Mount Yamnuska

Accurately dubbed the crown jewel of traditional climbing in the Canadian Rockies, Mt Yamnuska (also known as Îyâmnathka and Mt John Laurie) has been a key theater of the development of Canadian climbing since the first ascent of its southeast face in 1952. Though "only" 350m high or so, Yamnuska has a lot of adventure to offer with its limestone of variable quality, exciting protection, challenging routefinding and Canadian weather!

This poster is the most complete of the cliff to date, showing almost every route in Andy Genereux's 2016 guidebook, as well as, for the first time, the Girdle traverse (It's All McConnell's Fault). There is also a version with only the Kallen 34.

Download: Medium resolution, personal use only

Route List

1: How the West Was Won, 5.10a, Derbyshire, Quinn, 2003
2: False Promise, 5.7, Derbyshire, Toft, 1981
3: Mean Mistreater, 5.11b, Wallace, 1987
4: BBQ Ledge #1, 5.8
5: BBQ Ledge #2, 5.8
6: BBQ Ledge #3, 5.8
7: Lightning Bolt Crack (BBQ Ledge #4), 5.9, Breitenbach, U. Kallen, 1973
8: Hot Doggin’ It, 5.12c, Pullan, Rochacewich, 2007
9: Direct Mail, 5.10c, Gatzsch, A. Genereux, 2004
10: Windy Slabs, 5.6, Bowen, Martin, Slymon, 1968
11: Easy Street, 5.6, Martin, Slymon, 1968
12: King’s Chimney, 5.7, King, Vockeroth, 1964
13: Western Union, 5.8, Beattie, Spear, 1996
14: Gray Goose, 5.7, Howard, Martin, 1978
15: Unnamed (Great Pumpkin), 5.7, Greenwood, Steen, 1961
16: The Toe, 5.7, Hahn, U. Kallen, 1966
17: Broken Wing, 5.10c, A. Genereux, 2004
18: Pony Express, 5.10b, A. Genereux, 2003
19: Jazz Beat of the Nun’s Groove, 5.10a/b, Campbell, Everett, 1996
20: Faith, 5.11b, Derbyshire, Embacher, Quinn, 2008
21: Rejection of the Faith, 5.12a, A. Genereux, 2005
22: Missionary’s Crack, 5.10d/11a, Greenwood, Vockeroth, 1964
23: Third Time Lucky, 5.11c, A. Genereux, 2015
24: The Tongue, Left Side, 5.9, Blanchard, Pickel, 1982
25: Hanging Out, 5.10c, Cambpbell, Derbyshire, 1994
26: The Tongue, Right Side, 5.8, Bowen, Martin, 1968
27: Extender, 5.11a, Auger, Derbyshire, Quinn, 1994
28: Belfry, 5.8+, Greenwood, Thomson, 1957
29: Sunny Side of the Alps, 5.10c, Pockar, Skof, 1988
30: Dazed and Confused, 5.10b, Keller, Lauchlan, 1976/Galbraith, Smith, 1987
31: Corvus Corax, 5.10b A2, Campbell, Fulford, Hanson, 2004
32: Necromancer, 5.10b, Homer, Jones, 1971/Blanchard, Marshall, 1981
33: Peter’s Way, 5.10b X, Gatzsch, Trescher, 2004
34: Mexican Backhoe, 5.9, Blanchard, J. Josephson, 1995
35: Mum’s Fears, 5.10b, A. Genereux, Marshall, 2003
36: Mum’s Tears, 5.9, Locke, Vockeroth, 1968
37: Rocket Man, 5.9 R, Everett, Reisenhofer, 1990
38: Calgary Route, 5.6, Dopf, Gmoser, 1953
39: Golden Dragon, 5.13b, Galloway, Trotter, 2008
40: Verstiegenheit, 5.12c R, Milton, Steiner, 2004
41: General Pain, 5.12b, A. Genereux, Marshall, 1988
42: CMC Wall, 5.11b, Davidson, U. Kallen, 1972/Stark, Wallace, 1984
43: CMC Wall Direct, 5.11b, A. Genereux, Jones, 1992
44: Super SDAG (Steep, Direct, Adventure with Gravity), 5.11c, S. DeMaio, A. Genereux, 2001
45: Lost on CMC, 5.11a
46: Highlander, 5.11a, S. DeMaio, 1986/S. DeMaio, Dougherty, 1986
47: Shuftee, 5.9, Howe, Lofthouse, 1971/Boiselle, Cadot, 1978
48: Nightmare on Elm Street, 5.10d X, Gatzsch, U. Kallen, 2012
