Mount Louis

8799’

An impressive limestone tower featuring some classic rock climbs. All routes require 5th class climbing with the easiest line being 5.6. This peak is notorious for attracting lightning strikes. Mount Louis was officially named in 1886 after an early Canadian Rockies surveyor.

First Ascent: Wednesday July 19, 1916 A.H. MacCarthy, Conrad Kain. 

Mount Louis was one of the first peaks I found when researching this project. I still dream of climbing it.

I’m excited to climb: Homage to the Spider 5.10, Gargoyle 5.10

Goal for when I’m feeling brave: 

Kor-Fuller III 5.10dRX Layton Kor and J. Fuller established the Kor-Fuller route in 1964 as an aid route and it was not freed until 21 years later by Sean Dougherty and company. Knowing Mount Louis fairly well from several other climbs on the mountain, finding the start of the route was not an issue. Actually being bold enough to climb the first pitch was. We scrambled several hundred feet of 4th or 5th class terrain up to the obvious corner start. What was not obvious at that point was the protection of the first pitch, there basically was none. I have climbed 5.10a without pro before, but this closed corner was about as chossy as Canadian Rockies limestone can get, with a complimentary solid ledge below it. My partner’s vote was to bail the route at this point and go climb Homage to the Spider. I knew how much more approach was involved to get that done not to mention Homage is not without its loose rock hazard as well. I had just completed Homage to the Spider last year and was not up to revisiting it so early. I suited up, took the sharp end and stemmed my way up the "crunchy” and unprotected first pitch of Kor-Fuller. Though the first pitch might have been the most dangerous of the day, the second pitch was no doubt the business of this route. Hard 5.10d moves over spacious pro in a unique water worn gully (dry waterfall) of sorts takes you to a third pitch that although eases in grade, is still quite run out. After those first three pitches, Kor-Fuller runs into the Greenwood/MacKay route on Mount Louis which is quite boring and loose until it melts into the classic Perren finish, which is a spectacular 5.7-8 60m pitch on great rock to just below the summit. - Dow Williams from Summitpost.org

Acrylic on wood: 50"x72"

Price: $4000