Boatrock Peak – Runnel Finish

FA – G.Cornell and J.Miller, Sept., 2009

There was no signs of previous ascents the way we travelled but that is not say someone decades ago humped up the easier north slope/ridge from Hassel Castle.

This is wonderfully interesting route-finding scramble that seems like it may not get you to the summit, but does in the end and there are many cairns to help you along.

Park at Jura Creek along Hwy#1A. Walk into the every tightening canyon and either follow a trail up into the forest and around to avoid the dodgy deep pools(depending on season) or keep going up the narrow passage- ski poles help on the balancing logs. Hike for 2 hours until the rocky strewn valley really opens up into a very wide gravel wash. The slanted peak objective is visible to the NE from here and Jura splits here. Boat Rock Peak is distinguished by a large boulder sitting at the base of the mountain where the trees touch the valley and a cairn sits behind it. If you hike past the boulder up into the north reaching valley, Boat Rock Peak will soon present it’s mass like a Yamnuska split in half- there is good future potential for trad lines on the many corner features of a few hundred meters.

Head up from the cairn from behind the boulder and head up scree mixed with forest and aim for where the tree line abruptly ends via a treed gully halfing the forest. The right side scree slope closer to the cliff edge is better left for the descent. After about 40 min., you should be below a large overhung wall sitting in the center of the peak’s west slope- you want to be here. Pull on a pair of old Fiere climbing boots for maximum grip and comfort and go up the slab to under the long overhang. Use a nice broken ledge leftward and go to the north edge of the overhang. Drop down a ledge and up till you can traverse left on worn slabs about 150m to a tiny tree. Hike up and left on the darker, broken slab 70m to a group of small boulders, then go around right, up a tiny wall and scree above and into the narrowing gully where the scree comes from. Pop onto the slab to the left which will blow your mind – take any series of the incredibly fat ribs for 30m on semi-steep terrain to the end of the mountain, then walk left to the summit cairn.

Descend scree ledges below the summit and return the same way. Expect about 6 hours car-to-car.