For many years, if you said those words ‘Bouldering in the Okanagan’, you would likely get some interested looks and a few raised eyebrows. Unfortunately, for most, this intriguing thought would fade into the shadows rather quickly. Compared to the Okanagan’s well-known sport climbing, the region’s bouldering was a bit of a mystery. There were rumours of it being good, but not many people had any information about it, and even fewer had actually experienced it.
The view from Gillard FSR on the way to Rock the Blocs at The Boulderfields. Photo: Caillum Smith
For decades, sport climbing in the Okanagan Valley has dominated the region’s climbing scene and bouldering has sat quietly in the shadows waiting for a chance to claim its rightful share of the limelight. For over 15 years now, the Okanagan has possessed a load of great bouldering potential, but with a lack of problem concentration, documentation, sharing of information, and a consistently dedicated crew, playing on the little rocks in the valley never really caught on.
Clayton Arnall navigating the lip on Tie My Rope (V1) in The Boulderfields. Photo: Clayton Arnall
That is, until about 6 or 7 years ago. Since that time, bouldering in the region has finally stepped out of the shadows and taken its rightful place in the Okanagan climbing scene. With a motivated posse obsessed with development and a healthy arsenal of scrub brushes, boulder problems have been going up in the region at the rate of hundreds per year. At best estimate, the Okanagan currently boasts well over 1200 lines in at least 20 different bouldering areas from Vernon to Okanagan Falls.
From the humble, but strong framework laid down by those who came before, the Okanagan’s current developers, anchored by locals Jason Duris, Doug Orr, and Andy White, have managed to document problems, share information, and develop areas at an impressive rate. Entire bouldering zones or areas seem to “pop up” almost daily in prime season and events, such as the annual Rock the Blocs Boulderfest, have all drummed up considerable hype and made bouldering in the Okanagan accessible to climbers.
Andy White working the moves on I’ve Got 99 Problems, but a Pinch Ain’t One (V8). Photo Clayton Arnall
Overall, the reviews from visiting and local climbers have been great. With such a diversity in the rock, it’s not hard to see why Bouldering in the Okanagan is a delectable smorgasbord of climbing. From lakeside granite to hillside columnar basalt to massive, higher altitude gneiss boulderfields, the Okanagan is loaded with stone. If you want thuggy caves, delicate techy faces, scary highballs, safe lowballs, crimps, jugs, slopers, pinches, or generally anything else a boulderer could yearn for, you’ll find it here. Throw into the mix the fact that the Okanagan has one of Canada’s warmest and most favorable climbing climates, as well as one of the country’s most popular tourist regions, suggesting that there is something for everyone is a bit of an understatement.
Staci White eyeing up the crux slot on the Boulderfields classic Masterbeta (V6). Photo: Andy White
Staci White getting horizontal on Surf’s Up (V6). Photo: Andy White
To date, two of the largest, most concentrated and quality-packed areas in the Okanagan are the Boulderfields in Kelowna and Cougar Canyon in Vernon.
The Boulderfields
The Boulderfields (known as ‘The Fields’) is ‘the big show’ of Okanagan bouldering. Located in the hills south of Kelowna beside the historic Kettle Valley Railway, The Fields will likely exceed 1000 problems by next season and includes established lines from V0 to V12 with tons of other lines and tough projects waiting for first ascents. The Fileds is quite literally a massive boulder field, the result of a prehistoric geologic collapse that has left a 2 square kilometer playground. The rock is highly-featured gneiss that forms a terrific variety of hold types and allows for a unique diversity of climbing styles. From tall, proud faces and aretes to lakeview overhangs, the formations are inspiring. Add to that the perfection of the edges, pinches, slopers and the like and you’ve got a special climbing experience. The already outdated guidebook (The Fields: A Bouldering Guide) should do a good job of getting you to many of the Boulderfield’s classics without getting too lost. With free camping, an unbelievable amount of rock and sheer freedom, The Fields is an incredible experience.
