ICE CLIMBING
New Ice Routes in Southern Ontario
Most of these routes were all climbed in the winters of 1995/96 and 1996/97, and all were climbed subsequent to the publication of the Southern Ontario ice guidebook. Please refer to the guidebook if explicit directions to an area are not given. Bear in mind that the winter of 1995/96, in particular, was one of the best for ice development in a long time and that in a normal year some of the "thin" routes will not exist.
Many
of these climbs are in the Haliburton Highlands, as shown on the map on
the right (click on the map for an enlarged version). Areas on the
map are indicated by numbered markers corresponding to the numbers in the
list below.
Schooner Lake, Brule Lake and Kennisis River Crag (8) now have their own pages, all with route photographs.
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Little Fat Boy Don Collier and Ian Frensch - 1996? 3, 22 m A thin, narrow climb located in the first gully left (N) of the broad descent gully. The top of the climb is visible from the lake. |
Drive Hwy # 60 into Algonquin Park and turn south onto Rock Lake road. Go past Fisher lake (see guide) for approximately 3.5 km to where the road makes a sharp right. Park. Continue south along an access road (gated) for 1.0 km to Rock Lake (Ref 028437, Map 31 E/9). Go south across the lake and around the obvious point and a large crag will come into view. The large crag is Ref 050412, Map 31 E/8 and contains the climb "Petragon". Less than 1 km north east of the large crag is a smaller crag, containing "Bump and Grind" and "Sunbather".
| Route: First Ascent: Grade: Description: |
Little Fat Boy Don Collier and Ian Frensch - 1996? 3, 22 m A thin, narrow climb located in the first gully left (N) of the broad descent gully. The top of the climb is visible from the lake. |
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Bump and Grind Don Collier and Ian Frensch - 1996? 2, 20 m Located on the right section of the crag. Climb rolling ice to the top. |
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Sunbather Don Collier, Ian Frensch and Dave Britnall - 1996? 3, 25 m The obvious ice in the center of the crag. Expect thin ice at the bottom. |
Take Hwy #60, about 9 km east of Hwy #35 and turn left onto Algonquin Outfitter's Road. Park at the store and gain the lake. About a 10 min walk north is a large crag with three prominent flows. (Ref 625278, Map 31 E/7). Right to left:
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Lost Arrow Michael Bryant, Ian Frensch and Don Collier - March 9, 1996 5.5, 3+, 30 m Climb difficult rock to thin ice and then up the pillar. Pitons useful. |
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Kid in a Candy Store Michael Bryant, Ian Frensch and Don Collier - March 9, 1996 3, 25 m The middle flow, climb straight up. |
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Pillar of Doom Michael Bryant, Ian Frensch and Don Collier - March 9, 1996 4, 50 m Climb easy ice in the gully to the base of the impressive yellow pillar. Climb the pillar. Highly recommended. |
Take Hwy #35 north of Carnarvon to Halls Lake and turn right onto Big Hawk Road. Follow the road to the end and park. Walk across Big Hawk Lake for about 1.5 km in a NW direction and go through the portage into Sherbourne Lake. About 0.5 km up the lake is a prominent crag with blue ice. (Ref 758036, Map 31 E/2). Descents for both routes is an easy walk off left of the crag.
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Highlander Ed Reinhardt, Michael Bryant and Don Collier 5, 40 m A brilliant route that takes a good year to form. The climb is a wide vertical piece of blue ice which, due to flowing over an overhang, misses touching down by about 7 m. The first ascencionists climbed very thin ice to the right to gain a narrow traverse ledge. Traverse gingerly (a tunnel was hacked behind a rotten pillar) and very awkwardly (pitons useful) to gain the main ice fall. Traverse the ice and climb straight up. A bold and committing route. |
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Sins of the Father Don Collier and Dave Britnall 5.2, 3, 40 m This route goes up the obvious ramp left of Highlander. Climb thin ice and make a rock move to gain the ramp. Climb easily up the ramp and traverse around rotten ice pillars to the base of a solid pillar and climb straight up. |
Located across the pool created by damming the Kennisis River as it drains Big Hawk Lake. Park as for Sherbourne Lake and the climb is visible across the pool. Cross the dam and contour around open water to the climb. (Ref 775014, Map 31 E/2).
