Riverside
Riverside / Shotgun Cliff | N46 28’08” W83 13’06”
Riverside is 110-120 m high roadside cliff in a beautiful position beside the Little White River. See Eyeball guide for detailed information on access. The cliff is made up of a combination of intrusive sedimentary rock with lots of handholds but some loose rock and Killarney granite. Towards its left side, a prominent vertical wall rises from 75 m at its highest point to a large, forested ledge known as the North Channel. The North Channel cannot be accessed, or exited, except by technical climbing or rappel. Above the North Channel, another 20-40 metres of climbing remains. (Map follows below or click the 'Drop a pin' link above.)
Bullets Wall and North Channel Ledge
1 Margarine Cosmonaut | 5.10 | 23m
FFA Dave Smart, Reg Smart, 2022
A top pitch without lower pitches located at the far left end of the upper tier at Riverside Rock, about 30 m let of the top of the ice climb Rainmaker. Climbs a nice open piece of rock. Also known as Nick's Project.
2 Bullets Before Breakfast | 5.10a | 115m
FFA Reg Smart, David Smart, John Kaandorp, June 20 2020
The first rock route to climb to the top of Riverside Rock. Maybe the longest sport climb in Ontario, but there is still some loose rock and descent is by rappel. Bring twenty draws and a 70 metre rope.
Flagging tape on the road, some 100-150m left of the ice route, The Thing, a giant, overhanging, wet black and white smear in the summer, marks the trail that leads steeply for 50 metres to the base, start at a bolted rib of rock.
Pitch 1, 5.8, 25m: the rib to a ledge with juniper.
Pitch 2,5.9, 15m: Cross a gully on the right and traverse a ledge until a couple of steep moves lead to the belay.
Pitch 3, 5.10a, 30m: Climb the wall above to the comfortable Lucky Ledge.
Pitch 4, 5.9, 25m: A steep groove blocked by a chockstone and an easy slab lead to bolts just below the top.
Pitch 5, Scramble a couple of metres to the top, unrope on the huge North Channel Ledge (see above), and follow flagging tape 70m to the left to a bolt belay where the ledge ends. (70-75m walking)
Pitch 6, 5.8, 20m: The Lightning Pitch. Exposed climbing leads up a wall to a ledge with two prominent trees that have been hit by lightning.
Descend by rappelling the route to the top of the second pitch, from which a 35m rappel reaches the ground.
3 War and Peace | 5.10b | 3 pitches of mixed climbing
FFA Mish Vins, Umer Javed, September 3, 2022
Climb starts about 60 m to the right of Bullets in a shallow open book. Look for a sloping dirt corner with a white patch on dark rock at the start.
The next two climbs can be accessed by another trail that starts about 50 m right of the previous one that leads to Bullets before Breakfast. Look for cairns of rock on top of a small roadside boulder.
4 K-9 High-Step | 5.10c | 80m
FFA Randy Kielbasiewicz, Rafael Kolodziejczyk, Aug 2, 2022
Start 8 meters left of Road Block.
Pitch 1, 5.10a, 27m: Stick clip. An interesting journey past pinches, underclings, traverses right to a leftward trending weakness. Follow the weakness to anchors on left.
Pitch 2, 5.7, 17m: Fun. It’s best to move left at bolt 4 and climb up to the ledge. An alpine draw here will reduce drag.
Pitch 3, 5.10c, 30m: Climb past the large block. Follow a right facing corner to the roof system. Follow the bolts out right and up a shallow corner. To anchors just be-low the summit. It’s best to belay here for communication and rope management.
Exit: Not a pitch. Scramble right passing a bolt to the top of Roadblock. Descent: Refer to Roadblock rap line.
5 Roadblock | 5.10a | 82m
FFA Rafael Kolodziejczyk, Randy Kielbasiewicz, July 17, 2022
Pitch 1, 5.10a 25m: Stick clip first bolt as the starting moves are the crux. Follow thought provoking moves up an aesthetic corner
Pitch 2, 5.8, 15m: Move left off the belay and follow a groove, passing a small roof on the left. Follow easier, but suspect, rock to anchors.
Pitch 3, 5.10a, 17m: Fantastic face climbing. Start LEFT of the bolt line crossing over to a flake. Follow this up to anchors on the right. NOTE: There is a rap station on left (level with the belay station).
Pitch 4, 5.10a, 25m: Travers left into a right facing corner. Follow this to a good rest. Boulder out the crux moves and climb increasingly steep rock to top. An al-pine draw at the last bolt is helpful.
Descent: 3 raps with single 60 m rope. From top anchors rap 20 m to rappel-ling anchors (about 5 meters climber’s left of P3 anchors). Rap 25 m to P1 anchors.
Bullets Before Breakfast
Ride a Rubber Gator
Binary Direct
Note: The incredible topo and artwork above was drawn by John Kaandorp, longtime climber and one of the first ascensionists of Bullets For Breakfast .
RARG
6 What Rot | 5.7 R | 30m
FA Mike Grainger and Danylo Darewych, August 15, 2013
This line is located some 75 m left of the Crown Jewel, or 25 m left of the prows/toes of rock that come down closest to the road. It is visible through the trees from the road at a spot where the talus comes right to the road – look for a crack leading to a bushy ledge, then continuing up the widening crack/chimney to a corner groove right of some roofs, with a substantial cedar perched in the corner. Scramble up the scree slope 40 m to the base of the route – watch out for poison ivy (not that thick in this section, but a pair of shears would be useful). Head up the initial crack to the ledge with a juniper. The wider crack above is composed of loose, rotten, black, shale-type rock, so traverse right 8m on the ledge and head up more solid, slate-type rock with laser cut square holds, but sparse pro, then traverse back left to the cedar tree. Belay here. Mike and Danylo bailed at this point, because they didn’t trust the rock protection above. When they tried placing a cam in a perfectly parallel crack in the slate/ mudstone, it simply slid out as it was tugged on it – the cam couldn’t seem to get a bite on the rock at all.
