Climbing Access in Nanaimo
This page serves as a place for me to condense my own observations about places i have climbed, which others may find useful. For climbing route information I recommend that you buy the guidebook!
The Steppes
Last Update: September 02, 2008.
- Time: 45-60 minutes each way (walking)
- Approach: undulating gravel roads, overgrown trail
- Kids: Absolutely not safe for kids
Route Info at RockClimbing.com
Access to this area will change over the next little while due to ongoing development of “The Foothills” area. Currently there is gated access which is open during the daytime only, so i would not recommend driving your vehicle beyond Harwood Rd if you wish to drive out in the evening! The inner gate is almost always locked so don’t plan on driving beyond this point.
Park at the end of Harwood Rd and begin walking along the dirt road that crosses the new bridge. After a while you will reach the crest of the hill at an intersection, where you can continue going straight (Long Route ~3.5km) or turn right (Copley Ridge Rd ~2.5km). I have not yet taken Copley Ridge Rd, but according to the aerial imagery it appears to be a shorter walk. However, i must warn that apparently this is a no-through-road and requires some amount of bushwhacking. At this point i do not recommend taking Copely Ridge Rd to access The Steppes.
So, taking the long route, the general rule of thumb is to keep to the main roadway (avoid overgrown roads) and when the roadway forks, keep right. Cabin access depicted on the map is fairly accurate: from the road keep an eye out on the left hand side for a log in the ditch, which marks the beginning of a trail that heads up the bank and through the brush.
From the top of the crag near the cabin, there is no easy access to the base of the climbing area - you must set up a rappel or hike back down and around (about 3-5 minutes).