Cascade Waterfall - Overview
Cascade Waterfall has long been a favorite for local and Alberta-area climbers, and is probably one of the best (and certainly the most easily-accessible) Grade III climbs in Canada. Motorists often pull to the side of the road on the Trans-Canada Highway to get a look at the intrepid adventurers tooling their way up its beautifully-featured steps, snaking up the steep face of Cascade Mountain. Minutes away from Banff, it attracts ice climbers from around the world.
Cascade Waterfall has long been a favorite for local and Alberta-area climbers, and is probably one of the best (and certainly the most easily-accessible) Grade III climbs in Canada. Motorists often pull to the side of the road on the Trans-Canada Highway to get a look at the intrepid adventurers tooling their way up its beautifully-featured steps, snaking up the steep face of Cascade Mountain. Minutes away from Banff, it attracts ice climbers from around the world.
Cascade Waterfall - Approach
From the Banff east exit ramp on Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway, turn north and enter the Lake Minnewanka Road. Drive a very short distance, go over a metal cattle guard, drive another two hundred yards or so, and pull over to the left into a small roadside parking lot. The route can be easily seen, stepping its way up the steep face of Cascade Mountain.
Hike up a very gentle rise, through thin tree cover for about twenty minutes to a half hour, until you reach the bottom of the route; a small sea of large rolling white blobs of ice. Crampon up, get out the tools, and carefully start to make your way up the beginning of the route. It is too easy-angled at this point to climb with tools: it's mainly just a careful hike using French technique, carrying tools in case of a slip to prevent a long bumpy slide back to the starting point.
The lower pitches are commonly soloed by many climbers, and can even be avoided entirely by hiking up the mountain immediately to the right of the flow. Novices or the less-experienced should rope up here if climbing up the lower angled ice itself. The ice gradually steepens, accented by easy steps and resting spots, giving the ice climber places to stop and survey the features ahead. The first belay station, a fixed bolt with a large loop of steel cable, is about halfway up the waterfall, on the left side of the route, about twenty feet from the ice on a rocky ledge. Most parties that haven't roped up yet do so at this station. The ice is about 45 degrees here and steepens noticeably at this point.
From the Banff east exit ramp on Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway, turn north and enter the Lake Minnewanka Road. Drive a very short distance, go over a metal cattle guard, drive another two hundred yards or so, and pull over to the left into a small roadside parking lot. The route can be easily seen, stepping its way up the steep face of Cascade Mountain.
Hike up a very gentle rise, through thin tree cover for about twenty minutes to a half hour, until you reach the bottom of the route; a small sea of large rolling white blobs of ice. Crampon up, get out the tools, and carefully start to make your way up the beginning of the route. It is too easy-angled at this point to climb with tools: it's mainly just a careful hike using French technique, carrying tools in case of a slip to prevent a long bumpy slide back to the starting point.
The lower pitches are commonly soloed by many climbers, and can even be avoided entirely by hiking up the mountain immediately to the right of the flow. Novices or the less-experienced should rope up here if climbing up the lower angled ice itself. The ice gradually steepens, accented by easy steps and resting spots, giving the ice climber places to stop and survey the features ahead. The first belay station, a fixed bolt with a large loop of steel cable, is about halfway up the waterfall, on the left side of the route, about twenty feet from the ice on a rocky ledge. Most parties that haven't roped up yet do so at this station. The ice is about 45 degrees here and steepens noticeably at this point.
Cascade Waterfall - Route Description
Most climbers solo the lower pitches to the first cabled belay station in the rocks about twenty feet to the left of the ice on a small ledge. Climb up the rapidly-steepening, cauliflowered ice, placing ice screws near convenient rest spots on bulges or icy ledges. From this point on, bolted cable belay anchors and rap rings can be seen around one-pitch intervals, at the left or right edges of the waterfall, which is generally not wider than twenty feet in most places, and narrows to half of that in spots. The top three pitches are quite steep; up to 80 degrees in a few places. Depending on the time of year, the ice can be very thin or wet in spots as the route is in the sun during the warmest hours of the day. There are really only about 4 technical pitches on the route, beginning at the first belay.
The final pitch is a vertical fifty foot curtain of ice spread over a black rocky cliff, and is the hardest, most vertical pitch on the climb. The rap anchor most use (few are available) from the top of the route is a small, sturdy and well-experienced tree about thirty feet to the right of the topping-out point on the route. If you rappel from this tree, you will be rapping down a vertical blank wall of unfeatured rock with a miniscule layer of ice covering it, just to the right of the last pitch you just climbed. There are no bolt anchors at the top - the only other rappel option other than the tree is to build an Abalakov anchor.
When you reach the flat, narrow, hundred-foot long icy amphitheatre at the bottom of the top pitch, walk to and find the next bolt anchor, and rappel the route from there to successive belay stations, to a point where you can descend by walking down on your left side.