Jess Zotto making all her reach count on Dangleberries (V6). Photo Caillum Smith
Getting to the Boulderfields
Find your way to Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna, BC.
Once you arrive at Summerhill Winery, coninue up the hill on Chute Lake Road. When you get to the top of the hill, Chute Lake Road makes a sharp right turn. Instead of following the road to the right, go straight onto Upper Mission Dr. At this point, there will be a housing development on the right. All distances are calculated from here. Drive up Upper Mission Dr. for about 250m until you see the Kelowna Mountain sign pointing to the left. Turn left here. You’ll wind up a steep paved hill to the beginning of a gravel road. This is Gillard FSR.
Turn left onto the gravel road. in a couple minutes you’ll pass the Kelowna Mtn. development on the right. Keep going on Gillard FSR generally trending uphill and southeast until you reach about the 8.8km mark. You don’t need to turn off the main road at any point before this.
At this point, you’ll come to a 4-way junction. Go left here onto the old Kettle Valley Railway road. Follow this road passing through a rocky corridor, making a big loop around an old, burnt trestle on the left, passing through another rocky corridor and eventually reaching a straight-away to the 10.6km mark. At this point, you are at the Boulderfields road, and you turn left to descend to the parking lot.
The final descent road to the Boulderfields can be a bit rough at times, but 2WD vehicles make it down regularly with no problems. Once at the parking lot, find the large trail to the east that will take you to all the bouldering areas.
Cougar Canyon
Prior to the explosion of development in the Boulderfields, many people in the Okanagan agreed that Cougar Canyon held the best concentration of quality lines in the valley. Located south of Vernon in Kalamalka Provincial Park, Cougar Canyon currently houses about 150 or so problems in a forested (almost rain-forest like) setting at the bottom of a beautiful canyon, surrounded by large walls. Established problems range in difficulty from V0 to V11, and like most other areas in the region, more lines and stiff projects are yet to be climbed. The rock is uniquely featured gneiss with water erosion forming some incredible holds. Similar to The Fields, Cougar has a terrific range of angles, features and holds types and supports more climbing styles than you can shake a stick at. Generally speaking, if you like it steep and powerful, Cougar’s got your name all over it. There is a small guidebook available for Cougar Canyon (Cougar Canyon: A Bouldering Guide, written by Allen Rollin), but soon enough, Cougar will get an update in the upcoming, full Okanagan bouldering guide. Camping is available in a number of spots throughout Vernon, however, camping is not allowed in Kalamalka Provincial Park. On the vast majority of climbing days, Cougar Canyon sees very few visits from boulderers, so if you’re looking for some serenity and beautiful climbing, give it a go.
ASA (V6) is not to be missed. Andy White getting high on the arête. Frame courtesy of Clayton Arnall.
Getting to Cougar Canyon
Find your way to Cosen’s Bay Road in Vernon, BC.
Once you make the right turn onto Cosen’s Bay Road, continue for about 1-2 minutes on the road, past some farms on both sides, until you reach the gate and parking area at the end of the paved road. At this point, the road turns to gravel and continues as Cosen’s Bay Road all the way past the Cougar Canyon parking area.
Go through the gate at the end of the paved road, uphill for a bit, then wind downhill all while driving through the grasslands. Eventually you’ll come to a steep uphill section. Head up the hill on the dirt road. At the top of the hill, you’ll go slightly downhill and make a tight right turn over a small creek for a really short distance. Just after this, you’ll go back uphill and see a large power pole on the right. Just after this on the left is a small pull-out with a small road leading into the bush. Keep going past this for about another 2 mins or so. During this time, the road has a slight decline and you’ll have trees on both sides of you. As the road comes out of the trees, just on the left is another large metal power pole. The parking area for Cougar Canyon is just east of this pole, with the turn off very near the pole. The parking area is a large gravel lot. If you start going downhill fairly steeply along the road, you’ve missed the parking area. The parking area is probably no more than about 7-10 mins from the end of the paved road.
