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Elevation: 6,663 ft 2,031 m
GPS: 45.48986, -110.97951
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Shared By: Joe Josephson on Oct 31, 2008 · Updates
Admins: GRK, Zach Wahrer
Warning Access Issue: Potential road closures in winter. DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

With over 150 ice routes in less than 3 square miles, Hyalite Canyon represents the most concentrated, natural ice climbing venue in North America. Hyalite Canyon also features some very high quality and popular gneiss rock climbing lower in the canyon at Practice Rock and Crocodile Rock, with a lesser visited volcanic area higher up in the canyon on the Magic Wall, among many other smaller obscure crags.

Home to all-time classics like "Cleopatra's Needle," "Black Magic," "Mummy Cooler," "Winter Dance," one of the top ten routes in the world (yes I said world), Hyalite is unique in every sense of that word.

The South Fork (Cody) might have more vertical but it's spread out and inconsistent with scrappy approaches. Keystone Canyon and Lake Willoughby certainly vie for the densest cliffs on the continent except for perhaps a few fjords in Newfoundland and Quebec once every 10 years. Ouray has way more concentrated ice than anywhere but most of it is in the ice park; the climbing equivalent of farm raised salmon (and about as overcrowded). Of course the Canadian Rockies, both the Mecca and Medina of the frozen world, has over 10 times the number of routes and all of them longer, but over an area roughly the size of Maryland. North Conway has killer ice; when it's not raining. I've been to them all so cut it anyway you like, declare yourself a hero because you prefer long alpine or mixed climbs, stir in whatever hyperbole you favor and pass the single malt; Hyalite is the most concentrated, easily accessible and consistent ice climbing venue in North America. And I'm not the only widely-traveled climber to say it's our favorite too.

The latest guidebook, "The House of Hyalite" was published in 2019. It covers 325+ ice and mixed routes throughout all four canyons of Hyalite.

Getting There Suggest change

South of Bozeman, MT about 45 minutes from Downtown, depending on road conditions. Routes range from 10 minutes to 2 hours from the car.

251 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Hyalite Canyon

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
M4
 126
The Thrill is Gone
Mixed
WI5
 97
Cleopatra's Needle
Ice 3 pitches
WI3+
 146
Mummy II
Ice
WI5-
 123
Scepter
Ice
WI4
 153
The Dribbles
Trad, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
WI4-
 51
Palisade Falls
Ice
WI5-6
 25
Bingo World
Ice
WI5- M5-6
 52
The Good Lookin' One
Mixed, Ice
WI4
 63
Champagne Sherbert
Trad, Ice
WI5-6 M6
 25
Mummy Cooler IV
Trad, Mixed, Ice
WI6 M7
 24
Come and Get It
Trad, Mixed, Ice
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a WI5 M5+
 27
Black Magic
Trad, Mixed, Ice
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 78
Wizards Well
Trad, TR
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 128
Theoretically
Trad, TR
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 44
Tough Trip Through Paradise
Trad, Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
The Thrill is Gone Unnamed Wall
 126
M4 Mixed
Cleopatra's Needle Twin Falls Area
 97
WI5 Ice 3 pitches
Mummy II Mummy Area
 146
WI3+ Ice
Scepter Mummy Area
 123
WI5- Ice
The Dribbles Dribbles Area
 153
WI4 Trad, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
Palisade Falls Palisade Area
 51
WI4- Ice
Bingo World Unnamed Wall
 25
WI5-6 Ice
The Good Lookin' One Unnamed Wall
 52
WI5- M5-6 Mixed, Ice
Champagne Sherbert Flanders
 63
WI4 Trad, Ice
Mummy Cooler IV Mummy Area
 25
WI5-6 M6 Trad, Mixed, Ice
Come and Get It Come & Get It Wall
 24
WI6 M7 Trad, Mixed, Ice
Black Magic Magic Wall
 27
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a WI5 M5+ Trad, Mixed, Ice
Wizards Well Practice Rock
 78
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad, TR
Theoretically Practice Rock
 128
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, TR
Tough Trip Through Paradise Practice Rock
 44
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, Sport
More Classic Climbs in Hyalite Canyon »

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