These columnar basalt columns and crack climbs are perched above the Aberdeen Plateau (50.08.38.27N - 119.01.37.46W) about 20km south-east of Vernon, British Columbia. They face west at an elevation of 1350m. It is a short, 5 minute hike from 18km on the Aberdeen - Goat FSR to the crag. Developed columnar basalt climbing is somewhat unique in Central BC (and Canada) and provides good local training for harder crack climbing destinations. Aberdeen is ideal on hot summer mornings or spring and fall afternoons. There are now 130+ steep columnar basalt crack climbs ranging in height from 10m to 22m with grades from 5.3 to 5.11c. Most clmbs are in the 5.9 to 5.10 range. The rock is solid and provides quality cam and nut placements. There are no bolted climbs and most routes have been climbed onsite ground-up. Popular climbs are clean, less travelled routes may still have some loose rock and lichen. There are numerous bolted stations. The Aberdeen Guidebook is located under the Files section on the Aberdeen Columns group on Facebook for more information.

The Longhouse is a shady rock outcropping visible from the Smoke Bluffs and around Squamish. From the third summit of the Chief: it is the granite dome directly across Oleson Creek from you. Most of the climbing is covered by trees and hidden, but underneath the trees are many, many crack systems. The crag is large and has climbing on the north and west aspects. The top can be accessed on foot from the east. The climbs are predominately single pitch crack climbs that are burly in nature. Expect splitter cracks, steep walls, and adventure. While the style may not be for everyone, those that like vertical to overhanging jamming on pristine high friction granite will surely find a size crack they enjoy.

This is a delightful shaded little box canyon that lies 30m beyond where the trail heads right up to the rising wall for Morning Side Crag from the creek drainage. The small venue is named after a very “BIG” spider and it’s web that were hanging out back in 2016 just left of what Andy Genereux thought would to be the first climb established at this newer venue. Turned out the route might actually one of the oldest climbs at the Moose Mountain Crags? During the early fall of 2016 the first four routes were established by Andy. Initially out of the gate, was the obvious water polished groove, done on lead with a power drill via rope soloing techniques. The line climbs the right side of the obvious polished water chute. It’s called Itsy Bitsy Spider. According to Allan Derbyshire this climb was actually first climbed on marginal trad gear (graded 5.8, “old school” with a possible ground fall potential) back in the late seventies. There was a lone badly hand-drilled self drive bolt with a homemade hanger at the belay (still in place). Andy thought this ugly badly drilled bolt was a residual anchor leftover from passing ice climbers. Allan also mentioned that the wide moss covered chimney/crack on the left side of the bay was also climbed on gear to reach a two piton anchor at roughly 30m, located below a small roof. Details on this line are few but this wide crack line for now is called Trad Special and is included for a more complete picture of the available climbing at this venue. If this wide gapping dirty crack/chimney appeals then bring a well stocked trad-rack. The remaining climbs established at this venue all went in top down requiring extensive cleaning. The routes were then rope soloed by Genereux while building these lines over two seasons at Spider Brook. All the routes at Spider Brook are located in a shady mostly north facing recessed pocket for much of the year this shady sector sees virtually no direct sunlight. This makes for a good venue to avoid the heat of mid-summer. It houses some nice moderate climbing and is a great place to hang out if one is waiting for the nearby east facing Morning Side Crag to come into shade on blistering hot summer mornings. This is usually around 1:30 pm.

A set of south- and east-facing granite bluffs near the golf course between Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs. The climbing features slab, crack and face climbing on grippy, fine-grained stone featured with many xenolithic inclusions which weather to give pockets of all size from monodoight to head sized. The Harrison Bluffs saw most of its traffic in the 1990's, but popularity died out somewhat and many routes became overgrown. Recently (2006+) climbers have been cleaning the area again to improve the mossy state of several climbs. Also several new routes are being cleaned. The rock in the area is very solid granite and it offers many nice slab and crack climbs ranging from 5.8'ish and up. The developement of some boulders on the East and West sides of the bluffs has been on going since this revitalization of the area. Though the landings can be challenging there are some instant classics in here well worth the time and effort. The climbing is at its best between March and November but is low-elevation enough to be good on sunny days through the winter. In general, weekdays are pretty quiet and weekends see up to a half dozen parties climbing. The range of grades is generally 5.8 and up and there are climbs up to 6 pitches long, plus extensive bouldering.

