Columbia Buttress
For all routes not shown on this page, refer to the guide book “Revelstoke Rocks”.
The Columbia Buttress is definitely for climbers in search of adventure and long routes. Climbing in the lower part of this 450 vertical meter face will likely make you feel enclosed by the big face. As you reach the upper part of the routes exposure, it will drive your ambition. The amazing scenery of the beautiful Columbia Valley, the Selkirk Mountains and of course Mt.Begbie will let you understand why you just climbed one of the many routes on this large face.
The Columbia Buttress and the Victor Lake Wall offer more of a serious alpine-rock flavour than what you can find on all other Revelstoke sport climbing crags. If I have to compare rock climbing and its seriousness on the Columbia Buttress with any cliff of western Canada then I would quickly decide on the Yamnuska.
The Columbia Buttress has 5 routes of up to 16 pitches. Two of these routes, Convicted and The Hanging Judge, 6 / 5 pitches, can be approached from the top of the Columbia Buttress with an 11 km drive up the Boulder Mountain logging road, followed by a 4 minute downhill approach walk and finally rappelling 5 pitches (longest rappel 33 meters) down an independent rappelling route. Both routes start at the upper part of the high cliff.
The Last Tango and The Noose, each 16 pitches and Eternity 15 pitches, start at the base of the Columbia Buttress. A 20 minute walk from the Trans Canada Highway will get you there. Eternity and The Last Tango are the most popular routes on the wall. For these three routes, an early start is recommended.
The best time to climb on the Columbia Buttress is from mid May until late October. Often when it is too cold to climb on any other crag in Revelstoke, the Columbia Buttress gets warmed by the late fall sun radiation and is perfect to climb. These routes also dry very fast after any rainstorm. It is not recommended to climb any of these routes if there is snow in the upper face or directly after a long-lasting heavy rainstorm, as such conditions increase the likelihood of rockfall.
How to get there and Routes
Please refer to the guide book Revelstoke Rocks.
View the crag site map »
Approach to base of Columbia Buttress
The Last Tango, The Noose and Eternity
From the intersection Hwy 1 and Hwy 23 S drive for 3.1 km along the Trans Canada Highway (Hwy 1) towards west, across the Columbia River Bridge and past the traffic light of Hwy 1 and Hwy 23 South as far as the Canada West Campground. There is a small parking area on the north side of the highway. Park your car there.
From the parking area walk 50 meters towards north to a Columbia Buttress sign. There leave the road to the left (west), follow the well marked approach trail to a narrow rock gully. Now walk for the final few minutes up this rock gully to the base of the climbs. All routes start at the same base bolt. 20 minutes from highway.
Approach to top of Columbia Buttress
The Hanging Judge and Convicted
Drive: From Revelstoke drive along the Trans Canada Highway (Hwy 1) towards west, across the Columbia River Bridge to the traffic light at Hwy 1 and Hwy 23 South, 900 meters from western access to Revelstoke. From the Hwy 1 and Hwy 23 South traffic light turn right and follow the Westside Road for 3.8 km. There turn left and drive along the Boulder Mountain Logging Road for 10.6 km (check topo). This brings you to a road pullout and a turn-off leading to the left. Park your car there.
Trail: From the road pull-out and turnoff follow the narrow turn-off road leading to the left (south) for 400 meters, to a small parking area with a great view over Revelstoke and the Columbia Valley. From there walk along a well marked trail in southerly direction, downhill to the tree line. There keep following the trail downhill for 50 meters where you will find a cedar tree with two clothing hooks. Leave your pack there, as The Hanging Judge and Convicted are topping out at this point. Now keep descending the trail to the rappel route for The Hanging Judge and Convicted. 10 minutes from the parking area.
Rappel Route:
- 30 meters straight down.
- 30 meters slightly to the right (east).
- 25 meters diagonally to the left (west).
- 20 meters slightly to the left (west)
- 33 meters down a large dihedral (to belay 0/8 XX on photos)
