North America > Canada > British Columbia > West Kootenay > Arrow Lakes >
The Grove
Description:
This is the main bouldering area along the ‘Rialto Connector’ Trail linking up Kawasaki, Lookout & Fantasyland. There are many high quality boulders with a diverse array of styles and rock to choose from that tend to be on the shorter, more approachable side (with a few exceptions). Although there are only a small amount of problems to choose from, the unique birch and maple forest (that is excel- lent in the fall), the long season, the unique problems and fantastic climbing makes up for it’s size. It’s also located right at the base of the main ‘Lookout’ trail that makes for an easy pit stop on route. The ‘Colour Me Wild’ Boulder’ hosts two incredible faces with two totally different styles and soft landings, and is certainly a must-visit. And the ‘Fractal Forest’ features two amazingly gigantic boulders typical of Arrow Lake stacked with funky holds, impressive highballs and very interesting bands of Basalt & Gneiss blended together. (Courtesy of West Kootenay Bouldering free update)
Directions:
Turn onto Broadwater Rd, drive a few minutes down to the Lion’s Head Pub right beside the Tempo Gas Station and reset your odometer to ‘0’ here. Travel down the road past the Keenlyside Dam until you will hit the turnoff for Rialto Creek FSR on your right (dirt) at 8.8km. Drive up Rialto Crk. Rd. past a big sand pit on your left to the 1KM road marker; pull over on the right and park here. Walk up the road about 25m and head uphill into the trees at a big cairn/flagging. After about 50m, the trail heads up left through the grassy slopes following switchbacks up through the open Pine and Fir forest. 5 minutes further the trail starts levelling out and follows a good open path to where you eventually end up on an old overgrown forestry road. Turn left and walk down the old road briefly to a trail headed up the bank to the ‘Fantasyland Boulders’. Instead continue down the overgrown road to it’s terminus. Immediately the trail descends down into a (usually dry) creekbed. Hike the beautiful undu- lating trail through pine forest and a small birch grove to a slab boulder and a fork in the trail. Stay straight (Lookout trail goes uphill) and the boulders are not far beyond. The first beautiful bloc you come to is the ‘Colour Me Wild’ boulder, walk 30 more seconds to the ‘Village’ then descend down to the unmistakeable ‘Fractal Forest’ with it’s two impressively massive specimens awaiting just down the hill. 20 minutes max from the car. (Courtesy of WestKootenayBouldering.ca free update)
Recent Sends
Description:
This is the main bouldering area along the ‘Rialto Connector’ Trail linking up Kawasaki, Lookout & Fantasyland. There are many high quality boulders with a diverse array of styles and rock to choose from that tend to be on the shorter, more approachable side (with a few exceptions). Although there are only a small amount of problems to choose from, the unique birch and maple forest (that is excel- lent in the fall), the long season, the unique problems and fantastic climbing makes up for it’s size. It’s also located right at the base of the main ‘Lookout’ trail that makes for an easy pit stop on route. The ‘Colour Me Wild’ Boulder’ hosts two incredible faces with two totally different styles and soft landings, and is certainly a must-visit. And the ‘Fractal Forest’ features two amazingly gigantic boulders typical of Arrow Lake stacked with funky holds, impressive highballs and very interesting bands of Basalt & Gneiss blended together. (Courtesy of West Kootenay Bouldering free update)
Directions:
Turn onto Broadwater Rd, drive a few minutes down to the Lion’s Head Pub right beside the Tempo Gas Station and reset your odometer to ‘0’ here. Travel down the road past the Keenlyside Dam until you will hit the turnoff for Rialto Creek FSR on your right (dirt) at 8.8km. Drive up Rialto Crk. Rd. past a big sand pit on your left to the 1KM road marker; pull over on the right and park here. Walk up the road about 25m and head uphill into the trees at a big cairn/flagging. After about 50m, the trail heads up left through the grassy slopes following switchbacks up through the open Pine and Fir forest. 5 minutes further the trail starts levelling out and follows a good open path to where you eventually end up on an old overgrown forestry road. Turn left and walk down the old road briefly to a trail headed up the bank to the ‘Fantasyland Boulders’. Instead continue down the overgrown road to it’s terminus. Immediately the trail descends down into a (usually dry) creekbed. Hike the beautiful undu- lating trail through pine forest and a small birch grove to a slab boulder and a fork in the trail. Stay straight (Lookout trail goes uphill) and the boulders are not far beyond. The first beautiful bloc you come to is the ‘Colour Me Wild’ boulder, walk 30 more seconds to the ‘Village’ then descend down to the unmistakeable ‘Fractal Forest’ with it’s two impressively massive specimens awaiting just down the hill. 20 minutes max from the car. (Courtesy of WestKootenayBouldering.ca free update)