"Polar Circus is a popular and classic ice climb located in the Canadian Rockies off the Icefields Parkway. Climbers from throughout the world come to Canada to test their skills (and empty their bladders, sometimes unintentionally) on this incredible, 700 meter tiered frozen waterfall. Originally rated Grade VI, the first ascent of this route required eight days, fixed ropes, and substantial aid on the steepest sections. In what was to become a typical situation on this beautiful wall, the climb was crowded even during the first ascent, with two parties competing for the prize. The second ascent party, narrowly missing being the first to bag this great line, eliminated all but five meters of aid from the route. With the evolution of modern tools and techniques, "Circus" has since been downgraded to Grade V, WI5, and is typically climbed by competent teams in a long day from the Icefields Parkway."
With a 5 minute approach from the road this is one of the WI2+ pitches that start up the Cirrus Mtn Gully aka the Canadian water ice classic...."Polar Circus". Below: looking up one of those early easy pitches. The perfect warm up for the climbing to come.
A bit of easy climbing leads you to the first steep section of water ice.
Below is looking down from the start of that pitch.
Polar Circus '80, in easy ice conditions...the first steep bit that blocks access to the upper gully. Depending on conditions any where from WI3 to WI 4.
The same pitch in Feb 2010 and a bit steeper and more sustained.
Polar Circus, when in safe avi conditions is an easy (WI4+/ 5-), and super classic one day ice climb. With an short approach and quick descent it is one to go back to again and again.
Again 1980 with bivy gear (the 80/81 winter season turned Polar Circus from an over night climb to a one day route) at the beginning of the long snow gully below the Pencil.
This is looking down the snow gully section just after turning the easy ice at the base of the Pencil which is on the right of this picture and just out of sight. Climber's left and up hill of this picture is the avi prone slope.
Turning the Pencil just below and gaining the avi slope. A short bit of WI4 and a lot of mild ice and gully climbing are below this. Spectacular position! The avi slope goes up and out to the right and then back left into the upper bowl above on an almost level traverse. That final level traverse back into the basin and the upper tiers can be really scary because of the sun exposure.
John Lauchlan in this picture and in the same area where he was later swept away in an avalanche while trying to make the first solo ascent in the early winter of 1982.
Ray Jotterand photo 1979
The unformed Pencil's stub.
Partially formed and fallen pencil in the back ground.
Looking up the right hand section of the boot packed snow traverse above the Pencil. At the trees in the picture the boot pack jogs back left and into the huge upper bowl.
Get there early while the traverse is still in the shade!
The last four pitches of the climb (or 3 rope stretching pitches with a 70m rope and some imagination) and generally the only thing people rope up for these days. In early Jan of '75 the first ascent party climbed 14 roped pitches of ice and taken 8 days up and down. Water fall climbing was still fairly new and nothing this long or this cold had been done before. Charlie Porter, the Burgess Twins and Bugs McKeith were some of the most accomplished climbers of their generation at the time. The second ascent lead by Laurie Skreslet literally following in the 1st ascent teams foot steps did it in two days and all but the last bit of it free.
Huge admiration for both team's imagination, tenacity and skills. Ice climbing changed faster than anyone ever thought possible between 1975 and 1980.
The upper bowl from lower on the route.
The upper bowl when you turn the corner on the snow traverse. Good look at the first fun pitch on the first tier of the 3 upper tiers.
The upper tiers are made up of this pitch, the Ribbon pitch and the final head wall of ice.
The Ribbon pitch below.
Difficulty on this pitch depends on the amount of ice some what but more importantly what time you get there, the temps and how wet the ice is. This pitch can easily be running with water and rotten ice.
You are looking at entire last set of tiers in this picture. The three climbers at the right side of the ice are at the base of the Ribbon pitch in fat Feb '10 conditions.
Parts of the the last long pitch (or two short pitches) are shown here on the last tier. Fixed anchor on the right with a decent belay platform and rap chains. Climber here is on the last bit of steep ice and generally the crux of the route.
The final short pitch to finish the climb..steeper than it looks and generally sun rotted ice by the time you get on it. Perfect finish to a great climb! Picture is taken for the chained belay anchor and rap point.
For shortened view of the last tier. Chains in the rock are climber's left one step above the climber in the picture
Looking back down the final pitch just belwo the last set of rap chains. Incredible piece of ice!
The always terrifing, free hanging rap off the Pencil on the way down.
A wonderful climb to be done over and over again just for the fun of it!
Dbl click to enlarge the topo and check out the rap line, depending on conditions and daylight if might be a little confusing first time up the route.
Another topo here which might show the actual climbing a bit better:
http://lamountaineers.org/NAC/browserf/climbs/polarcir/topo.pdf
Gear Notes:
These days all the rap anchors up high (above the Pencil) are fixed chains or pins and tat. You will rap straight over the Pencil so be careful there of you or your rope knocking anything down. 70m ropes are really much easier but 60m ropes will work as well. Take some tat for V threads for the Ribbon pitch and lower in the gully if you want to avoid any extra uphill walking at day's end.
Be really careful on the avi slop above the Pencil...it has been fatal.
Avi danger in particular on this route can be horrible with a huge slide coming out of the upper bowl at the top of the climb. Nothing would survive if you were any where below the final tier when that happens.
A dozen screws should be plenty for anyone capable of finishing the climb. Plan on anywhere from 5 to 3 roped pitches depending on the length of your rope and a lot of easy ice either soloed or climbed together.
A early start will get you off before the south facing avi slopes heat up. Or better yet do it on a snowy, cloudy and cold day. You can avoid the avi danger and soft, rotten ice on the crux pitch if you do without the sun. Don't forget 3 or 4 long screws just for that rotten ice late in the day.
8 or 9 hrs round trip, car to car, these days is a reasonable time with good ice and snow conditions. 5 or 6 hrs of climbing. A hook fest on hammered out ice will make it quicker. A lot of snow to break trail through or really cold, new ice can make it a "slightly" longer day.
Approach Notes:
On a good day 10 minutes up a boot packed trail from the road. Cowboy-up and start on the first easy ice available instead of walking up the snow slope to the left and beginning of the first WI4 pitch.
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