Parboosting* 225 m, 5.11c/d
A. Genereux & J. Haigh, July 1995

This fine route is located on Ripple Wall about 30 m left of The Maker. Every pitch was established on lead by Genereux using a Hilti power drill. The first two-and-a-half pitches were climbed with J. Jones with the route pushed to the top on a second day. This effort included at least one spectacular leader fall with the drill and a full rack around Andy’s neck! Despite the many bolts, TCUs and cams to 1.5 inches and wires to #7 are recommended. Double ropes are useful and allow a rappel descent.

Start about 12 m right of the water chute just above a two-tree snag.

1) 50 m, 5.11c/d Climb up the face on blocky holds for 4 m to the first bolt. Continue up and right on sustained 5.10+ ground over some friable rock to the base of a short left-facing corner. Climb the corner and make awkward moves onto the face above. Climb the face and an incipient crack to the second of two bolts. From here make and an apparently bold traverse slightly down and right (crux) for 4 m to another bolt. Continue up on impeccable rock, then trend up and right to a small ledge.

2) 50 m, 5.10d Climb out right and then up the obvious weakness to a shallow left-facing corner. Climb the face left of the corner connecting gear placements to a bolt 10 m above. Follow the line of least resistance left and then up and back right to a bolt. Traverse right and then up past two bolts to an overlap. Hard moves lead left and then up to a bolt, above that the climbing eases to a good ledge. Make difficult moves up into a shallow right-facing corner and continue this (sustained) to the belay.

3) 55 m, 5.11b Climb the corner left of the belay for a short distance until it is possible to traverse right on the face above. Climb the blocky face to the fourth bolt and move left to gain a corner and a crack. Climb the crack (crux) for 5 m, then move left to a bolt. Traverse left and continue up a bulging face on mid 5.10 ground to a two-bolt belay (50 m). Move right and up to a spacious ledge and bolt belay (55 m).

4) 50 m, 5.8 Climb the corner above the belay passing a bolt at the start. Continuous 5.8 climbing up the corner leads to a ledge. Climb the broken face up and slightly right over some loose rock to a belay.

5) 20 m, 4th From the belay move right, then up to the top on 4th class ground to a small spruce tree and cairn.

Descent: Either use the normal descent down Hidden Gully or rappel the route from the top of pitch 4 using two 50 m ropes.

The Maker*** 205 m, 5.10b
B. Keller & J. Lauchlan, October 1977

Excellent rock combined with sustained climbing make this an outstanding route. Technically, the climb is easy 5.10 but difficult route-finding and the run-out nature of some of the pitches require steady climbing at this level. This was the first route in the Bow Valley area to venture onto a steep, blank face where protection came mainly from bolts hand-drilled at natural stances. At the time, it was a landmark climb that remains a strong tribute to the vision and talent of both Keller and Lauchlan. Today, The Maker is one of the most sought-after routes in the Bow Valley.

Note: Considering the historic nature and quality of this route, the authors feel it necessary to address the issue of protection. Being what it is, many Bow Valley climbers have dreamt of climbing The Maker and it has been suggested more bolts be added to the route so that more people could enjoy it. If there is one route in the Bow Valley that should never see additional protection, this is the one. Adding The Maker to your list of climbs is a significant and memorable experience. Adding bolts to it so that it becomes more accessible negates all the reasons that it is such an impressive experience. It would become just another easy 5.10. If bolting and climbing a wall of clean, rippled limestone is your goal, there are plenty of other walls in the area that would make nice routes.

Start:: Located below Ripple Wall is a large scree cone that drops off toward Hidden Gully on the right and the prominent water chute on the left. The Maker starts near the top of the cone, just left of centre by a shattered block lying against the face.

1) 20 m, 5.9 The loose pitch. From the top of the block, make a hard move up left to easier ground. Move back right into a shallow corner and continue to a two-bolt belay in a small cave.

2) 30 m, 5.9 A taste of things to come. From the right end of the cave make steep moves up onto a slab. Traverse left along the lip of the cave until it is possible to step up into a slanting groove. Climb this, past two bolts, to an overhang. Belay on the ledge above (bolts).

3) 30 m, 5.9 From the left end of the ledge, climb up onto a ramp that is followed until it is possible to traverse rightward (bolt) into a short corner. Follow this to a two-bolt belay.

4) 40 m, 5.10b Step down slightly from the belay and make an unprotected, committing rightward traverse (about 7 m) until the base of a groove can be reached. Continue more easily up this with good protection to a two-bolt belay.

5) 40 m, 5.10a Traverse right along a shallow break and then step up to a small ledge (bolt). Continue up and left, and then move steeply back right, past a small flake, to a large ledge with a bolt. Having recovered, move right into a large, loose corner and climb it for 5 m. Traverse across the right wall of the corner onto the front face and continue up and right to a large ledge and belay.

6) 45 m, 5.9 The easy pitch! Climb the groove above to a higher ledge and traverse right for 10 m to below a prominent groove. Continue traversing the ledge system until it is possible to climb diagonally up and right to the top.

6 original finish) 45 m, 5.10c R Climb the prominent groove on pitch 6 moving right and then back left to reach the top. This finish has witnessed several spectacular falls and is rarely repeated owing to its deserved reputation for difficulty and seriousness.

Descent: Traverse right into Hidden Gully and use that descent (see above). Parboosting is fixed for rappel (two 50 m ropes), but it is necessary to move up and left from the top of The Maker and locate a small tree and cairn (see Parboosting topo). From here fourth class down-climbing leads to the first fixed station.

Projects
In the early ’90s, the late Simon Paraboosingh started a route some 15 m right of The Maker. It is has many bolts and is sometimes mistaken for Gangbang with starts farther right. Recently, some effort has been made to extend Simon’s project. The bottom 15-20 m or so goes at mid 5.10 and is a good warm up for The Maker. There is no established anchor although there may be a quick-link on one or more bolts.

An incomplete aid route called Gangbang climbs part way up the steep yellow face on the right side of Ripple Wall. It begins about 35 m right of The Maker and climbs up to a band of overhangs that arches up and right to an undercut corner in the upper wall. The first pitch follows a line of small, right-facing overhangs and then moves right and up into a bay. A short, fixed rope marks the high point on the second pitch that begins the traverse across to the upper corner. (A3, small pitons and skyhooks required.)

Hidden Gully 200 m, 4th class
P. Davis, G. Homer, J. Jones & C. Smith, November 1970

Hidden Gully is a deep, narrow gully separating the Ripple Wall area from Frodo Buttress and is the normal descent for routes in the area. It is easily down-climbed except for the steeper wall at the bottom that has rappel bolts in place (one rope is adequate).

The short wall at the base is the most difficult section when climbing up the gully. From here, continue easily over a number of rock steps, bearing left at a steep 15 m wall.