Revelstoke Rocks

On the way to and back from the Bugaboos, I had a chance to spend two fantastic days exploring the local crags around Revelstoke. On the first day, Lenka Chris and I climbed a few pitches at the Blanket Creek Buttress area, only fifteen minutes south of Revelstoke. The rock here is mostly steep well-featured quartzite, loads of fun to climb on. The highlight were the routes on the buttress itself, 3 pitches high with various lines up the buttress. On our return trip through Revelstoke, Chris and I canoed out along Revelstoke Lake to the base of Waterworld, a collection of quartzite crags with routes starting right from the water. The more common approach is to drive along the highway and then rappel down into the water. Steep rock combined with sunshine and an asthetic approach made this one of the highlights of the trip for me.


Lenka climbing a fun and sustained 10c in the Blanket Creek area. She joined us for a few pitches before she had to work that afternoon.

Lenka climbing a pumpy 11b in the Blanket Creek area. I lead this route first, and had a hard time with it and fell at the crux. Sitting at a desk and working in AutoCAD does not help with finger strength. Fortunately none of the climbs in the Bugaboos were fingery, I can’t seem to hold onto stuff quite as long I used to be able to.


The crux involves traversing a steep face and then pulling around an arete and trying to clip the bolt, which Lenka cruised.


Afterwards, Chris and I walked over to climb Blanket Creek Arete, a two pitch bolted route.


Rappelling back down.


Chris crossing the bridge over Blanket Creek. Everytime a logging truck drove over this bridge, the sound would resonate down to the crags below, and it sounded like thunder or rockfall everytime.


We climbed the prominent arete. There is one 5.10d move on the second pitch on the arete. There’s also another 5.10b pitch through juggy roofs which is an alternative and easier pitch. We climbed both.


Hanging out with Natalie and Kootenay, with Mount Begbie in the background. What a great backyard!


Jeff and the chicken coop.


Chris doing some last minute forearm training before heading off into the Bugaboos. Chris was the designated driver and ropegun on this trip.


The Bugaboo rack, we used a double set of cams from fingers to hands and one #4. We had quite a few nuts and slings too.




An awesome pizza dinner with friends the night before we headed off into the Bugaboos.


Madeleine and lots of apples!


Chris hanging out above the waters of Revelstoke Lake. After driving west from Lake Louise, Chris and I stopped in Revelstoke for a little bit of climbing. I’ve heard alot of good things about the cool atmosphere at Waterworld and I was excited to check it out. The idea of climbing bolts after a week of alpine climbing was highly appealing too. We climbed two routes at the Voyage Cliff, warming up on Pirates of the Underworld 10b 3 pitches, and finishing on Le Grand Blue, 10d 4 pitches. We canoed right to the base of these routes and belayed off a wooden plank.


Looking down Revelstoke Lake towards Mount Begbie. A great day for canoeing on the lake.


Chris climbing the first pitch of Pirates of the Waterworld. Our next route continued traversing past this point, leading up to a strenuous traverse across a big roof and another pitch of steep face climbing.


The rock quality is not quite the same as the Bugaboos but still alot of fun. Wear a helmet here as there are loose rocks on ledges and the probability of a party climbing above you is fairly high. Unfortunately I ran out of batteries here but I think Chris should have some great photos from here! This was a great way to end a fun roadtrip!