"Hidden in the forest above Woodstock is this pleasant, south-facing crag. It features a variety of low-angle face and crack-lines along with steep arete and excellent finger crack. As the loop passes Woodstock, watch for a trail on the right that leads steeply uphill." Squamish Select 4th edition

Info and supplied photos by Glenn Reisenhofer Almost all problems are sit down starts and with the exception of some traverses all problems top out. Treat this place with respect. This was a spiritual meeting place for first nations folks. Please help clean up any litter. Thanks. North Boulder 1) Myles’ Mania-sds the north face. Don’t sneak off and onto the slab, go for the top. 2) Master’s Edge***-sds. Stay as close as possible to the true NE Arete. You’ll feel like Ron Fawcett. Watch out for the little brown bat crack. A classic old problem. 3) Fang**-sds up the east face on some crimpy sharp quartize. 4) Easy-sds up the SE Arete. A great warm up. 5) Fast Eddy*-sds up SW Arete. This is the beefier version of Jaime. Start with both hands on the only hold on the arête. Huck for the top of the arête and swing back left onto slab when you can. 6) Jaime**-sds to SW Arete using all the features. 7) Lao Tzu*-sds up west face. No arêtes or sides of rock are used. 8) Mantel Madness*-standing start to a pure mantel onto the west face slab of north boulder. 9) Neil’s Route**-sds up NW arête, onto and up slab. A good standing start warm up. An old problem. 10) Marc’s Ridge – Needs a sit down start. Grope the NW Arete as your feet traverse the north face of the boulder and top out on Myles’ Mania. 11) Black Rain*-a sds low traverse from the SE Arete (problem 4) traversing right to Neil’s Route. Using any holds below the overlap traverse with difficulty around the Master’s Edge (look for the little brown bat crack) and then continue with any hold below chest level to the NW arete. 12) Light Rain- traverse whole rock using the slab and any hold. 13) Mind Meld -***sds starting at the NW arête (problem 9, Neil’s Route). This problem uses and starts on the sloping holds that form the slab. Grope, grovel and heel hook your way to and around the corner (problem 6). Staying low continue with difficulty in between the rocks and finish on the problem Black Rain. Eat your wheaties before trying this one and of course you can’t touch the south boulder when traversing in between the two rocks. South Boulder 14) SE Arete***-sds climbs the beautifully rounded arête. 15) Crimpy**-sds up the middle of the east face (not using any arête holds). Watch your tendons as you’re crimping. One of the harder problems at Split Rock. 16) Fetus Freddy**-sds up the NE arête and up onto the east face. 17) Military Larry*-sds to a problem that starts in between the rocks close to Fetus Freddy. Layaways and edges to the top. The arête is out and so is the wall behind you. An old problem. 18) Three For One -another in between the rocks problem. If you come off on this one you’ll definitely hit the other rock and the holds are small at the top. Sds near the west side of the rock. The problem exists between the NW arête and the second, and more major, left facing ramp of rock. Aim for the tiny notch. The arête and major ramp are out. 19) Gaia – With a standing start grab any holds along the NW arête and head up with your feet on the north wall. Aim for the tiny notch. 20) Old Age Never Comes-start standing at the NW Arete and crank up into the dished slab on the west face. A sds would be very difficult. 21) Raw-start standing at the NW Arete (problem 20) and instead of climbing up, traverse and heel hook right until you reach the SW arête and ascend this. 22) Project for someone fit. Someone needs to ascend the west face of the south rock using neither arêtes. 23) Simon Parboosingh Power Hour*** Certainly the hardest problem at Split Rock. This problem ascends the west face with a sds between the south boulder and the MAD Traverse Boulder. Right hand starting on the sw arête and your left where ever you can and huck up the arête with your right hand eventually aiming for a small dish on the lip at the top of the west face. Watch the spine breaking rock behind you. The next four great problems all start at the SW Arete. 24) Slap Me Silly***-sds with a huck up and slightly right of the arete. Traverse left and grab the fin near the top. Continue left and up. A small dish (same dish as on route 23) at the lip helps execute the final move. 25) Mr. Kinnee***-sds. When Slap Me Silly goes left you go right and once you can properly stand on the large foothold on the south face head straight up. 26) Side Pull City**-start standing (some folks use the MAD Traverse boulder to start) and head up and right using only side pulls. This problem traverse the whole south face as it gently ascends. The crux is close to the very end. Top out on the SE Arete (problem 14). 27) Mr. Kinnee Does Side Pull City***-sds to the above problem. 28) Little Feet -sds the left side of the south face. Head for the thin edge where the plate of rock has been broken away. Use the side pulls near the top. 29) Sunday Morning After Church***- start standing with your right hand on a rounded hold just to the left off the SE Arete (most likely above your head). Left hand on one of the two small edges above your head. This problem has virtually no footholds. Toss up and grab the right sloping large edge at the top of the wall. Try to stick on the wall and head up and over. A very old route (even before sticky rubber). Can a sds be done? 30) Talking to Americans-sds on The SE Arete and with difficulty traverse into and top out on Sunday Morning After Church. 31) Fe Fi Fo Fum***-this is a traverse of the south rock starting and ending at the NW arête (problem 20). Start standing and ascend Raw. Sneak around the SW Arete and onto Side Pull City and continue around the rock back to the NW arête. Mad Traverse Boulder 32) The Mad Traverse**-sds at the west side of the small boulder that you can easily sit on. Heel hook you’re way around the entire boulder until you either burn out or are not small enough to continue. Great fun at the end of your bouldering session

