Classic Crack Climbs of the West Kootenay's

SUNSHINE CRACK - 5.8 - TRAD - GEAR TO 5" - 35M
Kinnaird Bluffs

Access: Located on the Open Book Wall at Kinnaird. Take the trail from the parking, hang a left and follow your nose (you can see it from the car unmistakably)

Climb: Splitter in every way, climb through beautiful ground to a wild layback, a small roof and a long wide crack all the way up! Jamming, good gear and a fine position for the grade.


RATTLESNAKE - 5.10C - TRAD - GEAR TO 2" - 15M
Kinnaird Bluffs

Access: As for 'Yellow Sling' wall but head up through the talus to the 'Squeeze Chimney' wall and a whole bunch of corners to where this crack is obvious.

Climb: Start up the easy ramp and into the seam/crack just right of the arete. Tricky gear and nice in cuts lead into the pumpy upper face and a wild finish. Hard considering the grade and length of it!

Tomas climbing the steep seam of  'RATTLESNAKE' 5.10c at Kinnaird

CROWBAR - 5.10D - TRAD - GEAR TO 3" - 25M

Kootenay Crag

Access: Park at the Rails to Trails trailhead at the very end of Elwyn St. near the Selkirk College Residence in Nelson. Bike or hike slightly downhill for 4kms to where the cliff will come into view on your right hand side. Walk up the base of the cliff to the obvious layback flake. 10 minutes on your bike or 1 hour on foot.

Climb: Head up past 3 bolts of slopey fun to a nice rest. Plug some gear and get ready for the beautifully sustained layback flake, with great gear!

Allen climbing the wild laybacks of 'CROWBAR' 5.10d at the Kootenay Crag

LIGHTNING CRACK - 5.11B - GEAR TO 2" - 30M

Kinnaird Bluffs

Access: From the parking head up the trail through the talus to where the trail meets the cliff. Look up this is it!

Climb: Climb up past a few bolts of (Daisy's Big Adventure) then swing onto the right hand face. A tricky sequence (small cams useful here) leads into the beautiful, steep, upper hand crack shaped light a lightning bolt. 

Tomas on 'LIGHTNING CRACK' 5.11b at Kinnaird Bluffs

THE GREAT KOOTENAY CORNER - 5.11A/B - GEAR TO 4" - 35M

Grohman Narrows

Access: Drive west out of Nelson past the first big bridge over the Kootenay River and hang your first right. Head up this road and take the left fork (Grohman FSR) for about 3km to a small pullout. Find the trailhead and follow it down to the edge of the cliff where you rappel into the canyon (you are rapping the corner) You need a 70m rope!!

Climb: Gain the nice initial corner then head up through two huge exposed roofs (cruxes) and the final sustained finger crack/corner. Take a full rack! 

Jason finishing up 'THE GREAT KOOTENAY CORNER' 5.11a/b at Grohman Narrows

COLUMBIA CORNER - 5.10D - TRAD - GEAR TO 3" - 30M

Lion's Head

Access: From the parking at the end of Horkoff Rd, head up the trail through the boulders and up to the far end of the cliff. Climb the wonderful first pitch of 'After School Special' 5.9 to a single belay bolt across the gully on your right.

Climb: From the belay, head up the fun broken crack/corner through many fun transitions and the big upper roof. A wild final pull out of the roof makes for an exciting finish to this exposed climb!

View from the 'COLUMBIA CORNER' 5.10D at Lion's Head

YELLOW SLING - 5.10B - TRAD - GEAR TO 4' - 30M

Kinnaird Bluffs

Access: From the parking head up the trail to the first cliff and hang a hard right follow this around the bend, through the talus and down to the 'Yellow Sling' wall amongst the huge boulders.

Climb: Head up through the easy ground and wedged blocks (fun) to the splitter finger crack. Bring small cams for the technical finish.

'YELLOW SLING' 10b, finger crack extrordinaire

THE PROFESSIONALS - 5.10D - GEAR TO 4" - 25M

Ovis Wall/Arrow Lake

Access: Park beside the trailhead at the pullout on the road just before Scotty's Marina. Head up the scappy trail for about 15 minutes to the great cliff full of broken corner systems.

Climb: Climb through the beautiful finger crack bulges to the wild arching/overhanging roof full of beautiful hand jams. Bring big gear for the upper section.

Tomas climbing at the OVIS WALL at Arrow Lakes