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Two Ph.Ds and a Camera Michael Bryant, Ian Frensch, Calvin Klatt and Don Collier - March 3, 1996 3, 15 m Climb the steep ice. |
Directions as per guide for the Kennisis River Crag. Located at the north end of Little Hawk Lake. Map: # 31E2 reference 802036
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Ehud Bruce Dunning and Michael Bryant - January 5, 1996 3, 10 m Scramble up the gully, past potential ice which end in bushes to the obvious ice on top. |
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Toboggan Run Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - January 5, 1996 1 - 2, 40m Direct start from the lake. Scramble up the ramp. The best ice is near the top. |
Located in a canyon opposite Grindstone Lake on the east side of Hwy #35 in Haliburton. Climbs just visible from the road.
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Pigs at the Trough Don Collier and Dave Britnell, 1996? 3, 22 m Located about 5 m left of Nose to the Grindstone. Climb steep yellow ice to a large ledge and exit through a narrow trough on the right. |
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East Meets West Chris Ferguson, Brian Irving, and Ed Reinhardt - January 1999 M5 Start on rock just right and below 'Jetstream'. Follow obvious left leaning crack, with one good mid-size nut placement and some dry tooling, then pull out onto the curtain. |
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The Grinch Chris Geisler and Graeme Smith - 1996? 5 , 40 m The hardest route on the cliff. Follows the rock route "Santa Claus". Referred to in the guide as a "potentially extreme mixed route". Only rock gear used for protection. The route climbs up under an overhang, up right, back left and up into a verglassed chimney. From here up left to a thin vertical pillar. Yikes! |
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After the Rains Graeme Smith and Chris Geisler - 1996? 4, 70 m A mixed route just left of the buttress halfway between Hidden Gully and Ice Castle, around from the main wall/orange ramp. Start at the left crack of two parallel cracks. Climb 30 m of rock/verglass to a belay at the tree/bolt on the right. The next 40 m follows thin ice to the top. |
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B&E Brian Irving and Ed Reinhardt 3, 20m Straightforward ice which starts at an obvious ledge up and to the left of the start of "Justice". This line has probably been climbed before, but this is the FRA. |
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Bootsauce Norbert Katner and Morris Manolson 4-, 20m Late season ice. Up bulge right of north easy way down, over frozen bushes to short headwall. Ends at top left of Roller Coaster. |
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You Can Leave Your Hat On Norbert Katner and Morris Manolson 4-, 20m Late season ice. Up left-facing inside corner 20m south of Foul Line. Scarier than it looks. |
From the corner of highway #35 and #118 travel east on #118, 13 km to the Kennisis Lake Road. Turn left and immediately right on to county road 6. Travel to the town of Eagle Lake (8 km). Turn left at the flashing amber light on to county road 14 north. Follow this for 11.5 km and then turn left over the bridge onto the Harburn Road around Haliburton Lake for 9.5 km. Here you will see a small laneway on the right with cottages # 3904 - 3911 marked on a small sign. Travel down this road to the end and park.
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Frozen Sweat Hogs Michael Bryant and John Ireland - March 27, 1996 3+, 15 m Follow the base of the cliff left for several hundred meters. |
Permission should be obtained to cross private property down cottage driveway # 3912. Walk right, out on to the lake. The following routes are described from left to right. Map: # 31E1 reference 042098.
