House of Cards, Left, 5.8-5.10d

Approach

House of Cards is the first wall you come to in Cougar Canyon, about 2kms in from the Cougar Creek trail head. You are looking for four real short pitches on your left with the creek right below them. Then the wall opens up to some longer multi pitch routes.

Route Description

Routes listed from left to right as you face the wall.

First Section Short Routes
Rock 201-5.8- Not very entertaining and very smooth and worn. Two bolts to a tree.
Empty Nest- 5.9- Two bolts to the same tree.
Rock 301- 5.10b
Rock 401- 5.10c
Main Section Short Routes
Dreamcatcher in a Rusted Malibu-5.8- I like these short routes better than those first couple. This drives under a corner-roof, 5 bolts to the station.
Kim and Murray-5.8- Three bolts to intersect Dreamcatcher
Innuendo- 5.10a
Fly by Wire- 5.10d
Main Section Long Routes
SPF- 5.10b- Probably the best warm up route on House of Cards for you 5.10 and above climbers. Shares the first 6 bolts with Solarium, then diverts left at the rap station through another 6 bolts (takes two ropes to rap or two raps)and all goes at 5.10a or less until the end which requires an athletic move to clip the station. The station is set up with top rope fixed gear.
Solarium- 5.10a- My 2nd favorite route on House of Cards, left. Shares 6 bolts with SPF over a small roof problem. Splits off to the right for 6 more bolts to a tree. Two rope rappel or build a station with some gear.
Aqualung- 5.9- Eleven bolts to the same tree as Solarium. Two rope rappel or build a station with some gear.
Slowpoke- 5.8- A little on the dirty side. Sees enough traffic that there is not too much to come loose. Twelve bolts to a station 30 meters off the ground.
Fidget- 5.10c- The 2nd pitch of Slowpoke. Five bolts to a station.

Essential Gear

At least one 60 Meter Rope, Helmet, Climbing Shoes, Some Gear (mostly bolted sport routes though), The Local Guide Book (Sport Climbs in the Canadian Rockies) and these Topo Maps.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have beta about any of the routes not yet climbed first hand by me, please add it to the comment section and I will get it added.

External Links

Parks Canada

100’s of Canadian Rockies multi-pitch rock climbs, ice climbs, alpine climbs and scrambles, just scroll down to routes

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Images

View House of Cards, Left, 5.8-5.10d Image Gallery - 2 Images