The Apocalypse Cave at Echo Canyon + Topo

By | September 21, 2015

Evan Hau, a prolific climber in the Bow Valley released a topo of The Apocalypse Cave today on his blog.

The Apocalypse Cave

The Apocalypse Cave is located in the Middle Grotto of Grotto Mountain, the same canyon as The Playground and Silent Auction multi-pitch. It is host to a number of routes ranging from 5.11c to 5.14a. The longest route is 25 meters and the crag requires a 60 metre rope.

Evan Hau checking out the moves on a new 5.14a @ The Apocalypse Cave. Photo courtesy of Josh Muller ©

Directions

Park at the Ratsnest cave parking. This is a large dirt unsigned turnoff of Hwy 1A. If approaching from Exshaw, once the speed limit hits 80km/h, the road goes uphill and over a bend. The parking is the third pullout on the right when driving downhill, about 2km past the turnoff for Gap Lake. The majority of the approach is the same as for The Playground.

Follow the Ratsnest cave trail for approximately 5 minutes up a steep hill. The climber’s trail forks left partway up the steep hill. There are many forks and it can be hard to find the proper one. It usually has a cairn and should lead to a cutline and turn into an old road. After about 45 minutes, just before the road goes downhill into the mine site, the trail leads up into the tress and into the Middle Grotto canyon. Follow the canyon and the trails along it’s banks to a fork just before the Playground. The right fork leads to the Playground, take the left fork for Apocalypse Cave or Silent Auction. The trail re-enters the canyon to a fork in the drainage. Take the right drainage but do not follow it, instead look for an orange flagged trail that leads to the base of the wall. Approach time is approximately 75 minutes. The wall gets sun from late morning until early evening.