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Phantom Krispies Michael Bryant and John Ireland - March 27, 1996 3, 20 m Very thin ice at the extreme left end of the cliffs. |
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Frosted Flakes Ed Reinhardt and Kevin Bailey - December 29, 1995 5.4, 4 R, 25 m Very thin to a narrow slot ending at a pine tree. Climbed in the dark while bystanders watched in horror. |
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Slim Pickins Don Chaisson, Jackson Huang, and Don Collier - March 5, 1995 3, 22 m An obvious right facing corner with thin ice. |
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Froot Loops Kevin Bailey and Ed Reinhardt - December 29, 1995 3, 20 m Right end of the cliff, last climb directly off the lake. |
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Captain Crunch Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - March 30, 1994 2 - 3, 30 m Huge ice fall, right of the cliffs, back from the lake. This is a reliable classic route and in 1996 was climbed on May 3rd. |
From the corner of highway #35 and #118 travel east on #118 thirteen km to the Kennisis Lake Road. Turn left and immediately right on to county road 6. Travel to the town of Eagle Lake (8 km). Turn left at the flashing amber light on to county road 14 north. Follow this for a few km to the obvious ice fall on the left facing Sir Sams Ski Resort. Map: # 31E2 reference 965013.
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Irish Redemption Michael Bryant and John Ireland - December 9, 1995 3, 5.2 30 m A number of variations are possible. The original route stepped left under the rock overhang at the top for a rock finish. |
Park at the Leslie Frost Centre located on highway #35 between Carnarvon and Dorset. Walk across the lake to the far east side. Routes are described from left to right beginning directly behind the island blocking the view of the Frost Centre. Beware of the open water or thin ice at the far right side where a creek enters the lake. Map: # 31E2 reference 711021
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Can You Speak? Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - February 2, 1996 3, 15 m Route is directly behind the island. Furthest route on the left. |
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Can You Breathe? Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - February 2, 1996 2 - 3, 15 m Ten meters to the right of the previous climb. |
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Hans Solo John Ireland and Bruce Dunning - January 29, 1996 2, 20 m This next area is located in the bay which is a 10 minute walk to the right from the previous two climbs. Walk up the gully to the farthest climb on the left. There are many variations here. |
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Jabba the Ice Hut Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - February 2, 1996 2, 20 m Scramble up the slope to where the ice begins. |
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X-Wing Fighter Bruce Dunning and John Ireland - January 29, 1996 3+, 15 m The first nice climb coming directly off the lake. Vertical start and finish with a ledge in the middle. |
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Storm Troopers Bruce Dunning and John Ireland - January 29, 1996 3, 25 m Thin ice start straight up to the base of an overhanging curtain. Traverse right until the curtain touches down and then straight up. Belay off a large white pine on the top. |
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Forest of Endor Bruce Dunning and Michael Bryant - February 2, 1996 3, 20 m Follow up the far right gully to the end of the cliff. Awkward moves up zig zag ramps with a small curtain at the top. |
Same directions as for Bitter Lake but continue on the road for another 2 km. Turn left down a very steep hill. Follow this for 1 km. Take the second cottage lane way on the left. Follow to the end. Cliffs are on the left. Map: # 31E1 reference 927052 .
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Midnight Madness Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - February 12, 1996 3+, 20 m This climb was originally done by headlamp. Scramble up the gully to the base of the climb. Finish in thick cedar trees. |
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What Pro? Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - March 5, 1996 3, 20 m To the right of Midnight Madness. Scramble to the curtain and then up. |
From West Guilford drive up the Kennisis Lake Road for 2 ½ km. Turn left on Barry's Line. Follow this to the bridge that crosses the Redstone river. Park here and walk down the skidoo trail for 2 km. Cliffs are on the left. Map: # 31E2 reference 885010.
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Breakaway Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - March 19, 1996 3+, 10 m Climb straight up the 10 m pillar. |
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Spring Training Bruce Dunning and Michael Bryant - March 19, 1996 3, 12 m Inside corner to the right of Breakaway. |
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Flaming Jubilee John Ireland and Bruce Dunning - March 23, 1996 3+, 10 m Start almost directly off the lake directly below the Blue Pillar at the Kushog Narrows. |
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Medeba Boys Bruce Dunning and Michael Bryant - April 4, 1996 4-, 25 m This route starts 10 m right of the Blue Pillar, 5 m right of the big inside corner. Go directly up the slab to the vertical curtain. |
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Cotton Candy Michael Bryant - April 2, 1996 3+ , 20 m 10 m left of Caramel Coating in an inside corner. |
Follow Hwy 62 north of Eagle's Nest in Bancroft for 13 km. Turn right on Hickey Road East. Continue to landfill site at the end of the road. Park outside the gates and follow an old snowmobile trail on the far side of the landfill site. Bushwack left off of the trail to the crag.
