07.05.2005
FA (?): Valeri Babanov & Mark Toth, May 5, 2005
This excellent and obvious moderate alpine route is situated on the NE face of the Mount Sir Douglas in Kananaskis Country.
Possible this is a first ascent.
IV M5 400m
We believe this to be a new route although we have seen one fixed rappel point on the fourth pitch. But it was far to the right and we supposed this belay station was not for climbing up just for rappel.
I found no information on this route having been climbed. If we have claimed this ascent as FA in error, please let us know!
This excellent and obvious moderate alpine route is situated on the NE face of the Mount Sir Douglas in Kananaskis Country.
We made approach as for the East Ridge of the Mt. Sir Douglas. Then, we got a big traverse (350m) right and reached the beginning of the route. I guess it would be easy and shorter scramble up from the glacier. But you have to be cautious with a huge lower snow slope (avalanche). Maybe for this reason we made so big traverse just under the NE face. The snow condition was really bad.
The route follows straight up on obvious snow-ice gully with some mixed steps. The crux pitches are fourth (M4+) and fifth (M5). It is a chimney-corner about 70 meters length of the compact limestone with a poor protection. Then it is more moderate climbing up until the ridge, where our route joins with Mt. Sir Douglas East Ridge route.
It is really surprising if this route had not been climbed before.
The easiest and fastest descent to the gully on the left of the East Ridge. Beware – this choice of the way of rappelling is exposed to rockfall and it is not recommended in summer or warm spring and fall season.
A mixed rack of a cams, pins and screws (1-2) will suffice.
We took 19 hours car-to-car. | 
