Classic King Creek – Ice and mixed climbing

Met up with Kyle B. for some mixed climbing.  Originally we were both keen to head to the mixed bolted area, The Playground, but Kyle was out at King Creek the day before and had a rope jam up on the final rappel of day.  We headed to King Creek to retrieve Kyle’s rope, but I was also keen to scope out the mixed climbs in King Creek as well.  

Magic Touch WI3R 5.8

One of the first mixed crag routes developed in Kananaskis, Magic Touch (WI3R, 5.8; M4?), is in King Creek and has been on my radar for a few years.  I was pretty sure I wasn’t fit enough for leading Magic Touch, but I was eager to inspect the 5 or 6 lines of mostly trad protected mixed routes in the canyon.

We arrived at the parking lot around 9:30 and there were already four cars parked.  Reaching the main ice flow Kyle’s rope was still hanging in the corner where he was top roping a cool vertical mixed line.  Kyle jumped on a top rope in place by some friendly Romanians on the main ice flow, reached the anchor with his rope, dropped the rope and was lowered. 

We walked over to the short ice flow that originates from the cave, short WI3 lead to bolted anchor.  We played around on top rope on the rock to the right of the ice for a few laps, difficult mixed climbing and lots of water drips.



reach for it !

Once the Romanians we done on the main flow, Kyle lead a scrappy and thin WI3 pitch to same anchor where his rope was jammed before.

Kyle a built great TR anchor and we both did numerous laps in this fun corner.  The upper half was vertical and offered a variety of ice or rock holds for climbing, great to test skills on TR!   Headed home after several pumpy top ropes, but gave an party a belay up the route so they could set up their own TR, buddy dropped the anchor setup, biners and all, jack ass. 

Jack ass on top rope in corner