Route from left to right: 1.) Megalodon (5.11b/c) - mostly nice climbing on good holds with a defined crux protected by small RPs. FA Tom Wright 2.) Mastodon (5.12a) - another vicious right to left leaning crack - lots of small finger size gear for the crux. FA Paul Mcsorley 3.) Sabretooth (5.12a) - fun steep athletic climbing up the centre of the wall - good protection the whole way. FA Tom Wright 4.) Omnivorous (5.11d) - shares same start as Sabretooth but transitions right into the finger sized flake, hand crack and burly layback finish. FA Tony Richardson

Nice and quiet with beautiful sightseeing on the lake and hills surrounding. Slabby and technical, there is also several crack systems that will get you to the top in up to four pitches (80m+/-). Facing East, the cliff will loose sunrays around 14:00. Mostly sport climbing and bolted for short falls. Also a few trad routes will keep you interested like the unique roof crack traverse. If you don't own a rack, some cracks have the non-ethical (for some) of being bolted leaving you the option of placing gear or not.

Squamish is the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada. It has been referred to as mini-Yosemite for its granite crack climbing and its World class bouldering makes it a popular summertime destination. Squamish also has sport climbing for all ability levels. Planning a trip to Squamish can sometimes be difficult due to bad weather. If you're looking for consistency, but don't mind climbing in the heat, come in July, August, or September. If you need friction to send your project there are some crisp dry days in February and October. Unless you're a local, don't plan to climb in Squamish from November to January. April, May and June offer great conditions that are often interrupted by long periods of rain.

OVERVIEW: The Red River Gorge—simply “The Red”—is one of North America’s premier sport climbing destinations. Its pocketed sandstone cliffs, steep overhangs, and endless variety make it a must-visit for climbers worldwide. The area is known for long, pumpy endurance routes, striking orange walls, and a friendly, tight-knit community centered around Miguel’s Pizza—an iconic basecamp for climbers. STYLE: Predominantly sport climbing, with thousands of bolted routes ranging from 5.6 to 5.15. Traditional climbing exists too, especially in the less-traveled Northern Gorge. Expect overhanging jug hauls, technical face climbs, and occasional crack lines. ACCESS & ETHICS: Many cliffs are on private land maintained by the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC)—respect closures, pack out all trash, and stay on marked trails. A small parking donation helps maintain access roads and facilities. TIPS: Bring a 60–70m rope and plenty of quickdraws (up to 18). Conditions dry quickly after rain, but some cliffs seep for days. Rest days? Hike to Natural Bridge or swim in the Red River. VIBE: Laid-back, inclusive, and fueled by pizza and red clay dust. Whether you’re projecting 5.13s or clipping your first bolts, The Red delivers a mix of challenge, community, and sandstone perfection found nowhere else.

Red Rocks is composed of a three-thousand-foot thick escarpment of Aztec Sandstone, which has weathered into a series of ten major canyons which drain from west to east. This rock is generally well-bonded, being more solid than that found in the other great sandstone areas of the west, such as Zion or Canyonlands. Another major difference is that much of the rock is covered with a thin layer of desert varnish which on many of the faces, has partially weathered to lave behind a sea or good incut edges. it is these edges which allow routes like "Dream of Wild Turkeys", "Eagle Dance", and "Crimson Chrysalis" to climb such impressive features at a reasonable standard. in general, the unvarnished white and red rock can be soft, sandy and rounded in its natural state, although it cleans up well on popular routes to give very enjoyable climbing. Especially on some of the north-facing walls where the varnish has resisted weathering and there are far fewer face holds. on these walls the long, clean, crack and corner systems provide some of the best climbing routes in Red Rocks. - Red Rocks, Jerry Handren

