Most of the best rock on Tunnel mountain can be found on the North end of this mountain.
The approach to the climbs can be reached two ways;
Option #1: For Funky Town & the Industrial Playground. Park as for Gooseberry, near the fence that is used to close down Tunnel Mnt Dr. in the winter. Hike paralleling the road towards the cliff. Take your second branch on the left. Follow this along the side of the hills and when you come near a ridge in the bush, head up this on your left, towards the cliffs again. This should take you to the base of Funky Town. Down on your right is the Industrial Playground.
Option #2: Personal Pleasures & Industrial Playground. Park in the first pullout on your left in the first bend of the road past the gate on the road. Head left on the bike trail in the bush above the parking. Take the well beaten in trail straight up the steep hill to the base of the rock. For Personal pleasures, head up to your right and climb rock and roots and trees and look for the waves. For Industrial Playground, head left along the base of the wall. This trail will follow the base of the cliff until you come across the climbing spot.
Most of the best rock on Tunnel Mountain lies far away from Goose Berry, the all time classic Natural accent of the nose. The most concentrated are of climbs is the Industrial Playground. This area when topping out on the routes, gives you wild and powerful views of Cascade Mountain and that of the Industrial area of Banff.
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Tunnel Mnt North End / Above Buffallo Mnt Lodge
click picture to enlarge
The Routes are on the most right hand lower part of the face. The rest of the mountain is steep and very technical with some loose rock.
The long climb that is marked is Funky Town. The lines that are all on the right side, is the Industrial Playground. Tons of rock yet to be explored, unfortunately there is allot of loose rock on the faces. I have a project climbing more of the face direct past a large roof near the ground. Hopefully sometime next spring I will look at it again.
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FUNKY TOWN AREA:
click topo to enlarge
This route was one of my first real projects. The upper pitch was the first pitch to go in this area. I hiked in on the exposed ledge until I found the first obvious good line. I then had to try and find the top of the climb to be able to clean and bolt the face. The entire pitch was done in about four days of cleaning and bolting. I bolted the route with a hand drill and three inch bolts. I was practicing for the ground up big walls.
When I finished the pitch I decided to rappel the wall and see what’s below. The middle pitch now was the worst pitch on the entire mountain. The rock band is very low angle littered with trees and shrubs. The only good looking line that seemed climbable became the second pitch and then the lower pitch needed a good wire brush. Josee Larochelle gave a good day’s work cleaning the first pitch, which she ended up naming the climb.
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INDUSTRIAL PLAYGROUND:
After that long and painful hand drill on Funky Town, I decided to purchase a power drill. The Industrial playground went up with lots of help from friends who were willing to come out and scrub lichen off the rocks.
Lenny was named after a climber/mountaineer who lost his life in the mountains. This route became the first climbed line on the wall.
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PERSONAL PLEASURE WAVES:
This area is very unique with the entire wild scoop like waves that are formed here in the bush. The area is hidden high in the trees on the same cliff band that the third pitch of Funky Town Runs through. To get their hike up the North Ridge direct and climb low angle rock and trees to a ledge below a wall. Traverse left to the base of the waves and the climbs. |
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Tunnel Mountain's
Classic Natural Line:
GOOSEBERRY 5.7
From Buffalo Mnt Lodge, hiking to the climb can be quite adventurous. Just keep in mind that the route is on the other side of the Nose that comes down, that is seen from the Parking area. If you end up at the base of the mountain anywhere, head left along the base. When the trail comes around the nose of the mountain, a nice opening in the bush appears, look for the scratched arrow/upside down heart. The climb starts up the grooves, low angled open books.
The trail continues to Joe MacKay’s new sport route beside Gooseberry, but I am unsure if it is finished or not. I have however climbed the bottom two pitches, and one of the upper pitches.
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