RFW Wall - ARROW LAKES, Castlegar

The RFW Wall (Recreation, Fish & Wildlife, named after a program at Selkirk College) is another really cool little crag with a more traditional/mixed theme in the vicinity of Scotty's Marina.  It offers some really neat routes that require some tension filled liebacking and committing moves. Yet another addition to this area where all the routes are worth doing. It is located a little further and up from the road (4.5 minutes) which makes the noise of any traffic not as noticeable and the views awesome. Bring a rack to 3" with emphasis on smaller nuts and cams.

ACCESS: As you approach Castlegar from Nelson, follow signs pointing you towards Syringa Provincial Park & Robson. Turn onto Broadwater Rd. and follow this past the Pulp Mill & the Dam on Arrow Lake. Now follow the road a few more km's until you hit Scotty's Marina, keep going a little further and just past the Marina you will see a big boulder on the beach (left) and a bigger boulder on your right. Park at the pull on the left, cross the road and take the trail beside the big boulder up through the forest for about 4.5 minutes to where you will see the crag. Routes are described left to right.

RFW WALL

1 - THIMBLEBERRY - 5.9+ - GEAR to 3" - 20m **
Scramble up a ramp (5.5) to a really nice ledge where a #3 Camalot will provide you with a beautiful piece of belay protection. From the belay surmount the bulge to where you are greeted with a beautiful layback crack (5.9+), progress from here eases substantially.

2 - FLUSH CUT - 5.10d - MIXED - 4 Bolts + Gear to .75" - 21m **
Starts from the same comfy belay as 'Thimble' but take the next open corner to the right. Climb the desperate seam into some steeper terrain and a crimpy bolted finish. Bring lots of small (micro if you can) gear.

3 - HORASHIO - 5.10a - MIXED - 2 Bolts + Gear to 2" - 24m **
Start down low at a really nice open book corner. Climb the corner/ramp with great nut placements to a bit of a ledge. Take the left (steeper) crack up the corner to where you are greeted with some really sweet jams and laybacking and a final bolted face.

4 - TWO PIN CORNER - 5.10c - GEAR to 2" - 25m **
Start up the same corner/ramp as 'Horashio' but at the ledge head into the right trending corner. Finger tip laybacking & some serious stemming will see you past the two pins to where some bigger holds greet you up higher. A fun tension filled route!

5 - LA FEMME FROMAGE - 5.10c - MIXED - 4 Bolts + Gear to 2" - 25m *
Start in the small corner just to the right of 'Two Pin' where some small gear will help you reach the bolted face. Climb up through crimps and finish on 'Two Pin'.