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Vancouver Island Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Vancouver Island

Comox Lake 15 / 68 / 11 / 23 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 106

Constitution Hill 22 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 27

Copley Crag 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Cyberia (Hartland) 0 / 0 / 0 / 6 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6

East Sooke Regional Park 4 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Haihte Range 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

Highway 4 (Mackenzie & Maitland ranges) 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

Horne Lake 0 / 21 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 21

Longview Bluffs 1 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Mt Arrowsmith 4 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 3 / 5 / 5

Mt. Benson 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0

Nanaimo River - Sunny Side 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0

Nomash Slab 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Northwood Bluffs 2 / 4 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6

Quadra Island 0 / 49 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 49

Ramparts Creek 6 / 2 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 8

Strathcona Provincial Park 21 / 10 / 3 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 32 / 32

Sutton Range 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

Ucluelet 0 / 0 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Victoria 16 / 63 / 36 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 86

Elevation:	1,432 ft
GPS:	49.0018, -124.2389 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	363,202 total · 1,866/month
Shared By:	ihategrigris on Mar 20, 2007
Admins:	Mark Roberts, Mauricio Herrera Cuadra, Kate Lynn, Braden Batsford Page Updates (admin only)

Description

Climbing on Van Isle is often overshadowed by British Columbia's destination areas. Yet Vancouver Island offers something for everyone; from crazy overhung limestone sport in Horne Lake, to the glaciated peaks of the Vancouver Island mountains, to the remote granite domes of the Wapiti Valley. Vancouver Island is home to British Columbia's longest sport route (13 pitches) and home to Canada's second 5.14a.

Geologically, Vancouver Island is an interesting mix. The vast majority of rock on the island is bassalt; its quality is fairly hit or miss (but definitely better than the Canadian Rockies!). On the central island, around Nanaimo, there's lots of conglomerate and sandstone. There are a few patches of limestone, especially around Strathcona park and granite all over the northern island.

Most climbing is located on public land, however several areas currently are experiencing access issues. These include Horne Lake, Sugarloaf, as well as a number of areas around Nanaimo.

Getting There

Vancouver Island can be reached by car ferry from Vancouver, BC, Port Angeles, WA, and Anacortes, WA. Passenger only ferries run from Bellingham and Seattle. Vancouver Island also has three major airports: Victoria, Nanaimo and Comox. There are daily direct flights to Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto; as well as connecting flights to the rest of the world.

360 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Vancouver Island

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

WI3 M3 3 ● Newman-Foweraker Route Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 3 pitches Mt Arrowsmith
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 3 ● Manzplaination Sport Quadra Island > … > S Peak Crags > Manzanita Wall
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 7 ● Broken Wing Sport Comox Lake > Comox Lake > Raven Wall
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 4 ● The Leaning Tower Trad Constitution Hill > Middle Totem
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 6 ● Learning to Fly Sport Comox Lake > Comox Lake > Raven Wall
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 5 ● Time Machine Sport, Alpine 6 pitches Mt Arrowsmith
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b 3 ● Sapphire Trad Constitution Hill > Middle Totem
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b 4 ● Kandahar Trad 5 pitches Constitution Hill > Laughlan Buttress
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 13 ● You Enjoy Myself Sport Horne Lake
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c PG13 6 ● Wapiti Mainline Sport 13 pitches Nomash Slab
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 4 ● Daddy's Girl Sport Horne Lake
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 16 ● Quarter Century Girl Sport Horne Lake
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 7 ● Moonraker Sport Horne Lake
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b 5 ● Smooth Bore Sport Horne Lake
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c 4 ● Jesus Save the Pushers Sport Horne Lake