Brussels Peak, North East Ridge, Alpine III, 5.7

Lat/Lon: 52.51667°N / 117.82222°W - CLICK FOR TOPO MAP
I spent a week back in the Fryatt Valley in 2004 and could not convince my comrades
sharing the Sydney Vallance Hut at that time to lose elevation back down the valley to
attempt either of the most technical climbs in the Valley, Mount Christie or Brussels
Peak. The hut is not a good starting point for either of these climbs, therefore in 2004
I did manage to climb four other peaks at the end of the valley that had more
conducive starts from the hut, Mount Fryatt, one of our 11,000+, Mount Lowell, Mount
Olympus and the Three Blind Mice. In 2006 I was contacted by the grandson of Ray
Garner, who put up the first ascent on Brussels Peak in 1948, inquiring whether I
would be interested in climbing this obscure objective. I jumped at the opportunity to
get back into the Fryatt Valley.

Brussels Peak is located in Jasper National Park , one of four Canadian National
Parks adjoined in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Brussels was named after a
British merchant ship in 1920. The first ascent was made by Ray Garner and J.
Lewis in 1948 just days after a failed attempt by Fred Becky and two years after a
failed attempt by local legends Frank Smythe and Bruno Engler. Bruno Engler later
wrote about Brussels (A Mountain Life); “Most mountains have their weaknesses, but
not so Brussels. Most mountains have cracks or chimneys leading though otherwise
impassable cliffs or pitches; but the cracks and chimneys on Brussels peter out into
overhangs or are merely incidental, beginning and ending nowhere. Most mountains
have ledges whereby difficulties can be circumvented, but there are few ledges in the
cliffs of Brussels." Some controversy followed Garner and Lewis’s success regarding
their use of aid. Smythe particularly made an issue of it.

There are two routes; the Northeast Ridge goes at Alpine III, 5.7. The gain from the
Brussels Campground itself is over 5000’ not including the 18k and 1500’+/- you
must gain into the campground from the trailhead. The approach from Fryatt Creek
up to the scramble sections of the headwall below the Christie-Brussels col is pure
bushwhack, no trail. The Fryatt Creek crossing is also more of a river crossing
versus a creek crossing.

The North Face goes at Alpine IV, 5.10 and has plenty of run out. It was put up in
1979 by Randall and Waterman and has not been repeated much, if at all.

Getting There
Follow the Columbia Icefields Parkway 31 km south of Jasper to the Athabasca Falls
turnoff on your right. Follow the Athabasca Parkway 1.1 km to the Geraldine Lakes
Road on your left. Drive along this dirt road for 2.1 km to a sign posted trail leading
left (east) toward the Athabasca River. This is where you park and either hike or bike
in to the Lower Fryatt campground some 11.4 km. Pick your poison. Biking with a
65lb pack on single track is no joy, but it is faster than hiking (if you have a
competent biker on hand, try a BOB trailer). Another option is to portage the river
saving about 6 or 7 km off of this trial. I biked in the trail in 2004 and 2006 although I
still believe paddling might be the best option. You will find a tremendous amount of
bear scat along this trail.

Leave your bikes at the Lower Fryatt campground and proceed on the trail as it gains
elevation and follows Fryatt Creek west for another 7 km to the Brussels
campground. This campground is quiet and rarely inhabited except for the
occasional bear. You can easily scope out your river crossing for the next day as well
as Brussels Peak itself (photo) from this location.

Red Tape
You will be required to purchase a national park pass as you enter the park. This
pass is good for all four national parks. If you plan many visits to Canadian National
Parks within one year, you should purchase an annual pass. There are no permit
requirements to climb in Jasper National Park, but all camping is regulated. There is
also a backcountry permit required if you plan on spending a night in the
backcountry. Even if you use a hut, you will need this permit. This can be obtained via
the parks website which is included in the camping section below. Park
headquarters are located in Banff and Jasper and you will drive through the manned
kiosks as you enter the park.

This is active grizzly country, therefore, you should always have bear spray on your
person. We witnessed a significant sized black bear approaching our campsite in
2006. I advise checking with Parks Canada for any area and/or trail closures.

When to Climb
As with most climbs in the Canadian Rockies, the driest time is from June through
September. I did Brussels Peak in July and found the route relatively free of snow
except for the glacier travel on the east side of the mountain. There are no published
backcountry ski routes that have anything to do with Brussels regarding winter
ascents.

