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A ridiculously hard, steep, splitter hiding above the Saloompt Bluffs trail (red line in approach pic). The lone crack splits the 30-degree overhanging wall, nestled within a grand rock bay. Hard traverse leads to a few reasonable hand-jam moves, leads to more hard finger jamming, to even harder face moves, to a hard exit over the lip. Rap rings above the bulge.

Aid up (A1 gear all the way - bring small wires for top), or call your favorite 5.14 climber and get them to free it. If hard, steep cracks are your thing - this could be a real prize.

FA - 2024, Devon Girard, Cole Verral
FFA - haha we wish ... come get it!

A significant variation of Silk Road, leaving the original line midway thru pitch 5, adding 8 new pitches, and finishing on the same anchors. A good alternative if the black roof pitch on Silk Road is wet. Sustained 5.10 climbing with a 5.11+ crux pitch. All belays have bolted rap rings. 60m ropes will get you down, but 70m recommended for leading. 13 long pitches, almost all with some challenging sections. Some runouts, protection where you need it. Bring double rack to 2", including small wires, with a strong collection of small cams; recommended 4x Metolious #1, 2x #0, and even a #00 for luck. Devon Girard, Grant McCartney, Pete Wainwright, Kelsey Mostertman - 2020.

Approach: Follow Saloompt Bluffs trail for about 45 minutes (approx 15 min past the lower-bluffs trail junction), then follow a flagged line directly upwards through steep timber to the base of the large wall. Approximately 90 minutes.

Descent: Continue through alpine terrain to gain the ridge, then descend the Goat Ridge trail to rejoin the Saloompt Bluffs trail. Or, rap the route.

Pitch 1 - A hard start past a single bolt gains a short thin seam; hard climbing past tiny gear for a few moves leads to easier cracks and a friendly slab, gain a small belay ledge. 5.10+
Pitch 2 - Climb right from the belay past a single bolt, then up through zig-zagging cracks with sections of face climbing, as you finally trend right onto the main wall of the 'Teapot' feature, to a belay below a long thin crack splitting the face. Be mindful of rope drag; a long and interesting pitch. 5.10
Pitch 3 - Face climb past bolts to gain the partially bolted thin seam. Climb the shallow crack to a crux overlap, then up the remarkable flared groove through easing difficulties to the spacious Teapot ledge. A bit runout at the top. 5.10+
Pitch 4 - Start a few meters right of the belay, and traverse left to face climbing past bolts into a shallow corner above. Continue up left past a bolt, then gradually right past another bolt and through disconnected cracks to a small belay ledge. A long pitch. 5.10
Pitch 5 - Climb up edges past a couple bolts to hand cracks. Gain the large face via a narrow pillar; face climb past more bolts to the belay on top of a large flake. 5.10-
Pitch 6 - A delicate friction traverse leads to harder face climbing past 5 bolts, then veer right from the Silk Road line (original line goes left to the base of the large black roof) - friction climb past 4 bolts and some thin spots to a narrow foot ledge and belay. 5.10+
Pitch 7 - A few face friction moves past a bolt leads to the base of a long friendly flake; climb to the top of the flake, then up and left past another bolt through some thin climbing, to nice belay perch and anchors. 5.10+
Pitch 8 - Climb past 3 bolts (a bit runout) to gain a ledge and base of large corner; stem up the corner, passing 2 more bolts and some gear. Before reaching the top of the corner, exit left to a narrow belay ledge and anchors. 5.10+
Pitch 9 - Trending left, friction climb past 4 bolts to the top of a faint pillar feature, then through a thin crux past another bolt, then a bit more trickiness past a 6th bolt and some gear to gain a nice belay ledge beneath the looming headwall and crux cracks. 5.11-
Pitch 10 - Technical face moves right off the belay lead to the base of a steep, splitter finger crack. Climb the slightly overhanging wall; burly moves up positive fingerlocks to a no-hands rest; step left and continue up the splitter crack for a few more hard moves to easier ground. Faceclimb past 2 bolts to a spectacular belay perch and anchors. 5.11+
Pitch 11 - Climb left past a bolt into an attractive seam splitting the glacier-polished wall; continue up the friendly crack to a small ledge, then face climb past 2 bolts (5.10-) to easier ground and another bolt (or continue up the easy vegitated corner 5.8). Continue up and left of some greenery to a huge ledge and belay anchors. 5.10-
Pitch 12 - Climb easy ground trending generally leftwards, then up friendly handcracks to gain another huge ledge just left of some greenery, at the base of a compact, orange wall split by several cracks. Belay anchors at the base of a left-trending crack. 5.8
Pitch 13 - A stout lead after a long day; climb the left-leaning crack with difficulty to a hanging slab; step left to the juggy exit cracks and final anchor. Bouldery moves off the deck lead to good gear; bring double cams in 1-2" range. An excellent pitch and a fitting end to a grand day out (the pitch can be avoided to left or right, if conditions require). 5.10+

A 15-pitch adventure up the grand NW face, starting up the giant dihedral between the starts of Spirit Walker and Snakes n Ladders, and topping out above the large upper tree island near the top of the wall. It is also possible to exit left after pitch 13, and gain the same upper helm feature as Spirit Walker (just from the right). Mix of gear and bolts. Double rack to 2" and something for 3", 12-16 draws. Bring some small wires for the occasional key placement. All stations have bolted rap rings. Pitches up to 60m.

