Polar Circus 2007
700m (500m of ice) V, WI 5
March 7, 2007
Peter, Hedd-wyn

Polar Circus is one of the premier and most sought-after ice climbing routes in Canada. It is huge (500m of ice, 700m) and easily accessible. An alpine climb in character, with avalanche potential on the route and from above, it is serious and a long day. We got an early start by headlamps to make sure we were the first on the route, as it's very popular with visiting climbers. Thankfully, nobody followed us and we had a very nice experience. One of my favourite climbs to date!

First climbed in an amazing 8-day effort in 1975 (which included aiding and fixing ropes), this route is now commonly climbed in a single day, thanks to the modern gear and protection.

  Hedd-wyn topping out on the 2nd pitch What is left of The Pencil (a grade 6 pillar which broke off sometime in December this year) The upper tiers on Polar Circus  

  The upper tiers on Polar Circus The upper part of the route, photo by Hedd-wyn Turning The Pencil (bypassing it), the views of the valley are nice  

  Turning The Pencil (bypassing it), the views of the valley are nice Me on the first of the upper tier, photo by Hedd-wyn  

  Me on the first of the upper tier, photo by Hedd-wyn Hedd-wyn on the Ribbon Me chilling at the base, before the final (crux) tier, photo by Hedd-wyn  

  The last, and amazingly huge crux upper tier (2 pitches) Me cranking on the final tier, photo by Hedd-wyn On the final tier, photo by Hedd-wyn  

  On the last two pitches On the last two pitches  

  Rappelling down, we're a long way up! The free-hanging rappel off The Pencil on the way down  

  The free-hanging rappel off The Pencil on the way down Eating a sandwitch after all the rappels are out of the way, very satisfied An overview of the approach to the climb, this ice is most often bypassed on the snowslopes on the left.  

  Polar Circus visible up high Polar Circus visible up high  

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