Cascade Waterfall

Cascade Falls with a light snowfall

Cascade Falls with 2 parties climbing

Just approaching the upper pitches

Both parties (5 climbers) on the upper pitch

The upper pitch just before I started climbing (I climbed the R/H line to avoid any icefall)

Above the crux pitch looking down on the anchor station

 

Another short pitch a few hundred meters up the drainage

A very short pitch higher up in the drainage (I didn't climb this pitch)

Another self-portrait just before heading up and climbers left towards the descent

Upper Pitches of Rogan's Gully

Beautiful position on the upper pitches of Rogan's Gully

Parks Canada's new Safety Bulletin System outlining the dangers of the Cascade Falls Drainage

Overview of the area showing Cascade Falls, Rogan's Gully, and the 'Walk-Off ' descent route

Healthy Bucks

I'll lead the way fellas!

The posse holding up traffic and performing for eager onlookers!



  Decided to go for a quick romp up Cascade falls at 2pm, Thursday afternoon, after a busy day of closing up a few loose ends from my list of  'things-to-do'. I packed my gear consciously, anticipating a light and fast accent, hopped in the 'yota , hung the Park Pass on the mirror, and headed west towards Banff.

 

  Upon arriving at the trail head for the short approach up to the falls, I surveyed the objective hazard for the vertical hike I was about to embark on. It was snowing lightly, but it had just started to snow so there was no real concern above from any significant snow fall. Winds were nil but I still had to recognize the fact that there had been some significant wind events earlier in the season which had could have created some potentially dangerous wind slabs in the gully above the route. It was unlikely these slabs could be triggered naturally today due to a lack solar radiation thanks to overcast skies, but the potential for a human triggered slab avalanche did exist so the necessary precaution and awareness had to be heeded with the main concern being the parties above potentially triggering a slide down the route should they venture out onto unstable slopes.

  After surveying the chosen line from the climbers above, I rationally opted for an ice fall free line on the climbers right of the frozen falls. This turned out to be a wise, experienced decision due to the unavoidable firing of shrapnel by the lead climber above which every ice climber has experienced. Wisely I was tucked over on the right hand side of the climb avoiding any friendly fire, and just enjoying the freedom of moving unroped through this terrain, but remaining focused about the seriousness of the endeavor I had chosen to  

be on, and the  consequences of losing that focus.

 

  Climbing solo allows the climber the freedom of moving very quickly over large areas of terrain and this advantage of speed was an asset to me in timing my ascent to coincide with the leader of the other party. Just as he was pulling over the crest at the top of the pitch, I gave him time to place a screw a few meters up which served 2 purposes; to protect him if he fell, and to also protect me from being knocked from my stance should he fall above his last piece of protection which was placed just to the left of my current position.  The second party, who had already topped out were patiently waiting to commence their rappel, but graciously allowed me to pass without conflict. It was a great show of comraderie and respect displayed by those climbers towards my ropeless adventure, and I was quick to express my gratitude towards them. As we all stood safely at the top of the climb, some pictures were exchanged and we shared in the fulfilling excitement of being up high in such a beautiful place, on such a misunderstood medium of frozen water, that so many people would never get to experience!

  We parted smiles, I continued up, they continued down, I climbed the next short pitch of ice and navigated a short snow slope to reach the crest of the tree line that separated Rogan's Gully from the Cascade Falls drainage. Still grinning ear to ear from the bountiful experiences I had just encountered in the last hour, I started my descent, leaving the cold splendor of the alpine, entering the sheltered safety of tree line. Still feeling energized from the endorphins I'd created, my senses were heightened and I noticed many beautiful, large, old growth fir as I continued my descent downward. Upon reaching edge of the treed slope at its intersection with Rogan's Gully, another visual euphoric entered the pathways of my brain. Beautiful blue ice flowed down in to the chasm of this tight gully, stimulating my imagination of being committed to its depths and having to climbing out to the crest of the treeline that I had just navigated. Another day I told myself and I left this spot remembering a story that my friend Sylvain had told me about climbing this gully on a full moon night one year. His image now stuck in my brain as I continued down, catching glimpses of the gully as I weaved in and out from the edge, these thoughts eventually fading as I shifted my focus to navigating the steeping terrain that lay just below me.

  One short rappel and I was on my way again, negotiating short rock steps with help from small trees and shrubs. Eventually I joined the trail at the base of Cascade falls and plodded happily through the airport meadow back to the truck.

  As I approached the stand of trees separating me from the truck, through the thinned out branches I noticed some people standing still alongside my truck. I cautiously approached, now catching a glimpse of a small herd of bull elk crossing the road towards the airport. "Right...." I said to myself, "that's what I was hearing as I was descending from the route." The elk had been bugling, and that distinct call was unmistakable now. We all snapped a few pictures and then safely retreated to the security of our steel and glass cages and watched these majestic creatures carry  along on their way. Another harmonious experience in the mountains!