Carag-Dur on the Eldred River, BC

The Eldred River flows through the glacial carved Eldred Valley to the head of Goat Lake.

Looking up the Eldred River before it passes through granite chutes.

The scouring action of glacial ice over 10,000 years ago created huge granite walls that are favourites with rock climbers. At an unmarked old overgrown logging road opposite a rock wall called Garag-Dur, you can hike down to the river where it passes through narrow water carved granite chutes and holes.

Even in warmer summer months, the power of the river is evident.

To get here you need to travel on the Goat Main logging road. Access is restricted to nights and weekends, but even then it is is best to contact the Western Forest Products hotline at 604-485-3132 or their office line at 604-485-3100 to find out if there is any active log hauling. You don't want to meet up with a huge logging truck barreling down the narrow dirt road.

Goat Main is accessed from Highway 101 via Dixon Road south of Powell River. As the mainline winds through the forest, it passes several of the lakes on the Powell River Forest Canoe Route. Many of these lakes have rustic campgrounds that are also accessible by vehicle.  Just past milepost 34 on the left hand side of the road there is a trail leading down to the Eldred River.

Looking down the Eldred towards the climbers camp.

Just below the milepost 34 turnout there's a campground used by rock climbers. The river can also be accessed from this location and there is a pulley line climbers use to cross the river. It looks a bit dodgy to me, but for a climber it's probably a piece of cake. -- Margy