Castle Mountain Alpine Rock
July 10, 2026 - July 13, 2026
$50
This will be a “fast and light” trip. Day 1: drive to Castle Mountain Campground. Day 2: pack up and head to Silver City to crag for the day, then proceed up to the NEW Castle Mountain Hut. Day 3: climb Brewers Buttress (13 pitches) and summit Castle Mountain, returning to the hut or camp by last light. Day 4: drive home. This is going to be a higher output trip.
Email James with an expression of interest—participants will be vetted.
Participants:
- 8 climbers MAX
Climber Prerequisite:
- Be able to climb 5.9 in the gym efficiently
- Have travelled in alpine environments before
Equipment:
- Helmet
- Harness
- Hiking boots or approach shoes for talus and scree. Boots are more friendly.
- Belay device (e.g. ATC, GriGri, Reverso)
- 3 locking carabiners
- 35 litre or larger backpack to transport gear to the hut
- 10 litre backpack for the climbing day to hold water, food and clothes
- Warm jacket to wear while belaying or hanging around at the hut in the evening
- Sleeping bag for the hut
- Sleeping pad for the campground
- Tent for the campground
Group gear will be organized by trip leader with the ACC great plains gear cache.
Transport: We’ll carpool where possible. Travel logistics will be arranged closer to the date.
Accommodation: https://alpineclubofcanada.ca/hut/castle-mountain-hut/. Night 1 will be at a campground, night 2 will be at the hut, night 3 will be either the hut again, or the campground at ground level. This will be a discussion closer to the time.
Food: You are responsible for organizing your own food. WATER is a questionable resource at the hut at best of times, so be prepared to carry water up from the car. Quantity is up to you, but James usually carries less water than he should. This will factor into the accommodation discussion later on.
Weather: It is summer, but in the mountains it may still snow. Especially at alpine level. It could get cold. I’d recommend pants, not shorts and have rain gear handy in your pack.
Trip Sign-up Information: If interested in the trip, please send the following sign-up information to James.
- First and last name
- Phone number
- ACC membership number (must be registered with the Great Plains Section)
- Emergency contact information
- A short summary of your outdoor (rock/ice climbing) experience; if you don’t have any experience, please indicate that
- Any gear you would like to borrow (helmet, harness, etc.)
Please send any questions on the trip to James. Further trip details will be circulated once participants are confirmed.
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Register to attend a trip with the Alpine Club of Canada Great Plains Section
Trip Info & Guidelines
Guidelines For Trip Participants
All trips listed in the Great Plains Section’s trip schedule are coordinated by amateur volunteer hikers, skiers and climbers. When on a trip, participants must act in a manner that is safe and responsible and participants are expected to bring the equipment requested by the trip organizer. Participants should find out the requirements and demands of the trip well in advance by asking the organizer and researching the trip in guidebooks and other literature. You must be a member of the Great Plains Section of the Alpine Club of Canada to join a trip.
Further guidelines for participants
- Be prepared to complete a Release of Liability (Waiver). Waiver Form
- You must be a member of the Great Plains Section of the Alpine Club of Canada to join a trip.
- Sign up for trips that will challenge you, but are not beyond your abilities. If unsure, ask the trip organizer and tell them your experience and fitness level. People inexperienced in the mountains should start with easier trips.
- Learn about the trip before you attend (which route, number of kilometers, amount of vertical gain/loss, type of terrain, length of day, etc.).
- Give as much notice as possible to the trip organizer if you are unable to go on the trip. There are often waiting lists of other members who would like to go. If you do not provide enough notice of cancellation for your spot to be filled, your trip deposit will not be refunded.
- Ensure that you have the right equipment and that it is in good repair.
- For winter trips, ensure that you are using a digital avalanche transceiver and that it is in good working order. Single antenna/analog transceivers are not acceptable.
- Bring your helmet on all moderate and difficult scrambles and all climbing trips. Leaders may ask you to bring your helmet on certain ski trips as well.
- Be prepared to contribute to the trip and carry part of the group gear (ropes, etc.).
Personal Insurance
As a broker for TuGo, the ACC offers Emergency Medical Insurance, Trip Cancellation Insurance, Baggage Insurance and more. These policies are available to all Canadians travelling outside their home province within Canada as well as internationally.
If you require medical attention while you’re traveling outside of your home province, or outside of Canada, your provincial health care plan may not cover you. The ACC’s trip insurance covers air ambulance, emergency medical and many other medical expenses. Climbing, skiing and other backcountry accidents are not exempted (as they are with many insurers).
For more information and online quotes, click here.
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