Rockies Newest Drytooling Crag
Over the past decade, drytooling has become its own sport: climbing rock with tools and crampons and clipping bolts at crags with no ice. The rock at drytooling crags is often too loose and seeps too much in the summer to rock climb on. The Drive In is a small 15- metre crag near Exshaw above Jura Creek. The approach takes less than 10 minutes and the routes are well protected. Naturally, all of the routes are named after movies.
There was one rock climb that Jay Mills had established a few years ago at the wall, but had loose f lakes and was often wet. With Mills’s permission, local climbers began establishing other routes at the crag. Within a few months, there were eight lines up to D7+. The most popular drytooling crag in the Rockies is The Playground and takes about an hour of continuous uphill travel. It is also north facing in a large grotto which means no sun. Whereas the Drive In faces southeast and is one of the sunnier places to climb in the winter.
The Drive In is a new crag so there will be rocks that break off for some time. Be aware as you climb because sharp metal tools have a tendency to pry off blocks. Routes have been cleaned and bolted on rappel to make sure they follow the best lines. The routes are above a narrow ledge above a 15- metre cliff. There’s just enough space on the ledge to pass a climbing party, but not a lot of space to accommodate pets. All the routes to date have sport anchors with a fixed steel lower-off carabiner. If you are going to top rope the routes, build a conventional anchor to preserve the steel as long as possible.
Like other drytool crags in Canada, the U.K. and Europe, some holds have been enhanced to ensure the routes are around for a long time. Ice axes and crampons are damaging to limestone and after a few seasons, they create deep holes in the rock. “Effort has been made to create routes that are not just ‘pull up’ routes, emulating the puzzling nature of limestone drytooling,” said one of the leading developers Brent Peters.
Most of the routes climb vertical walls, as there are no steep roofs. Mark Bramble established the steepest route and called it Demolition Man D7+, it goes through small roofs following natural cracks. Most of the lines are D5 and after a few laps can deliver a good pump. The Drive In is 45 minutes from Calgary, has fun routes and is in the sun most of the day during winter. Think of it as an outdoor climbing gym where you can use your ice climbing gear.–