APPROACH:

Take the most Eastern Exit to Banff / Lake Minnewanka Loop Road.

Turn the direction of Lake Minnewanka

Park at the designated Visitor Parking Lot at Lake Minnewanka.

Hike or Bike the Lake Minnewanka Trail around the left shoreline.

The Stewart Canyon Bridge and Cascade River roars below, 1.5km.

Continue along the trail up into the forest to a Trail Head Sign.

Turn Left for Stewart Canyon Trail. Follow trail making a few log crossings.  Exciting views along the rim of this canyon make every second an enjoyably approach.  Spectacular shots of cool looking boulder problems await the desperate, Cold water landings.

The Last uphill is recognised by the large slab cliff across the river on your left.  At the top of the trail and where it turns left again in the forest, a small cairn is found.  Turn right and head up into the forest. Leave the bikes here. 1.5 km.

Bike Time : 10 to 20 min.  /  Hike time 40 min to 1 Hour

At the end of Stewart Canyon trail, a large slab wall is seen on your left.  The potential for new routes on this face are enticing. 

The rapids flowing into crystal clear waters.  The large boulders make for fun bolder problems and jumping into the water.

This and many other fun looking problems await the crazy minded.  Ice cold waters of Stewart Canyon/ Cascade River, flows into marvellous Canadian Rocky lake, showing all its beauty.  

At the start of the Canyon, this is the first big wall on your left that you will come to.  On a flat landing beside a large Pine tree, two bolt lines will appear to a mid station two thirds up the wall.  The routes can be done with a link up to be almost 50m.  The mid station for rap offs with one rope, or as a mini two pitch route. 

The two lines are not completed but have been climbed a couple of times and the figured rating of the route.  Some bolts as well as hangers are yet to be put on and in.  The wall runs close to 50m on the left, probably more like 60+ on the right of the streaks.  The Orange streak looks really nice, sloper underclings on a steep wall. 

The project lines are possible lines that look like they will go but need anchors and some cleaning.  The walls are covered in lichen powder that once rubbed turns to fine dust and actually polishes up the route quicker.  So scrubbing the route before to much traffic will make the route that much nicer with a good old wire brush and air tube.

Name me wall appears on your left as you approach the main area, and is capped with a large roof, you can’t miss it.  The climbs start on the far right of the wall in the groove or the water runnel weakness.   There are three bolted lines on the wall, and need some cleaning up, scrubbing that is, spring is around the corner, and new routes will be in the making.

This picture of Black Feather Wall, The climbs are on the Black / Gray rock behind the large Pine Tree located in the picture.  A couple of nice looking lines climb the wall to the break in the rock up higher.  The Top has not seen a line on it yet, it may happen this summer.  Bolted many years ago by Chris Miller, who I talked to recently and he said he could not remember what the routes went at.  These climbs have not seen a climber on them for more than 12 years and then some.

CLICK THE PICTURE:

The inset picture is the Wild Overhung Wall near the end on the left, a continuation of Black Feather Wall, far, far right.  There are a couple of lines started on this wall as well.  One is complete at 5.12a as rumors has it.  Bolted and sent by Peter Arbic.  I think it looks much harder, and I want to jump on it this summer for sure, just to see for myself.

Arround to the right the wall starts to get dead vertical, not overhung and a couple of unknown projects are found here on the prow,  the open shut type anchors tells me not to old, 5 years or so.  Unknown info on the rating of these projects.

At the end of the canyon and left of the water fall, and in behind some pine trees, is a cave like formation with I think are four short and powerful climbs, 12+ / 13- ??

Across from the Main Area, situated on the right hand side of the Canyon, wall facing north, is a steep wall with numerous routes here.  This is where I spent almost a whole summers worth of days.  Scrubbing, blowing, and prying of nice loose rocks.   Most of the routes that have done here were bolted on top rope ground up.  A few routes have steep sections and bolting became hard and or rock quality, dictated where the bolts ended up.  A couple of routes I want to straighten and add another but as for now they are good to go.

The second tier above Mocha Chino / Frapachino is approached right now by Mocha Chino, a bolt or two and then the chain anchor.  The upper tier has wicked views of Cascade and the canyon, the rock is also really nice.  Traverse behind the large tree on the ledge or lower off Ridem Cowboy, to the set of chains on the other side of the tree for a nice 5.10+ route.  Rap off to the ground 25m, the bolted broken crack below is a nice warm up but dirty.

Further right on the ground back on the canyon rock is a couple of climbs bolted on the slab, put up by Al Ducros, this past summer 03.  He bolted the two routes ground up on lead, scrubbing his way up.  Crazy man.  The left is 5.9/10a and the right is 11+.

The lines on the picture starts with snakebite on the left and buddys route on the far right