Camping
The Brussels campground is the formal campground to use for an ascent of
Brussels. That being said, I advise ascending farther and camping at a tarn area
above the drainage, but below the Mount Christie-Brussels Peak col. This gives
you a much better start and chance to get off the climb prior to the infamous
afternoon thunderstorms that roar through the Fryatt Valley. The mosquitoes are
in full force at these tarns, so take necessary precautions against these bastards.
The Brussels campground is equipped with bear poles, flowing water and a dug out
toilet. We witnessed a black bear in the area in July, 2006.

The Sydney Vallance Hut is another 3.3 km further west. It received a major facelift
and interior makeover in the summer of 1999 and is now a much improved version
of the former cabin. It is open summer and winter with a limited capacity of 12
humans or 1 large bear. It has a propane system for cooking and lighting and a
wood stove for heating. Campground reservations can be made through Jasper
National Park .

Mountain Conditions
The Jasper National Park website has weather, wildlife reports, trail closures, etc.
Outside of the parks web site, Canadian Avalanche Association is also useful,
particularly for winter travel. Canadian Alpine Accident Reports are also extremely
useful.

Route
Brussels Peak is a 6400’+/- ascent. The approach to Brussels Campground in the
Fryatt Valley is 18k by bike and hike or 11k by canoe and hike. Either way it is a
3-5 hour approach. The Athabasca River flows fast and furious in the summer
months by means of glacier melt that fills its banks to capacity. One would have to
be an accomplished whitewater aficionado to ferry the gear over via canoe. My
partner and I were accustomed to whitewater enough to perform this maneuver, but
that also meant a longer hike versus bike if we did it that way. He was also quite the
serious mountain biker so we rented a BOB trailer and biked in. I believe if you have
an accomplished biker in your party, this is the best approach.

From the Geraldine Fire road trail head for Fryatt Valley, proceed 11+ kilometers to
the Lower Fryatt campground. You will have to cross several log bridges and with a
BOB trailer no doubt have to get off your bike a time or two on the steeper terrain as
well as the creek crossings. Still it is better than hauling your gear on your back. Park
the bikes at the Lower Fryatt campground.

Cross the bridge and ascend the Fryatt Valley Trail for 7 kilometers to the Brussels
campground. These 18 kilometers from the trailhead cover about 1500’+/- in
elevation gain. My advice is to continue up the major drainage that descends
from the Mount Christie-Brussels Peak col directly across from the Brussels
campground and camp at two tarns at the top of the tree line and below the
massive headwall protecting Brussels Peak’s western flank. Due to the volatility of
Fryatt Creek area weather and little if any protection offered from storms on the North
East ridge of Brussels Peak, it is best to gain an early start.

The Fryatt Creek crossing is really a full on river crossing during the summer
months. It runs hard and fast fed by several glaciers up valley. There are several
crossing options. The further you head south the narrower the creek bed, so it is best
to attempt a crossing either directly across from the Brussels campground or slightly
north of it. Pick an area after a braid or two which will allow for smaller volume. Be
familiar with the buddy whitewater technique of crossing whitewater. Once to the
other side, bushwhack through thick brush back south along the bank until you reach
the main drainage coming down from Brussels and Christie.

Ascend this drainage up the left bank. This is an objectionable approach. An animal
trail will show up here or there, but for the most part you are on your own. You will
gain well over 1000’ and break out onto marshy ground that forms around a huge
pile of left over glacial debris (large rocks and old moraine) that originates the
drainage. Move left through mosquito infested terrain and use the large scree slopes
to the right as an opportunity to move out of the trees, but stay low, do not ascend any
moraine you do not have to. Continue up to below the soaring headwall below
Brussels Peak and Mount Lowell. Here you will find two tarns as you turn northeast
to catch a fold in the headwall below Mount Christie and Brussels Peak. You do not
need to load up with water here as the scramble up the headwall is adjacent to a
waterfall.

Continue northeast until you take a right turn around a large red rock and ramp up to
the base of solid rock scrambling that is well over 1000’ below the col. This
scramble section is full of about 5 rappel stations to climbers left of the drainage
(waterfall). We did not rope up for this section, but some parties might find it more
comfortable. The crux section is within the first hundred meters. After that it becomes
easier. You eventually top out of this steep solid rock onto a huge scree ledge with
another impenetrable headwall above it. Move left across snow or scree slopes
towards Mount Christie. Again, you will find a gully or two that ramp back right to
ascend this section. Once you top out here, you simply hike over to the col right
below the start of the north east ridge of Brussels Peak.

