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Rock Climbing

About Rock Climbing

You might picture an extreme athlete dangling from the edge of a cliff, but when it comes to rock climbing, your adventure can be as tame or extreme as you want it to be. Rock climbing comes in various forms, and all are guaranteed to give you a thrilling experience and an excellent workout.

Rock Climbing Cogar Creek Canmore 01 Credit Rafal Andronowski @thealpinestart

A Cornucopia of Climbs

Canada hosts an abundance of amazing climbing opportunities, and the choice of world-class destinations is yours to make. From urban crags and breathtaking sea cliffs to high-altitude bouldering, Canada offers epic mountaineering for novices and pros alike.

Rock Climbing Indoor 01 Nanaimo Credit Tourism Vancouver Island Jordan Dyck Romper Room Indoor Rock Climbing Centre

Indoor Pursuits

Not quite ready to brave a mountain? You can try out bouldering and rope work at an indoor climbing gym, either as its own action-packed adventure, or as a warm-up act for that epic cliffside ascent.

Rock Climbing 07 Lake Louise Banff Credit John Price

Make It Last

Once you get a taste of this activity, you’ll be hungry for more. Take this extreme sport to the next level with a multi-day excursion, carrying your gear for a backcountry camping experience, or planning your route to stop off at a remote hut or cabin to rest between your amazing climbs.

Tours with Rock Climbing

Looking for a memorable adventure? Spend two full days in Jasper, Alberta exploring the slopes of the Rocky Mountains, repel into a glacier and rip down raging rivers. Available June to September.
Enjoy truly Canadian experiences with bucket list views. Discover what makes Alberta so unique and explore the Rockies like you’ve only dreamt. This 9 day, 8 night package is accessible daily.

Build Your Own Rock Climbing Tour

Let’s make a trip that’s uniquely yours! You decide how long, level of intensity, number of inclusions, everything. Start planning now and make your dream trip a reality.

Staff Picks

Mount Norquay, AB

Start your rock climbing career by ascending the Via Ferrata (Iron Road). Enjoy a series of rungs, steps, ladders, and suspension bridges, all while secured to the mountain's steel cable pathway. You'll feel like a rockstar on this mountaineering excursion, and the views at the top will take your breath away.

Stawamus Chief, BC

Travel to one of the Pacific Coast's deepest fjords to find the rock climbing mecca of Canada in Squamish, BC. The Sea to Sky Corridor is full of rock climbing challenges, and summiting the Chief means scaling one of the largest granite monoliths in the world.

Mount Asgard, NU

Located on Baffin Island in the Arctic Circle, this trip is for experienced climbers seeking a next-level thrill. It's a challenging climb that's challenging to get to, but the sight of tumbling glaciers, polar bears, and icebergs floating along make for a dramatic and unforgettable adventure.

ADVENTURE

Benefits

Rock Climbing Bison Peak Banff 01 Credit Rafal Andronowski @thealpinestart

Full Body Workout

Rock climbing necessarily requires your entire body to get involved. You’ll be toning up muscles you never knew you had, but having too much fun to even notice the intensity of your workout!

Rock Climbing Bison Peak Banff 03 Credit Rafal Andronowski @thealpinestart

Flex Your Brain

This challenging sport exercises your mind as well as your body! As you encounter novel situations and difficult spots on the climb, you’ll have to get creative and problem-solve on the spot, promoting flexible thinking and unexpected self-expression.

Rock Climbing 10 Canmore Credit Victoria Wakefield

Build Rapport

Rock climbing is best done in a group, and best done for a group – with your fellow climbers, you’ll improve communication, build trust, and bond over your amazing shared experience.

Essential Gear and Equipment

Rock climbing requires different gear depending on the style. At minimum, you’ll need comfortable clothing (loose or stretchy) that’s easy to move in and athletic closed-toe shoes. Your guide will provide specialized equipment such as the chalk and chalk bag, the harness, belay device, and carabiner. Helmets are very strongly recommended for outdoor climbing and will be required on a tour.

Tips

Anytime you decide to go explore nature, you should…

  • Check the weather.
  • Research the route and take a map with you. 
  • Carry the proper gear for the experience.
  • Bring extra food.
  • Tell someone where you are going.
  • Check with the Parks or tourism office for closures and wildlife updates. 
  • Follow the Leave No Trace principles.
  • Do not feed, touch or approach wildlife.
Rock Climbing Lake Louise Banff 01 Credit John Price

Stretch before you go. You’ll be putting your body in positions it’s probably not used to, so give it a good warm up!

Hug the wall. Whether it’s indoor climbing or on the side of a mountain, keep your center of gravity close to whatever you are climbing. An easy way to check is to ensure your knees are not pointing directly towards the wall.

Resources

Did You Know?

The Yukon’s Mount Logan, located just 15 kilometers from the Alaska border, is the second highest peak in all of North America, measuring 5,959 meters in elevation. Though not the tallest in the world, it is often cited as the “largest” mountain on Earth, as it is 20 km in length and 5 km wide. Most expeditions to summit this behemoth take three weeks.

Rock Climbing 04 Lake Louise Banff Credit John Price

Have Questions?

Sometimes it’s just easier to talk to someone. Give us a call and let’s discuss how we can create your unique experience.