Known for the stunning backdrop of the Kananaskis Lakes, Joy is 600 metres of slab climb on a prominent dihedral on Mount Indefatigable. Rock climbing Joy rewards climbers with exhilarating views of the Kananaskis range.
So, We Begin
The day started out with me jumping out of bed – about 1 hour late for our meet up time at 5:30 am. Sleeping beauty’s alarm didn’t go off. It’s kind of funny now because it all worked out, but I learned my lesson (I think).
I eventually met with ACMG Guide Sebastian Taborzsky and climbing partner, Erik, at Esso next to Casino Nakoda at 6:30 am. As the climb is super popular, we wanted to be there early to avoid rockfall from other parties.
The Approach
From the Interlakes Parking Area, we followed the hiking trail across the dam towards Mount Indefatigable. About 50 metres in the treed area, we saw the decommissioned trail.
We kept going on a flat trail and stayed on our right whenever the trail forked out to paths towards backcountry campgrounds. After around 20 minutes on the trail, we saw the scree slope and followed a faint path up towards the start of the climb at the dihedral. As we were gearing up at the base, another party came up. After an easy discussion, we set out to climb first.
The Ascent
The slab was mostly golden – grippy footing and the cracks underneath the dihedral were useful. For efficiency, Erik cleaned up the gears and passed them to me (whenever I could catch up to him).
The slab was mostly golden – grippy footing and the cracks underneath the dihedral were useful. For efficiency, Erik cleaned up the gears and passed them to me (whenever I could catch up to him).
The Summit
After 10.5 pitches (60 metre rope), we were above the dihedral, on the summit, with the stellar 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape.
To the west, the towering peaks of the Continental Divide stretch into the distance, while to the east, the rolling foothills gradually give way to the vast plains.
The Descent
We switched our climbing shoes to hikers, put on the summer gaiters, and made a quick walk on the ridge. We followed a trail that curves around the first gully which led to the 4th class climbing scramble. The trail was visible until we reached the trees that led to the scree gully. The scree down was steep and was a bit harder than Yam.
My Takeaway
We started climbing at 8:30 am and were back in the parking lot: 4:06 pm. It is a strenuous feat, but I found the climb to have the right difficulty for the duration given my fitness level. The views are extremely rewarding that I forget about the pump in my calves. Rock Climbing Joy on Mount Indefatigable is a memorable experience.
Adventure Log
- Trailhead: North Interlakes Day Use Parking area
- Approach: 30-45 minutes
- Start Time: 8:30 AM
- End Time: 4:06 PM
- Group Size: 2 participants; 1 guide
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