A NOTE ON THE APPROACH TO MIRKWOOD FOREST (see attached photos): it will take about 20 minutes to get to Mirkwood from the entrance at the top of the East Sooke Regional Park parking lot. Continue following the signposts towards Beechey Head. You have to climb up and down a large hill to get to the final signpost (see photo); the trail to the base of the bluff will be approximately 50-100 metres from there, on the left side. There is a large tree to mark this wall, as well as stones which have been arranged around the bases of the different climbs.
THE DELIGHTFUL MR BONGLES: Wasn't able to get past the 2nd of 4 bolts on lead. There is a large gap (approximately 3-4 metres in length) between the 2nd and 3rd bolts in a very slabby section of the wall, which happens to be the crux of the climb. It doesn't feel safe for a fall. Owing to this, I actually think the grade should be higher, likely closer to 5.10c than the posted grade of 5.9. The wall has clearly lost some of its original features, so it's possible that the grading has changed owing to this.
Request for the local climbing community: could someone add an additional bolt between bolts 2 and 3? I think this would suffice to allay any safety concerns. It would bring the total number of bolts up to 5.
N.B: we still ended up finishing the climb on TR. A 5-10 minute hike up and around the Mirkwood Forest bluff will allow you to safely approach the anchor from above.
- with
Spence Newell
THE DELIGHTFUL MR BONGLES: Wasn't able to get past the 2nd of 4 bolts on lead. There is a large gap (approximately 3-4 metres in length) between the 2nd and 3rd bolts in a very slabby section of the wall, which happens to be the crux of the climb. It doesn't feel safe for a fall. Owing to this, I actually think the grade should be higher, likely closer to 5.10c than the posted grade of 5.9. The wall has clearly lost some of its original features, so it's possible that the grading has changed owing to this.
Request for the local climbing community: could someone add an additional bolt between bolts 2 and 3? I think this would suffice to allay any safety concerns. It would bring the total number of bolts up to 5.
N.B: we still ended up finishing the climb on TR. A 5-10 minute hike up and around the Mirkwood Forest bluff will allow you to safely approach the anchor from above.