Raphael Slawinski’s New Mixed
Top Calgary climber Raphael Slawinski made two first ascents on Storm Creek Headwall in fall 2019, Banana Peel and The Sphynx. The Sphynx was climbed with Niall Hamill, who’s bagged a number of new routes this year. The 125-metre M7+ WI5 climbs steep ice and solid but tricky limestone. Hamill noted that they found a piton on the route, which might have belonged to the late Dave Thompson: “It is possible that the first two pitches were climbed differently, as there are a handful of weaknesses that lead to the same ice features. We think it may be from the late Dave Thompson, an early pioneer of mixed climbing in this zone.” Banana Peel is a 110-metre M6 WI5 that Slawinski climbed with Juan Henriquez and Maia Schumacher.