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Mixed Mecca
The Canadian Rockies
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Mixed Mecca:The Canadian Rockies
Abby Watkins reaching for the ice on Half and Half.
Photo: Jimmy Chin
Many of the routes from the early '90s used aid, but as dry-tooling skills improved, the aid on old lines disappeared and new routes were being put up free. Climbs like Burning in Water, Drowning by Flame (III M7+ R, 30m), The Day After les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (V M7 R WI6, 270m), and Home Brew (IV 5.10 R WI5, 80m) were originally completed with aid but subsequent ascents eliminated the aid, creating bold traditional routes.

The past couple of years have seen the "anything is possible" attitude taken to the huge ice-smeared limestone walls to produce cutting edge monstrosities like The Real Big Drip (V M7+ WI6+, 200m), Nightmare on Wolf Street (V M7+ WI6+, 175m), and Rocketman (VI M7+ WI5+, 350m). These are the epitome of big Canadian Rockies mixed climbs and illustrate the huge potential for long, hard multi-pitch routes that the area holds. Rocketman especially embodies everything that modern mixed climbing represents with its long hazardous approach, committing position, 350m of technical mixed climbing, both bolted and traditional protection, and, to polish off the difficulties, an unprotected M6+ as the final pitch.


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