The Toes
The next three routes are located about 75 m left of the Crown Jewel amphithe-atre at a point where three toes of rock come down closest to the road. A short ap-proach trail comes up from the road. The trail starts about 25 m left of the hunt camp driveway. Look for orange flagging on a ran-domly found mechanical part set atop a sapling stump.
7 Danylo’s Delicious Salty Sausage Dinner | 5.8 | Mixed
FFA Randy Kielbasiewicz, Daunte Rezaie, June 2021
This route starts right where the trail reaches the cliff. A bolt marks the start of the route. It heads up along the left toe/prow of rock.
Pitch 1, 5.8, 28m: Start at buttress underneath the bolt. Boulder problem off the ground. Weave up the buttress, climb left of the second bolt, then back right over it and head up through off-width crack (bolt) to anchors.
Pitch 2, 5.8, 28m: Climb up and left past two bolts, continue up and right to groove (bolt?) and then up to anchors.
Pitch 3, 5.5, 20m: mostly bolted. Scramble up easy terrain (bring alpine draws to sling trees to protect slippery pine needle carpet) and up a final 6 m vertical step to North Channel Ledge. You can rap from top of pitch 2 or, if you do the exit pitch to the North Channel Ledge, walk left and rappel down Bullets Before Breakfast.
8 Ancient Epic | 5.9 | 105m
FA Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, August 5, 2020
FFA Mark Hurst, Cynthia Chung, May 23, 2021
The route is located about 50 m left of the Crown Jewel amphitheatre at a point where three toes of rock come down closest to the road. The route starts at the base of the middle toe. A short (unflagged) approach trail comes up from the road 7-8 metres left of the start of the route. The trail starts about 25 m left of the hunt camp driveway. There is speculation, based on the ancient slings that were found, that the first pitch might be the site of the climbing accident that happened at the cliff some 20 years ago.
Pitch 1, 5.9, 35m: Head up some lower-angled slab to a small tree, step 2-3 m left around a corner (bolt), head up past 2 bolts over slight bulges to an area of very sedimentary, shattered looking rock. Step left below a loose block (with an ancient, moldy sling on it) from one small right-facing corner to another (bolt), climb this short corner (bolt) to a vegetated ledge. Climb the crack in the corner above. The crack has two blocks in it partway up – the bottom one wiggles, but the top one is solid – pull up on it, then step on it as you layback the upper crack and exit the corner (bolt) to big ledge and a two-bolt belay partway across and a big pine tree (with two pieces of ancient, moldy webbing on it) at the far right end of the ledge.
Pitch 2, 5.7, 35m: From the belay step left to the low end of a low-angled, rightward trending ramp, traverse up it for 6 m past a bolt above the belay to a corner (left of the wider crack/off-width to the right), climb up it for 5 m (bolt) to ledge (bolt and crack). Climb up to the left around a bulge onto a stance on top of a big block at the base of another corner with two prominent cracks on the left and a third running up the face on the right. Climb the crack/face on the right (small cams) and exit onto another vegetated ledge. Traverse right to a belay tree at its far end.
Pitch 3, 5.6, 35 - 40m: From the belay tree head straight up for 6 m past two bolts to a ledge, traverse left on the ledge for 7 m to a huge (cedar?) tree, squeeze between it and the cliff around a corner, continue up past another tree and bolt, pull up into a corner occupied by a juniper, step around the corner (bolt) to the left and climb carefully up some loose/hollow flakes to a ledge. At the top, step over/around a big boulder to a belay at a big pine. This pitch wanders a lot (a more direct exit pitch might be to head straight up, but that would have meant climbing loose rock directly above the belay stance).
9 Colin's Project | Please do not climb
Located about 10 m right of the start of Ancient Epic. This is a work in progress - only the first pitch has been bolted. Please don’t climb.
The North Channel Ledge
The North Channel Ledge is a massive treed ledge that lies in the middle left section of the Shotgun/Riverside cliff, about 75m up. It peters out at its far left end at the Lightning Pitch of the route Bullets before Breakfast where it is less than a metre wide. It is only about 5-10m wide for about 30m right of this point, but then gradually widens out until its is some 75-100 m wide towards its right side before it finally ends above the wall that forms the left side of the Crown Jewel Amphitheatre. There are some very large trees on the North Channel Ledge. A wall of good rock from 20 to 45 m tall rises above the North Channel Ledge. There are two large breaks in the wall where treed slopes come down to the North Channel Ledge. The left of these can be used to scramble into and out of the North Channel Ledge, if you know where to find it from the clifftop trail (it’s not currently flagged). The right one is too steep. Otherwise, you have to climb one of the routes below the North Channel Ledge to reach it.
Currently all the routes on the North Channel Ledge are trad routes, but there’s excellent potential for sport routes as well.
Descent/Rappel:
The top of the 3rd pitch puts you on the right end of big, treed North Channel Ledge. We descended by walking 50-60 m left along the North Channel Ledge to the top of the 4th pitch of Bullets before Breakfast and rappelled down that route. It would likely be possible to rappel directly down Ancient Epic from tree to tree in 2 or 3 rappels, but be aware of the loose rocks. Descending BBB is the better idea.
10 Binary System | 5.7 | 20m
FFA Mark Hurst, Ray Rutitis, Sept 20, 2022
Climbs the crack system located in a large dihedral 15 m right of the descent gully towards the left-hand end of the North Channel Ledge. Climb the hand cracks, switching from left to right, into the chimney and exiting through the roof to the left. There's a bolted anchor at the top.
11 Binary Direct | 5.8 | 20m
FFA Cynthia Chung, Mark Hurst, Danylo Darewych, October 10, 2022
Climb directly up the right-side of Binary System, which involves sections of off-width and hand crack before jam-ming through the roof crack to finish.
