Step Right Up is a popular WI3 climb off Highway 1A near the town of Banff. The approach is gentle and short compared with most. It follows a drainage up from the highway. In the top part of the hike, you follow a frozen creek where it is sometimes possible to hear the water running underneath all that ice.

The belay is in a narrow canyon below the climb. There are two bolts at the top for anchor building.

Beta:

single pitch WI3 with a few different lines to climb but only room for one party
a single rope is sufficient
the approach is about 1.5 km, half an hour to 45 minutes
two bolts for anchor
descent is a rappel or lower from a quicklink and rappel ring on the two bolts
I am not aware of a walk up for top-rope setup, I believe you must lead here
Gear: micro-spikes can be useful as you may want to hike on the frozen

Access

Park in a pull-out on the south side of Highway 1A, across the road from the climb. Walk back down the road to where the drainage crosses under the highway to find the start of the approach trail.

Because this is in Banff National Park, a National Park pass is required to park here.

Parked in the pull-out on the side of Highway 1A. Hike west about 200 – 300 meters to find the drainage.

Looking back at the van from where the trail leaves the highway.

The Approach

Look for the row of boulders marking the drainage.

The trail begins just before the boulders. Notice all the footprints there. The trail is fairly obvious in the trees.

The trail starts in the trees. Soon it drops into the small, narrow drainage and follows it up toward the mountains.

The trail comes out at the power lines and turns left.

It follows the power lines a short distance and then turns right, back into the trees toward the drainage.

Back in the trees after the power lines, heading to the drainage.

Back in the drainage, the trail follows the creek up to the climb.

Hiking up the creek, Dan chooses to walk on the ice surface, making good use of the micro spikes. Alternately, there is a trail through the snow on the left side of the creek.

First look at the climb as you come around a corner.

The Climbs

Here the ice is in good shape.

We decided to lead a line slightly left of center. Climbed the steeper right side on top rope.

Inside the canyon is a good flat place to drop backpacks and put on gear.

There is a bolt on the side of the rock in the canyon to anchor the lead belayer.

My orange carabiner is attached to make the bolt more visible in the photo.

At the top of the climb, two bolts are on the left side.

Close up of the bolts showing the quicklink on one and the rappel ring on the other.

Step Right Up is a great place to practice leading and to set up top ropes for beginners. We enjoy coming here and have tried to climb it a few different times. A couple times we have gone in to find that there was not enough ice.

Below are photos of Step Right Up in four different years. It’s interesting to see how it has formed a little bit differently each year.