Big Eddy

The Big Eddy is a small climbing crag situated next to the Stellako River. There are a total of nine developed routes of moderate grades offering a nice mix of climbing styles. The rock is made up of exfoliating (on both a macro and micro level) coarse pink granite. There are many large flake systems that could be released with the right trigger. All users should keep this in mind. This crag is especially nice on a hot summer day as the swimming in the river is excellent. It is also worth a visit in the fall to observe the spectacle of the spawning sockeye salmon. Many other users frequent this area so please be respectful. I suppose it’s also worth mentioning that bushy tailed rats inhabit this crag and their toilet habits make some of the routes rather unpleasant

Getting there

1. Drive west on Highway 16 until you’re approximately 2 km west of the community of Fraser Lake.
2. Take a left turn onto Francois Lake Road and continue driving for approximately 5 km.
3. Look for a small dirt road on the right side as you reach the apex of a sweeping left bend in the road.
4. Drive 100 m down this dirt road and park in a small clearing, making sure to leave space for other users.
5. Walk down the right fork of the road (or drive if you have a high-clearance vehicle) for another 100 m until you reach a clearing.
6. In the clearing, locate a trail that departs from the left back corner.
7. Follow the trail for about 20 minutes, generally keeping to the right at intersections, until you can see the crag on your left.
8. From the top of the crag, scramble down on the skier’s left side and then traverse back to the base of the routes on your right.
9. The first route you will come across is #9, known as “You Otter Climb This.”

The Routes

1. Back Ferry Left - 5.6 gear. A nice warm up.
2. Back Ferry Right - 5.5 gear. Not as good as it’s neighbour but still worth doing.
3. Bye Bye Sockey - 5.10a gear. A tricky climb and not all that popular. Tree anchor.
4. Big Fish Small Pond - 5.8 gear. A nice climb that protects very well. Back stepping off the block to your right at the crux lowers the grade a notch. 5. Catch and Release - 5.9+ gear. Another nice climb with a variety of climbing. Try to avoid using the big flake to the left of the splitter finishing crack. The anchor is set quite far back to force leaders to make the final top out moves. The bolt lower down on the route is intended as a TR directional, not leader protection.
5. The Captain - 5.9+ mixed, two bolts. Likely the most popular route at the crag. For TR purposes be sure to put a directional on the upper bolt.
6. Deliverance – 5.10+ mixed, four bolts. A great route up the face and prow. Has its own anchor on the face at top of prow.
7. A River Runs To It – 5.7 gear. An OK that doesn’t get done often. Shares the anchor (on top of prow) with The Captain.
8. You Otter Climb This – 5.8 mixed, one bolt. The rats have made this one quite unpleasant. Use caution when topping out on the final block!