Pitch 1 - 5.10- (or 5.5 bypass): From gear belay at base of waterfall, climb the face and thin cracks directly above to the base of the main dihedral. Alternately, or when main face is wet, bypass to the right on easy but runout friction.
Pitch 2 - 5.9: Climb the dihedral with glorious laybacking, stemming, jamming and more to anchors halfway up the corner system.
Pitch 3 - 5.10+: Continue up the corner for a few meters before breaking left around the arete on an obvious ramp. Continue face climbing near the arete past a bolt and to the right of a roof feature. Step left and reach around, bypassing the roof using hand cracks. A few more crack moves gains easy ledges and anchors.
Pitch 4 - 5.10+: Face climbing past a few bolts to a small seam, some small pro, and anchors.
Pitch 5 - 5.10-: Gain a left-leaning face crack to easier ledges; scramble up easy ground to the right to anchors.
Pitch 6 - 5.10-: Face climb to the right of a thin seam past a few bolts; rejoin the seam for a few moves and another bolt, then traverse right to the top of a large flake and anchors.
Pitch 7 - 5.10: Face climb left past bolts to a large half-moon feature; easy climbing within the moon feature to gain a belay on the left edge.
Pitch 8 - 5.10: Exit the half-moon left past a bolt; climb the mix of friction and flake past several more bolts to a belay immediately left of the large diagonal vegetated streak that clefts Snootli's NW face.
Pitch 9 - 5.10: Cross the diagonal fault and gain the right-hand wall with some difficulty. Face climb past several sets of bolts; some harder climbing punctuated by easy sections.
Pitch 10 - 5.10+: A gem of a pitch, up a steep flake right off the belay and then face climbing past bolts zigzagging through large dish features.
Pitch 11 - 5.10: Friction traverse left past a bolt, then face climb up to a slabby ledge; traverse left past 2 more bolts to an airy belay below the looming pillar and crack system.
Pitch 12 - 5.10+: Climb the widening crack up the headwall past a couple bolts and much gear. Turn the lip and friction climb to a beautiful belay stance.
Pitch 12.5 - 5.5: Climb 20m over very easy ground to anchors at the base of a steep rolling slab.
Pitch 13 - 5.10: Climb the shut seam, scrounging for small gear, to a pair of bolts trending right - a bit runout. Continue up to a relic 1/4" bolt with handmade hanger; clip it for good luck and then choose whether to exit left to the Spirit Walker anchors or continue right past another bolt to anchors below a water groove.
Pitch 14 - 5.6: Climb the runout but very easy and asthetic water groove, trending right.
Pitch 15 - 5.6: Drift right along several easy grooves, then up a short watercourse of sorts to a wide slabby alcove at the base of a wall to the left. Final anchors on the left edge of this wall.

Explore the upper slabs or exit directly right, into the trees and down the descent trail. Or rap the route.

Route was a collaboration of many over the years; pitches added or first climbed by Grant McCartney, Steve Hodgeson, Rob Nelson, Pat Moser, Peter Wainwright, Devon Girard. And as the 1/4" bolt indicates, someone had been up a similar line decades ago.

A three pitch all-gear route up the left edge of the broken-glass wall. 2nd pitch is a 65m tips-layback endurance challenge; clean rock, lots of pro, spicy cruxes and good rests. Bring 70m rope, and an extra 60m to get down. Bolted rap stations. Many small cams required (esp. Metolius #0 and #1 range).

Pitch 1 - 5.9 layback flake (an existing route, name unknown). A gem of a pitch, and a fun treat to start the day. Clambour up a blocky corner to the base of a left trending flake; layback the flake to the tree island, then continue through the brush to the Pitch 2 anchors at the bottom of the next wall. Gear to 3".
Pitch 2 - 5.11 (?) tips layback. Follow the steepening corner crack for ~15m until it branches right into a thin crack feature splitting the blank headwall. Overcome the steep crux to a good rest, then continue through another 30-40m of tips laybacking. A physically and mentally demanding pitch. Bring many small cams and some nuts.
Pitch 3 - 5.10+ layback funkjam. Climb steeply through overlapping flakes to the top of a small pedestal and an old stunted pine tree. Mantle up into the groove above, and continue up a mix of flakes and cracks to easier ground. Enjoy the final face moves to gain the upper slab and anchors.

