1999 saw the completion of three new routes. These are:

On the Virg. (IV 5.9+) Aaron Black, Victor Ting, Kris Wild, And Colin Dionne  plucked this late season gem in October. Ten pitches of exceptionally clean rock lead to the alpine summit of the isolated dome Amon Rudh. A three hour deactivated road hike is the walls greatest defense. If you want an exceptional wilderness experience this walls for you.

Other Eldred classics from the stone age include:

Psychopath (III 5.10) The first route in the valley put up by Rob and Casey  Richards, Lisa Padgett, and John Hagen in 1988 on psyche slab. This ten-pitch mega-classic is known for its traditional aesthetic appeal. It has no bolts, fixed anchors or other blemishes. If you plan on retreating I hope you're rich.

Mainline (VI 5.11/A4+) The classic first ascent of the formation The West Main  Wall. This 18 pitch mixed aid/free project was completed capsule style by Rob Richards and Colin Dionne in 1993, following an epic retreat in 1992. The epitome of good style this hard core route still awaits a repeat. Only eighteen bolts were used many of them quarter inchers. Definitely not a route for the faint of heart!

Sanitarium (III 5.9+) Michelle Thibeault and Colin Dionne put up this ten pitch  Trad slab route in 1995 to facilitate rapping off of Psyche slab. Ten full rope raps will get you to the ground after summiting on any of the Psyche slab routes. This route is excellent to familiarize yourself with the valley. In addition some bouldering has begun to develop along the road in the vicinity of the Eldred walls. Some exploration should reveal many boulders to the astute explorer. Also several trails lead to many alpine objectives. 

Psyche Slab: Follow the goat lake mainline to the pullout at mile 35.  Two trails lead to the slab from the vicinity of the pullout. To approach the left side of the wall walk about 75m up the road to where a faint trail leads across the ditch on the right hand side of the road. This trail is just before a left hand curve in the road. The trail heads very directly to the wall staying to the left of a small gully. It arrives at the base of Sanitarium. To approach the right side of the wall, walk approximately 100m down the road from the pullout at 35mile to a trail just before the bridge across b-branch creek. This trail leads up to the center-right area of psyche slab in the vicinity of the Falkland crisis and psychopath. To reach Delusional reality, head into the gully to the east of the wall. Delusional starts at the bottom of the gully. A well worn bear trail traverses below the wall from the sanitarium trail across the base of the wall intersecting the psychopath trail, and heads up the gully to Delusional. Approach should take 15minutes. To descend from the summit of psyche slab rap sanitarium (two 55m ropes) or take the gorilla-snot trail which follows the gully immediately behind and to the west of the summit area. Descending the gorilla-snot trail may take as long as three hours.

Carag-Dur: Park at mile 35.25 (not signed). You will know  you are there  because the road curves to the right and Carag-Dur is very prominent across the river. An old overgrown road heads down to the river at this location allowing a crossing of the Eldred with the help of a 30-foot extension ladder. Once across the river locate a seldom used, flagged trail, that leads up to the base of the wall below the Funk soul brother wall. Some exploration for the trail will pay off, as some of the terrain below Carag-Dur is very gnarly. Approach takes about 1½ hours from the West Side of the river. To descend, follow the summit ridge down to the north until you reach the top of a prominent gully heading back to the south along the base of the wall. Thrash across the base of the wall until you reach the approach trail. 

West Main Wall: At mile 36.5 a rough road leads down to a large clearing by the river. From the end of the clearing a faint trail leads about 100feet into the bush, revealing a cable crossing the Eldred. From the opposite bank head down stream about 200-feet until you come out on an old road. This road forks after a short distance, go right. After about 300m the road forks again this time take the left (uphill fork). After some time you will come to another fork to the left, this fork can be difficult to spot, it is below the extreme right margin of the Mainer, if you walk past it the road will peter out quickly. The road should now be traversing below the wall from right to left. About 100m before the end of the road you will find tent-platforms amidst some large alder trees. A flagged route heads up through the logging slash and slide debris  from this point dumping you at the base of the wall about 100m to the left of the Mainline. Approach takes about 2 ½ hours from the West Side of the river. To descend follow slabs and gully south from the summit, enter the forest on the south side of the drainage when practical. Continue down until it is possible to traverse the creek and logging slash back north to the road end landing on the approach. Allow a full day for the descent.

Amon Rudh: Follow the goat main to mile 40.2 then turn right on the D-branch    turnoff. Follow D-branch to a major fork about a mile up from the mainline. Take the left fork, which leads across the bridge to the north side of the D-branch valley, continue up a long water-barred grade until a major gully stops further vehicular access. From your truck begin hiking up the road, after about ½ mile the road forks back to the west. Follow this deactivated spur to its terminus close to the east-end of Amon Rudh. Head up and left through the slash into the old growth forest, continue up and left until it is possible to traverse across to some large boulders in the forest, descend into the gully below the wall. A faint trail leads from the top of the major waterfall through the forest to the start of On the Virg. Approach takes about three hours from the truck. To descend rap. On the Virg.