12 Ride a Rubber Gator | 5.11 | 25m
FA Dave and Reg Smart, August 02 2020
FFA Artur Makos and Marco Foladore, August 2020
From the top of the fourth pitch of BBB walk up and right across the North Channel Ledge to the final tier. Before it turns rightwards and becomes less vertical, just left of a vegetated gully, there is a steep clean 30 m vertical wall with two splitter cracks. The crack on the right is RARG.
13 Breadcrumbs | 5.5 | 42m
FFA Danylo Darewych, Cynthia Chung, October 10, 2022
Breadcrumbs is located about 10 m right of the steeper, right-most, treed break/gully. The cliff line makes a 90’ degree rightward turn at this treed break. The route starts near two yellow birches. Climb up an initial steep section, head up left of a big flake before stepping onto it (look for solid protection placements even further left; avoid the right side - the flake and pro are suspect), then up a left-facing corner, step around an annoying birch and exit up a final corner left of a juniper clump onto a ledge with blocks. There is a solid tree for an anchor on the small rock step above the ledge.
14 The Epicurean | 5.8 | 56m
FFA Mark Hurst, Cynthia Chung, May 23, 2021
This routes starts above the North Channel Ledge and serves as a pleasing extension of Ancient Epic The Ancient Epicurian.
Pitch 1, 5.7, 28m: Start behind a medium size fir/spruce about 20 m left of the right hand end of North Channel. Tree is right at base of cliff. Follow broken corner/crack behind the tree up to a smaller birch, where crack becomes wider. Then up to a ledge on the right. Clip a bolt and move left following the same line of weakness on airier moves until you reach the top of a pinnacle. Belay from tree on left.
Pitch 2, 5.8, 28m: Move back out right and reach further right for thin gear. Head straight up on slab with minimal protection until the climbing gets easier. Top out carefully over blocks to tree on the right. Mark intends to move the belay to the ledge (before the bolt), but need to install an anchor. Also, to put another bolt in the second pitch, and maybe another anchor.
15 Pyjama Party | 5.8 | 25m
FFA Cynthia Chung, Mark Hurst, Danylo Darewych October 10, 2022
Climb the crack in a right-facing corner about 15 m right of The Epicurean. Tech-nical crack climbing on good protection leads to a short off-width, then step right and pull up to a tree belay. This route does not go to the top of the cliff.
What Rot
What Rot
Ancient Epic
Ride the Rubber Gator
Stars at Night
The Epicurean
Look Out Wall
The Lookout Wall is the tallest section of cliff at the Shotgun. It is the wall right of the Crown Jewel Amphitheatre. To reach it park at the wide pullout up the hill about 50 m past the hunt camp driveway and then head about 75 m across the talus.
16 Kilonova | 5.11c | 115m
FFA Pitches 1-4: Dustin Hooey, Christian Wilson, September 2022
FFA pitches 5-6: Dustin Hooey, Mike Park, October 2022
Located About 10 m left of Stars at Night. Watch out for poison ivy.
Pitch 1, 5.11c, 25m, 8 bolts: The crux of the first pitch is right off the deck - a crash pad or stick clip recommended for first bolt. Semi-hanging belay.
Pitch 2, 5.11b, 13m, 10 bolts: Traverse right then up past a series of ledges to a comfortable belay stance.
Pitch 3, 5.10, 12m, 7 bolts: Continue left, then up, mount the small detached pillar, then continue up to the anchors.
Pitch 4, 5.11b, 27m, 11 bolts: Follow the bolts up to a fun, cruxy roof move. Belay from the rap anchors on the Porch.
Pitch 5, 5.11c, 13m, 6 bolts: Walk left about 8 m to the arete. Follow the bolts, flirting with the corner all the way to the anchors on top.
Pitch 6, 5.9, 28m, 9 bolts: Walk left again up the slope & past the living pine tree (7 m), A small finger crack, off width and chimney will get you past a couple of cedar trees to the belay/rap station.
Getting down: Rap climber’s right to the rap line of Stars at Night or to the anchors at the top of pitch 5. Rap again to the Porch. Follow the main rap line along Stars at Night to the ground. You may rap from any anchor, but be aware of poison ivy at the bottom. Alternatively, the cliff top trail is just a few metres past the last anchors:
A kilonova is a binary neutron star merger, either with another neutron star or with a black hole.
17 The Stars at Night | 5.10b | 129m
FFA Randy Kielbasiewicz, Rafael Kolodziejczyk, Daunte Rezaie, September 5, 2020
Quality climbing almost the whole way. Impeccable rock except for the first 15 feet. The route is located on the far right side of the Crown Jewel Amphitheatre (the Throne Room). From the road head 100 m up across the talus to the base of the route.
Pitch 1, 5.10b, 24 m, 9 bolts: Stick clip first bolt. Poor rock/shale to start (try not to pull or clean any of the holds off). Follow bolts past a couple of roofs and grooves and exit right to a stance at base of chimney like feature on right.
Pitch 2, 5.8, 17 m, 9 bolts: From anchor follow bolts left and climb up a groove on the left side of the arete, then cross over the arete back right into the top of a chimney (beware of belayer below). Head up corner to a large ledge (easy mantle on the left). Just hangers at belay.
Pitch 3, 5.10a, 25 m, 13 bolts: Climb up the groove on the right to slab, move diagonally left across the slab, past a flake system up to a bolt, past a grassy ledge with rings (part of rappel line). Tricky face climbing leads to a rightward traverse. Follow the layback system to anchors on the left.
Pitch 4, 5.10a, 18 m, 9 bolts: This pitch is the exact opposite of the one below. Follow the flake system until blocked by a roof, move right around the roof. Climb up steep overhanging face exiting through a right-facing dihedral. Huge exposure – 75 m of air below your feet. Puts you on top of a long, narrow ledge system called the Balcony. Anchors in front of you when you top out onto the Balcony.