49: Direttissima, 5.8+, Gmoser, Grillmair, Kahl, 1957
50: The Super Direct, 5.10d/11a, Friesen, A. Genereux, 2009
51: Mixed Emotions, 5.10c, Gatzsch, A. Genereux, 2005
52: Brian’s Song, 5.11b, Wallace, 1986
53: Astro Yam, 5.11c R, S. DeMaio, Gross, Marshall, 1986
54: People of the Sun, 5.12c, O’Donnell, Rogans, 2022
55: Quantum Leap, 5.11d, S. DeMaio, Marshall, 1990/Akitt, Slawinski, 2003
56: Above and Beyond, 5.12a R, S. DeMaio, Gross, Marshall, 1986/Harmstom, Shaw, 1999
57: Lord of the Rings, 5.11b, Gatzsch, A. Genereux, 2003
58: Balrog, 5.10b, Greenwood, Moss, Nicholas, 1969/Cheesmond, Friesen, 1982
59: Yamabushi, 5.12d/13a, Gadd et al., 2006
60: Tiger Balm Monday, 5.12, Closed Project
61: The Wild Boys, 5.10d X, Cheesmond, Gross, Quinn, 1985
62: Mix Master, 5.10a R, D. Cheesmond, U. Kallen, 1986
63: Bottleneck, 5.8+, Cole, Lofthouse, 1964
64: Chockstone Corner, 5.9, Kahl, Lofthouse, 1963
65: Chockstone Corner, Direct Start, 5.10a, Grendus, Pogson, 2005
66: Direct-Direct, 5.10a, Heyes, Homer, 1970
67: Bottleneck Direct, 5.10a, Greenwood, Vockeroth, 1965
68: Gormenghast, 5.12a, Campbell, Everett, 1993/Campbell, Everett, Reisenhofer, 1993
69: Unforgiven, 5.11c, A. Genereux, 2007/Balazs, A. Genereux, 2007
70: High Voltage, 5.10a, Perry, White, 1981
71: Glory Days, 5.11c, A. Genereux, U. Kallen, 2002
72: Grillmair Chimney, Left, 5.7, Gmoser, Grillmair, Spreat, 1952
73: The Hare and the Tortoise, 5.10a, A. Genereux, Warne, 2005
74: Billy the Kid, 5.11c, A. Genereux, 2008
75: Missing Link, 5.10d A0/5.12a, Birch, A. Genereux, 2008
76: Grillmair Chimney Right, 5.6, Gmoser, Grillmair, Spreat, 1952
77: Spring Fever, 5.11b, A. Genereux, Jones, 1987
78: The Milky Way, 5.10c, Dornian, J. Josephson, 1998
79: The Flip Side, 5.11b/c, A. Genereux, 2013
80: The Heat is On, 5.10b X, Cheesmond, Gross, Quinn, 1985
81: Illusions of Grandeur, 5.11c/d, A. Genereux, 2015
82: The Illusionist, 5.11c/d, A. Genereux, 2013
83: Kahl Wall Direct, 5.11a, Vockeroth et al., 1970s/Ostrander, 1996
84: Twisted Sister, 5.10c/d, A. Genereux, 2013
85: Twist of Fate, 5.11b, A. Genereux, 2013
86: Heinz Special, 5.10d/11a, A. Genereux, 2013
87: Sign of the Bull, 5.12a, A. Genereux, 2013
88: Kahl Wall, 5.10a, Auger, Vockeroth, 1971/Blanchard, Doyle, 1981
89: Slight of Hand, 5.10c, A. Genereux, 2013
90: Bringers of the Dawn, 5.11c/d, J. Josephson, Steiner, 1997
91: Sport Yamaneering, 5.12b, A. Genereux, Suchy, 2022
92: Trap Line, 5.11c, S. DeMaio, Robinson, 1987/Crosley, Firth, 1997
93: Forbidden Fruit, 5.11b, A. Genereux, Marshall, 2002
94: Forbidden Corner, 5.10a, MacKay, Vockeroth, 1964
95: Brown Trousers, 5.10d R, Cheesmond, Gross, Quinn, 1985/Everett, Gross, Marshall
96: Life in Colour, 5.11c, M. Laird, 01/2026
97: Dreambed, 5.11b, Akitt, Mooney, Morrison, 1994
98: Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’, 5.11c, A. Genereux, 2002/Gatzsch, A. Genereux, 2002
99: Jimmy and the Cruisers, 5.10d/11a R, S. DeMaio, Nazarchuk, 1990
100: Zig Zag, 5.12a/b, Isaac, Walsh, 2006
101: Red Shirt, Direct Finish, 5.8, Bowen, Hughes, 1988
102: Red Shirt, 5.8+, Greenwood, Kahl, Lofthouse, 1962
103: Sword in the Stone, 5.12a, A. Genereux, 2015
104: Gray Scale, 5.12a, A. Genereux, 2005
105: Blood Meridian, 5.12a/b, A. Genereux, Suchy, 2013