Multipitch up the ~750m Snootli East face. Many excellent pitches on fine rock, some runouts on easier ground but well protected where you need it. First 1/4 is almost a route on its own, gaining a 200m pillar feature in 4 long and substaintial pitches. Difficulty eases after that for the majority of the route, with a nice sting in the tail on the final pitch. Bring 70m lead rope for climbing. 60m ropes will get you down. Double rack to 2", triples or quadruples of small sizes (Metolius #0 and #1), small wires. 3" gear useful but not required. FA 2020 Devon Girard, Grant McCartney, Peter Wainswright.

Approach as for the East Walls:

https://bellacoolatrails.ca/content/snootli-east-walls

Descend via either Snootli Descent trail or Crystal Creek trail:

https://bellacoolatrails.ca/content/nuxalk-ridge-crystal-creek
https://bellacoolatrails.ca/content/snootli-descent-trail

Pitch 1 - 5.10+ 2pa: Choose from one of several belay spots at the base of the East face; about 10m of easy climbing gains a small ledge and the first series of bolts. Climb meandering edges and small flake features past bolts and some small gear placements, until the final pair of aid bolts below the anchors. 60m
Pitch 2 - 5.11:Trend right from the belay past 2 bolts, some small gear and a cruxy transition from thin cracks to easy face climbing. Continue up an easy corner feature to another bolt protecting some thin face moves to gain a large ledge and friendly offwidth corner. Continue to the top of the wide corner and pull a few easy face moves to the belay. 60m.
Pitch 3 - 5.11: Climb friendly edges past 4 bolts to the base of a large looming column; traverse left and around the arete of the pillar to gain a thin crack system. Climb the well protected thin cracks in spectacular position to an exposed belay midway up the pillar. Be mindful of ropedrag on the traverse; long slings on the final bolt before and first piece after crossing the arete is recommended. An epic pitch. 60m+.
Pitch 4 - 5.11-: Continue up thin cracks and one bolt in exposed position to the top of the pillar. Well protected, exciting climbing. 55m.
Pitch 5 - 5.10-: Traverse right directly off the belay, leaving the pillar for the righthand face. Climb past 2 bolts to an undercling feature, more face climbing, a glorious large hand crack, another face traverse past a bolt, and then a friendly exit crack to anchors. 60m.
Pitch 6 - 5.9: Climb up through some broken yet clean and fun terrain. Gear where it's needed. Anchors directly below a large patch of cedar vegitation. 50m.
Pitch 7 - 5.8: A very short pitch up and towards the right. Climb an easy flake and then face to anchors. 20m.
Pitch 8 - 5.10+: Start up a clean shallow groove, transitioning to face climbing past a bolt, then out left towards a large roof feature via a friendly flake and good footholds. Overcome the roof to the left; some thin face moves past 2 bolts lead to an easier finger crack and slab. Trend right for anchors. 50m.
Pitch 9 - 5.9: A grand pitch of beautiful features. Trend right across clean slabs, up some easy flakes up into a slippery corner, then zigzag up the fractures white wall via friendly finger and hand cracks. Wide at the end but always easy. 60m.
Pitch 10 - 5.9: Easy face climbing past 5 bolts, exiting left from the belay ledge and wrapping back right to anchors at the base of a left-trending crack up a blank wall. 50m.
Pitch 11 - 5.10+ 1pa: Hard slab moves (11+? or pull past a bolt) to gain a long layback crack feature splitting an otherwise blank wall. Good gear and rests punctuated with thin and delicate sections. Clambour onto the right-hand slab as the seam pinches off, then easy faceclimbing to anchors. 50m.
Pitch 12 - 5.10-: Easy faceclimbing past a couple bolts leads to a thin corner, then more easy faceclimbing trending right, to anchors at the top of a column and below a large clean corner. 60m+.
Pitch 13 - 5.10: Easy slab leading to thin face cracks in the large asthetic bay framed by the corner and looming roof. Thin wires and a bolt before the roof, which is overcome with a reachy move to good finger locks, gear, and a right highstep and rockover. 50m.
Pitch 14 - 5.7: Easy climbing up a thin seam, delicately negotiating an often-wet spot trending left, then more easy slab to anchors at the base of a long thin seam. 60m.
Pitch 15 - 5.6: Easy slab climbing trending left gains a wide crack system. Follow this to the base of the final pillar. 60m.
Pitch 16 - 5.11-: Climb the impressive pillar, starting just right of the belay. Some hard layback moves past 2 bolts, followed by a wild entry left into an easier crack. Continue past a couple delicate moves to easier ground, another bolt and an often-wet topout before greenery, and the final anchors just left. 50m.