Pitches 3 and 4 can be linked together in one mega-pitch, if you use slings judiciously and have enough draws. Bring your second up, then traverse left across the Balcony to a much wider platform called the Terrace. Clip the protection bolts along the way, because in one spot you are traversing across stacked blocks (it’s not clear what is holding them in place). One bolt anchor at the far end.
Pitch 5, 5.8 , 15 m, 6 bolts: Climb up and right to the next small edge which is called The Porch. Belay bolts will be right in front of you when you reach the Porch. From these bolts a static rope leads up and left to the base of pitch 6 (easy scrambling, but can be slippery and muddy when wet).
Pitch 6, 5.7, 30 m, 12 bolts: Follow bolts up corners and slabs to a topout on a ledge system with rappel rings. If you want to experience the summit, the big spruce another 10 m up has green webbing and a maillon. You can get up to it by easy scrambling on the left or straight up by a very hard 5.10+ boulder problem with no bolts.
Descent: Walking down the descent trail is safer, faster and preferable to rappel-ling the line. From the top anchor walk climber’s left and slightly down around the rock/boulder and from there follow the path to the top to join the main trail. Turn right and follow the trail all the way to the base of the cliff at the north end and then out to the road.
Rappel line. The route can be rappelled with one 60 m rope, although we highly
encourage everyone to descend down the trail - it’s easier, safer and faster.
a) From the top of pitch 6, rap straight down to the Porch.
b) The next rappel station is on the left side of the Porch (left of the beginning of pitch 6) – rappel from here down to the Terrace.
c) The next rings on the far right of the Terrace. Rap down to grassy ledge.
d) From the grassy ledge rap down and look for rings on your right (right of pitch 2; up and right of belay of pitch 1 belay on a narrow ledge).
18 Supernova | 5.11c | 108m
FFA Randy Kielbasiewicz, Rafael Kolodziejczyk, August 2022
Solid climbing with a defined crux on all 4 pitches.
Pitch 1, 5.11b, 25 m. Start 15 m right or The Stars at Night at a steep corner. Good rests with hard moves between them.
Pitch 2, 5.11a, 30 m. Climb a short steep wall past powerful moves over the lip. A belay station was installed around the 12 m mark to limit rope stretch if the 2nd requires a tight belay. Climb left across a slab an up corner to anchors
Pitch 3, 5.10d, 35 m. Climb easy slab to a small roof. The business starts here. Climb the right facing corner and follow a journey to the Balcony Ledge. Long, technical and pumpy.
Pitch 4, 5.11c, 18 m. Cryptic moves follow a short overhanging corner system to a good rest. Easier climbing leads to the belay of Crescent Moon. Stay left at the final bolt.
Exit: Follow Crescent Moon to the top (5.10a)
19 Full Moon | 5.10c | 154 m
FFA Rafael Kolodziejczyk, Randy Kielbasiewicz, August 2021
Located approximately 25 m right of TSAN on a short face below a largeledge. The right side of this feature is a major right facing corner made of black rock (often wet) with a wide crack.
Pitch 1, 5.10b, 30 m 11 bolts (recommended stick clip). Start on hard moves up a short wall with 3 bolts leading to an optional anchor just below the big ledge (use if you need to minimize rope stretch for second). At the roof near the end of the pitch step left and down to belay.
Pitch 2, 5.10a, 28 m, 14 bolts. Follow bolts up and left over roofs through a scoop to a mantle. Traverse left several meters to anchor.
Pitch 3, 5.10c, 32 m, 15 bolts. A favourite pitch. Fantastic position with impeccable rock. Follow bolts to an rightward traverse leading to exciting moves over the roof. This pitch puts you on the Balcony.
Pitch 4, 5.10a, 18 m, 8 bolts. Starts several meters to the left in a groove with a large pine tree at your back. P4 of TSAN will be directly below you. Follow the bolts up and left. Please avoid using the old tree. This pitch puts you on the Porch. Take care not to stop at the belay for TSAN. Continue 2-3M up and right to anchor bolts left of a large flake.
Pitch 5, 5.9, 32 m, 11bolts. From anchor traverse right and climb onto the flake. Follow bolts out right to a left facing layback flake. Head up back left of the arete finishing to the right around the final small roof. This pitch wanders a bit. If you stay on the bolt line, you will avoid any large loose blocks. This pitch puts you on aledge 4M right of the TSAN top anchors. This ledge system is called“The Attic”.
Pitch 6, 5.3, 14 m, 3 bolts. An exit pitch leading to the top of the cliff. Anchor bolts are located climbers left on a small rock face 20 cm above the ground.
20 Crescent Moon | 5.10a | 44m
FFA Rafael Kolodziejczyk, Randy Kielbasiewicz, September 11, 2021
An alternate finish to Full Moon. The corner pitch offers amazing climbing in a fantastic position high above the deck. Starts from Full Moon’s pitch 4 anchors on the Porch.
Pitch 1, 5.5, 12 m, 5 bolts. From the anchor step down and sneak around the large flake and traverse right fol-lowing bolts to a large ledge with a big cedar tree.
Pitch 2, 5.10, 32 m, 13 bolts. From the anchors step left and head up the steep corner system. Excellent three dimensional climbing. This pitch joins Full Moon at P5 anchors (The Attic).
21 Long May You Run | 5.11a | 150 m
FFA Dave Smart, Reg Smart, Brandon Pullan, 2022
Approach: From the small pull-out below Riverside, hike up and to the base. Start right of a bushy ramp. Located 30 m right of Full Moon. 18 quickdraws
Pitch 1, 5.10a. Short gully to a small crux.
Pitch 2, 5.10b. Good incuts to a steep face.
Pitch 3, 5.10b. Wandering features to a small roof.
Pitch 4, 5.10d. Good crimps left into awkward wall.
Pitch 5, 5.11a. Fun and featured, left around roof with tricky jam.