The Flatirons are synonymous with Boulder and the history of rock climbing in North America. It would be hard to find another location in the country where such an extensive variety, from scrambling to hard "Head Point" routes exist so close to a major metro area. They form the backdrop to Boulder and are the centerpiece of Boulder's Open Space system. There are three main areas: Flatirons North: This area includes classic rocks such as the First, Second, and Third Flatirons, along with the Amphitheatre in Gregory Canyon. Climbs here range from short newer-age sport climbs to long trad routes, including some of the longer trad routes in the area, the whole face of the 3rd Flatiron, which is about 1300 feet and the Direct East Face of the 1st which is about 1400 feet. Hard conglomerate Fountain Formation sandstone is the medium for your rock craft. Flatirons Central: There are many rocks to explore in this area. The "Central" zone spans Bear Canyon to the Ironing Boards (just South of the 3rd Flatiron). Slabmongers can have many field days exploring the numerous smaller Flatirons, and there's a good amount of trad and even sport among these rocks. Have fun in this scenic setting. Flatirons South: This section of the Flatirons holds some of the best climbing in the Flatirons, but it seems to be less crowded. Great rocks such as the Maiden, Matron, Devil's Thumb, East Ridge, Nebel Horn, Seal Rock, and The Goose offer slabs for beginner trad leaders and also more challenging trad lines. Excellent sport routes also can be found, some several pitches in length. The longest climb in the area is here. There is plenty to explore here. (Note: Various of the Flatirons are closed for falcon nesting from Feb. 1 up to July 31 and for bat nesting Apr. 1 to Aug. 31. Historically, some of these have included The Matron, Towers of the Moon, Jam Crack Spire, Devil's Thumb, Nebel Horn, Jaws, The Fin, Sphinx, Medusa, Fern Canyon, The Goose, The Goose Eggs, Bear Creek Spire, Harmon Cave (bats), East Face of The Hand (bats), East Face of The Finger Flatiron (bats), East Face of Der Zerkle (bats), Dreadnaught, Achean Pronoucement, Skunk Canyon Ridge 2 & west, Sacred Cliffs, East & West Ironing Boards, The Third Flatiron, Queen Anne's Head, occasionally Gregory Amphitheatre, and possibly others.) (Source: Mountain Project)

Snow Canyon State Park is in the area of the city of Saint George, perhaps an hour from the heart of Zion National Park. This large state park boasts a little of everything, from short sport clip-ups to mixed multi-pitch routes or even long, infrequently traveled adventure climbs. I have only sampled the area, but am writing it up here to get the ball rolling. The crags are sandstone, some reminiscent of the good stuff at Red Rock, NV, some resembling the softer formations of Zion National Park, and some fit for climbing by only the truest of desert rats. No matter if you are chasing sun or shade, or wanting crimpers, slopers, pockets, or an occasional crack there are climbs of various flavors facing in any given direction at any given time of day, depending on which crag you are at. The Island In The Sky area sports the Aftershock Wall, Circus Wall, The Doghouse, and other walls with good sport and mixed climbs. The West Canyon area has adventure routes and much adventure potential for those looking for touble and in possession of an emergency bolt kit. The nearby town of Saint George has plenty of services and hotels as well as nearby 'improved camping' at Snow Canyon State Park ($14 in addition to $5 daily entry fee) or free camping just outside town on BLM land. The following guidebooks contain more details on the area and the park: Rock Climbs of Southwest Utah & The Arizona Strip, Second Edition; Rock Climbing Utah; and an article in Climbing magazine #225 (article by Tim Kemple).

Vancouver Island is the 43rd largest island in the world at approximately 500km long, 150km wide with an area of 31,285 sq km. It lies off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada from where it is reached by an extensive ferry system from mainland ports. The island is shaped a bit like a squat triangle with the southern half running north to south and the northern half jutting more to the west. The majority of the towns and cities are dotted along the east side of the island at the southern half. The northern half of Vancouver Island and the mountainous interior is largely rugged wilderness crisscrossed by extensive industrial logging roads. A few paved highways cross the island to smaller west coast communities such as Port Renfrew, Tofino, Gold River and Port Alice. For the climber, Vancouver Island is a great destination. There are a number of well developed cragging and bouldering areas and vast resources of high alpine climbing. A good overview of the sport climbing areas can be found at: www.wildisle.ca/islandclimbing/vancouver-island-climbing-areas.html The rock is mostly volcanic basalt and ~75% of the climbing is on this rock type. It is generally solid with good friction but lacks good, continuous crack systems so most of the crag routes on the Island basalt are bolt protected or mixed bolt & trad. There are also areas with limestone - Horne Lake, granite - Constitution Hill, sandstone - Duncan boulders and conglomerate - Saltspring Island. Vancouver Island has exceptional alpine climbing with a very active core of local alpinists adding new routes steadily. Look for a comprehensive guidebook to the Vancouver Island mountains: Island Alpine Select from Wild Isle Publications: http://www.wildisle.ca

Slab with nice, easy crack lines.

