Spring Rockies climbing at 52 degrees north.
Words :: Bob Covey
Spring is budding in the Rockies, but big mountains cast long shadows; early season sport climbing can be notoriously finger-numbing.
In Alberta’s Abraham Lake area, however, a plethora of sun-absorbing, south-facing features are already calling climbers to the crag.
Eastern slopes-based alpine guide Tim Taylor, who literally wrote the book on Rock Climbing in the David Thompson Area, already has a handful of spring sessions under his harness this year. With the advice of Taylor and his team at Girth Hitch Guiding, Mountain Life is here to help visitors to the Nordegg and Abraham Lake area make the most out of early-season rock in the Rockies.
Seek the Sun
This isn’t a novel idea, but doing a bit of reading—like on whether the route you’re planning to climb is on a solar aspect or not—can make the difference between needing your belay jacket, or feeling like you’re on the beach. Luckily, the David Thompson Corridor has plenty of southeast-facing zones, like the beginner-friendly crags at Whirlpool Point, right off of Hwy 11, or the fittingly-named Solar Panel, on the lower cliffs of Mount Elliot. Taylor’s guidebook, and the David Thompson Climbing Association that published it, can help point you to the sunny spots.
Watch for Wind
Howling wind at valley bottom might give you an earache, but when it honks up high, wind can potentially present a danger. Not only does it restrict communication while on route, but wind can spray—with surprising strength—the loose rock which gets deposited by melting snow.
“Until a big cycle of wind cleans that up, big gusts can make it a hazard,” Taylor suggests.
Check out the Via Feratta
If you’re less “seasoned rock jock,” and more “climbing-curious,” the 180 metre via feratta on Mount Stelfox (opened for the season April 15) might be the gateway activity for you. The via feratta (iron way, in Italian) system is an assisted climbing experience using specialized lanyards and protection, allowing both accomplished and aspiring alpinists to gain epic exposure over awesome Abraham Lake. Guides are highly recommended, and legally required for climbers under 16.
Travel Respectfully
The entire David Thompson Corridor is part of the traditional territories of the Stoney Nakoda, Cree, and other Indigenous Nations, and remains a vital place for ceremony, gathering, and ecological stewardship. That means hikers and climbers should travel respectfully when moving through. If you come across a traditional SunDance Lodge, never enter or disturb the lodge structures, and to gain a deeper understanding of the culture that surrounds you, consider inviting or sourcing guidance from Indigenous voices.
Pie Charting
If there was one thing we didn’t need Taylor’s help figuring out in David Thompson Country, it was where to rustle up some grub and how to catch a few Zs. The Miners’ Cafe in the historic hamlet of Nordegg is famous for its pie, and not far away, near the headwaters of Shunda Creek, there are peaceful oases at Expanse Cottages, and Nature’s Getaway Mountain Resort, among other accommodations.
If there was one thing we didn’t need Taylor’s help figuring out in David Thompson Country, it was where to rustle up some grub and how to catch a few Zs.
More people are discovering Nordegg, Alberta, and the recreational opportunities surrounding Abraham Lake, but if there’s ever been a zone that epitomizes secret stash, it’s this tiny coal town-turned wilderness escape. Check out Discover Nordegg on IG to help spring more early season adventures to mind.
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