Pitch 6, 5.9. Short but tricky corner to the top.
22 L.E.A.F. (Low Elevation Alpine Fun) | 5.8 | 133 m
FFA Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, Aug. 21,2021
This route is located about 60 m right of Stars at Night on the wall above the talus with the memorial Inukshuks. It heads into and up a prominent treed notch in the upper section of the cliff. Park at the widepullout about 50 m past the hunt camp driveway. To reach the start of the route head up a line of trees on the right that reach the base of the cliff and then traverse left along the base of the cliff past a left-facing corner for 15 m until you reach rightward trending ramp feature with a lone small pine tree 3/4 ofthe way up the ramp. You should see a line of bolts above you here.
Pitch 1, 5.6, 28 m, 7 bolts: Thefirst pitch climbs the right-trending ramp feature on the black mudstone/silt stone type rock. Good positive edges and ledges most of the way, but the rock shatters easily, so test your holds. After the first bolt head right up a line of weakness, then traverse back left to the second bolt, step further left around a bulge to a corner system and follow it up. Two bolt anchor at the left end of a vegetated ledge (the bolts are in a cracked layer of rock but it’s wedged solidly.
Pitch 2, 5.8, 40 m, 17 bolts: Step right from the belay and climb up a short rock step to a ledge. Continue up the second corner on the right above you (the left most one is a completely detached hollow pillar) and then follow the right-ward trending line of weakness. At the top of the weakness, below a vegetated ledge traverse left across big detached blocks for 3 m (these blocks ring hollow, but appear to be wedged in, so that they are not going anywhere, but tread lightly) to gain the ledge. Step right and pull-up a final steep 3-4 m step to the Siesta Ledge. Tree belay (bring a longer cordelette).
Pitch 3, 5.8, 40 m, 17 bolts: Climb the corner system that starts on the left side of the Siesta Ledge to the top. There is good clean rock with lots of edges on your left. The right side tends to be more vegetated and dirty. You have to squeeze by three small trees (and pull on at least one of them-the beech). There are a couple of distinct cruxes that will test your creativity. Tree belay at a stout oak on a big ledge at the top of the notch. You can finish here, if you wish, by following the cliff line out to the right to the main trail.
Pitch 4, 5.7, 25 m, 7 bolts: From the top of the notch walk left 5 m along a ledge to a right facing corner where you will find a low bolt to secure the belayer. Follow a line of bolts up a blunt arete.
* The developers first tried pushing the line up and to the left above the first belay, but got stopped by hard climbing on smooth rounded Buddha-belly bulges.There is a set of abandoned anchor bolts behind the pine on the right end of the ledge above the juniper ledge
23 Uncle Fester | 5.9 | 108m
4 pitches - 3 of sport, 1 of trad.
Please Don’t Climb the Fourth Pitch as it's still a project
FFA Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, May 15, 2022- first 3 pitches
Approach as for L.E.A.F., following the line of trees to the cliff base, but head right for 10 m along the cliff line. Look for a left-facing corner in black rock 15 m up - the route starts on the ground below and left of this feature.
Pitch 1, 5.7, 23 m, 6 bolts: Head up and right to the base of the left facing corner, then traverse left and pull up left around a corner to a belay on big vegetated ledge.
Pitch 2, 5.4, 20 m, 6 bolts: Head up and right on dirty, vegetated ledges for 10 m, then up cleaner slab to the base of a steeper wall.
Pitch 3, 5.8, 23 m, 7 bolts: Climb up a short, small 4 m right facing corner to a ledge with a big cedar tree, continue up on very hollow-sounding flakes (clip the hanging cable), step left around a corner, then climb this left-facing corner to a belay on a ledge below an alcove of overhanging rock.
Project - Please Don’t Climb
Pitch 4, 5.10a, 35 m, trad gear to #5 Camalot: Climb up an initial overhanging section out of the alcove, then follow the corner/crack system above for another 30 m to a belay at a pine tree at the cliff edge or squeeze through a tight body-width exit slot to a higher oak tree.
The first 3 pitches have rappel rings, so you can climb and rappel just the first 3 pitches with a 60 m rope, if you don’t have the gear to climb the final trad pitch. You can also traverse left along a narrow ledge around a corner and squeeze behind a pinnacle to the Siesta Ledge from where you can climb the final, bolted pitch of L.E.A.F. If you climb the 4th trad pitch of Uncle Fester (Please don’t climb it yet), take the descent trail down - it’s about 25 m back from the cliff edge.
Rappel Route
Witch Wall
24 The Witch | 5.11b | 90m
FA Reg Smart, Dave Smart, July 10, 2021
Located 50m left of Devil work
Pitch 1, 5.10a, 9 bolts: Climb up a vertical crack..
Pitch 2, 5.10b, 7 bolts: A left rising traverse thats ends up on easy terrain.
Pitch 3, 5.11b, 11 bolts: The money pitch. A beautiful face climb to slightly overhanging at the top where you traverse left under the roof to the belay. Enjoy the foot work.
Pitch 4, 5.5, 4 bolts: A 10m 5.5 pitch to ease the drag before the last pitch.
Pitch 5, 5.9, 12 bolts: The longest pitch on the route, climb the crack and fololow the bolts to the belay.
Stars at Night
Long May You Run
Pyjama Party
The Witch
What Rot
Ancient Epic
Stars at Night
Devil's Work
25 Devil’s Work | 5.10b | 85 m
FFA Reg Smart, Dave Smart, May 16, 2021
Located about 100 m right of The Stars at Night, near the top of a noticeable uphill rise in the talus slope and 10 m left of a wide crack/chimney/gully feature. A 250 m trail marked with flagging tape leads from the road to the base of the route.
Pitch 1, 5.10b, 14 m, 5 bolts. Climb a crack system over a small roof and step left at its end.