Stillwater access from 3 roads: Robert's, Loubert, MB Mainline. Several sea cliffs between Frolander Bay and Stillwater Bay, with some bluffs on Scotch Fir Point . There are about 65 established routes ranging from 5.5 to 5.11, from bouldering to about 80' climb.

• The Stacks - Hollingsworth Road cuts down off of Loubert Rd to the north of Frolander Bay. The end of this road is private property. At the gateway, climb the fence to the right, circle left around the back of the hayfield to pick up an old skid road. A sharp left at its end leads to wooden steps, a mossy granite knoll, and hence down to the bay. Most of the easier problems have been bouldered, but at 20', the hardest lines have only been top-roped; most could be led. There is also an excellent and long girdle traverse, and some bouldering nearby. The climbs are listed from left to right while facing the bluff:
• Take a Pil (5.8) - is a contrived face climb on the pillar to the left of the far corner ( it's "illegal" to use the crack or the face on the right)
• Pil Corner (5.6) - Same as Take a Pil, but also uses the crack to the right.
• Outside Dirty Corner (5.10) - is another contrived climb avoiding the Dirty Corner crack or any holds to the right of it. Difficult start, but easier (5.7) top move.
• Dirty Corner Crack (5.6) - easy stemming and jamming.
• Zig-Zag Blues (5.8) - is an not so obvious face climb to the left of Mid-Split. For bolder boulderers or with a top-rope.
• Bushed (5.7) - climbs up over several hollow-sounding flakes stacked together past the little bush. Caution is urged.
• Mid-Split (5.5) - is the easy leaning chimney in the middle of the bluff. Squeeze through the bottom slot or over the outside. Easiest is just inside the chimney edge, but the middle is the classic squeeze.
• Mid-Split Monkey Man (5.8) - climbs the right outside edge of Mid-Split Chimney with sloth-like moves.
• Meatgrinder (5.10c) - climbs the striking and severely-overhanging finger-and-hand crack to the right of Mid-Split. The crux is the last move over the top. Difficult.
• Fist (5.9) - climbs to the obvious ledge using the wide hand crack, then pivots left to the hanging block and a strenuous mantle.
• Fist Direct (5.9) - jams up right instead of over the block.
• Side-Split (5.8) - is the chimney around the corner to the right. It starts with a layback and is awkward getting into the chimney.
• That Way Up (5.8) - jams (easy) or liebacks (much harder) up the hand crack in the corner.
• The Hard Way up (5.11) - climbs the very thin, technical, curving crack in the center of the face.
• This Way Up (5.7) - climbs the outside corner to the short finger crack at the top. A popular and easy bouldering route.
• Dark Slab (5.8) - A short, dark, dirty slab off to the far right.

Second Point Bouldering Between the Stacks and the next major beach cliff (Catcharatcha) 1-mile around to the north, stretches a vast array of bouldering out-crops. Much is frustratingly difficult for beginners, being steep and fingery, with several obvious exceptions. Approach from the Stacks wither along the rocky foreshore (minor climbing) or by a vague trail that exists in the bush above.

• Catcharatcha This major cliff rises sheer for 70' almost directly out of the water and cannot be missed. Protection is practically nonexistent on this cliff (with some exceptions), and most routes are top-roped. There are fixed pins on top, but don't trust the rusty bolts. High tide covers the access to the base, but it can be reached on rappel. 
• Sleasy (5.8) - is the shortest and easiest line that climbs the off-width crack at the left edge of the cliff.
• Columbian Crystals (5.11b/c) - takes a line up the thin crack between Sleasy and Pervuian Flakes. One of Stillwater's harder free route.
• Pervuian Flakes (5.10d) - is a face climb to the right of Sleasy. Sharp edges lead up the left/center of the obvious flake, and the upper (crux) section works left on tiny sharp face holds to finish up a shallow corner.
• Lost Cause (5.10b) - climbs thin face holds to the right edge of the flake, then moves right off the flake's top around a bulge.
• Lost Cause Direct (5.10c) - begins the same as Lost Cause, but instead of moving up the flakes right edge, try a series of difficult and awkward layaways straight up the black water streak.
• Thinner, formerly known as Clean Corner - is the thin crack in the outward leaning corner. It was first free climbed in 1988 by Rob Richards and has been a classic ever since. It was the first route in the Powell River Area to be given the 5.12 grade.
• Foot Loose (5.11+) is an acrobatic line on the severely overhanging wall to the right of the corner. It was climbed by Casey Richards in 1988.

