby. The climb Nightmare on Elm Street is just around the bend a little, downriver from the main Gallery.
As this is a popular ice climbing and guide/outfitter destination, there is generally a trail into the canyon and the Cline River. As you descend quickly to the river, tread carefully; there is often open water in the area of the Gallery, no matter how cold the temperature may be. Open water at the Gallery is sometimes caused by giant icicles breaking off from the climbs above and crashing through the river ice. Snow at the tops of cliffs compounds the danger. Hiking down into the river is possible, but many climbers rappell in and climb their way out. A climbing trip could quickly become a disaster with a careless mistake around open water.
The Cline River Gallery is a deep river canyon in the Front Ranges of the central Alberta Rockies. It is known for a series of single pitch ice climbs located along its steep sides. The trailhead to access the Gallery is reached by driving east on Alberta Provincial Highway 11 for 42.5 km from the junction of Highway 11 and Highway 93, the Icefield Parkway, at a popular spot named Saskatchewan River Crossing. Park at the Pinto Creek Trailhead near an old gravel quarry.
Begin hiking west up the hill and through the trees, toward the Cline River Canyon, a deep canyon of sheer rock faces, dropping to the river fifty meters below in places. You will probably be following a recent trail that begins just north of the Cline River bridge. As you reach a large grove of poplar trees on your left, the trail slowly begins to drop towards the river. A large canyon with a river at the bottom of it should be obvious to your right at this point.
You will generally not see the climbs from up on the cliffs, but will have to access the river at a spot usually well-marked with orange survey ribbon on some large trees. This spot takes about an hour of up and down hiking from the highway, but it's not too strenuous; it just warms you up for the collection of various fun-to-nasty little ice flows and faces dropping down the canyon walls to the river. Formations can be checked out upriver but are not recommended due to an overall high risk factor with open water nearby. The climb Nightmare on Elm Street is just around the bend a little, downriver from the main Gallery.
As this is a popular ice climbing and guide/outfitter destination, there is generally a trail into the canyon and the Cline River. As you descend quickly to the river, tread carefully; there is often open water in the area of the Gallery, no matter how cold the temperature may be. Open water at the Gallery is sometimes caused by giant icicles breaking off from the climbs above and crashing through the river ice. Snow at the tops of cliffs compounds the danger. Hiking down into the river is possible, but many climbers rappell in and climb their way out. A climbing trip could quickly become a disaster with a careless mistake around open water.
Cline River Gallery - Route Descriptions
There are several routes in the Gallery, of varying grade as follows:
There are several routes in the Gallery, of varying grade as follows:
- Nightmare On Elm Street 45 m III WI 3. This is a climb of one pitch of moderate ice, fairly steep at the lower half. It's almost always nice and fat, with trees at the top to belay from, if toproping. When rappelling into this canyon, always beware of unseen open water below overhangs and the river's banks.
- Pure Energy 30 m II WI 4. This is a major rock pillar that descends to the river on the right. There is a regular flow on the left side of it, WI 3.
- Are You Afraid Of The Dark? 30 m III WI 5. This sometimes-unformed thin curtain of ice appears some years on a large rocky overhang, separating Pure Energy from the rough terrain leading away from it into the canyon. Mixed routes up to M 6 have appeared on this wall now and are active when the ice doesn't make it all the way to the canyon bottom.
There are many other endless possiblities along this canyon, ranging from good learning flows for novices to M8 improvised routes on almost featureless canyon cliffs and caves. "Practice walls" are everywhere. Because of it's geological location and the depth of the canyon, it is protected often from winds that would otherwise combine with mountain winter temperatures to severely chill climbers who happened to be hanging on ice walls.
The routes in the Gallery are usually in from November until March, depending on the weather.
Essential Gear for Single Pitch Ice
Two 60 m half ropes (8 - 8.5mm) work well for single pitch climbing or rappelling here. A standard to light rack of ice screws, a few locking biners for the team, belay devices, several slings, a prussic sling or autoblock, and that just about does it. No rock pro is needed here, unless you're aggressively tooling it up a mixed route and happen to be able to use a tiny cam or two.
Helmets are a must, to protect from falling ice and rocks. Two ice tools are required, one with an adze, the other with a hammer head. Rigid mountaineering boots with rigid crampons must be worn. On technical ice, vertical point crampons or monopoints will outperform standard horizontal front point crampons.
Photo by Sean Presley
Two 60 m half ropes (8 - 8.5mm) work well for single pitch climbing or rappelling here. A standard to light rack of ice screws, a few locking biners for the team, belay devices, several slings, a prussic sling or autoblock, and that just about does it. No rock pro is needed here, unless you're aggressively tooling it up a mixed route and happen to be able to use a tiny cam or two.
Helmets are a must, to protect from falling ice and rocks. Two ice tools are required, one with an adze, the other with a hammer head. Rigid mountaineering boots with rigid crampons must be worn. On technical ice, vertical point crampons or monopoints will outperform standard horizontal front point crampons.
Shunda Creek Hostel
You might be well advised to take advantage of the secluded natural beauty and location of the rustic but very clean and comfortableShunda Creek Hostel , associated with the Hostelling International organization. Located about 4 miles outside of Nordegg, Alberta, this beautiful large log cabin/hostel features separate rooms, two large kitchens with food storage facilities, big, log-burning fireplaces in the great room and a huge hot tub out on the deck. It all feels good after a day or two of pursuing the tougher ice climbs in the Nordegg area. The cost is about $15 a night, and better accomodations in the heart of David Thompson Country, or any mountain area, will not be had at a fairer price. The hostel has a thirty-five foot ice wall outside, and an Indian teepee in the yard if you prefer to camp the old-fashioned way.
It'd definitely be warmer than sleeping at the trailhead, where -45 degree temperatures at night can occur, gradually warming to -30 degrees by morning!
You might be well advised to take advantage of the secluded natural beauty and location of the rustic but very clean and comfortable
It'd definitely be warmer than sleeping at the trailhead, where -45 degree temperatures at night can occur, gradually warming to -30 degrees by morning!
Disclaimer - Hazard Warning
The top edges and areas of the canyon are very icy and sloping in drainages and other waterfall areas. Travel above the canyon cliffs with extreme care, properly equipped and prepared at all times. People have fallen into the canyon from the cliff ledges in the past. Travellers on foot may need to wear crampons upon approaching the canyon, depending on conditions present at the time.
Ice climbing is dangerous. Climb at your own risk.
Left photo by Sean Presley
The top edges and areas of the canyon are very icy and sloping in drainages and other waterfall areas. Travel above the canyon cliffs with extreme care, properly equipped and prepared at all times. People have fallen into the canyon from the cliff ledges in the past. Travellers on foot may need to wear crampons upon approaching the canyon, depending on conditions present at the time.
Ice climbing is dangerous. Climb at your own risk.
Left photo by Sean Presley
Center for Outdoor Education
TheCenter for Outdoor Education , based in Nordegg, Alberta leads ice climbing trips and is an excellent source of instruction for novices or intermediate climbers wishing to improve their skills.
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Cline River Gallery Acknowledgements and Photo Credits
The information contained on the Cline River Gallery route page has been compiled by Henry Timmer, a Canadian citizen, mountaineer and adventurer currently residing in Sacramento, California, USA. To make comments, corrections, additions or inquiries, contact me atclimbwild@hotmail.com
The information contained on the Cline River Gallery route page has been compiled by Henry Timmer, a Canadian citizen, mountaineer and adventurer currently residing in Sacramento, California, USA. To make comments, corrections, additions or inquiries, contact me at