After a difficult start to his life in Austria, Conrad moved to Canada in 1909 to lead climbs at the Alpine Club of Canada's Lake O'Hara camp. Conrad Kain is credited with over 50 first ascents but his most notable first ascent was Mount Robson in 1913 with Albert MacCarthy and William Foster.
Conrad wrote an autobiography titled Where the Clouds can go where he describes his tough years while growing up in Austria.
Conrad Kain died six months after his 50th birthday, on the same day he climbed Mount Louis once again. The marker on his grave reads "A mountain guide of rare spirit."
In 1934, J. Monroe Thorington named Mount Kain in Conrad's honor.