Again, for the umpteenth time, I have a problem with Sean Dougherty’s Selected
Alpine Climbs guide book. I have a dozen guide books in my office and this is the
only one which consistently gets me in trouble. Locals have named it the “Book of
Lies”. I tire of defending it and will no more. The ironic twist is that we had my partner’
s grandfather’s notes with us back at camp, and in retrospect, I would have much
rather followed his first ascent notes than what one would think would be more
accurate (modern) notes in the guide book. The main problem with his description
on this climb is the circumvention of Brussels Peak to the east. What he fails to
mention, but Ray Garner definitely mentioned, is that there is a substantial
glacier hugging the eastern flank of Brussels Peak. I happened to be in trail
runners I used for the approach. Not to mention that this glacier forms a formidable
moat around the eastern portion of Brussels. Needless to say we followed the
guidebook’s advice and ended up having to jump the moat once we circumvented
way more of the eastern walls then we needed to. We then had to climb a full pitch to
get to the upper nasty “scree on slab” slopes above and traverse back north to the
base of the ridge. My partner was not used to this type of scrambling and this section
cost us huge in terms of time. In my opinion, you should attack the ridge direct.
Start climbing from the col. There is no fixed protection except for belay stations
(which of course the guide book gives no mention despite the fact they have been
there a long time). The climbing is cleaner and it is a much more aesthetic
approach. If you want to avoid the tougher climbing here, barely move over the glacier
to the east and immediately jump the moat to gain nasty loose ledges that wander
up to the ridge higher up. In any regard you will have some short sections to climb
following my advice before you reach the start of the real climb. Eventually you will
make it to the base of the solid ridge (no more scree ledges to break up the terrain).

1st Pitch- The first pitch follows a chimney to the left up easy but loose rock which
leads to a short steep section of really good rock.

2nd Pitch- Enjoy this nice 5.7 climbing on solid rock as most of this climb is loose.
There will be a rap station at the base of this pitch that takes off the east side of the
ridge on descent.

3rd Pitch- Scramble along the western side of the ridge until you find decent rock
again. Rope up for a short pitch to the base of one of two roof options. This is easy
climbing.

4th Pitch- The first and most clear roof is a black piece to the left that follows the
ridge true. This pitch can be well protected and is much more aesthetic climbing
than the other option, but also probably more in the 5.8 range of climbing. To get
to the other roof, move right and follow an easy ramp of solid rock to turn a roof to its
right, but on loose holds. Again, you have plenty of opportunity to protect this pitch as
well. Either roof will get you to the base of a short ramp where you can build a station.

5th Pitch- I placed no gear on this pitch and it might be combined with pitch 4 via
good rope management. Climb easy ground to the base of the Lewis Crack, the crux
of the climb.

6th Pitch- Ascend the Lewis Crack and scramble to the first of four summits on
Brussels Peak. The second pinnacle is taken direct, the third to the right and the four
direct for the summit.

Descent
Rap the ridge complete. We found existing stations for rapping the ridge with one 60
meter rope with the last rappel being the exception. I believe most parties
descended to the east at this point, but the loose scree leading down to the moat
and glacier below did not look very inviting. We descended partially down the east
side and then traversed (photo) a loose ledge back to the ridge and fixed
cordellete and a biner (2006) onto a bomber boulder at the top of the last rappel
that takes you back to the col. While descending the lower headwall below you will
find approximately 4-5 rappel stations straddling the drainage to skiers right. The
only one we utilized was the last one which was an ascent pitch we remembered
well as being the toughest climbing on that section. Aim back for the red rock and
return to the river where the crossing will be even more eventful than it was in the
morning hours due to summer day glacier melt.

Essential Gear
Metolius Cams 00-9 were used. Used mostly smaller curved nuts. Will definitely
want 3-4 longer slings. 8-10 draws total should be adequate. Helmet, harness;
climbing shoes are nice for the crux spots. Plenty of cordellete to reinforce the rappel
stations, this route is rarely climbed. Bear spray and mosquito repellent are not bad
to have around.