If you’re looking for a crag with an easy approach, comfortable belays and routes with a wide range of difficulty, Heart Creek is your place.
This family friendy crag can get crowded on weekends and even on warm summer evenings as it is close enough to Calgary and to Canmore that people can come to climb after work.
Beta:
- Route difficulties range from 5.4 to 5.13
- Routes are bolted with bolted anchors set up for lower or rappel
- We used a 70 meter rope but could have gotten by with a 60 meter rope
- Approach: easy walking – see more below
- Gear: bring standard sport climbing gear and don’t forget your stick clip. Some of the first bolts are high.
- The guidebook Bow Valley Sport by Derek Galloway is probably the best source of details about each climbing area along Heart Creek.
Parking is at Heart Creek Trailhead or in the ditch along the TransCanada Highway, either way hike towards the creek. At the creek, turn to follow the trail up stream.
The guidebook talks about the number of bridges you cross before you arrive at the first climbing area but be aware that the bridges here were completely destroyed by a flood event and rebuilt. Rather than count bridges, time your approach.
Follow the trail upstream for about 15 minutes. The first crag comes into view on the right. Visible from the trail through the trees, it’s the first real cliff you come to.
This area is called “First Rock”. Some of the routes here are polished but they look interesting and the belay area is flat and large. Perfect spot to relax and enjoy the shade on a hot day.
After another five minutes of walking up the creek, you arrive at Jupiter Rock on the right.
You’ll need to cross the creek on logs to get to the rock.
A few minutes further up the trail, along the same cliff, is the SUMC Buttress. To get to the climbing, cross a bridge and then leave the trail for a short uphill hike to the right.
Here you will find my favourite climb at Heart Creek so far. It is a long 5.10a called Hells Bells.
This photo shows the bottom half. It climbs that left facing corner up to the ledge. Then over the bulge and up out of the photo to carry on up a corner with a crack.
If you find all the holds, the climbing goes smoothly. If not, it feels a lot harder than 5.10a!
We have not yet explored further up the creek but the guidebook shows a lot more climbing there. I will update this page as we check out more of the area.
Life is Better on the Rocks
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