Pitch 2, 5.8, 10 m, 5 bolts. Climb a short corner to a small roof, step left and traverse along a ledge.
Pitch 3, 5.10a, 15 m, 6 bolts. Follow the bolts up, pull up awkwardly under a roof, move left and pull the roof to anchors above.
Pitch 4, 5.9, 15 m, 6 bolts. Climb up, pull over a small lip to a ledge, continue up to a large ledge and traverse left to the second anchor bolts.
Pitch 5, 5.10b, 16 m, 8 bolts. Climb the face left of a wide crack to an exposed prow, step left around it and continue up to a ledge.
Pitch 6, 5.7, 15 m, 3 bolts. Grab the tree to help you up a dirty corner, make one awkward move and follow easier vegetated terrain to top out.
Descent: Hike up another 15-20 m to reach the clifftop trail and follow it to the right to descent
Snake Island
This is the steep, 95 metre-high wall capped by overhangs, 35 metres right of the Devil’s Work. A project on the left side of the wall is under construction. Two routes reach the top, both through the distinctive, exposed, right-facing Serpent roof and corner near the top.
Devil's Work
26 Mango Haze | 5.12a | 5 pitches
FFA Dave Smart, Reg Smart, August, 2022
Sustained, fun, varied and difficult. Start near the centre of the prominent black wall.
Pitch 1, 5.11a/b, 28m: Up the wall on thin but positive holds to a good belay ledge. Good feet required. Superb climbing.
Pitch 2, 5.10c/d, 18m: Moderate climbing up the crack, onto a huge block, to tricky moves on the over-hanging wall to another comfortable belay. Avoid a marked loose block on the right.
Pitch 3, 5.11c/d, 20m: Technical climbing on smears and sidepulls up to and over a black bulge into the mango zone of orange rock and a sloping belay. Joins The Serpent for the last few bolts.
Pitch 4, 5.12a, 20m: Follows the last two pitches of The Serpent from here. Up the hollow-sounding but enormous flake, over the roof and up the exposed and sus-tained right-facing corner to a small ledge.
Pitch 5, 5.8, 10m: Up right to top.
27 The Serpent | 5.12a | 5 pitches
FFA Dave Smart, Reg Smart, July, 2022
Located about 40 m right of the Devil’s Work. A slightly easier way to gain the prominent Serpent corner through the huge overhangs. Start to the left of a groove on the right side of the wall. Bring a couple of longer slings.
Pitch 1, 5.9, 30m: Climb over a small overhang and follow a rib and short corner to ledges. Dirty but easy for the last few moves with the last bolts on the right to find solid rock.
Pitch 2, 5.10d, 20m: Climb past a couple of ledges to an overhang on the right. Hard moves up onto the slab lead to easier climbing up and left to a belay on a slab.
Pitch 3, 5.11b/c, 15m: Head left across a wall on thin holds, over a bulge and up through the mango zone of orange rock (shared with Mango Haze) to a sloping belay.
Pitch 4, 5.12a, 20m: Up the hollow-sounding but enormous flake, over the roof and up the exposed and sustained right-facing corner to a small ledge. Exposed, strenuous and fun climbing.
Pitch 5, 5.8, 10m: Up right to top.
The Barnyard
The Barnyard is the tentative name given to the section of cliff right of the Snake Island face which is bisected horizontally by a large, treed ledge dubbed the Livestock Ledge. A couple of corner/crack systems run up to Livestock Ledge. An overhanging, 40 m high wall lies above the Livestock Ledge.
28 Rising Ape, Falling Angel | 5.12a | 71m
FFA Pitch 1 - Mark Hurst, Danylo Darewych, July 1, 2021
FFA Pitch 2-3 - Mark Hurst, Cynthia Chung, October 5, 2022
FA Pitch 4 - Mark Hurst, Cynthia Chung, October 5, 2022
This is a stellar route, the first three pitches are a dream and if the grade is in your wheelhouse soak up pitch four or just rap from the top of three. The route is located about 50 m right of the Devil's Work. Look for a right-angling ramp on the left and a corner/seam 7m to its right.
Pitch 1, 5.10a, 28m: 12 bolts. Start 3 m right of the right-angling ramp, but join it about 10 m up at the top of a small pinnacle and follow it with some compression to an anchor stance below a roof.
Pitch 2, 5.10c, 20m: 10 bolts. Traverse left and then up the ramp to a platform with rings (33 m rappel). Continue straight up through a strenuous layback corner to more rings (15 m rappel) on Livestock Ledge.
Pitch 3, 5.11a, 23m: 10 bolts. Clear a few meters of talus to the back of the ledge and climb the corner crack at the left-hand end of the steep headwall to a roof. Reach up and swing right, then up an airy face/dihedral to finish past a large block at anchor rings (23 m rappel) on Fantasy Edge.
Pitch 4, 5.12a, 17m: 10 bolts. Ascend the block and reach right for a small hold. From here make powerful moves upwards, traverse left, then up and over the roof to top out at rings (17 m rappel).
29 Ducks in a Row | 5.11 A0 | 25m
FA Ray Rutitis Sept. 2022 PROJECT - Closed route
The route starts on the sloping ledge in the picture from a hanging belay (to be rejigged). The start can be reached by rapping the route or by traversing from climber’s left from Mark’s route.
30 Equine Eructation | 5.9 | 50m
FFA Mark Hurst, Danylo Darewych, July 1, 2021
Pitch 1: Shares the first pitch of Rising Ape. Stop at the anchors under the roof.
Pitch 2, 5.8, 20m: Traverse right and make exposed moves around a prow, then climb the short face right of the prow to a ledge. Climb the crack above and then follow a right-facing, rampy, bulgy corner crack to anchors at the edge of the Live-stock Ledge.