Most climbers solo the lower pitches to the first cabled belay station in the rocks about twenty feet to the left of the ice on a small ledge. Climb up the rapidly-steepening, cauliflowered ice, placing ice screws near convenient rest spots on bulges or icy ledges. From this point on, bolted cable belay anchors and rap rings can be seen around one-pitch intervals, at the left or right edges of the waterfall, which is generally not wider than twenty feet in most places, and narrows to half of that in spots. The top three pitches are quite steep; up to 80 degrees in a few places. Depending on the time of year, the ice can be very thin or wet in spots as the route is in the sun during the warmest hours of the day. There are really only about 4 technical pitches on the route, beginning at the first belay.
The final pitch is a vertical fifty foot curtain of ice spread over a black rocky cliff, and is the hardest, most vertical pitch on the climb. The rap anchor most use (few are available) from the top of the route is a small, sturdy and well-experienced tree about thirty feet to the right of the topping-out point on the route. If you rappel from this tree, you will be rapping down a vertical blank wall of unfeatured rock with a miniscule layer of ice covering it, just to the right of the last pitch you just climbed. There are no bolt anchors at the top - the only other rappel option other than the tree is to build an Abalakov anchor.
When you reach the flat, narrow, hundred-foot long icy amphitheatre at the bottom of the top pitch, walk to and find the next bolt anchor, and rappel the route from there to successive belay stations, to a point where you can descend by walking down on your left side.
Essential Gear for Multipitch Ice
A typical rack of six or seven ice screws, a few locking carabiners, a few quickdraws, some regular carabiners, and perhaps four or five two foot sewn slings to extend anchor points would be required. Two half ropes, 60 m in length are optimum for this climb, allowing parties to reach successive bolt stations on single rappells.
Personal gear should include a helmet to protect the climber from falling ice, rock, dropped equipment, tools, etc. A pair of two-way radios are invaluable for communication with party members who have disappeared over bulges to continue the route or set up belays. A daisy chain is nice to tie off with at belays, and a prussic sling or some type of autoblock should be used on rappel. Two ice tools and crampons will complete the list.
A typical rack of six or seven ice screws, a few locking carabiners, a few quickdraws, some regular carabiners, and perhaps four or five two foot sewn slings to extend anchor points would be required. Two half ropes, 60 m in length are optimum for this climb, allowing parties to reach successive bolt stations on single rappells.
Personal gear should include a helmet to protect the climber from falling ice, rock, dropped equipment, tools, etc. A pair of two-way radios are invaluable for communication with party members who have disappeared over bulges to continue the route or set up belays. A daisy chain is nice to tie off with at belays, and a prussic sling or some type of autoblock should be used on rappel. Two ice tools and crampons will complete the list.
Disclaimer - Hazard Warning
Be advised there is a large avalanche bowl located above this route, which has released in the past, sweeping the route with snow, ice and rock. Sunny days change the condition of the ice quickly, causing rock and icefall as well. The route is popular, and man-made hazards such as icefall, rockfall, and dropped tools and equipment are not uncommon.
Due to the lower angle of the lower section many climbers solo the lower route until reaching the steepest ice. This has resulted in many serious accidents, and injuries as well as fatalities have occurred. It may look easy, but if you fall, a long hard ride right to the bottom is the likely outcome. Unfortunately, hazard from falling solo climbers can not be discounted, and must be taken seriously on this route.
Some years see several serious accidents on this beautiful route due to falls or avalanches. If climbing conditions are doubtful or there are parties above you, it is advised to seek a different route, as there are many options in the Banff area.
Ice climbing is dangerous. Climb at your own risk.
Be advised there is a large avalanche bowl located above this route, which has released in the past, sweeping the route with snow, ice and rock. Sunny days change the condition of the ice quickly, causing rock and icefall as well. The route is popular, and man-made hazards such as icefall, rockfall, and dropped tools and equipment are not uncommon.
Due to the lower angle of the lower section many climbers solo the lower route until reaching the steepest ice. This has resulted in many serious accidents, and injuries as well as fatalities have occurred. It may look easy, but if you fall, a long hard ride right to the bottom is the likely outcome. Unfortunately, hazard from falling solo climbers can not be discounted, and must be taken seriously on this route.
Some years see several serious accidents on this beautiful route due to falls or avalanches. If climbing conditions are doubtful or there are parties above you, it is advised to seek a different route, as there are many options in the Banff area.
Ice climbing is dangerous. Climb at your own risk.
Cascade Waterfall - Acknowledgements and Photo Credits
The information contained on the Cascade Waterfall 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, contactclimbwild@hotmail.com
The information contained on the Cascade Waterfall 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