Climbing

Although a little less known then Skaha and Squamish, the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region offers a rugged region with towering mountains, challenging rocks formations and vertical canyons. Climbing in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast has been around for decades, but still remains relatively undiscovered to the outside world. Some of the hot spots are listed below.

Climbing in the Central Coast
• Bella Coola Valley is home to climbs ranging from the 5.6 to 5.11+
• Many of the access points to the Bella Coola routes are on private land, be sure to ask permission before you proceed.

To access the Hunlen Falls Trail Crag start by parking at the trailhead for the Hunlen Falls Trail. Walk 50 m up the road and enter the timber on the north side of the road. About 100 m into the open timber you’ll see the Hunlen Falls Trail Crag consisting of about 8 routes ranging from 5.6 to 5.11+. Tweedsmuir Provincial Park offers great bouldering opportunities at the highly recommended Big Rock. Chilcotin Wall is about 10 kms from Hwy. 20 behind the Gun Range. There are 11 routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.11+, between one and five pitches in length. Just left of the Chilcotin Wall is the huge Goatskin Rockface slab. It is complete friction climbing, no natural protection and the highest grade is 5.9. Adjacent to the airport is the nine pitch, Airport Wall, with climbs ranging from 5.9 to 5.10+. The one main route can be accessed by paddling across the Bella Coola River to the base or by an old logging road. Snootley Peak is the huge rock face on the south side of the road about 11 kms from Bella Coola. Park in the outdoor ice rink parking lot and there should be a path to the base of the climb. The Snootley Express is a full 15 pitches of 5.6 to 5.10. The route is set up for rappelling and is highly recommended. To the left of the Snootley Express are some natural routes, Corn Flake and Bran Flake.

Climbing in the Central Cariboo
The Williams Lake area is host to three climbing areas:
• Esler Bluffs is the most popular location featuring slabby to overhanging, half pitch and sporty limestone.
• Moon Road Bluff, a small short crag with limited climbing on steep limestone.
• Alkali Bluff, the routes are half pitched and spread over a short crag of steep, pocketed limestone.

Esler Bluffs has a total of 44 climbs on 5 crags ranging from 5.7 to 5.11+ and the climbing is slab to overhanging. Moon Road Bluff and Alkali Bluff are both made up of 8 climbs on 1 crag with climbing varying from featured to fairly steep, ranging from 5.7 to 5.11+.

Climbing in the South Cariboo
Marble Canyon Park is nestled in the rugged Pavillion Mountain Range, known in the climbing world as the “Cinderella of BC Rock”. Located off Hwy. 97 near the town of Pavillion, Marble Canyon is also the centre of ice climbing as it has one of the best and most easily accessed icefalls in the region. Marble Canyon is comprised of 60 routes in 11 areas. The climbing is slab to steep face and the climbs range from 5.7 to 5.11+.
Other climbs in the area include Boulder Creek, located on Duffy Lake Road south west of Lillooet, which contains developed portions that are steep and featured routes on a 20m buttress which noses out to a logging road. On Hwy 99 just west of Lillooet along the Seton River, you’ll find Cayoosh Wall. It consists of 2 climbs of 5 to 8 pitches and is the site of the first recorded climbs near Lillooet.

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