At the east side of the parking is a wide trail. Get on that trail and it will lead you south/ southeast up the hill until you come to a brown sign board in the forest. That’s roughly about a 5 min walk. At the sign board, follow the single-track trail that leads off to the left in the forest. It will go up a series of hills for about 10 mins or so (with some really nice views of Kalamalka Lake, and hillsides covered in wildflowers in late spring). When you get to the top of the last hill, the trail levels off and you’ll come to a junction with a sign. If you go right, you’ll be on top of the canyon with terrific views, if you go left, you get to the climbing and the other top-side of the canyon. Turn left here and within just a few seconds, you’ll turn right onto another trail. This is the trail that drops down into the canyon.
Within a few seconds, you’ll start descending into the canyon. After a couple minutes, you’ll come to a bench on the left just after a large log that has fallen above the trail. The bouldering starts on the small cliffs to the left of the trail at this point, but for the best lines, keep going downhill further into the canyon, where you’ll pass the large sport walls on both sides. Stay on the main trail heading downhill without turning off (you’ll pretty much be beside the sport walls on your right for most of the descent), eventually coming to a spot where there’s a stretcher on a tree at the base of a scree slope. Turn left on the trail at this tree and travel along fairly flat ground for about a minute before coming to a large tree, rope, and the last downhill to the boulders (probably no more than 10 mins from the top of the canyon). In the spring there is a small waterfall just to the right at this point. Continue down this last hill and you are at the Moss Hollow Boulders!
Andy White displays the beta on a post-FA attempt of Keep Calm and Compress On (V10) in Cougar Canyon. Frame courtesy of Clayton Arnall.
When to Go
North Okanagan- Both Cougar Canyon and Ellison Provincial Park in the Vernon area enjoy seasons that generally last from about late March to early November. After that, the snow and cold settle in.
Central Okanagan- The Boulderfields season typically lasts from late April until early November, but Pebble Beach in West Kelowna is climbable year round if temps in the winter are amenable.
South Okanagan- Many of the south Okanagan areas have the longest season in the valley with some of the spots “opening up” in late February and winding down in late November/ early December. The Winter Pig Hotel and its massive, 200ft. overhang is climbable all year long.
Rock the Blocs takes place in June every year. Great times and people. Photo: Caillum Smith
Where to Stay
North Okanagan- Ellison Provincial Park in Vernon is a beautiful place to stay, complete with lakeside bouldering. Vernon also has several private campsites, tons of hotels/ motels, and resorts as well as free camping if you have a bit of a look.
Central Okanagan- Camping is free at the Boulderfields and Bear Creek Provincial Park in West Kelowna is also an option for campers. Kelowna is home to pretty much any other form of accommodation on the market from luxury resorts to more free camping near the Boulderfields.
South Okanagan- While free camping can be found in the south, many of the camping options are found at private campgrounds like Banbury Green. Similar to Kelowna and Vernon, there are also many other options for places to stay including hotels, motels, B and B’s and the like.
Boulder worshippers at the inaugural Rock the Blocs in 2013. Rachelle McCrea and Jess Merrill working the White Spot Boulder. Photo: Ryan Heywood
While Okanagan bouldering may not yet garner the same attention and is not as well known and popular as destinations like Hueco, Bishop or Squamish, it is definitely booming and well worth a visit. We used to say, ‘come have a look on your way to Squamish or Leavenworth’ but that’s surely a disservice at this point. Okanagan bouldering sports a solid quantity of lines and the quality of climbing is on par with every destination I have ever visited, all while offering freedom, adventure and solitude not often found in many larger areas. Come give Okanagan bouldering a try, and I bet we will have a hard time getting rid of you!
For more information on bouldering in Kelowna, BC, please visit the Okanagan Bouldering Blog.
Check back with Squamish Climbing Magazine in a few days for a select topo of the area.
Andy White is a local teacher and very psyched Okanagan climber. Special thanks to Andy for putting the work into collecting the information presented here and for his work on the upcoming guidebook.
