The Stump

FAs- G.Cornell and G.Castillo, June 2016

This dome shaped hill sits above and back of the Sibbald Road and the crossroads of a logging road…thats an awkward sentence, but that is the best way to describe its pinpoint location. Around here also is a yellow marker nailed to a tree that says 1825.

Located about 8.9km from the Sibbald-Powderface junction(or 4.7km from Hwy#40). The hill is set-back to the north above a chunky cutblock. Park around the middle of the cutblock, and hike up it dodging deadfall. Head toward a rocky opening in the forest that from the car seems to be the depression of a drainage, which is a very cool drainage to hike, to get you to the cliff – the hike is fun in itself. Once you enter the rocky trench – literally what it is and being 4ft wide and like rock steps its impossible to get lost- follow it up for a few hundred meters or more until you step right around a tree blocking the trench. Head westward above the tree on a ok trail back into the woods. Follow flagging and cairns up,  zig-zagging around bush, traversing westward under a minor escarpment( seen from car with binos and 5 minutes further from here to the cliff) and logs until you come out under the cliff near Static Line- 40 minutes from the car. A left trail goes out left from the end of the rocky drainage and may have flags but comes out in the middle of the cliff if memory serves.

There is room here for a half dozen routes still. The west end is taller at about 30m, has better rock. Every possible line has some gear possibilities and should be used to cut down on the amount of unnecessary bolts being used. A wide selection will be needed but the odd large cam is a good idea. Expect a certain amount of cleaning on new routes.

Brendan Clark hiked up The Stump and found a well built platform above the cliff set back in the forest, see the photo in the slideshow below.

Folkart  5.9, 27m

A gully just around the corner of the rock bluff near a line of impressive trees below in the forest. From a belay bolt climb up into the gully. Follow three bolts up to a 2-bolt rap belay. Gear used: medium gear

Static Line  5.7, 21m

Found directly above the trail leading in, a bolt shows the start and nice to hang rope off. Climb straight up barely going right or left, heading toward a rock spike. A 2-bolt belay is just beyond. Not a good beginner lead. Gear used: #1 cam, #5 Ballnut, #2 and #0 TCU and small-medium nuts