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Greenpeace Pillar Ed Reinhardt and Bruce Dunning - February 18, 1996 3+ , 25 m The furthest climb to the left. Climb the pillar to what seems like the finish on a ledge and be pleasantly surprised with more climbing at the back. |
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Incinerator Ed Reinhardt and Bruce Dunning - February 18, 1996 3+ , 25 m To the right of the Greenpeace Pillar. Follow this narrow route up an inside corner. |
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Scarface Brina Irving and Ed Reinhardt 5.4, 4, 25 m About 20m right of "Incinerator". Take a vertical curtain for a few metres and then left to more ice which in turn leads to a 60-deg 8m ice hose. Awkward moves left past a dead tree leads to a 15m flared crack (5.4). |
From West Guilford follow the Kennisis Lake Road for 9 km. Turn right on the first cottage road past Tedious Lake. Follow this for 1 km to the intersection of Bitter Lake and Burdock Lake. Go to the far end of the lake. Map: # 31E2 reference 912044.
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Bitter Sweet Bruce Dunning and Michael Bryant - March 5, 1996 3+ , 15 m Climb the obvious ice line directly from the lake. |
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Sweeter that it Looks Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - March 5, 1996 3 , 15 m Flow is about 30 m to the right of the previous climb, just in the bush. |
Take Hwy 62 north, 22 kms from Eagle's Nest in Bancroft to Maynooth. Turn left on Peterson Road and drive 13 kms. Turn left on to a forest access road (may or may not be ploughed), continue .6 kms to fork and take the left fork for .4 kms to a tin shack and a large clearing. Turn right on the road before the shack and continue 1 km where cliffs are visible on the left. Map: # 31E1 reference 288064. Routes are described from left to right.
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Two Sons and a Daughter Bruce Dunning, Michael Bryant and Ed Reinhardt - March 12, 1996 3+ , 20 m Route furthest to the left. |
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Holy Hannah Ed Reinhardt, Bruce Dunning and Michael Bryant - March 12, 1996 4+ , 25 m Spectacular dead vertical climb up the entire wall. |
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Rue Boy Ed Reinhardt and Bruce Dunning - March 12, 1996 4- , 20 m A few meters left of Bryant Madhouse. Climb thin ice up past a small cedar. Ice gets thicker as you go higher. |
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Bryant Madhouse Michael Bryant and Bruce Dunning - March 12, 1996 3+ , 20 m Route furthest to the left. Narrow ice up the corner to the top. |
Located on the south end of Little Wren Lake, just before the parking lot for the Raven Lake climbs. Map: # 31E2 reference 687054.
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Cookie Crumbs Bruce Dunning and John Ireland - March 23, 1996 3, 12 m Route furthest to the left, facing the road. Climb the face to the top. |
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George of the Jungle Bruce Dunning and John Ireland - March 23, 1996 3+ , 25 m Mixed route in a corner 10 meters to the right of Cookie Crumbs. |
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Sunshine of My Life John Ireland and Bruce Dunning - March 23, 1996 2, 15 m Start half way up the hill to the right of the gully. |
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Road Warrior Michael Bryant - April 2, 1996 3, 10 m Go around the corner to the right. 25 m wide. Great bouldering spot. |
Follow Hwy. 35 north for about 3 km past the town of Dorset. The huge cliffs are visible on the right just off of the highway. The climb "Lone Pine" is at the far right end and was described in the Alpine club's 95 Ice routes update
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Wild Bill Michael Bryant, Beth "Billy" Hlozan, John Ireland - March 10, 1996 2+, 20 m Located at the far left side of the cliff. The route wanders leftwards up the slab to finish in the trees. |
Yesterday's News: 3-4, 25m (Don Collier, Ian Frensch, Dave Britnell). Pick a line up the very wide ice sheet covering the left-hand amphitheatre. "Melts in your Mouth" starts at the left side of "Yesterday's News" and moves up left through a narrow gully.