31 Bovine Belching | 5.10- | 81m
FFA First pitch - Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, July 3, 2022
FFA Full route - Mark Hurst, Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, August 20, 2022
This route starts about 5m right of Equine Eructation and requires a #4 and a #5
Pitch 1, 5.7, 26m: Follow a gently right-trending crack system that finishes on a ledge. There is a stack of looseish blocks at the start between 4-7m up. The right side of the exit slot is also formed of by a big, hollow-sounding block. Rappel anchors.
Pitch 2, 5.10-, 15m: Sustained awkwardness up a right-angling, off-width crack, followed by slightly easier climbing to a tree anchor on Livestock Ledge.
Pitch 3, 5.6 R, 40m: Climb the big, corner feature right of the overhanging headwall above Livestock Ledge. Many variations are possible at the start, the easiest coming into the corner from the right side of the corner past two trees. Exit the corner near the top to the left to bolted anchors. Some suspect rock and sparse gear placements.
Descent: Rappel down the line of Out of the Darkness at the far right end of Livestock Ledge.
The Breech
About 10 m right of Bovine Belching the cliff makes a noticeable turn to the left and becomes somewhat (20-25m) shorter. There is a big corner here with a steep gash leading right of a big treed ledge halfway up. The left wall of the corner consists of poorer, shattered rock. The wall on the right is composed of mostly solid, clean rock that becomes progressively more vegetated the further right you go. This wall yields some fine slab climbing in its upper reaches.
This area, dubbed the Breech, can be reached from the bottom either by walking across the talus 20-40 m further right from Equine Eructation or by an unflagged trail that heads left from the north end Smart approach/descent trail. It can also be reached from the top by cutting left from the Smart descent/approach trail where it zig-zags left then back right at the first uphill rise in the trail after the main gully. Yellow flagging tape will bring you to a pine tree at the top of The Pinnacle Pitch.
The route Out of the Darkness will take you 2 pitches up this wall to the far right end of the Livestock Ledge, after which you can choose between four different pitches (three bolted, one trad) to take you to the top.
32 Rumenid Regurgitation | 5.9+ | 50m
FA Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, July 3, 2022
FFA Full route Mark Hurst, Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, August 21, 2022
This route is located about 15 m right of Bovine Belching at the left end of the Breech Wall.
Pitch 1, 5.9+, 14m: Climb a right-trending crack to a ledge about 14 m up. Gear anchor supplemented by one bolt.
Pitch 2, 5.9+, 18: A few moves from the ledge for 5-6 m, then follow the line of weakness up easier ground to the right edge of a clump of cedars, climb up through the cedars to a ledge (cedar tree and poor rock gear blay - bolt anchors need to be added)
Pitch 3, 5.9+, 18: Traverse left 5 m along the ledge around a bulge of rock. Make initial moves up the left side of the bulge, followed by easier climbing up to a cedar, traverse left under the cedar to exit onto Livestock Ledge at the same spot where the second pitch of Bovine Belching ends. The third pitch has been cleaned and climbed on top-rope, but needs some anchors and bolts to make it safe for leading.
33 Chewing the Cud | 5.10+ | 14m
FFA Mark Hurst, Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, August 21, 2022
A third pitch variation to Rumenid Regurgitation. Starts about 3 m left of the cedars, on the right side of the bulge mentioned in the previous route description. Climb a thin, overhanging corner crack. Tree belay on Livestock Ledge.
34 Out of the Darkness | 5.9 | 48m
FA Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, August 2, 2021
FFA Danylo Darewych, Natalia Danalachi, Sept. 5, 2021
Pitch 1, 5.6/5.7, 28 m, 9 bolts: Start 5 m right of the prominent corner system that ends at the right side of a big treed ledge. Climb up to and along a narrow slot 6m up, step right around the tree at its top to a ledge, follow a right-angling crack up a block, step back left to the main corner, head up (5.6 on right edge, 5.7 straight up corner on left) to a ledge and make a final step up and left to a smaller ledge with 2 bolt rappel anchors.
Pitch 2, 5.9, 20 m, 9 bolts: Head up the corner, skip the now redundant first bolt above the anchors and instead clip the hanging cable on the right, make a tricky technical move right and up over a bulge, then continue up on more positive edges, trending slightly rightward to avoid big loose block on left, then traverse left above them to a ledge with two bolt rappel anchors.
35 Dust in the Wind | 5.9 | 30m
FFA Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, Mark Hurst, August 22, 2022
This route starts at the right end of Livestock Ledge at the point where the ledge starts to narrow. It is the left-most of 3 bolted lines. It has no rap anchors at the base. 15 Bolts.
Climb up an initial series of small bulges and ledges, continue up a short left-facing corner crack, then surmount two awkward bulges and finish on easier ground to a stance below a big pine. Rappel anchors.
Caution: The rappel is a full 30 m rope-stretcher.
36 Pinnacle Pitch | 5.10a | 31m
FFA Chris Talbot, Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, July 21, 2021
The route starts 3 m left of the anchors at the top of the second pitch of Out of the Darkness. For belaying purposes it might be best to traverse left all the way to the big treed ledge. 10 Bolts.
Start up a very short, slight left-facing notch and climb the bolted slab up and left to a ledge with a pinnacle on the right. Stem off the pinnacle and grab the big wedged block at its top to climb the final rock step. Belay off a big pine. Insecure and thought-provoking climbing.
Descend down the walk off trail, which can be reached by scrambling up past the big pine for 5 m and then heading right for 15 m, following yellow flagging tape.
37 Wasp Line | 5.9 | 27m
FFA Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, July 7, 2022
Climb directly above the anchors at the top of the second pitch of Out of the Darkness, passing a couple of metres right of the pinnacle of the previous climb. Sustained, though-provoking climbing. 11 bolts.
There are rap rings at the top of the pitch or you can scramble carefully several metres up and exit by the big pine on the left to access the Smart descent trail. The line is so named because when we first attempted to clean it we came across three wasp nests. Thankfully they weren’t there a year later.
