Lotus Flower Tower
© 1988 by George Bell
Guide to The

Cirque of the Unclimbables

by George Bell

Version 17: 2025


Mt. Harrison Smith
© 1988 by George Bell

Where is this place?

See the Canadian locator map.

The Cirque of the Unclimbables is the name given to a small cluster of peaks and walls in remote northern Canada, near the border of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. The Lotus Flower Tower, publicized in the book Fifty Classic Climbs of North America is perhaps the most well known climb there. It is also home to the awesome Mt. Proboscis, an amazing hunk of granite with easiest free route a fifteen pitch 5.12a! The Vampire Spires are a climbing area 15 miles northwest of the Cirque of the Unclimbables, they are not covered by this web guide.

What's New?

4/9/25: Pat Goodman's 2017 guide has the most up to date info on the Cirque. Updated schematic maps (thanks to Greg Opland) and added (links to) 5 trip reports.
Best URL for this web site:

Contents of this guide:

How accurate or dated is this information?

I do not check that all external links work, many are obsolete.

This guide is updated every few years. My guide will always be incomplete, because many climbers to this area do not report their ascents.

WARNING! Rock climbing is, by its very nature, a potentially hazardous activity. Prior and competent knowledge in the use of various rock climbing safety devices is assumed. While an attempt has been made to insure that the information provided here is accurate, it is never a substitute for your better judgement. By use of the provided information, the reader hereby releases the authors and providers of said information from liability for any injury, including death, that might result. You have been warned!

Thanks to ...

Last Update: 4/9/2025

Copyright © 2025 by George Bell of this page and all contents. All rights reserved.