Xenophobia Goes Berserk: 3+, 25m (Don Collier, Ian Frensch, Dave Britnell). Go up very thin ice on the left side (corner) of the buttress separating the two amphitheatres. Another short wall can be climbed in the trees.
Walking on Air, 3, 60m (Norbert Kartner, Benoit St. Pierre); P1 - as for Walking on Water (start near right end of lower ice curtains), but instead of wimping out to the right, climb P2 - make a rising traverse over a step to the left andxit straight up the headwall above a ledge. Amazing for its grade .
Direct Air, 4, 50m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); take the leftmost ice pillar (longest, steepest) at the start, and end as for Walking on Air.
Heaven's Gate, 4-, 25 (Norbert Kartner, Benoit St. Pierre); take the talus fan up the right flank of The Sentinel to the left end of the upper crag, to the left-most dihedral.
Nightmare on Elm Street, 5, 80m, R (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); a.k.a. the last great problem, Ultrahooker, etc. - obvious discontinuous ice flow 40m right of Frankenhooker P1 -climb heinous thin, steep ice to a cave belay with tattered fixed ropes (whose are they?). P2 - traverse right, to climb heinous thin ice on the right margin of the cave to a ledge and over a steep pillar higher up. P3 - climb moderate ice to an exit groove right of roofs. One of the more serious southern Ontario climbs.
Take the West Road all the way around the lake. About halfway down the far side lakeshore it veers suddenly eastward. Take the cut-off here to parking area. Ask permission to access the lake. The crag starts south 200m.
Path of the Red Fox, 3+, 80m (Norbert Kartner, Ian Donaldson); meander up the left flank of the crag to an aesthetic iceflow (10m) near the top of the hill.
Slaughterhouse Five, 5-, 25m, R, (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); climb below the large roof and get into a free-hanging pillar to turn the roof and exit over the top. The mixed traverse onto the pillar is "protected" by a knifeblade in vertical seam. Nice adrenalin rush. At your own risk!!
My So-Called Life, 4-, 20m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); 20m right of prev. route. Beautiful moderate line up groove starting above bulge at lake.
Bouldering Bulges, 2+ to 3+, 6-10m (Norbert Kartner, Ian Donaldson); warmup material, many variations, 0.2km south of main crag.
Ian Gets Out, 3- to 4+, 8-10m (Norbert Kartner, Ian Donaldson); 0.2km farther south at last rock outcrop on lake. Easy left margin, hard curtains on right to cedar bush.
Routes at George Lake:
Spirit Healer, 3+, 15m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); at the head of the Embacher Valley north of campsite 3 and below the rock route "Road to Heaven", a long but satisfying slog.
Red Cloud, 3, 20m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); on the wall above the left flank of the Embacher Cirque, NW of campsite 4. This area is now off limits due to regeneration closure.
Routes at Killarney Lake (central lake area, south shore):
Trail of Tears, 3+, 40m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); north end of middle crags, gully passing under overhanging rock on its left flank at top.
Earplugs or Ice Axes, 2+, 30m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); 50 m right of prev. route, near lake.
Day of the Eclipse, 3+, 20m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); start 10 m right of Earplugs, exiting to same trees.
Living with the X Chromosome, 3+, 30m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); approx. 50 m right of Eclipse in woods left of a large boulder at the lakeshore. Forms a double "ski-track" iceflow.
Returning Small Arms Fire, 4, 15m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); 10m right of X Chromosome. May have mixed exit as on FA.
Born Under the Comet, 3+, 20m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); 20m right of
Returning Small Arms Fire, around a butress and up a steep snowslope.
Children of a Lesser God, 4+, 20 m (Norbert Kartner, Morris Manolson); 30m right, into woods, from Comet (near end of bay, but difficult to see from lake). Hideous pillar. Easy bypass route (2+) on left.
Last Updated: January 10, 2000
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