Shannon Falls from the tourist trail. All of the ...
Description
Shannon Falls Provincial Park is reported to be the most often visited Provincial Park in BC. The climbing here is very good and the approaches are not long. Despite those advantages it doesn't seem to see that much climbing traffic. Perhaps the tourist popularity of the area is seen as a detraction. Rest assured that once you cross the creek and start climbing, you won't see them, except from way above, and you won't hear them thanks to the falls. This area is well worth a visit.
The left side of this area is home to some low-angle single and multipitch climbs of high quality. The most well-known of which are Klahanie Crack (5.7, 1 pitch), Local Boys Do Good (5.11a, 3 pitches) and Magic Carpet Ride (5.11+, 3 pitches). Further right from the falls, it is also home to some outstanding vertical climbs such as Man of Leisure (5.10b) and two testpiece cracks: Hungry Wolf (5.11b) and Hunter Moon (5.11d). Note that Hungry Wolf and Hunter Moon are reversed in Kevin McLane's 2005 edition of his guidebook (on the topo the 321 and 322 are reversed).
Getting There
Park at the Shannon Falls Provincial Park lot which is just south of the Chief and about 3 miles north of Murrin Park. The climbs are approached via a wide, well-marked trail that takes you to the falls viewpoint. Before reaching the bridge, cross the creek on a large long and some rocks in the creek. You might get your feet wet in the spring.
Once on the other side a steep trail takes you straight up to base of Local Boys. A trail heads right and takes you to the right side ("The Gobsmacking Wall"). The trail is somewhat faint in places: tend high rather than low and if you find yourself in a forest with no cliff nearby, backtrack and try again. From the Local Boys area it's five or ten minutes to the far right side. To get to base of Hunter Moon and its companions you have to double back along a high ledge, whereas following the trail along the base will take you to the base of Man of Leisure.
Shannon Falls
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