Classic Wall, as the name implies, is home to a few classic crack and roof climbs.

This 30m wide area is dominated by a tiered overhanging buttress which is split by the sunning roof crack known as The Big Gulp.

A 60 foot wall with morning shade and moderate climbs in the 5.7 to 5.9 range (3 sport, 1 mixed and 1 trad), characterized by a prominent horizontal crack through most of the wall and a proliferation of juggy granite patina.

A long crag with a number of climbs from 5.2 to 5.12- . Some sport climbs and some nice trad crack lines. Most of the climbs are about 17m long.

Giant boulder at the south end of the parking lot with a crack that traverses all the way across

Just downhill from the Birthday Boulder. Down climb the NE side of the boulder via large huecos at the top leading into a wide crack feature, with good feet. The SE side offers a few good slabs. The W side is great for warming up, with a few V3–5 climbs on incut crimps, with ample opportunity to link and eliminate.

As part of this wall is South facing, and part east facing, it tends to get a lot of sun, making it a good fall/winter area. Though there is not a huge selection of routes here, there are a few that are of high quality, one of them being Whale's Back (5.11-), a quality long corner splitter hand crack. -Mountain Project

Hidden Valley is a sandstone sport climbing area just north of Abingdon, VA. It has recently been reopened thanks to the efforts of the Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC). Routes here are well-bolted and very fun, with a mixture of crimpy faces, steep jug hauls, and even the occasional bolted crack. There is something here for beginners, pros, and everyone in between.

Located near the heart of Oneonta, Palisades is a state park with a nice little cliffline running just below its parking lot. There's a good range of climbing difficulty, ranging from easy 5.4 up to roofy 5.12. Because everything can be easily toproped, it's a perfect place for a beginner's first outdoor climbing experience. And if you're just getting started on trad, Palisades is an excellent training ground; routes like Buckets (5.5) offer easy leading and plentiful protection. Be aware, though, that the grades tend to be sandbagged; Elephant Crack (5.6) and Box Lunch (5.7) are not for the novice leader. There's no sport climbing at Palisades. Two-bolt anchors are at the top of most routes to set up a top-rope. All climbers must register at the park office and buy a $5 climbing permit (this is good for two weeks). From the parking lot, head for the cliff top near a picnic pavillion and scramble down a fourth-class gully/chimney to the base of the cliff. The Dixie Cragger's Atlas is a good resource for routes at Palisades. NOTE: All "subareas" are part of the same cliff line.

Cannon Cliff is the tallest and most respected cliff in New England. The climbs are long, the weather is bad, and the rock is exfoliating. Every climber who heads up to do a route on Cannon understands that the undertaking is a considerable one. This is not to say that the routes are bad, however. The popular routes ascend pristine granite and can be over ten pitches long. Just don't stray from your chosen route, as you may find yourself in one of Cannon's many heavily eroded vertical gullies. Rockfall is a common occurrence on the cliff. The Old Man, a natural outline of a face in the rock and New Hampshire's famous state symbol, fell off the cliff a few years back. An entire pitch, the Whaleback Crack, parted from the face in the 1990's and created a swath of fresh talus at the base.

South Willow Canyon is found in the Stansbury Range, which forms the western boundary of Tooele valley. It is nearest the city of Grantsville, and is about an hours drive west of Salt Lake City.There are numerous limestone outcroppings along the forest service road along the canyon bottom. These are home to some quality bolted sport routes ranging in difficulty from 5.9 to 5.14a (The Big Smile). There are routes to be found in and around the lower narrows, but the majority of the routes are found in the upper Narrows These areas are shady in the summer, and though the upper narrows can be crowded at times on the weekends, a mid-week excursion can offer up a quiet and cooler alternative to the more popular canyons to the east. For trad guys, there is at least one naturally protected route (5.9ish) that climbs a crack system on a sharp and solitary outcrop (The Suicide Arete), which can be found on the south side of the road near the Boy Scout Campground. P.S. A stick clip may be handy for clipping the first bolts on some of the south side routes that climb the walls above the creek.

Another area where the routes start from or pass by a ledge. The ledge is named after the corner crack at its left end - this is Ground Zero.