From the final anchors, continue up 100 vertical meters through the scrub alpine forest following a faint path (look for chainsaw marks, limbed trees, some flagging etc) to gain the alpine proper. Recommended descent is via Crystal Creek trail: https://bellacoolatrails.ca/content/nuxalk-ridge-crystal-creek approx. 3 hours to parking lot from summit. Or rap the route.

A moderate 5-pitch gear climb on Snootli's west walls. Good climbing with good protection over interesting features with fine positions. Bring rack to 2", bolted belays. Devon Girard, Sandy Van Horn - 2016.

Start at the far left side of the west wall, at the base of an ivory white pillar with several attractive flakes. Climb the white flake system to easier ground and belay at the base of a compact triple-corner system (5.8). Climb the columns/cracks to easier ground and belay at the beginning of a large, low-angle open-book corner (5.9). Choose from a variety of corner (more vegetation) and face cracks (cleaner, less protection) until exiting the corner left to the obvious blunt arete via a series of flakes up the left-hand wall. Follow the arete up to a belay (5.9). Continue on up and slightly left over easy ground to belay near the base of smooth-sided corner (5.6). Finish up the enjoyable and friendly corner, past a few face moves to final belay (5.9).

Descend via Bodhi tree trail: http://www.bellacoolatrails.ca/content/bodhi-tree-lookout

Saloompt Bluffs multipitch project.

Multipitch on the far right (west) face of Snootli. 5 pitches - 5.9/5.10a/5.10d/5.10b/5.6 - Devon Girard, Rob Nelson, 2016. Mixed protection, bring many small wires and cams for pitch 3.

Climb the prominent white, crack-riddled pillar to a perfect belay ledge (5.9). Continue past 1 bolt and various cracks and flakes to the base of a long, thin seam up a sheer wall (5.10a). Climb the long seam until it shuts; continue left past 1 bolt, to another crack system, continue to belay ledge below the headwall - a long pitch (5.10d). Climb past 3 bolts and some small cam placements, traversing up and right to gain a large hanging corner; scramble right on easy ledges with a few moves to belay below final wall (5.10c). Climb easy cracks up final wall to the top (5.8).

Descend via Bodhi Tree http://www.bellacoolatrails.ca/node/184

Multipitch on the far right (west) face of Snootli. 4 pitches - 5.8/5.10b/5.11a/5.8. Devon Girard, Dale Mcreery, 2016. Mixed protection, bring small wires for pitch 3.

Start below a large, white flake; climb past 1 bolt and discontinuous cracks to a belay ledge below a friendly crack (5.8). Climb the friendly crack, traverse right and face climb past 3 bolts into the main corner system to a small belay ledge below a thin crack (5.10b). Climb past 1 bolt into a thin seam, slowly expanding into a finger crack before disappearing; face climb up and right past 3 bolts, navigating small roof features (5.10d). Finish up friendly flakes and cracks past a small roof, then head out right past 2 bolts to belay anchors at top of the wall (5.8) - sometimes wet.

Descend via Bodhi Tree http://www.bellacoolatrails.ca/node/184

Multipitch on the Gun Range wall. Alex Boileau, Jia Condon, ~2011.

Exciting and varied climbing, mostly in the mid-5.10 range. First few pitches are interesting face climbs, leading up to the unique water groove pitch. Every pitch on the route is interesting and worthwhile. Much more potential on this wall.

Mostly bolted, bring at least 23 quickdraws, and a small rack of cams (single set to 2" should be fine). Bolted stations with rap rings.

Approach via Saloompt Bluffs lower trail.

Fantastic 12 pitch climb ranging around 5.9 to 5.10a/b up the western wall of Snootli's main face. Bolted rap stations, mixed protection relying mostly on bolts.
F.A Pitch 1-4 Steven Murray 2001, Pitch 5-10 Steven Murray & Jia Condon 2002, Pitch 11-12 Jia Condon & Grant McCartney 2013.

This climb starts more climbers right (west) of Spirit Walker (or 'Snootli Express') and is mostly modest angle slab climbing with moments of crack allowing for laybacking and some steeper more difficult slab bulges. Sections can be runout at times but cruxes are often well protected. Pitches are 60m long and rapping requires two 60m ropes.
A single rack up to size 2 or 3 with emphasis on a few smaller pieces (0.4) is recommended and numerous long runners (~6 alpine draws and up to ~12 total draws). Lead with a nut-tool to clean cracks for placements as Bella Coola routes does not get enough traffic.

See the topo attached for more details on the pitches and route finding. Of note, for pitch 4 the route passes through a thick but short swath of stunted hemlock after a bolt. Push through the bush and look for another bolt.

The top-out on the climb is a tree'd ledge and a descent trail goes down from this ledge if you'd rather not rappel. Go west on the tree ledge and look for flagging. The descent trail involves sections of slab, some hand-lines and chains, and can involve some route finding so give ample time and daylight.