Of the original aid lines, two stand out:

• Copper Penny (C4) and Copper Jenny (C4) - climb the extremely thin and bottoming seams on the blank wall left of Clean Corner. Good protection can be rigged in the Clean Corner crack.

Moss Mountain Just north of Catcharatcha is a barrier-like rock wall split by many crack system, the SE face of Moss Mountain, offering the finest free climbing in Stillwater.  The quickest approach is from the north . At the very southern terminus of MB(Weyerhauser) Mainline is Stillwater Hall at Stillwater Bay. Just south of it is a rough skid road that cuts up steeply left and leads to a small cove (Hollingsworth Bay) a few hundred yards north of Moss Mountain. The SE Face is reached by traversing carefully across the top of the cliff and dropping down a vague trail through the forest to the foreshore below. Note: be extremely cautious of logging truck traffic when using the MB(Weyerhauser) Mainline, call ahead to check for truck traffic (487-9518). Please respect the adjoining private property owners by avoiding access through their property.

• Vege-Burger (5.7) - is the central gulley. Easiest route on the cliff, and is often top-roped by beginners.
• Taco (5.9) - follows the cracks to the immediate left of Vege-burger and offers excellent protection and delightful climbing.
• Taco Direct (5.10a) - takes the beautiful finger crack connecting to the stance midway up Taco.
• The Gash (5.10b) - is obvious on the far left edge of the face. It is a slightly overhanging and flaring fist/hand crack.
• Knobs (5.10a) - is a continuously-difficult line up face holds to a short finger crack in a flaring groove.
• State of Confusion (5.10a) - takes a line up water-worn cracks and grooves, involving excellent face climbing and jamming, with several not so obvious but good rest stances. The bottom 20-feet (the crux) are un-protectable.
• One Nut Route (5.9) - starts up a water-worn streak of brittle black rock. 20 feet of easy 5.7 leads to a small stance on a friable horn. Move left up an overhanging bulge to a sloping mantle and the crux face climbing. Difficult to protect.
• Mud Wasp (5.9) - takes a line up the disconnected cracks immediately left of Taco. Good protection and wasp nest.
• Preview (5.10b) - climbs the striking finger crack to the immediate right of Vege-Burger.
• Betwist (5.10d) - can be reached from either Mud Wasp or the Gash with some delicate 5.10 face climbing. A difficult pull-up on a sloping hold gains the short strenuous finger crack that splits left to the top.
• Wishful Thinking (5.10d) - is a variation that heads left from he first stance on Preview to the small ledge on Vege-Burger, then up the twin overhanging cracks above the right end of the ledge over the top.
• Initalities (5.8) - A wonderful climb up the obvious cracks and ledges on the far right margin of the face.
• Indelibly Stamped (5.11d) - Moss Mountain's hardest route takes a line up the black rock to the right of Brothers In arms.

The south face of Moss Mountain also offers excellent climbing. Unlike the SE Face, it is broken into several ledge systems, so the routes are shorter, generally 30-40 feet. On the SW slope of the cliff there is a single pine tree growing seemingly out of solid rock.

• The Walkway is the long ledge just past the pine tree, about 30' above the water. It ends abruptly in a small alcove at a blank, overhanging impasse. Two aid bolts (or 5.8 free) cross to Sunshine Ledge, and a rappel puts one in Sunshine Corner. At the far north are 2 climbs:
• Pretty Fart Smeller (5.10+) - this "spoonerism" is a strenuous, 30 foot, parallel-sided and off-width finger-crack directly above the alcove.
• Under cling Traverse - is a wild top-rope problem on the left. It goes both ways along the obvious horizontal overlap; not for greasy palms.
• Sunshine Corner has four interesting problems, all of which exit onto the Walkway:
• Easy Exit (5.7) - climbs onto the small ledge 20-feet below the bolts, then simply follows the corner back onto the Walkway.
• The Exit (5.8) - liebacks onto the small ledge, then climbs the overhanging hand crack left of the corner.
• Hat Trick (5.10a) - climbs the obvious flaring slot below a small roof, which is the crux.
• Necessity (5.8) - is a free-solo problem that climbs another slot and finishes on face holds.

The steep 30-foot slab below Sunshine Corner has three short routes:

• Easy Access (5.7) - provides unroped access up to the ledge; the others are unrepeated top-rope eliminates.
• Nerve Damage (5.10+) - takes a line up the slab to the left of Easy Access, then a strenuous mantle off a finger-lock to the ledge.
• S & M (5.10+) - involves some delicate friction climbing to the even thinner corner, left of Nerve Damage.

