Description:

High quality granite scree and glacial erratics with nice forest floor landings within a pristine wilderness setting alongside the headwaters of a crystal clear river that are accessed by a all wheel drive service road that is currently a bit mangled due to fresh logging. However road is still awd access (not 4wd) with adequate clearance and driving skills (don’t spin tires because it damages road) Boulders are near the town of Gibsons BC. the home of Persephone Brewery and many great eateries. The most reliable time to visit is May through September but April and October can be spectacular, weather permitting.
The adventurous and newly established Ice and Fire Zone extending from Roadside Zone up 1.5 km requires all wheel drive and experienced off road driving skills or 4 wheel drive and careful driving. Driving to halfway point tower and parking there to walk remainder is recommended to inexperienced off road drivers because road gets very rough and steep after tower.
It is also possible to walk to the Ice and Fire zone from roadside zone parking.

Directions / Travel Info:

Push trip meter at bridge crossing of the rainy river by howe sound pulp and paper then immediately after bridge turn left onto the public Rainy River forest service road and follow this for 10km to boulders without taking any turnoffs. If you look at a google earth image you’ll see the lake that feeds the main stream of the rainy river and it exists a few kilometres up same road beyond boulders (vehicles with less ground clearance than a Mazda CX-5 may have issue with bumper drag in one spot near top and has a tiny crossditch) if so then park at 9.5km and walk gently rising road for the remainder.
Road is accessed through howe sound pulp and paper property so you must check through gate.
The gate does not allow access in after dark but will let you out.
Please be extra careful as area is remote and there is little cell reception (you may however get signal up at 2Bars or Dracarys) also not too many passers by so having some kind of emergency beacon and first aid kit is a really good idea.
Lots of room for development but
Please don’t needlessly scrub pristine boulders that you don’t intend on climbing or have what it takes to complete ;tip scrub part of a project so if you cannot succeed then others can still be sure of the fa process! , keep pet dogs leashed so they do not have un picked up poops, dig holes, harass wildlife, get eaten/stung by wildlife, trample vegetation etc. Please do not cut trees, dig out landings and please be sure to modify area for climbing in the lowest impact way possible, obviously please do not litter, please document your additions to area so others can enjoy, stay on trails to protect tree roots and undergrowth and be extremely careful with fire.
It’s a good idea to carry bear spray and to be “wildlife smart” in the backcountry. Do not leave food out in the open because it can cause problems with wildlife. If food is being stored in your car be sure to put in sealed container and close all windows completely. (We don’t want car food conditioned bears here like the Eldred valley area) Or crag pack food conditioned bears like Squamish.
Drive safely, slowly and be ready to pull over quickly for logging trucks and other machinery! UPDATE: logging appears to have stopped for now April/2023.
Access Update Fall 2025 FORTIS is doing some work on pipeline at about 8km and you may encounter their heavy machinery traffic.