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Elevation: 5,921 ft 1,805 m
GPS: 50.8627, -121.69469
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Interior Plateau Rock Climbing Areas Suggest change


Rock climbing in the Interior Plateau region of British Columbia ranges from bouldering near the city of Kamloops to the internationally famous crags of Skaha.

Skaha is listed under Okanogan on the Mountain Project homepage for British Columbia. The rock is high grade gneiss that has been carved into rounded and elongated fins called roche moutonnees (before climbing as a sport, the herders of the Alps thought these fairly common glacial landforms looked like "rock sheep").

Huge lakes fill the Okanogan Valley below the crags of Skaha, remnants of long gone glaciers. The Canadian North Cascades create a rain-shadow effect and the valley is one of the driest in British Columbia.

INTERIOR PLATEAU OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MAP

On the map below, black dashes outline the Interior Plateau. The red box marks Skaha. The blue box marks Marble Canyon.


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There are several things wrong below the dotted line, geographically. It would be very nice if a site administrator could erase everything below because I'm locked out.

Interior Range Climbing Suggest change

Skaha is part of the Okanagan Highlands, a lesser range of the Interior. Skaha is in the Interior Ranges, but the view west, across Skaha Lake, is of the Cascades. (Fred Beckey, Cascade Alpine Guide 3., p185)

Kinnard Bluffs , within the city limits of Castlegar, BC, have a fair bit cragging. Even better are the Waterline Walls.

Also near Castlegar are the Arrow Lake Bluffs. An older area with longer routes, near the dam.

In the town of Slocan, BC, the Slocan City Bluffs look terrific and are worth adding as an MP area.

Along the highway out of Nelson, BC, is a sport crag called Hall Siding

In the foothills of the Valhalla Range is good crack climbing at Cougar Creek , north of Nelson, BC.

Way down south, near Grand Forks, BC, is Lynch Bluffs. Sunny crags with sport climbs up to 5 pitches.

90 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Cariboo Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Cariboo

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
WI4-5
 12
● Icy BC
Trad, Ice 3 pitches
Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Ice
WI5
 12
● Deeping Wall
Trad, Ice
Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Ice
WI4
 5
● Night N' Gale
Ice 4 pitches
Bridge River Valley
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13
 5
● Dreamweaver (198)
Trad 8 pitches
Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Mid Wall
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 4
● Salem's Tongue
Sport
Williams Lake's… > S Gulley Left Side
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 63
● The Goat
Sport 19 pitches
Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Mid Wall
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 5
● Gateway (238)
Sport
Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 36
● Where's the Remote?
Sport 8 pitches
Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 4
● Blue Gold
Trad 5 pitches
Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 8
● Beers With Birgit
Sport 7 pitches
Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Far Far Left Wall
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13
 9
● Sisyphus (220)
Trad 5 pitches
Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 41
● Guaranteed Rugged
Sport 33 pitches
Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Upper Headwall
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13
 5
● Clandestine Nature
Trad 6 pitches
Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Far Far Left Wall
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 10
● Sneaky Pete
Sport 8 pitches
Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Far Far Left Wall
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b A0 PG13
 10
● The Yellow Brick Road (206)
Trad, Aid 13 pitches
Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Upper Headwall
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Icy BC Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Ice
 12
WI4-5 Trad, Ice 3 pitches
● Deeping Wall Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Ice
 12
WI5 Trad, Ice
● Night N' Gale Bridge River Valley
 5
WI4 Ice 4 pitches
● Dreamweaver (198) Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Mid Wall
 5
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 Trad 8 pitches
● Salem's Tongue Williams Lake's… > S Gulley Left Side
 4
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● The Goat Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Mid Wall
 63
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport 19 pitches
● Gateway (238) Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
 5
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Where's the Remote? Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
 36
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport 8 pitches
● Blue Gold Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
 4
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad 5 pitches
● Beers With Birgit Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Far Far Left Wall
 8
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport 7 pitches
● Sisyphus (220) Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Left/Central Main Wall
 9
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13 Trad 5 pitches
● Guaranteed Rugged Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Upper Headwall
 41
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport 33 pitches
● Clandestine Nature Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Far Far Left Wall
 5
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13 Trad 6 pitches
● Sneaky Pete Marble Canyon > … > Apron > Far Far Left Wall
 10
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport 8 pitches
● The Yellow Brick Road (206) Marble Canyon > Marble Canyon Rock > Upper Headwall
 10
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b A0 PG13 Trad, Aid 13 pitches
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SKAHA<br> Photo by MP contributor <br> Cory Jenkins<br> <br> The most developed climbing area of BC's Interior Plateau.
SKAHA Photo by MP contributor Cory Jenkins…
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