Above Sunshine Ledge are the three longest routes on this side of Moss Mountain:

• Nuts & Bolts AKA Wyatt Rurp was freed in 1991 to become Why It Goes (5.12) - is an exposed and entertaining problem that climbs cracks up the overhanging wall above the ledge. It is currently the hardest top rope in Stillwater.
• Memory Lane (5.7) - is a flaring but secure chimney with a deep off-width crack in the back.
• Friends (5.9) - is a big open book with a flaring hand and fist crack. It is protected well with "Friends" and the odd small wired stopper. The variation gains the ledge below the corner with a hand (5.10b) layback.
• Kinder-Garden Slab is reached by following the beach or cattle trails south from Canoe Bay. Kinder-Garden is a dirty, 70-foot, low-angled beginners slab with one 5.5 face climb and potential for more with cleaning.
• Crocodile Rock is south Kinder-Garden has two fine climbs that rise directly out of the water and can only be approached at low tide. Just south lies good bouldering and more climbing potential accessible only at low tide.
• Severe Doubt (5.10b) - liebacks up the obvious big corner on the left to the thin finger crack/flake that breaks to the top.
• Sociable Seagulls (C-3) - is the thin aid crack on the smooth vertical wall to the right.
• Scotch Rock is the large bluff rising out of the water near the end of the true Scotch Fir Point. Approach along the road past the McRae residence till the road peters out, then back NW along the beach.
• Butter- Scotch (5.10a) - is a wonderful face climb up the vertical pillar.
• Scotch on the Rocks (5.10c) - is a face problem that climbs up to the right of the corner and surmounts the roof directly.

Lois River Canyon is a summertime bouldering paradise. It can be accessed most directly from the logging bridge over the canyon (MB Mainline), by a steep trail down from the NE corner of the bridge. Alternatively, you can hike up from the highway bridge (note popular swimming hole on W side) and along the rocky river bed for about one mile. Several small swimming holes popular with nude bathers are passed on the way up.  Danger: The Lois River, running SW and S from the gates of the Stillwater Dam, is the overflow drainage for Lois Lake; dangerous in fall, winter and spring when the lake if high and MB opens the dam gates! It is wise to phone MB beforehand (483-4214). Sirens are located at the cement bridge on Highway 101, and on Stillwater Dam itself but cannot be heard in the most popular parts of the canyon.  The canyon offers morning sun, a good swim, privacy, and superb bouldering in a small canyon. Many routes are over deep water ("aqua-dynamic belay") and are quite hard (5.10+). They may require drying your rock shoes several times prior to a successful "accent".  Excellent bouldering lies almost directly underneath the logging bridge, but is usually dusty. Below that lies a long traverse on the west side of the canyon, more bouldering, and below that the canyon itself. Both sides of the canyon have long girdle traverses:

• Sublaxation Traverse (5.10) - leans out from the upper end of the east side of the canyon, almost directly above the waterfall. 8' over is an easier start that down-rates the route to 5.9. It goes both ways, and stays generally 2 - 6 feet above the water.
• Dry Run (5.10+) - usually a misnomer, this route is long (200') and varied boudlering circuit up to 40' above the deep canyon pool. A sure classic. Cross over to the west side above the water fall, and gain the horizontal face cracks that lead awkwardly left to the ledge just off the water. Up the hand crack into the slot, up and out on large faceholds, and across left and down to the ledge at the white scoop. Drop down on small faceholds to a stance below, and then right to a wild fingertip layback and pendulum to the 5.9 crack, and down to the rest ledge below. Then back across to the horizontal cracks (crux) and exit. Usually a splash.

The Stillwater Dam Two aid-climbing routes have been done on this 150-foot of overhanging and slightly-flawed cement. Repeat ascents unlikely.

• The Pipe - ascends the cement directly behind the large water pipe alongside the dam. The braces of the pipe structure were used for protection.
• Dam Direct - a preposterous route on the far right side of the dam meticulously pieced together by an obviously-demented and unidentified climber.

Branch 41 Slabs an aesthetically-sweeping slab of granite located above Branch 41, off the MB Mainline. It is now Powell River's premier front-country cragging area, with over 40 trad routes and stunning views. Many of the climbs are in the 5.9 grade, making this an excellent intermediate crag for teh traditional leader.

• Sacrificial Vegetation (5.9) - a short finger crack leads to Boomchain Ledge. A straight-forward hand crack with one difficult section in the middle leads to a ledge above, and a rappel out, or a potential third pitch of aid or hard free climbing.
• Variation (5.10) - to the left, some difficult face-climbing gains the flake above. Bolt-protected face-climbing leads to the ledge shared with Sacrificial Vegetation.