38 Into the Light | 5.7 | 23m
FFA Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, August 2, 2021
From the belay ledge traverse back right 3m to a crack system heading up and follow it to its end at a small ledge with cedar trees. Poor pro on the traverse and for the first 5m, but afterwards protection is progressively better.
As well, a couple of scruffy, exploratory lines have been done on the shorter, northern end of the cliff. At its northern end the cliff veers away from the road (still very tall at this point), then makes an almost right angle turn to the right and starts to get shorter. There is almost no talus at this section of cliff and the trees grow right up to the base of the cliff. As a result there is no poison ivy at the base of the cliff here. The rock is easier-angled, but dirtier. It is easiest to approach this area directly from the logging road through the forest. The walk is about 100 m and not very bushwacky.
39 Sawed-Off | 5.4 R | 22m
FA Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, May 19, 2016
Located about 30 m right of the right-angle bend in the cliff. Look for a dark corner/crack up high when approaching through the forest. At the base there is a small 3 m tall patch of nice red rock, bordered on the left by shattered looking rock and a more vegetated groove 4 m to the right. Climb up the verge of the red rock and shattered-looking rock (actually quite solid) to a ledge 3 m up and then continue up on multiple little edges and ledges keeping to the left of avague arête to your right. Belay from a big pine tree to your left on a ledge. Protection is poor - I placed a fair amount of pieces, but only 3 that I would have trusted. We attempted to climb a second 10 m pitch up the corner-crack to our right (with tree at base), but the climbing quickly became harder with a lot of loose blocks trapped in a v-notch above, so we backed off, rappelling off the pine tree.
40 Blunderbuss | 5.6 | 22m
FA Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, May 19, 2016
Located about 10 m right of Sawed-Off. Look for a wide crack behind a pine tree about 4 m up. Clamber up to the tree and then climb up the crack. It’s about 5.6 if you lean back against the tree at the crux, as I did; harder, if you don’t. Continue up notch above, past big blocks (they look scary, but they’re not going anywhere, unless you do something stupid) to a belay at a big pine tree on a ledge. Good protection when needed. There is an easy, shorter 8 m pitch up a groove above on the left, but we ran out of time to climb it. Not sure, if there is more climbing above that. I believe that above it lie the upper reaches of the big, treed access trail to the top of the cliff.
About 25 m right of Blunderbuss a big, wide, treed slope/gully breaks up the cliff-line. A trail to access the top of the cliff heads up this gully. This area is reached most easily directly from the road. Two short routes are found halfway up the treed slope trail. Head up the trail and look for two markers on a tree to the left that mark the beginning of a 50 metre easy traverse left to a ledge beneath two overhanging, splitter cracks. Both lines can be easily top roped.
41 Pistol Shrimp | 5.11 | 14m
FA Dave Smart and Reg Smart, October 2020
The left-hand crack. Also identifiable by one bolt at the bottom.
42 Pyjama Squid | 5.11 | 14m
FA Dave Smart and Reg Smart, October 2020
The right-hand crack.
The Muzzle
Located above the small talus slope at the start of the Smart trail to the top of the Shotgun is a shorter section of cliff dubbed the Muzzle. The bottom section consists of low-angled, ledgy, broken and treed rock; the top section consists of steeper, cleaner, better rock. The Muzzle is split by a horizontal ledge, the left end of which joins the trail to the top about 30 m past the top of the talus slope. The ledge can be traversed quite easily, although you have to be careful in two spots where it narrows. Five routes have been climbed at the Muzzle - 1 leading to the midway ledge (Step Right Up) and 4 starting from the ledge.
43 Step Right Up | 5.5 | 20m | 8 bolts
FFA Danylo Darewych, Mike Grainger, August 25, 2021
This route, at the moment, is the only route that climbs the lower half of the Muzzle face. The start is located at the bottom right end of the small talus slope below the face - you only have to go 5-7 m up the talus slope. Follow the bolts up the right side of the face, left of a vague arete. Stay right of the bolts between the first and second bolt. Anchors with quicklinks.
44 Charmin | 5.9 | 24m | 11 bolts
FFA Mike Grainger, Danylo Darewych, Aug. 25, 2021; FFA Stewart Dow and Simon Raimbault, Aug. 25, 2021
This route starts in the middle of the traversing ledge, just left of a break/gully in the wall below. Look for a grouping of small vertical rock fingers with a lone belayer bolt left of them. Step up onto the rock fingers, then continue up the left facing corner above to a small roof, step right around it (long sling advised) and continue up to the top. Belay from a pine tree 5 m up to the right.
45 Locked in the Outhouse | 5.6 | 25m | Mixed
FFA Danylo Darewych, Cory Erwin, July 6, 2021
This route starts toward the right end of the ledge at small split pillar with big blocks on top. Climb up the left side and front of the split pillar, clipping 3 bolts on the way and taking care to pull down on the top blocks, not out (they’re quite big and heavy, but detached). Continue up and to the left on positive ledges and edges and top out over a final big block. Tree belay.
46 Step Right Upper | 5.6 | 25 | 10 bolts
FFA Danylo Darewych, Mke Grainger, July 7, 2022
A continuation of Step Right Up above the midway ledge. Climb up a system of flakes to a higher ledge, then step up the right side of a huge, detached flake and climb to the top of the Muzzle face. A fair amount of long reaches and high steps. Two bolt anchor (no rings).
47 Iron Sight | 5.6 | 28m | Mixed
FFA Cory Erwin, Danylo Darewych, July 7, 2021
This route starts at the very far right end of the traversing ledge. You have to step across a small gap in the ledge to get to it.
Pitch 1, 5.6, 20m: Start up the right-side crack for 2m (#4 BD and then step left to the left-side crack and continue up on easier, blocky rock to a big pine on a big ledge.
Pitch 2, 5.6, 8m: Step right from the tree and climb up the shorter face above (3 bolts and a nut placement). Tree belay.