Plutonian Shores, Sulfur Mountain in Banff

Sept 9, 2024

Parking:

Park at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site.

Approach:

Follow the Cave and Basin trail, then turn left onto the Raven Crag Trail. As you approach the cliff, take a left, then follow a trail down and to the right.

Route:

From car to car, the climb took us 7 hours and 30 minutes, mainly due to a slower group in front of us. It was their first multipitch, and while they didn’t have technical difficulties, they struggled on the physical moves—likely because both were carrying large bags. A good tip: avoid climbing with a big bag, as it can make movements more challenging.

Pitch Breakdown:

Pitch 1 (5.5):

The slab was a bit polished, making foot placements feel unreliable, but there are still solid handholds to rely on.

Pitch 2 (5.7):

Thomas led this pitch, and although I don’t remember many details, he didn’t encounter any problems, so it likely wasn’t too difficult.

Pitches 3 & 4 (4th class and 5.8):

We linked these two pitches because the traverse was short and didn’t create much rope drag. If you want to link them, make sure to use alpine quickdraws, or consider moving your belay station 10 meters to the left. Pitch 4 started with a fun, easy overhang move on big holds.

Pitch 5 (5.8):

A left-facing corner with some reachy holds. The rock is a bit polished, and a few moves feel intimidating, but overall, it's manageable.

Pitch 6 (5.9):

There are some physical moves, but the pitch is well-bolted, and you can find good rests. The most nerve-wracking part for me was the slab finish. I couldn’t see a crucial bolt because I was focused only on the slab I was climbing. The bolt was actually on the vertical wall next to the slab, which made the finish feel more exposed than it really was.

Pitch 7 (5.7):

A fun pitch with solid holds throughout. There’s an interesting move at the beginning where you need to find the right position to top out over a vertical block. The group ahead of us made it harder than necessary by taking a less efficient path.

Descent:

The descent is a straightforward walk-off. Follow the cairns marking the trail, which, though resembling a goat path, is easy to follow.