106: Devil’s Right Hand, 5.11b, A. Genereux, 2007
107: Trigger Finger, 5.11d, A. Genereux, 2013/A. Genereux, Suchy, 2013
108: I Wonder, 5.11d, A. Genereux, 2013
109: Split Personality, 5.11a, A. Genereux, 2013
110: Excalibur, 5.10c, S. DeMaio, Marshall, 1988
111: The Bowl, Direct Access, 5.11a, A. Genereux, 2013
112: In the Spirit of the Tongue, 5.12a/b, A. Genereux, 2013/Suchy, 2013
113: Sugar Man, 5.11c/d, A. Genereux, 2013
114: Silver Words, 5.11c, A. Genereux, 2013
115: Crucify your Mind, 5.11d, A. Genereux, 2013
116: The Real Deal, 5.11d/12a, A. Genereux, 2008
117: Cold Fact, 5.11b, A. Genereux, 2013
118: Climb Up on my Music, 5.10a, A. Genereux, 2013
119: The Bowl, 5.10c, MacKay, Vockeroth, 1965/Burgess, Lauchlan, Thexton, 1973
120: Jimmy and the Kid, 5.12b, S. DeMaio, Marshall, 1989/Birch, Suchy, 2009
121: Blue Jeans, 5.13b, Galloway, 2010
122: Blue Jeans Direct, 5.14a, Trotter, Unterasinger, 2015
123: East End Boys, 5.12a, Betts, S. DeMaio, 1986/S. DeMaio, A. Genereux, 1997
124: Yellow Edge, 5.11b, Davidson, U. Kallen, 1974/Croft, Zacharias, 1986
125: Snert’s Big Adventure, 5.11d, A. Genereux, 1997/S. DeMaio, A. Genereux, 1997
126: The Quickening, 5.11b, S. DeMaio, Kaandorp, 1989/S. DeMaio, Nazarchuk, 1997
127: Corner Cutter, 5.9, A. Genereux, 2015
128: Marriage of Opportunity, 5.11b, A. Genereux, 2014
129: Corkscrew, 5.9 A0/5.12a R, Greenwood, Fuhrer, Vockeroth, 1967/Crosley, Firth, 1996
130: Marriage Rites, 5.11b, Morgan, Sole, 1981/Crosley, Firth, Valiulis, 1996
131: Take me to Church, 5.11c/d, A. Genereux, 2015
132: Corkscrew, Direct Start, 5.8, 1980s
133: The Bolt Nazi, 5.11c/d R, Gatzsch, U. Kallen, 1999
134: Freak Out, 5.9, Davidson, Horne, 1971
135: The Diving Board, 5.11b, A. Genereux, 2008
136: Pangolin, 5.10b, Greenwood, Lofthouse, Vockeroth, 1965/Heyes, Horne, 1970
137: Boomerang, 5.10c A0, Haberl, Spear, 2001
138: Gargoyle, 5.10b, J. Josephson, Spear, 1996
139: Smeagol, 5.9, Greenwood, U. Kallen, 1970
140: Dick’s Route, 5.9, Howe, Lofthouse, 1970
141: Gollum Grooves, 5.7, Greenwood, Lofthouse, 1962
142: Dickel, 5.8, Howe, Lofthouse, 1970
143: Another Fat Bastard, 5.10c, A. Genereux, 2008
144: A-Route, 5.7, Crocker, Greenwood, 1963
145: Flight of the Bumblebee, 5.10a, Champness, Warne, 2004
146: It’s All McConnell’s Fault, 5.11a A0, 2.8km, Derbyshire, Quinn, 2004

Sources

• “Rock Climbs of Mt. Yamnuska”, Andy A. Genereux, Ghost River Productions, 2016

• “The Yam: 50 years of climbing on Yamnuska”, Chic Scott, Dave Dornian, Ben Gadd, Rocky Mountain Books, 2003

• “Canadian Rock, Selected Climbs of the West”, Kevin McLane, High Col, 2010

• “A Climber’s Guide to Yamnuska” poster

• Gripped Magazine

• Summitpost

• Mountain Project

• Andy Genereux

• Chic Scott

• Cory Rogans

• Rhys Beaudry

• Matt Laird

Updates

Jul 25, 2022: First version published.

September 30, 2022: Added the two new routes of 2022: People of the Sun (#54) and Sport Yamaneering (#90)

November 8, 2023: Added the Kallen 34 version as an option in 60x90 and A0

May 25, 2024: Graphic design update

Mar 21, 2026: Added two new lines (tiger balm and life in colour) and corrected some other lines (yamabushi, brown trousers). Revamped colors of all lines and labels.

Apr 2, 2026: Minor updates to Wild Boys and Blue Jeans