The 'Great Bear Rainforest'

Our base is the small town of Bella Coola in British Columbia which lies 80 kilometres inland at the head of an inlet and is the gateway to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, a hidden gem in British Columbia's remote interior. The whole area is known as the Great Bear Rainforest.

The coastal mountains, river valley and dense forests provide sanctuary for one of the highest concentrations of grizzly bears in Canada, as well as a healthy population of black bears, cougars, deer, beaver, wolves, to mention just a few. There are numerous places in mainland British Columbia where grizzly bears can be seen, but the Bella Coola valley is special.

No other location offers the chance of such intimate encounters amidst utterly breathtaking natural splendour. Bear-viewing can be enjoyed on foot or from a boat while drifting serenely down the river - which makes for exhilarating viewing and great photography.

Online Photo Album

We have been posting some new images to our online photo album. The spring weather has been fantastic so we have been getting out on lots of adventures. Our focus has been to revamp some of the climbing areas. And of course get the garden ready for planting! Traditionally May long weekend (22 - 24) is the time for planting in Bella Coola, so we'll be sowing our seeds soon.

Click here to see our photo album

Bella Coola Valley Tourism

We have a new listing on this great information site. Take a look at what we offer and find out more about our home in Bella Coola.

click here for Bella Coola Valley Tourism page

Social Networking Pages

We have a Twitter account under the name 'WEAdventures' and a Facebook Fan Page called simply 'Wild Earth Adventures' so if you want to keep up with our daily movements and weekly adventures then please take a look. We are linking these pages to this blog to provide regular updates. If you have friends using these networking tools then please forward our details to them so we can broaden our network and continue to promote Bella Coola and the unique adventure tours we offer.

New Bouldering Venue in Bella Coola

Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and (normally) limited to very short climbs (known as problems) over a specialised crash pad. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders. On the west coast of Canada, Squamish, 45 mins north of Vancouver, has traditionally been the mecca for bouldering with a huge area of granite boulders in a small area, with easy access from the highway.

Six hours north from Vancouver 'as the crow flies' the Bella Coola Valley is a wilder and remoter version of the busier commuter belt of Squamish. Bella Coola is the adventurous sister and can now boast bouldering problems to rival any that Squamish offers.


Last year myself and a friend made an unscheduled stop on a logging road 13km from the highway enroute to the stunning Odegaard falls (a bigger version of Shannon Falls in Squamish). I had caught a glimpse of a large boulder tucked away in the forest. It turned out to be a massive boulder field of featured granite rock set amongst a magical temperate rainforest of thick carpet moss and creeks. This Magic Kingdom of boulders has until now remained undeveloped.

The popularity of bouldering has risen significantly in recent years with bouldering venues being developed throughout the world. After dedicating the last couple of weeks to developing a new sport climbing crag in the valley it was finally time to explore the Magic Kingdom and I wasn't disappointed, finding a sea of world class granite boulder problems.

From a slopey rail traverse on the backside of the roadside boulder to a large slab with a series of variations to a large arete high ball (don't fall!) there is something for everyone. The grades range from easy V0 to mid range V5/6 and it looks like atleast two harder V8/9 and beyond.

At the moment there are about a dozen problems ready to climb and I am in the process of developing more this week (the weather forecast is perfect!). This involves cleaning the rock of dirt and moss to expose the features underneath. It has minimal impact on the environment and allows Bella Coola to add bouldering to its list of adventurous activties and another reason to visit this unique wilderness paradise.

The Magic Kingdom is on the Nusatsum logging road at the 13km signpost right side of the road on the top of the roadside boulder. (This is also the access road for Odegaard Falls.) The logging road is directly off the Bella Coola highway at the hairpin bend before you reach Hagensborg). Just past the 13km marker there is a pull out to park. If you miss it you will get to the bridge over Nusatsum river where there is a great swimming hole 5 mins up river!

Running Wild

Last night a Cougar (aka Mountain Lion) was spotted chasing a dog down the street. We live quite literally at the edge of Cougar Hill (although technically a mountain) so it is no surprise. Although sometimes I think the longtime residents are teasing with these local names!

Perfect Spring Weather for a Climb

There has been a fresh dump of snow on the mountains but we are still enjoying a warm and sunny spring here in the valley of Bella Coola! We have been exploring a climbing crag on a bench above Noosgultch River. I have to say in all the years of exploring this area this is by far the most stunning location. I was absolutely blown away having never been to this climbing crag. It is overshadowed by the most fantastic view of Nusatsum Mountain, still covered in snow with incredible views across the valley. It really reminds me of what a world class destination Bella Coola is for adventure tourism.

The climbing itself is a single pitch sport crag of granite slabs. The site is being rejuvenated with additonal routes and some cleaning to maintain the existing routes (the moss and dirt building up on the rock as the site has been neglected). The climbing is easy to moderate so perfect for groups and beginners. We'll ceratinly be getting some pictures up soon.

Meanwhile I am off to try out my birthday present of a new fishing rod for Cutthroat Trout and Coho Salmon. Bella Coola is also a world class fishing destination. We really are spoilt here!!! So hopefully some fresh fish for dinner tonight...