Deep Cove Quarry rock crag

[anglescrest]

Does anyone have any info on the Quarry rock crag in Deep Cove? Like location and route descriptions/topo.

[Neumann]

Does anyone have any info on the Quarry rock crag in Deep Cove? Like .... route descriptions/topo.

I've wondered this for years. There doesn't seem to be anyone out there willing to share the route info.
To get there drive toward Seymour mountain, turn right at the base of the mtn road. Turn left onto Indian River Road. Follow IRR through the forest until you reach the spot where the power lines cross the road (There's a big pullout and an entrance to the Baden Powell trail). Follow BP trail or under the power lines down hill. Look for the tower on top of the bluff. The routes start here and are sporatically scattered along the bluffs as you head west toward the lookout.
All routes seem to be in the 5.10s or harder.
Have fun. Report back.

[PAW]

That is pretty good beta on the approach I would imagine.
When I climbed there 10 yrs ago or so we would drive into deep cove itself and park along the road just above the marina at its end. Hanging a left after Cove Bikes.

Make your way from the top of the bluff to the base.
Routes on the left were 5.8 to 5.9 good bolts at top for tr. Leadable with gear and runouts. Probably dirty since we cleaned it 10yrs and haven't been back. Routs got harder as you went right 5.10 5.11? before you get to the striking arete.

the long arete goes at 5.9 bloted. I believe first ascent was Guy Edwards back in the day.

Anyways have fun. Bring a brush or two or three. Explore the magic.
Nice to be able to climb so close to your house.

[Neumann]

the long arete goes at 5.9 bloted. I believe first ascent was Guy Edwards back in the day.

Is this the arete that ends with an overhang on the ledge below the viewpoint?


p

[ed]

been there, we normally park our car just before where it says private road, which is next to the magnificent stone-house.

climbed 3 of the routes at the outset - possibly around 5.9's and perhaps one easy 5.10.

walked further up two weeks ago and spotted a climb with 8 bolts. Someone left their quickdraws too (around 4). That climbed felt at least 11a, crux is on the last few moves. Nice climb, just slimy on the first bolt though.

Ed

[seebrown]

If you're looking for climbing beta for quarry rock in deep cove check out http://www.projectclimb.com some of the climbing has been added there. Also feel free to add some more beta (routes topos etc..) [/url]

[J Mace]

Is there a reason you have to join to see the routes ?

[psi4ce]

I have explored the Quarry Rock area extensively, and climbed a bunch of the routes there. There are three main areas, or tiers. Each has climbing. All are disused. Overall, the climbing experience there is poor. But, you do have to consider that Quarry Rock is on the North Shore, where decent roped climbing opportunities are extremely limited. This alone makes it appealing, and the view is nice.

But, did I mention dirty? Yeah, there is very little climbing traffic at Quarry. Nor has there has been any development or retro work, for years and years. In some places, there are what appear to be bolts under thick moss--abandoned projects? But, easily the worst thing about it is the garbage and broken glass. The upper tier in particular is a favourite bottle-smashing spot for local Yahoos. A friend of mine was climbing there and lacerated his finger sticking it into a crack where a piece of broken glass was lurking. We took to adding whisks to our climbing racks, and often times a crux move would be preceded by a quick sweep of the brush (a "house-cleaning move").

I've asked around a couple of times but route information is sparse at best. I think the development was done by several different individuals over something like a 20-year period. Anyway, here's the beta lowdown.

TOP TIER
Approach from Indian River Road. Under the power-lines there are several anchors with lower-in climbs below. Several are really short but are quite good. They start from a prominent ledge. There is also a dirty, sketchy two-pitch trad-style route (with intermediate station) that starts way down next to a junked refrigerator or whatever.

MIDDLE TIER
The zone of mystery. A full inventory has yet to be done. If you approach from above, and head out onto the Quarry Rock lookout itself (dodge the tourists and dogs), you can easily find one or more old anchor stations. But, the bolts are missing hangers. Are these old projects? No one knows. If you approach from below, you can hike around on a network of little pathways in the trees and discover several old routes and projects. The most prominent route is the long, bolted sport pitch up a relatively clean headwall. I have been told this is a decent climb and it goes at 5.11

LOWER TIER
Park at the end of Panorama Drive in Deep Cove. Approach by sneaking through the marina parking lot (private property) and pick up a foot-ledge above the water. Drop down using a horrible old fixed line into the shady trees at the base of a north-facing crag. There are some pretty good climbs here. The mixed route is interesting, but worth climbing simply because it is a rare opportunity to place (characteristically shitty) gear on the North Shore. The full-out trad route is hard 5.10 up some weirdly featured rock with plenty of sketch. There are also a couple of fairly fun easy sport routes.

CONCLUSION
If you climb at Quarry, take a few replacement bolt hangers--you'll probably need them. And take whisks and brushes. And take a first-aid kit. Or better yet, just hop in your emissions-spewing SUV and drive 45 minutes up the highway to Murrin Park and do some real climbing...

[psi4ce]

Is there a reason you have to join to see the routes ?

Yeah, what's with that? It's like stupid Facebook or something, you need to sign up and log in to look at your friend's tiny 640 x 480 resolution photo galleries. What's the point???

[Brendan]

you need to sign up and log in to look at your friend's tiny 640 x 480 resolution photo galleries...

So you signed up?

[Dru]

Good summary psi4ce. I only climbed there once, in 1993 with Guy Edwards, and the place had old bolts and overgrown climbs even back then. I suspect that the first climbs were done sometime in the 70s. I checked it out again a few years back and it had definitely acquired more bolts and better quality hangers since the early 90s but was still rather overgrown and funky.

Given that it doesn't have the restrictions on access or scrubbing that crags/areas like Lighthouse, K*******n's or the Senior Centre do I have often wondered why this area, with ease of access to Vancouver, isn't more popular with climbers.

[Anders Ourom]

Somewhere I read a report of people like Steve Sutton and Paul Piro climbing on a cliff somewhere near Deep Cove in the early 1970s. Neil Bennett or Greg Shannan may know more.

[miguel]

I live in Deep Cove and have scoped the area on several occasions, but decided to pass. I guess the garbage, glass, tourists, and moss are good enough reason not to go.

The top tier has 3 or 4 short routes, and one quite long. A nice view, in the sun, and fairly clean rock... but yeah, glass and garbage everywhere, quite sad actually.

The middle tier tops out at the busy lookout, you can see the anchors. There is one route on a big slightly overhanging wall, and a couple of other longer ones around the corner, and a lot of moss...

The lower tier is the cleanest area hosting around 5 short 5.9ish fun looking sport or mixed routes, and one tough looking trad.

[Dru]

Anders were they climbing at the Quarry Rock in Deep Cove, or at the "North Van Quarry" in Greenwood Park (Lynn Valley area)?

[Anders Ourom]

Definitely at a Deep Cove area cliff - not the North Vancouver quarry. People were still climbing a bit then at the North Van quarry, and this was something different.