Two O’Clock Falls is a WI3 multi-pitch located off the David Thompson Highway. It is a large ice flow, visible from the road. We climbed it for the second time on February 21, 2024.
Beta:
- WI3
- 3 pitches
- build ice screw anchors or use tree anchors
- approach hike is 45 minutes to one hour, about 2.5 km
- micro spikes and a trekking pole are useful
- descent: rappel from trees or walk and down-climb on climber’s left side
- one rope is sufficient
This is a fun, moderate multi-pitch. The ice is wide enough to provide many different lines of fun climbing. You can choose steeper or more moderate lines. We climbed here in 2021 and chose an easier route. We went back in 2024 and took on a steeper line.
The Approach
Between the highway and the climb, there is a large clearing used by the Stoney First Nations as ceremonial grounds. There are ceremonial structures in the clearing. It is best to not cross the ceremonial grounds and take a path around the outside of the clearing, keeping a respectful distance from the ceremonial structures.
Park at the day-use area by the Cavalcade Group Campground. Turn off the highway for the campground but stop and park at the day-use area which has an outhouse and picnic tables.
We took the Bluff Trail from the day-use area across the campground and into the forest.
There were trail signs along the way.
The trail was well-travelled and easy to follow.
When the trail reaches this sign, it takes a hard right to avoid non-public land. It crosses through the forest towards the ice. When you come to the clearing with the ceremonial structures, skirt around the outside of the clearing. Re-enter the forest on the other side at a trail marked with a piece of orange flagging tape.
The trail heads uphill, getting more steep as you get closer to the ice.
Looking back down the trail at a steep section with a fixed rope acting as a hand rail. This is especially helpful on the way down. Micro spikes and a trekking pole are useful.
Eventually, the climb comes into view on the right.
The Climb
The first pitch is the money pitch. It has the longest steep section. It was my turn to lead.
I am at the bottom of the climb, contemplating where I want to lead up the first pitch. So many lines, so little time…
I am almost at the top of the first pitch. I built an ice screw anchor at the top to bring Dan up.
Dan led the second pitch which started up a shorter, steep wall and then across rambling ice. He found a great tree anchor on the left.
He took this photo from the tree belay. I am coming up over the steep part.
The final pitch was easier, WI2 to a tree anchor in the middle. After I brought Dan up, we hiked up above the climb and found the trail down on the climber’s left side.
The Descent
It looks like people have rappelled from trees on the left side of the climb but we chose to hike and down-climb the “trail”. It drops down steeply in some places where we needed to use trees as hand holds to ease the crampons-on-slab descent. At one place, there is a fixed line with knots to hold onto. You can see it in the photo below, it’s the red line on the right side. This gives you a sense of the most challenging parts of the downclimb.
The descent trail takes you back to the main trail and the start of the climb.
We enjoyed our day at Two O’Clock Falls and we plan to return to climb different lines here and take turns leading. It seems to come in fairly fat every year and could be a fun day for those just starting to climb multi-pitch ice as well as folks who’re more experienced and looking for a moderate, relaxed day.
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