Mount Alberta - North Face

Along with the North Pillar of North Twin and the Emperor Face of Robson, the North Face of Alberta is one of the hardest problems of the Canadian Rockies, a testing ground for elite climbers all over the world. First climbed by Glidden and Lowe (line 18) in 1972 (!), the face has seen only a handful of repetitions, usually through variants (lines 16, 17 and 19) weaving their way through the steep rotten rock of the main headwall.

There are three posters of Mount Alberta, see also the East and West Faces.

Free download link - medium resolution, personal use only (no printing allowed)

Route List

1: Southeast Ridge of Twins Tower, PD 40°, C. Cranmer, F. Wiessner, 07/1938
2: Traverse of the Chickens, ED- 5.10 A3, D. Cheesmond, T. Friesen, 07/1982
3: Lowe-Jones, ED+ 5.10 A3, C. Jones, G. Lowe, 08/1974
4: House-Prezelj variant, ED+ 5.10 A3, S. House, M. Prezelj, 04/2004
5: North Pillar, ED+ 5.10d A2 60°, B. Blanchard, D. Cheesmond, 08/1985
6: Abrons Ridge, TD 5.7, H. Abrons, P. Carman, R. Millikan, 07/1965
7: Pullan-Welsted variant, TD 5.8 WI3, B. Pullan, I. Welsted, 08/2012
8: Peuterey Integral of Choss, TD 5.7, A. Berg, I. Welsted, 08/2019
9: West Ridge of Son of North Twin, AD+ 5.6, A. Spero, D. Waterman, 08/1979
10: North Ridge of South Twin, PD+ 40°, F.V. Field, W.O. Field, L. Harris, J. Biner, E. Feuz, 07/1924
11: North Ridge of Daughter of South Twin, F
12: East Face of Mount Columbia, PD+ 40°, J. Outram, C. Kaufmann, 07/1902
13: North Ridge of Mount Columbia, TD 5.7 WI3, C. Jones, G. Thompson, 08/1970
 14: Northeast Ridge, TD+ 5.10-, K. Swigert, S. Tenney, 08/1984
15: Wilford Variation, TD+ 5.10-, M. Wilford, 08/1991
16: Kruk-Lavigne, ED+ WI5 M8+, J. Lavigne, J. Kruk, 09/2012
17: Anderson-House, ED+ WI5+ M8 R/X, V. Anderson, S. House, 03/2008
18: Glidden-Lowe, ED+ 5.9 A3 70°, J. Glidden, G. Lowe, 08/1972
19: Brazeau-Walsh, ED+ 5.11 70° M6, C. Brazeau, J. Walsh, 09/2006
20: Northwest Ridge, ED 5.9 A3, B. Blanchard, J. Elzinga, 08/1990
21: East Face of Mount King Edward, AD 70°, J. Auld, A. Brash, P. Smillie, B. Wrobleski, 07/1994
22: Northwest Ridge of Mount King Edward, AD 5.5, D. Waterman, 07/1975

Sources and Credits

• “The Climbers Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada, Volume III: Rockies West,” David P. Jones, Thin Gruel Press, 2018
  
• “The Bold and the Cold,” Brandon Pullan, Rocky Mountain Books, 2016
  
• “Selected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockies,” Sean Dougherty, Rocky Mountain Books, 2008
  
• “Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering,” Chic Scott, Rocky Mountain Books, 2000
  
• “Canadian Rockies, Summary,” Raphael Slawinski, AAJ, 2012
  “Mount Alberta’s North Face and Northeast Ridge,” Mark Wilford, AAJ, 1992
• “Mount Columbia from the North,” Christopher A. G. Jones, AAJ, 1971 
  
• “North Twin Revisited, Pursuing the Adventure Attitude on Canada’s Greatest Wall,” Steve House, AAJ, 2004
  
• “North Twin, Full North Ridge,” Ian Welsted, AAJ, 2020
  
• “The North Pillar,” Jon Walsh, Alpine Style Blog, 2013 
  
• Gripped Magazine
• Canadian Alpine Journal
  
• Ian Welsted