Victoria BC rock climbing?

[mankato]

We will be in Victoria next weekend, and hoping someone has some beta on rock climbing areas near the city. I've searched the web a bit, and found some info, but nothing specific. There is a wall near the city, Fleming Beach--does anyone know if these climbs can be top roped? Are they bolted? We will be on bikes, so somewhat limited on how far we can travel and how much gear we can carry. Thanks in advance for any replies.

[adamsbud]

If I remember correctly that is the little seaside cliff by the navy base?? If so, it's all toproping and easy to set up. Had a lot of fun there when I was young and didn't have money for a big rack or a lot of driving. There is also sport area somewhere around there, call the local gym for directions. Have fun!

[Ed_Seedhouse]

Fleming Beach has top rope anchors set all along it, and lots of bouldering at a moderate standard. The landings are all on pavement, but at least it's flat.

 

There are a number of other areas around the City and a guide which you should be able to pick up at the local MEC or Valhalla Pure outlets.

 

There's also a climbing gym near the Point Ellice bridge.

 

There is trad and sport multipitch climbining within a half hour of downtown. Tends to be a bit vegetated, though.

 

The weather is much drier than at Squamish and Victoria proper gets less than 30 inches of rain per year. But it can still rain, of course, and it's been a cool winter and spring.

 

Fleming Beach is granodiorite but with a lot of intrusions and very small crystals, quite unlike Squamish - lots of holds, though. At Fleming if you do a climb straight up, then step two feet left or right, there is another climb. Potential for new routes is pretty much zero, nearly everything worth doing was done decades ago, although there is no official guide so to you they can all be first ascents. Folks have been climbing there since the 1960's. It's a park so folks walk there dogs beneath the crags and some of them don't clean up the droppings - be aware!

 

There are other small crags in the vicinity that are almost unvisited.

 

Other crags range from Basalt to Gneiss to Gabbro at East Sooke Park. At East Sooke Park there are several miles (!) of sea cliffs ranging up to 80 feet that are virtually unexplored since you have to hike to get there.