Tsunami, Canadian Rockies first ascent by Slawinski and Lavigne

Less than a month after establishing The Peach at Storm Creek, Raphael Slawinski continues to do what he does best: forge new routes in the Canadian Rockies. On the 1st of May the physics professor headed out to Mt Patterson above the Icefields Parkway together with Canadian Mountain Guide Joshua Lavigne and the duo established Tsunami, a 300m line to the right of the iconic Riptide. Slawinski had noticed the line recently while repeating the classic mixed route Rocket Man and the pair climbed a weaving line of 6 pitches with difficulties up to M5 WI5+. Upon reaching the flat glacial bench from they abseiled back down the route.

Lavigne described Tsunami as follows: "At first glance it looks like it is threatened by seracs but up close they seem fairly benign. We climbed the route in 6 pitches. To access the ice we climbed 3 very alpine like pitches with thin ice and scrappy mixed climbing. Once we were established on the ice, three sustained pitches brought us to the top of the seracs. An amazing day out and a classic alpine ice route!"


Tsunami Mt Patterson first ascent by Raphael Slawinski and Joshua Lavigne