The morning of January 24, 2026, two groups of Edmonton climbers departed the Rampart Creek hostel, one bound for the Balfour wall and the other to Tangle falls. As we were relatively large groups (~10-11 in each), there was some anxiety about getting scooped, especially because we overshot the pre-arranged call time by ~30min. Thankfully, each site was free of people when we rolled up.
At the Balfour wall we set up 5 ropes on features ranging from WI3 terrain to short WI4 curtains to an overhanging mixed line. My favorite feature was the side of a short WI4 curtain which necessitated I-frame techniques. The ice was in good condition, although heavily picked out. As Pavan brought his camera, we were able to get many nice close-ups, many included in this trip report!
Leading up to the weekend, we were expecting temperatures between -20 and -15C. Luckily when the day came, the forecast had softened a touch, so our weather Saturday was a quite pleasant -10 to -5C, although overcast.
Ice at the Balfour wall
Balfour Wall
Balfour Wall
In the evening, we gorged ourselves on a huge potluck, with dishes ranging from meatballs to quinoia salad and pierogies/kielbasa. A number of people availed themselves of the wood-fired sauna before turning in for the night.
The following morning, a group of ~13 went to 2’o clock creek for cragging and some multipitching, and a group of 9 went to the Cline River Gallery. With a weather forecast of -5 to 0C in Nordegg, we expected the day to be pleasant. Unfortunately, because the Cline River Gallery is at the base of a shaded River valley, the resulting conditions were fairly chilly, exascerbated by the ground team having to wait up to an hour and a half as the group leaders abseiled down and set up 4x ropes. One member of the party required some ‘armpit time’, as their feet refused to profuse, even after working up a sweat walking up and down the approach hill. Luckily, there was no frostbite injury, only a bout of screaming barfies.
Other than the logistical nightmare of setting up the ropes and tearing them down, the climbing itself was excellent, especially the long and sustained WI3+ line Pure Energy. Unfortunately we ended up staying a touch longer than expected, reaching our cars at ~5pm, much too late to stop at the Miner’s café for pie on the way out of the mountains.
Cline River Gallery. Two ropes on Pure Energy on the right, two more ropes on the ice smears on the left ramp.
Belaying the middle smear on the ice ramp
