North Twin - North Face

The title of hardest alpine wall in the Canadian Rockies is a hotly contested one, with the North Face of Alberta and the Emperor Face of Robson in the running, but the crown probably goes to the incredible North Face of North Twin (technically the north face of Twins Tower). Since the first ascent in 1974 (Lowe-Jones, line 3) and especially the North Pillar (Blanchard-Cheesmond, 1985), there have been less than a dozen overall ascents, yet the face, with its endless vertical sweep of questionable limestone and ice flows, continues to attract the best climbers in the world.

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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: North Ridge of South Twin, PD+ 40°, F.V. Field, W.O. Field, L. Harris, J. Biner, E. Feuz, 07/1924
9: North Ridge of Daughter of South Twin, F
10: West Ridge of Son of North Twin, AD+ 5.6, A. Spero, D. Waterman, 08/1979
11: East Face of Mount Columbia, PD+ 40°, J. Outram, C. Kaufmann, 07/1902
12: North Ridge of Mount Columbia, TD 5.7 WI3, C. Jones, G. Thompson, 08/1970
13: Peuterey Integral of Choss, TD 5.7, A. Berg, I. Welsted, 08/2019

Updates

Oct 25, 2025: Minor update to caption, adding initials and month of ascent whenever available.

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
  
• “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